Postmates

 On-demand delivery services, similar to Postmates, is very common these days. People with cars can now make money delivering items which benefit the clients since it’s quicker and inexpensive, compared to the regular mail service. If you register at Postmates and become one of their couriers, you will earn some cash by picking up and delivering packages for people within the city.

Postmates revealed that they pay $25 per hour of delivery work for them and at the schedule of your choice. Is this good money or not? This review will tell you more about Postmates, and how you can earn money from it.

What Is Postmates?

Postmates is an on-demand food transport service, but their couriers don’t only just pick-up and deliver food. They handle packages of all sorts, and as the company says, we deliver “just about anything.” It has been called the Uber of food delivery service at one point, but it is more than that.

Customers of Postmates will log in the app, select the items that they want to be delivered, and wait for it to arrive. Of course, the courier brings all the things to them, and it can be whatever they want – take-out food, groceries, coffee, booze, clothes, and more. The clients can even ask to pick up their laundry and dry cleaning.

As a courier-slash-driver for Postmates, you will be doing a lot of picking up and dropping off of things that their customers need in exchange for payment. At this time, Postmates operate in selected US cities, but it is fast expanding. These are their most in-demand markets for now:

• District of Columbia
• Florida
• Northern California
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Southern California
• Texas
• Washington

Postmates is not a get-rich-quick scam. You will not earn tons of money doing this, and there is no instant recipe for courier success. It’s just a way to make money steadily, and it can be an excellent additional income for you. If you’re a working student, you can get cash doing this. Even stay-at-home moms use Postmates for extra income. It’s a great way to receive quick money for a simple delivery service.

How Does Postmates Work?

The whole process of working for Postmates is straightforward and very easy to comply.

1. Postmates customers will order what they need through the app.
2. You, their designated courier, will receive all the details necessary to get the package or the items from the pickup location and you’ll have to deliver it to the address as stated by the customer.
3. There are items or products that you need to pay, and Postmates will give you a prepaid debit card to use for purchasing what is needed.
4. When the items are delivered, you will receive your payment.

To make it clear, the courier won’t have to shop for items in a grocery store. There is no need to do that all the time. The customers will log in to the Postmates app, and from there, they will order items that they need and request for its delivery. The availability of the products will depend between cities, as well.

Now, when the client has confirmed the order, it will show in the Postmates app. The pickup and delivery address information will also be there so that the courier (that’s you!) will know where to go. You have to accept the delivery contract, and once you do, Postmates will arrange the items while you’re en route to pick it up.

Once you arrive at the pickup location, all the items are previously packed and ready for you. There are unique instances though wherein you have to wait for the order when you arrive at the location if it’s not yet prepared. In some cases, you will also have to give the list of items needed. This entails waiting time. Just pay it using the prepaid debit card and deliver the goods.

When done with your job, you’ll get paid by the company. Some happy customers also give tips to their courier which is an additional income for you. Also, your pay rate will depend upon many factors like the location of pickup and delivery, the effort in transporting the goods including the waiting time, and the likes.

How To Get Started With Postmates

If you’re interested in becoming a Postmates courier, then, you have to apply online. The registration process is pretty effortless. You just have to provide your name, email address, bank account details, phone or mobile number, the city where you will be doing pickup and delivery jobs, your driver’s license information, and your vehicle. Are you going to use a car for the jobs? Or will you be driving a motorcycle, a scooter, a bike, a van, or will you walk? Postmates need all these information from you.

Postmates will require you to complete a fleet agreement after you’ve provided all your data. Just know that you will be subjected to a background check before you can upload your profile picture. Upon approval, you can now use the Postmates app and start confirming your job deliveries. The company will also send you a welcome kit. The kit will include the prepaid debit card which you will use to pay the items that you’re going to pick up and deliver.

How Much Can You Earn As A Postmates Courier?

As already mentioned, couriers have varying pay rates depending upon many factors. Each delivery job has its corresponding base rate of pay, but you will also be paid while waiting in line by the minute, and there is a per mile rate of distance between the pickup point and your delivery location.

