The post Postmates Driver Review for 2022 appeared first on Millennial Money.
If you want to make a lot of money driving for an on-demand service, it’s a good idea to branch out from Uber and Lyft. In our Postmates driver review, we’ll show you exactly how to do it.
Luckily, drivers today have many options to choose from. And the most successful delivery drivers keep multiple apps open when driving around.
In addition to Uber and Lyft, Postmates is a leading on-demand delivery app you should have on your radar in 2022. Keep reading our Postmates driver review to learn all about how the service works and why you should consider becoming a Postmates driver.
Pros
- Affordable healthcare options through a partnership with Stride Health
- 80% of the delivery fee, which is higher than some other apps pay
- Free to sign up
- Instant pay option
- Set your own hours
Cons
- 1-hour time limit for deliveries
- Tips aren’t guaranteed
- Low base pay
or, skip straight to the section on how to sign up to be a Postmates Driver.
What Is Postmates?
Postmates — or Postmates Fleet for drivers — is very similar to on-demand delivery platforms like Uber Eats, Grubhub, and DoorDash. Customers can use Postmates to order just about any type of local food item.
The main difference between Postmates and the above-mentioned apps is that customers can order just about anything on Postmates, as long as the vendor is in their local area. This may include food, household items, or office supplies, among other things.
Truth be told, Postmates delivers just about any item except for live animals, controlled substances, weapons, passengers, and gift cards.
Postmates Features
One of the top benefits of delivering items for Postmates is that the service runs over a fast, user-friendly, optimized app that’s easy to use.
Beyond that, Postmates drivers have access to the following features.
Healthcare savings
Postmates partnered with Stride to deliver an open enrollment plan for affordable health insurance. This option also provides access to affordable dental and vision coverage and life insurance to drivers.
24-hour availability
Just like Uber and Lyft, Postmates never shuts down. So if you live in a big city where stores are open late or around the clock, you can continue to make money long after the sun goes down at whatever schedule works for you.
This is a great option for people who want to continue hustling after putting in a full-time day of work or a work shift. With Postmates, you can keep grinding and make sure the money keeps flowing after hours.
On-demand access
Some delivery services try and get you to stick to a schedule. This is not the case with Postmates. The service is on-demand, meaning you can work as much or as little as you want, whenever you want.
For example, you might make a lot of money during the week and decide to shut down the app for a few hours on the weekend to relax and unwind. With Posmates, you won’t have to worry about missing work or getting fired for sleeping in, taking time off, or enjoying some downtime.
In-app chat
When driving for Postmates, you may need to communicate with customers when you’re picking up items. For example, you may have a hunch that the store gave you the wrong item. Or, the app might send you to a parking lot instead of someone’s front door, and you might need a little help finding the customer’s place.
Postmates makes it easy to get in touch with customers. As a result, you can ask questions as they come up and reach your destination on time. On the flip side, you can also alert them about delays like traffic jams or merchant issues.
Add it all up, and the chat feature is convenient and easy. It prevents you from having to use your personal phone number to get in touch with the customer.
Push notifications
When using Postmates, you never have to worry about missing notifications. Postmates sends push notifications straight to your phone, for instant and timely alerts.
Income reports
When you work for an on-demand delivery service like Postmates, it’s critical to track income for tax reporting purposes. As an independent contractor, you’ll have to report earnings and set money aside to pay the government on a quarterly basis.
Fortunately, Postmates provides automated income reports that make this process easy and seamless. So, you can spend more time on the road and less time crunching numbers.
Route optimization
One of the challenging aspects of delivering items for Postmates is you only have an hour to pick up an item and deliver it to the destination.
This may sound like a lot of time, but it goes by quickly — especially when factoring in issues like traffic and slow-moving merchants.
To make the process easier, Postmates uses route optimization. You’ll always have access to the latest optimized map, helping you navigate streets and sidewalks with greater efficiency en route to your destination.
On top of that, Postmates factors in proximity when making deliveries, connecting you with customers in your vicinity. That way, you won’t have to worry about going too far out of your way to deliver an item.
