The e-commerce industry is growing rapidly, and the internet contributes to this growth. The internet brought with it limitless opportunities for people to earn big. We have seen several companies bring in new ideas driven by the internet. Some of these companies include Amazon, Taxify, eBay, and Walmart. You can shop for anything you need with just a few clicks.
However, there is still the problem of getting your purchases delivered to your doorstep. Postmates is the company that solves that problem. They use couriers to pick up your purchase and deliver it to you at your preferred location. In this article, we will be answering the question – How does Postmates pay you?
What is Postmates?
It is an on-demand delivery platform that saves you the stress of moving goods from your local store to your preferred destination. Postmates is owned and operated by Uber, one of the leading mobility service providers worldwide.
The company stands as the link between merchants and customers who want convenience. Additionally, it helps over 500,000 restaurants deliver their customer’s products in some parts of Mexico and the US. Sam Street, Sean Plaice, and Bastian Lehmann founded the company before Uber acquired it in 2020. Bastian Lehmann remains the CEO of Postmates, which now has more than 5,000 employees and nine investors.
How Does Postmates Work?
Here are the steps you need to follow if you want to work for Postmates as a courier:
Getting Started
The first step to joining Postmates is downloading its app on your iOS or Android device. Then, you can complete the registration process by inputting your name, email, username, and password. Additionally, you will be asked to provide your birthday, social security number, and driver’s license to help the company verify who you are. After providing all this information, a prepaid card and delivery bag will be sent to the address you put down during registration.
Taking Deliveries
Once you have completed your registration, you can start taking orders from clients on the app. You have to check available orders in locations close to you, then proceed to accept their request by clicking “Go Online.” Interestingly, you’ll get a notification when an order is placed in a nearby location then, you can choose to accept or decline. If you accept the order, you get the pickup location of the delivery. Once you get to the location for pickup, you need to check the order and verify if it is correct, then you can click “Continue” on the app.
Getting Paid
After completing a delivery, the app will start searching for the next available order for you. Also, you will get a notification of your earnings for the last order you delivered. Your funds will be sent via direct deposit to the bank details you provided during registration. Postmates pays drivers every Monday of the week for the work completed in the last seven days.
Working For Postmates
As an independent contractor who wants an extra source of income, you can work for Postmates on a per-time basis and have time to focus on your main job. One good thing about joining Postmates is that you can choose when or when not to work. As long as you put in the hours in the week, you are sure to get your pay.
However, you might still be wondering; how does Postmates pay work? Well, they pay their couriers once a week (on Monday) after completing work for seven days. Alternatively, you can cash out your earnings through Postmates Instant Pay and get paid daily.
There are certain requirements you have to meet to work for Postmates, including:
- You have to be 18 years of age.
- You must have a smartphone to access the Postmates app.
- You have to own a car, motorcycle, or bike.
- You have to provide your car insurance and a valid driver’s license.
- You must also provide your Social Security Number.
Postmates Payment Structure
Although it is hard to calculate Postmates daily pay, its payment structure will give you a glimpse of how much to expect when you put in certain hours of work. Postmates pays every courier working with them using the following factors:
- Rate per pick-up: This is the amount you are paid for getting the product from the pick-up location. However, the rate varies by city.
- Rate per drop-off: This is the amount deposited into your wallet when you deliver the order to its destination. You only get paid when the owner confirms the receipt of the delivery.
- Rate per mile: This is the amount you get for transporting the delivery from the pick-up location to the drop-off destination.
- Rate per minute: This is the amount paid for waiting to pick up the product at the pick-up location.
The amount you get for each category is dependent on the location you’re working from. For more information, you can check the payment information page on the Postmates website. Interestingly, the company does not charge you any fee for making deposits into your account. Also, the transaction time for receiving deposits is between 24 – 72 hours, depending on your local bank.
How to Get Paid More on Postmates
Several questions will be going through the mind of a new driver who wants to join Postmates. These questions include how much Postmates pay, when does Postmates pay, and how to get paid more?
Well, for the question about how much does Postmates pay? According to an interview with TechCrunch, Postmates CEO Bastian Lehmann says that delivery people make $19 during peak periods. The company’s peak hours are between 11 am to 2 pm and 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm.
Truthfully, putting in normal hours on Postmates won’t get you more money. You need to put in the extra effort to get paid more. The first thing you need to do is focus on areas with the most demand for delivery. Secondly, you need to deliver great services to customers. As a result, customers might give you incentives to increase your earnings for the day. Thirdly, you can take multiple orders at a time from the same pickup location. It will be easier if you take orders for two nearby destinations.
How Postmates Pay Drivers
As an intending driver, you have to ask a precise question: How does Postmates pay drivers at the end of the week? One of the ways Postmates beats its competition in the market is paying drivers more through batching orders. With batching orders, you can increase your hourly pay and weekly earnings on the platform. Interestingly, in big cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles, you can make up to $1500 weekly as a dedicated Postmates driver.
What about after making a delivery? How much does Postmates pay per delivery? For every delivery a driver makes on Postmates, he gets between $4 – $4.50. After deducting all expenses, a Postmates driver can earn up to $24.88 hourly.
Pros and Cons of Working With Postmates
To help make your decision to join Postmates easier, here is a convenient list of the pros and cons of becoming a courier.
Pros
- You choose when to be online or offline
- Postmates does not demand any fee before processing your payment
- You might not need a car to work; you can use your bike
- The delivery fee varies based on distance
- You can withdraw your funds anytime
Cons
- You don’t get the details of how far the destination is from the pick-up location
- As an independent contractor, you cover your insurance, car maintenance expenses, and taxes
- You can only get orders in large cities as opposed to remote areas.
Conclusion
We have explained all you need to know about Postmates; how Postmates pays its drivers and how you can sign-up on their website. The first step to becoming a Postmates driver is to complete the registration process. Secondly, start taking deliveries from pick-up locations close to you. Then, you can process your payment using the bank account you provided during registration.
The company pays its drivers once a week, but you can use the Instant Pay option to get paid daily. Are you looking for an extra source of income to cover some of your expenses? Why not join Postmates today to enjoy flexible working hours.
