Ever found yourself strolling down the grocery store aisles, thinking, “I could do this for a living!”? Well, today, we’re here to dish out the details on how much do Instacart shoppers make.
Working as an Instacart shopper isn’t just about filling up your cart with groceries; it’s about earning while you shop. If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s a viable gig, a side hustle, or a full-time gig, you’re about to get the inside scoop.
We’ll navigate through Instacart, break down the earnings, share some insights from experienced shoppers, and help you decide if this gig is the right fit for you.
So, if you’re curious about how much do Instacart shoppers make and eager to explore the aisles of opportunity, let’s get started!
Key Takeaways:
- Instacart Shoppers are independent contractors who provide grocery delivery and pickup services. These shoppers fulfill customer orders placed through the Instacart platform.
- There are two types of Instacart shoppers: In-Store shoppers and Full-Service shoppers.
- Full-service shoppers handle the entire service process for the company. The responsibility ranges from receiving the order to picking up the items from the grocery stores.
- In-store shoppers simplify the process for drivers and customers who prefer curbside pickups. They make the ordered items available for drivers and customers to pick up conveniently.
- In-store shoppers have a fixed hourly income. It can be ascertained during the employment offer phase, with a weekly allocation of up to 29 hours.
- Full-time shoppers don’t have a fixed hourly income. Their earnings per hour depend on their selection of orders & timing.
- Instacart Shoppers earn approximately $12-$20 per hour. Full-service shoppers make around $15-$20 per hour. On the other hand, In-store shoppers receive pay in the range of $12-$16 per hour, with an average of $13 per hour.
- Full-service Instacart shoppers can earn $100 daily or even more, especially when working for 4-6 hours daily. At the same time, In-store shoppers who work for the same daily hours can earn $50 to $80 daily.
- Instacart shoppers will encounter frequent maintenance requirements, such as oil changes, new tires, brake pads, fluid changes, and similar needs. They also incur gas expenses.
- Full-service and in-store shoppers receive weekly payments through direct deposit. The payment is transferred to their savings or checking account.
- If you’re a full-service shopper, you can use Instant Cashout. This option allows for immediate transfers to their debit cards and facilitates faster access to your earnings.
- Detroit, Long Island, Omaha, Boston, Portland, Tucson, Chicago, and Los Angeles are the cities that pay the highest amount to Instacart shoppers.
- The batch pay has been raised to $7-$10 in response to feedback from drivers who felt that their effort was not always adequately reflected in their compensation. In addition, Instacart shoppers can now retain 100% of the tips for each order.
- Boost your earnings by maximizing your availability during peak times, particularly for busy professionals who prefer ordering on weekdays after work or over the weekends.
Types Of Instacart Shoppers
There are two types of Instacart shoppers: In-Store shoppers and Full-Service shoppers.
Full-service shoppers handle the entire service process for the company. The responsibility ranges from receiving the order to picking up the items from the grocery stores. Full-service shoppers can choose which orders to accept or decline and other delivery driver options.
On the other hand, In-store shoppers simplify the process for drivers and customers who prefer curbside pickups.
They make the ordered items available for drivers and customers to pick up conveniently. This ensures a smooth and efficient delivery experience for the customers.
Now, let us know about the work location of Instacart shoppers.
Payment Process Of Instacart Shoppers
Full-service and in-store shoppers receive weekly payments through direct deposit. The payment is transferred to their savings or checking account.
If you’re a full-service shopper, you can use Instant Cashout. This option allows for immediate transfers to their debit cards and facilitates faster access to your earnings.
But remember, the Instant Cashout feature becomes available only after you complete your first 5 batches. This feature allows delivery drivers to cash out five times a day as long as they have earned at least $5.
The daily cash-out limit is set at $3,000.
Full-service shoppers can receive additional tips from satisfied customers that contribute to their overall earnings as independent contractors.
Now, let us look at whether Instacart shoppers get hourly payments.
Do Instacart Shoppers Get Paid Hourly?
