How Much Do Instacart Shoppers Make in 2024? (Get $20/Hr)
Do you know how to drive or have a passion for grocery shopping? Instacart could be your part-time or full-time income source.
Based in the US, Instacart is one of the best grocery delivery companies in North America. The company has been around since 2012 and has attracted over 500,000 shoppers.
If you want to become an Instacart shopper, the first question you want to ask yourself is “how much do Instacart shoppers make?”
Not only will determining the earning rate help save your precious time, but will also help save your efforts and resources.
To help you make a cost-effective decision, here I present the estimate of how much Instacart shoppers make per delivery, hour, day and week.
In addition, I also compare the payment rate of Instacart with some of the leading grocery shopping companies out there.
Let’s dig in!
How Much Money Do Instacart Shoppers Make?
Instacart doesn’t disclose information on how much it pays its shoppers. However, Instacart shoppers make an average of:
- $5 per delivery
- $7 to $10 per shopping and delivery
- $15 to $20 per hour
- $100 to $150 per day
- $500 to $750 per week
By allowing you to pocket 100% of customer tips, you can earn more than the above average limits depending as an Instacart shopper.
4 Factors that Determine Your Earnings as an Instacart Shopper
The amount you earn as an Instacart shopper depends on your role, location, number of completed orders and referral bonuses. Let’s go over each of these factors below:
- Role: Instacart has full-service and in-store shoppers. Full-service shoppers are independent contractors that perform shopping and delivery. They are provided with estimated earnings per order and week and they receive 100% of customer tips. In-store shoppers, on the other hand, perform only delivery and are paid per hour. They are scheduled for delivery in batches based on their availability. Each in-store shopper has up to 29-hour shifts per week.
- Location: Your location plays a critical role in how much you earn as an Instacart shopper. The higher demand in your location, the higher your deliveries. However, you can work across more than 5,500 Canadian and US cities as an Instacart shopper.
- Number of completed orders: Whether you’re a full-service or in-store Instacart shopper, this is the most important factor that will determine your earnings. The more you avail yourself of deliveries, the more you earn.
- Referral bonuses. Instacart has a referral program that helps increase the earnings of its users. Each Instacart shopper is assigned a unique referral code upon registration. Once you invite someone to shop with Instacart using your referral code, you will get a referral bonus. In the end, the more people you refer, the more you will earn the referral bonus.
How Does Instacart Work for Shoppers?
Instacart serves as a platform through which shoppers earn income by shopping and or/delivering groceries.
To this end, interested persons must sign-up for free on Instacart to become shoppers on the platforms. Individuals can choose to become full-service or in-store Instacart shoppers.
Orders are received through the Instacart mobile app (available on Google Playstore and App Store). Shoppers are tasked to shop and or/deliver orders to the customers’ doors.
In the end, how much an Instacart shopper earns depends on their role, location, number of completed orders and referral bonuses.
How Do Instacart Shoppers Get Paid?
Instacart pays all shoppers per week through direct bank deposits. Full-service shoppers that completed a minimum of 5 batches can access their earnings fast through Instant Cashout.
Subsequently, after using the Instant Cashout for the first time, you can cash out up to 5 times a day at any time you wish so long as you have a minimum of $5 earnings. Note that the maximum amount you can cash out in a day is $3,000.
Given that full-service shoppers are independent contractors, their earnings are subject to quarterly tax payments. This is not the case with in-store shoppers whose earnings are not withheld for taxes by Instacart.
Is Instacart Safe?
Instacart is safe both for customers and shoppers. The company uses multiple measures (such as advanced encryption) to protect your information on its platform.
In addition, Instacart complies with applicable federal and state/provincial laws in all the jurisdictions it operates.
As an in-store shopper, Instacart covers you with worker’s compensation insurance against work hazards. Full-service shoppers are covered with up to $1 million in insurance in case of a work-related injury.
In addition, full-service shoppers are compensated in the case of roadside involving their personal cars.
However, insurance coverage for full-service shoppers is limited compared to in-store shoppers because they’re independent contractors.
What are the Pros and Cons of Instacart?
The following are the top pros and cons of Instacart for shoppers.
Pros
- Competitive payment rate
- Weekly payments
- Flexible work schedule
- 100% possession of tips
- Insurance coverage
- Referral bonus
Cons
- Restriction on covered areas
Is it Worth Being an Instacart Shopper?
Compared to other grocery delivery companies out there, I will say it is worth being an Instacart shopper because of its competitive pay rate and multiple earning opportunities.
