Instacart Employee Reviews (2023)

FAQs

Is it worth working at Instacart? ›

Because it's flexible and often pays $20+ per hour, many shoppers feel that Instacart is worth it for them. You can schedule the hours you want to work, there are no minimum working hours per week, and Instacart offers incentives and bonuses to help drivers earn more. Do Instacart shoppers make good money?

As an Instacart shopper, you can expect to earn anywhere from $200 to $1,000 per week. The amount you make will depend on several factors. These factors include how many orders you complete and the size of the orders. In general, shoppers who complete more orders will earn more money.

Average Instacart Shoppers hourly pay ranges from approximately $8.00 per hour for Independent Contractor to $16.49 per hour for Store Shopper. The average Instacart Shoppers salary ranges from approximately $34,648 per year for Personal Shopper to $78,238 per year for Delivery Driver.

Very good side hustle

You get to choose when you want to work, pay is usually fair for the amount of work that you're putting in. The only problem is that at least in my area there is not always orders when you want to take them, which is no fault of instacart, but it may not be able to sustain you as a full time job.

No, Instacart doesn't reimburse for gas.

However, Instacart may adjust the pay you'll receive for a job based on how long it will take you and how far you need to go, or they'll at least calculate how much you earned on top of gas and mileage costs for you.

Average Instacart Shoppers hourly pay ranges from approximately $8.00 per hour for Independent Contractor to $24.37 per hour for Delivery Driver. The average Instacart Shoppers salary ranges from approximately $15,000 per year for Driver (Independent Contractor) to $36,212 per year for Store Shopper.

The amount of money that Instacart shoppers can earn highly depends on the effort they will put into the job. For an 8-hour shift, the average pay is around $88 – $128. This value can go up to $300, assuming that they work in the top cities, get higher tips, work overtime, and make extra effort for the clients.

Does DoorDash or Instacart Pay More? The money you make working for DoorDash or Instacart will depend on how often you work, your role, and tips. However, while the average earnings per hour are similar for both companies, DoorDash driver pay is typically more because their base rate for tips is higher.

Instacart pays shoppers $20+ per hour, including tips which are usually 5-20%+ of the order. Instacart shoppers keep 100% of tips. The most efficient Instacart shoppers are earning up to $45/hour.

Your taxes will be more complicated, because you're treated as an independent contractor, not an Instacart employee. Unlike in-store shoppers, full-service shoppers don't have their taxes withheld. You'll have to file and pay them yourself. You'll also have to contend with self-employment tax.

Which delivery company pays the most? ›

‍Instacart

Hands down, Instacart is the best food delivery app for its drivers, which easily puts it at number one on our list. According to Glassdoor, Instacart drivers average around $30 hourly pay.

In-store shoppers get paid hourly, and make $12-$16/hour on average. Overall, Instacart is a solid side hustle app if you want a flexible way to make extra money. Keep in mind that you are responsible for covering driver-related expenses and self-employment taxes.

Instacart Shopper Cons:

Not always possible or as high-paying in small cities. Hourly pay can vary. You still put mileage on your vehicle and have to factor in fuel costs and vehicle depreciation. Tax implications as an independent contractor.

How Long are Shifts? At a minimum, you must select two consecutive hours to schedule a shift. Since each hour is selected separately on the Instacart app, it's essential to ensure that you can select at least two hours. Blocks of three or four shifts allow for a 20-minutes break for shoppers.

It is actually against Instacart policy to bring anyone with you while on an active batch. If you are caught or reported to Instacart, you can be deactivated. I have brought my children with me when I did my instacart shopping. When my 6 yr old dad was working & I needed the money what was I do.

Instacart pays all shoppers weekly via direct deposit to a bank account. Full-service shoppers have the option to access funds faster through “Instant Cashout.” This option immediately transfers funds to a debit card.

Does Instacart Or DoorDash Pay More? Instacart generally pays more than DoorDash per delivery. However, an Instacart batch can easily take an hour or longer, so you complete more DoorDash deliveries per hour. This means most drivers make more with DoorDash than Instacart since orders are steadier.

Can you make good money with Instacart? Instacart In-Store shoppers make an average of $13 per hour in addition to small tips and bonuses, working up to 29 hours per week for an annual average of $28,000. Contracted Instacart Shoppers average slightly less getting larger tips but a smaller base pay.

Instacart Shoppers can make anywhere from $50 to $100 a week or hundreds of dollars per week depending on how much they work and how many batches they get. In very busy market, it's possible to earn $1,000 in a week or more from Instacart.

Can you pick up your own Instacart order? ›

For most stores, there's no need to go into the store to pick up your order—just park in one of the dedicated Pickup parking spots and wait while we bring your order out to your car. At some select locations, you may need to pick up your order inside.

My high estimate of 280 million orders equates to 767,000 people ordering from Instacart a day instead of shopping on their own. This is just 2.4% of daily shoppers, which makes sense.

Instacart pays us between $7-$9 (on average as base) per order, depending on what part of the country we live in and that usually includes mileage AND the shopping part. Instacart is not an hourly schedule sort of job.

How Many Hours Can You Work a Day With Instacart? As a full-service shopper, you can work as many hours per day as you please. There is no internal limit as long as work is available. But as an in-store shopper, your hours depend on the working hours of your retailer.

There are a few common reasons for no batches: Low shopper ratings (below 4.7), low order volume in your market, or the Instacart app is experiencing technical difficulties. Read on to learn why you might not be seeing batches and what you can do to see more.