Yes, Instacart Shoppers get paid hourly. Hourly wages are provided to in-store shoppers who are classified as part-time staff. It guarantees a consistent income but doesn’t include gratuities.
You’ll be surprised to know that In-store shoppers have a fixed hourly income. It can be ascertained during the employment offer phase, with a weekly allocation of up to 29 hours.
On the other hand, Full-time shoppers don’t have a fixed hourly income. Their earnings per hour depend on their selection of orders & timing.
Let us have a look at how much do Instacart shoppers make in the next section.
How Much Do Instacart Shoppers Make In An Hour?
Instacart Shoppers earn approximately $12-$20 per hour. If you are an In-store shopper, the payment is based on an hourly rate. On the other hand, Full-service shoppers receive compensation per order they complete.
Generally, Full-service shoppers make around $15-$20 per hour. You can calculate their earnings by dividing their weekly earnings by the number of hours worked.
On the other hand, In-store shoppers receive pay in the range of $12-$16 per hour, with an average of $13 per hour.
Full-service Instacart shoppers can earn $100 daily or even more, especially when working for 4-6 hours daily. However, their hourly pay can fluctuate since compensation is based on a per-order system. At the same time, In-store shoppers who work for the same daily hours can earn $50 to $80 daily.
Instacart uses a sophisticated black-box algorithm to determine the earnings for each order.
Recent Changes In The Instacart Shoppers Payment
Here are the recent changes made to Instacart shoppers’ payments:
- The batch pay has been raised to $7-$10 in response to feedback from drivers who felt that their effort was not always adequately reflected in their compensation.
- Instacart shoppers can now retain 100% of the tips for each order.
Now, you know how much do Instacart shoppers make. So, let us look at the factors that affect the Instacart shoppers’ payment.
Factors That Affect Instacart Shopper’s Payment
There are some factors that affect the payment of Instacart shoppers. Here are they:
- Drop-off location of the order from the store
- Level of difficulty of each order, especially when it involves heavy or oversized items
- Base pay calculation for completing the order
- Bonuses earned during periods of high demand
- Bonuses received for receiving five-star reviews from customers
- 100% tips received from customers also contribute to the overall earnings of the shoppers.
Let us look at the expenses of Instacart shoppers in the next section.
Expenses Incurred By Instacart Shoppers
Instacart shoppers have to incur certain expenses. Here are they:
- Instacart shoppers will encounter frequent maintenance requirements, such as oil changes, new tires, brake pads, fluid changes, and similar needs.
- Instacart shoppers also incur gas expenses. The fuel mileage their car achieves can significantly affect their overall earnings.
- Instacart shoppers may need special insurance to ensure full coverage in case of an accident. This insurance may cost around $15 monthly or more, depending on the specific coverage options.
Let us look at how you can qualify as an Instacart shopper.
Qualifications Needed For Becoming An Instacart Shopper
There are some requirements for becoming an Instacart shopper. Here are they:
Qualification For In-store Instacart Shopper
- Be at least 18 years old
- Eligible to work legally in the United States
- Possess a smartphone that can run the Instacart app
- You can lift at least 50 pounds, with or without accommodation
- Successfully pass a criminal background check.
Qualification For Full-service Instacart Shopper
- Be at least 18 years old
- Possess a valid driver’s license
- Have regular access to a reliable vehicle with proper insurance coverage
- Successfully pass a criminal background check
- You can lift at least 50 pounds, with or without accommodation
- Own a smartphone that can run the Instacart app
- Maintain a clean driving record.
Now, it’s time to disclose the step-by-step process to become an Instacart shopper.
How To Become An Instacart Shopper?
There are some steps you need to follow to become an Instacart shopper. Here are they:
- Visit the Instacart website or get the Instacart Shopper app from your app store. You can then sign up by sharing your email address and creating a password.
- Complete your shopper profile by providing personal information, contact details, and necessary documents.