However, only you can answer this question correctly depending on your needs and situation. To help you determine if Instacart is worth your time and efforts, ask yourself the following questions:
- Are you okay with the average earnings of Instacart shoppers?
- Can your earnings as an Instacart shopper replace your existing job? (If you’re looking to work full-time for Instacart).
- Is Instacart the best side hustle for you? (If you’re looking to work part-time for Instacart).
Answers to the above questions will help you make an informed decision on whether to become an Instacart shopper or not.
If Instacart is not worthwhile for you, I recommend you check out these 15 proven passive income ideas in Canada.
Requirements for Instacart Shopper
Once you find out that being an Instacart shopper is worth it, the next thing is to know the requirements of being so. The following are the requirements for becoming an Instacart shopper:
- Reach the age of 18 or older
- Live in any Canadian province (excluding territories)
- Be eligible to work in Canada
- Have consistent access to the latest smartphone (Android 5.0/iPhone 6s or the latest version) and be able to use it effectively
- Have consistent access to a vehicle
- Be able to lift 25 kg
- Be willing to accept Instacart’s Terms and Conditions
Are you good to go? Great. Now it’s time to learn how to become an Instacart shopper.
How to Become an Instacart Shopper
The following are the simple steps on how to become an Instacart shopper:
- Visit the application page here
- Provide your personal information (full name, email, phone number, and postal code)
- Follow the prompts
Note that if you want to become a full-service shopper, Instacart will require a copy of your driver’s license.
After providing all the required information, Instacart will conduct a background check to verify your eligibility.
Once you pass the background check, you are now an Instacart shopper and can start working immediately.
As an in-store shopper, you will need to complete a face-to-face onboarding session before you can start working. You will be in the position to schedule the onboarding session yourself.
How Instacart Shoppers Compare
The following is a quick highlight of how Instacart shoppers’ hourly rate compares with other grocery delivery companies out there.
| Grocery Delivery Company | Average Hourly Earnings |
| DoorDash | $2 to $10+ |
| Costco Canada | C$18.03 |
| Amazon Whole Foods | $15 – $19 |
| Cornershop | $13 – $16 |
| Grocery Gateway | $19-$21 |
As you can see, the Instacart shoppers’ $15-$20 hourly rate competes significantly with some of the leading grocery shopping companies in the market.
However, if you want to go with the company that pays more, you shouldn’t only factor in the earning rate, but also the:
- Earning opportunities
- Payment schedule
- Customer tips possession
- Insurance coverage
- Eligibility
How Much Do Instacart Shoppers Make: Final Thoughts
Hopefully, now you know how much Instacart shoppers make and can determine whether it’s worth it or not.
Based on the foregoing comparison of Instacart shoppers’ average earnings alongside the earnings of other grocery companies, you can’t make the wrong decision about becoming an Instacart shopper.
However, you shouldn’t be in a rush to join Instacart without accessing your priorities and situation.
If you choose to become an Instacart shopper, ensure you explore all the possible means of maximizing your earnings including making more deliveries, referring people to shop at Instacart, and maintaining good relationships with customers.
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FAQs on How Much Do Instacart Shoppers Make
How much do Instacart shoppers make per order?
In-store Instacart shoppers make an average of $5 per order for delivery alone. However, full-service Instacart shoppers make an average of $7-$10 per order for shopping and delivery.
How much can I make with Instacart in a day?
Depending on your role, location, number of deliveries, and referral bonus, you can earn an average of $100-$150 per day as an Instacart shopper.
Can you make $1000 a week with Instacart?
Sure! You can make even more than $1000 a week as an Instacart shopper if you make more deliveries, earn more tips and refer more people to shop with Instacart.
How much can you make a week with Instacart?
Based on the average daily earning of Instacart shoppers ($100-$150), you can earn between $500 to $750 a week (Monday to Friday) with Instacart. However, you can earn more than that if you earn more tips and referral bonuses.
Can you make a living off Instacart?
Depending on your family size and lifestyle, you can make a living off Instacart by earning an average of $100-$150 per day in addition to 100% customer tips.
How long does it take to get started on Instacart?
You can sign-up on Instacart within a few minutes because the whole application is done online. However, you must pass a background check before you can start working as a full-service shopper.
As an in-store shopper, you must complete a face-to-face onboarding session before you can start working.
So the whole waiting period could range from 1 day to 1 week.
Have more questions on “how much do Instacart shoppers make?” Kindly drop them in the comment section below.