Frequently asked questions about Shipt and Instacart

Shipt is more expensive for one-time orders because they charge a $10 delivery fee plus delivery and service fees, while Instacart's fees begin at $3.99 plus a small service fee. However, Shipt is less expensive for membership orders.

When you place your order Instacart places a temporary authorization hold for 15% higher than your total order at checkout. This authorization hold is placed in case your total is higher due to special requests, added items, replacement items, or weight adjustments.

A single shopper is expected to serve the customer, and it is this single Shopper that is paid for that order. Thus, it is against Instacart's rules for 2 Instacart shoppers to shop together on a single order.

Does Instacart report to IRS? ›

Your 1099 tax form will be mailed to you, if you don't receive an email from Stripe or don't consent to e-delivery. Please allow up to 10 business days for mail delivery. Instacart will file your 1099 tax form with the IRS and relevant state tax authorities.

How Much Money Should You Set Aside? Most tax professionals recommend to set aside 30% of the payments store shoppers make some delivery services. This can help you cover any additional taxes Instacart may owe you at the end of the year.

Instacart independent contractors only get paid when they complete orders. However, Instacart also utilizes In-store shoppers, who are part-time employees who receive an hourly wage without regard to the number of orders being received.

Overall, Uber Eats pays more than Instacart for many drivers since it's busier and provides steadier orders. However, tips can be much larger for Instacart. And some Instacart batches can also pay $30 to $40+ depending on how large an order is.

DoorDash

DoorDash is the company that's currently raking in more monthly sales than any other food delivery service in the U.S. Whether you're craving fast food, Thai, vegan food, or something from your local convenience store, you can use DoorDash to order in over 800 North American cities.

Yes. 25 hours on weekends in 3 week period or 90 hours weekdays in 3 week period. If not they will take away "early access" and leave you unable to ever get hours again.

$3K. The estimated total pay for a Full Service Shopper at Instacart is $3,017 per month. This number represents the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. The estimated base pay is $3,017 per month.

If you're on Instacart's waitlist, it might take several months before you can actually make money with Instacart. However, if you can start working in your market immediately, it typically takes one to two weeks for you to sign up, finish onboarding, and be eligible to shop in your area.

Instacart is a safe place, but customers must also be alert. Fraudsters will come in many ways and use different techniques to get data. So, any customer should stay updated with protective measures and reinforce their app's security. Besides, the proper scrutinization of orders is vital.

Is Instacart becoming less popular? ›

By late spring of 2021, as the country emerged from lockdowns, that momentum had faded. Instacart's sales in the second quarter of the year fell sharply. Plans to go public that year looked less certain.

The rating system is not designed to penalize workers. It's essentially a feedback mechanism that provides shoppers with data about where to improve. But, the rating system, even though vital and used by Instacart's competitors, it's something a shopper must keep at the top of their mind.

Start taking Instacart jobs

You'll be assigned shifts each week based on personal availability as an in-store shopper, and can expect to work up to 29 hours per week. As a full-service shopper, you're free to make your own schedule.

How much does Instacart Shoppers in California pay? Average Instacart Shoppers hourly pay ranges from approximately $8.00 per hour for Independent Contractor to $16.49 per hour for Store Shopper.

Customers can select Within 2 hours or Within 5 hours. Immediate time slots are calculated from the time the order is created. An order created at 9:35am for delivery Within 5 hours has an end time of 2:35pm. Customers can select a time slot for either the same day or a future day.

Does Instacart Deactivate for Inactivity? The answer is yes. With 600,000 active shoppers on the platform, Instacart needs to manage its userbase by getting rid of inactive accounts.

Instacart is an app that connects you to customers who need items delivered from local stores. You use the app to view orders in your area, choose the ones you want, then shop and deliver those items to your customers. When you get paid, you can cash out in hours and earn even more with tips for great service.

For all members, you may cancel your Instacart+ membership within the first 15 calendar days of your paid Instacart+ membership and receive a refund of the Instacart+ membership fee you paid, but only if you have not placed any orders using your Instacart+ membership.

Pros and Cons of Working as an Instacart Shopper

Cons: Since you are essentially running your own business, you must handle your income tax obligations and cover all of your expenses, such as fuel, vehicle maintenance, and repairs.

Shoppers are paid per order (what Instacart calls batches), and you keep 100% of any customer tips. In-store shoppers get paid hourly, and make $12-$16/hour on average. Overall, Instacart is a solid side hustle app if you want a flexible way to make extra money.

How much can I make with Instacart in a day? ›

How much can you make in 1 day with Instacart? On average, you can earn $88 – $128 daily, depending on several factors like tips and service location. This value can double easily with tips if you work in the top cities.

‍Instacart

Hands down, Instacart is the best food delivery app for its drivers, which easily puts it at number one on our list. According to Glassdoor, Instacart drivers average around $30 hourly pay.

Overall, DoorDash driver pay is often a bit steadier since you largely get similar orders consisting of fast food deliveries and restaurant takeout. This also means you make more with DoorDash per day than Instacart since you get way more orders.

DoorDash pays more than Instacart. Though the average earning per hour for both is similar, DoorDash's base rate for tips is higher, and this is what constitutes about 50% of shopper earnings.

To actually file your Instacart taxes, you'll need the right tax form: the 1099-NEC. If you earned at least $600 delivery groceries over the course of the year — including base pay and tips from customers — you can expect this form by January 31.

How much does Instacart pay per day? An average “batch” for Instacart pays between $15-20, and shoppers can do about 1 batch per hour, more or less. This means for an 8-hour shift, you can expect to earn a minimum of $120-160 per day shopping for Instacart.