Postmates Pricing
The only real downside to using Postmates is the app doesn’t pay drivers all that much.
Most drivers receive a base pay of between $4 and $6 per delivery in addition to tips and delivery fees. Drivers at least receive 80% of a delivery fee, which is a nice perk.
Still, the app only really works if you can move very quickly and serve multiple customers over the course of an hour. This is likely easier to achieve in an urban or suburban setting than a more rural one.
At the end of the day, Postmates is for drivers who like to hustle and move around quickly. Drivers who are looking to make more money per delivery would be better served working for ridesharing apps like Uber — or, better yet, looking to work for a company like FedEx or UPS.
Signing up and getting started
Postmates comes with a relatively low barrier to entry.
You can start driving once you turn 18, and you must have a driver’s license and be eligible to work in the U.S. The company also runs a background check for new drivers, so it’s necessary to provide a Social Security Number and other personal info.
In addition, you typically need a vehicle. The type of vehicle that you can use varies depending on location, with some markets allowing scooters, motorcycles, and bicycles. If you live in densely populated areas, you might even be able to walk when delivering for Postmates.
Of course, you also need a smartphone to use Postmates.
How to use Postmates
At this point, you’re probably thinking that Postmates sounds interesting. But you might be wondering how to start making deliveries with Postmates.
Here’s a quick primer that shows what you need to do to get up and running as a Postmates driver.
1. Download the Postmates app
First things first: Go online, download the Postmates app, and create an account.
You can download and use Postmates on just about any Android or iPhone device.
2. Wait for a customer to place an order
Now, you need to wait for business to come to you.
Eventually, a customer will head over to the Postmates app and place an order.
For example, someone may want to order flowers before a big date, cleaning products like laundry or dish detergent, snacks for the pantry, or hair spray. All the customer has to do is browse through local store directories and place orders right through the Postmates app.
The customer ultimately pays for the item, plus a delivery and service fee. They can also choose to leave a tip for the driver, too.
2. Postmates finds you
Once the customer places an order and pays for it, the Postmates app looks for the nearest driver in the area. If you’re in the same area as a customer and you’re not delivering something for someone at that moment, Postmates will let you know when an item is available for pickup.
Here’s how it works: Postmates sends you a push notification, which you can click and review. If it looks like something you want to take, simply accept the order and begin the delivery process.
Here’s a tip: If you want to get more business as a driver, post up in heavily populated areas like downtown coffee shops. You’re more likely to receive more notifications when a lot of people are in the immediate vicinity.
3. Pick up the item from the merchant
Once you confirm the order, head over to the merchant and pick up the item. Postmates is pretty good about facilitating timely orders, so you shouldn’t have to wait too long to pick anything up.
Of course, not all merchants are efficient — especially during busy times. Delivering items can sometimes require a bit of assertiveness during specific times of the day, like the lunch hour rush.
Never forget that — when you’re picking up items for Postmates — you’re on the clock. You’re not a customer, so it’s perfectly acceptable to cut to the front of the line and announce you’re there for a delivery — just as a UPS worker would do.
Letting other customers go ahead of you will never work to your advantage in this line of work. Rest assured, the merchant will want to help you quickly – because it’s their reputation on the line as well!
Nobody likes making customers wait.
4. Deliver the item
Once you have the item in your possession, move as quickly as possible and get it to the destination. Just because you have an hour to deliver an item, doesn’t mean that you should take the full amount of time.
The faster you are at picking up an order and bringing it to the drop-off location, the more tips you’ll receive.
5. Postmates pays you
After completing a successful delivery, you’ll get paid automatically through the Postmates app. You’ll receive base pay, a portion of the delivery fee (80%), and potentially tips if you do a good job.
You can link a bank account and get paid instantly via direct deposit. If you don’t want instant deposits and prefer waiting to receive payment in a lump sum, earnings will automatically show up in your account at the end of the week.
Postmates Promotions for 2022
Here are the promotions Postmates is currently running.
Blitz pricing bonus
Postmates offers Blitz pricing during peak hours.