If you get tips from your customers, Postmates have no claims on that. It’s all yours. As for your payment, the company will deposit it in your bank account within seven working days, usually from Monday to Friday, after delivery is complete. You also have to take note that banks have a processing time as well and it can take up to 72 hours for the money to show up in your account.

Postmates advertises that their couriers get paid at most $25 hourly, but the rate is not constant. You will get tips, and the location may earn your more per hour. If you have lots of deliveries, you will also get more money.

Sample Computation Of Earnings At Postmates

With extensive online research, testimonies from couriers working for Postmates conveyed their experiences being a driver for the company and how much they earned from it.

Las Vegas: Couriers earn somewhere from $14 to $15 hourly, on average. On peak days, drivers get at most $19 per hour. On slow days, the least hourly rate is $11. Another courier in Las Vegas said that he’s been earning at most $21 per hour, with $1.50 gas expense. The tips are included in that amount, and it’s about 36% of the pay.

Seattle: In Seattle, some drivers reported that they earned somewhere from $13 to $18 per hour delivering for Postmates. (The higher rate is on a peak day.)

Los Angeles: Drivers in LA get at most $20 hourly, that is if you drive in the West Side area. In Louisville, the rate is somewhere from $12 to $15 max per hour.

These testimonies prove that couriers have varying pay rates and it will all depend upon which city they are working in thru Postmates.

How To Make More Money In Postmates

You won’t be able to work full time using Postmates which means your time to pick up and deliver items will be limited every single day. With that, here are some tips coming from Postmates drivers on how to make more cash:

1. You have to pick your delivery schedules wisely. Don’t go for rush hours because it will be traffic during that time. It means you will be on the road longer and it will take you more time to deliver the items. Take note that traffic time is not included in the billing. With this, you will have fewer deliveries, and it means a smaller income.
   
   
2. Blitz bonus can boost your income. It increases your standard hourly rate and can make you earn more for fewer hours worked.
   
   
3. Select your jobs well. If you choose areas with lots of restaurants, it may decrease your earnings. Most high-paced establishments have a parking shortage, and you’ll have to pay for parking space. This may come out of your pay. Also, it will be very time-consuming for you, and that’s not an add-on your hourly rate. It may not be worth your time.
   
   
4. Go for multiple deliveries in the same location, if you can avail of it. By getting various deliveries in the same place, you can deliver more jobs in an hour which then increases your rate.
   
   
5. Accept “unusual” requests. Customers who ask for uncommon deliveries give bigger tips. For example, you need to pick up a wealthy woman’s dog and bring it to the dog spa or collect dry cleaning for an old client.
   
   
6. Be involved in Postmates Reddit. Go to this forum page (https://www.reddit.com/r/postmates/), and you will get more tips on how to earn more in Postmates.

Advantages In Working For Postmates

There are many advantages to working as a courier for Postmates.

1. You don’t need to drive people around the city. The job is not like Uber or Lyft where you pick up strangers and bring them to the destination. With Postmates, you just get the ordered items and delivery it to the address as stated.
   
   
2. Delivering goods or items for your clients is the primary job at Postmates. You can work your hours and have the freedom to choose when you want to work or not. It doesn’t mean that there will be jobs at all hours in your location, though.
   
   
3. You can be a Postmates courier anywhere. If you travel from one place to another, you can work there as long as you’re an approved member.
   
   
4. A car is not a requirement to be a courier. You can use a bike, a motorcycle or any vehicle type. You can even walk delivering a package to your client.
   
   
5. In the Postmates app, they encourage clients to give out tips. Most clients give a good amount which adds to the earnings of a courier.

OUR VERDICT: Scam or Legit?

Is Postmates a legit company which can make you earn at least $15 an hour? The answer is YES. It is 100% LEGIT. Postmates is a money-earning app for regular people like you and me who can pick up and deliver packages within the city. If you search the internet, there are lots of couriers vouching for its authenticity, and how well it pays. So, if you don’t mind picking up stuff and delivering it to customers, then, you might want to consider using Postmates to get additional income.