- Decide whether you prefer to be an in-store shopper and hold responsibility for picking and preparing orders within the store or a full-service shopper to handle the entire shopping and delivery process.
- Instacart will request your driver’s license number, social security number, and bank direct deposit information. These details are used for payment purposes and to verify your eligibility to work as a driver.
- You must sign a contract or agreement and a W-9 tax form if you work as a full-service shopper. On the other hand, if you opt to be an in-store shopper, you will be considered an Instacart employee and must sign an offer letter and a W-4 tax form.
- Consent to a background check is a standard requirement for all food-delivery services. The approval process may take up to two weeks.
- Once approved, Instacart will send you a payment card, which you will use to checkout and pay for groceries. You won’t need to use your credit or debit card for purchases.
- Browse orders in the app and choose the ones you want to shop for. Always communicate with customers through the app and follow their instructions for shopping and delivery.
- Your earnings will be based on the number of completed orders. Instacart pays shoppers weekly through direct deposit to a checking or savings account.
How To Make More Money With Instacart?
Here are some strategies to make more money with Instacart:
- Boost your earnings by maximizing your availability during peak times, particularly for busy professionals who prefer ordering on weekdays after work or over the weekends.
- Time is of the essence, and shopping efficiently will lead to higher hourly earnings. To achieve this, familiarize yourself with store layouts and organize your shopping by sections.
- Remember that larger orders generally yield higher payouts. Instead of multiple small orders, focus on fulfilling one significant order at a time.
- Optimize your shopping process by quickly grabbing everything you need and using Instacart’s replacement suggestions without overthinking.
- Enhance your income potential by referring both new drivers and customers. Access your profile and click on ‘Invite friends, earn money’ to start benefiting from referrals.
Real-life Examples Of Instacart Shoppers
Here are the real-life examples of Instacart shoppers:
A Redditt user shared his Instacart earnings. His earnings consisted of batch earnings, tips, and adjustments. He worked for more than 67 hours and earned more than $1200 in a month.
Another Redditt user said that Instacart shopper earnings depend on your location and the season.
A Redditt user said that your weekly earnings as an Instacart shopper vary.
Now, let us have some FAQs on how much do Instacart shoppers make.
FAQs On How Much Do Instacart Shoppers Make
1. How much do Instacart shoppers make off each order?
On average, an Instacart shopper can earn approximately $15-20 per batch, completing around one batch per hour, give or take.
2. Can you make $1000 a week with Instacart?
Yes, you can make $1000 a week with Instacart. Your earnings will be influenced by the number of orders you fulfill and the sizes of those orders. Generally, shoppers who complete a higher volume of orders tend to make more money.
3. How do Instacart shoppers get paid?
Instacart shoppers get paid with the help of direct deposit to a bank account.
4. Does Instacart Pay For Gas?
No, Instacart doesn’t pay for gas. Instacart shoppers use vehicles for deliveries and are responsible for the expenses related to their upkeep and fuel.
5. How To Make $500 A Week With Instacart?
If you’re exclusively engaged as a delivery driver and want to earn $500 weekly through Instacart, you need to transition into a full-service shopper role. It emerges as one of the most effective strategies to increase your weekly earnings by several hundred dollars.
Final Thoughts On How Much Do Instacart Shoppers Make
Instacart is a convenient grocery delivery and pickup service that is accessible with a mobile app and website. It uses independent contractors, Instacart Shoppers, who provide delivery services for the platform.
There are two main roles for Instacart drivers: In-Store Shoppers and Full-Service Shoppers.
How much do Instacart shoppers make? Well, In-Store Shoppers receive approximately $12-$20 per hour, with payment based on an hourly rate. On the other hand, Full-Service Shoppers are compensated per completed order.
In-store and Full-service Shoppers receive weekly payments through direct deposit, which is transferred to their savings or checking account.
If you want to boost your earnings, you must make the most of peak times when busy professionals are more likely to place orders, especially on weekdays after work or on weekends.
I hope today’s article on how much do Instacart shoppers make was helpful!