Very simply, Blitz pricing occurs when a lot of users are ordering things at the same time. When that’s happening, Postmates will let you know, and you can earn an extra $1 or $2 for making a Blitz bonus delivery.
Guaranteed earning
Postmates has a fun feature called guaranteed earnings, where you can receive a fixed price for completing a certain number of tasks during a window of time. For example, you might earn a $2 bonus for every delivery you complete between 5 pm and 9 pm on a Tuesday night.
Depending on the specific offer, payouts can be as high as $500 or more. So, if you want to drive for Postmates, keep your eyes open for these kinds of deals.
Crushers bonus
The company also offers incentives called Crushers, which pay an extra bonus for completing a certain number of deliveries during a specific time frame.
For example, this might include making 10 or 15 deliveries over the course of a weekend, resulting in a cash bonus.
Invite incentives
It’s also possible to access referral bonuses through Postmates by encouraging your friends to become drivers, too.
However, the person you are referring to has to complete deliveries before you can receive a reward.
Postmates Security
Postmates has a no-weapons policy, as well as a zero-tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol. In addition, the company has policies for anti-discrimination and LGBTQIA+.
Suffice it to say the company offers a variety of protections for workers and customers.
The company also offers a $1 million third-party insurance policy that covers Postmates deliveries through to order completion. And all Postmates users have occupational accident insurance that covers medical expenses, disability, loss of life, and survivor payments.
Beyond that, Postmates works with law enforcement to share data that helps authorities investigate incidents.
As for the app, it’s safe to use with encryption and strong data security standards. From a security point of view, you don’t need to be afraid of using the Postmates app any more than you would be scared using another app.
Customer Service and Support
Postmates offers personalized assistance through the Fleet app. There is also a helpful customer support page on its website.
On top of this, the company offers an innovative social feature: Simply tweet @Postmates_help 24/7 for real-time assistance.
Postmates Driver Review Pros and Cons
Pros
- Affordable healthcare options through a partnership with Stride Health
- 80% of the delivery fee, which is higher than some other apps pay
- Free to sign up
- Instant pay option
- Set your own hours
- Earn more as you drive more
Cons
- 1-hour time limit for deliveries
- Tips aren’t guaranteed
- Low base pay
Alternatives to Postmates
Postmates is just one of many on-demand driver apps to explore. Here are some other options that can put extra money into your pocket, while keeping you in control of your schedule.
And remember: There’s no rule that says you can only drive for one of these companies.
DoorDash
DoorDash drivers can access delivery opportunities through a variety of local food vendors.
Grubhub
Grubhub is another leading on-demand food delivery app, partnering with local restaurants to connect hungry customers with fresh meals.
Saucey
Saucey is an on-demand alcohol delivery service. You can get paid to deliver booze to someone’s front door. Talk about being a hero!
Plus, you’ll stop people from driving drunk to go get more alcohol. It’s a win-win!
Uber Eats
Uber Eats is Uber’s on-demand food-service delivery app — and a very popular choice for consumers across the U.S.
Instacart
Instacart is like Postmates, except Instacart shoppers have to actually shop for the items and pay for them out of their own pockets. With Postmates, the items are available for you at the time of pickup.
Postmates Review FAQs
Here are the most frequently asked questions about Postmates.
Can you make a lot of money working delivery jobs?
The amount of money you make largely depends on the food delivery services that you use, how often you use them, and whether you maximize peak times.
It also helps to deliver in hotspots like Nashville, Chicago, San Francisco, and Miami. The more people you have around in your community placing orders, the more money you can make.
What’s the difference between Postmates and Postmates Fleet?
Postmates is for customers. Couriers log in through the Postmates Fleet app, which is specifically for making deliveries.
The Bottom Line
While you probably won’t get rich in this line of work, working as a Postmates delivery driver certainly has its upsides. You can make extra cash working flexible hours, responding to delivery requests as a side hustle or part-time job.
There’s a lot to be said for being in control of your own schedule, and working as a Postmates courier is a great way to bring in money without having to make a lasting commitment.
Whether Postmates is a big piece of the puzzle for your career or just something you do on the side, using the app can be a great way to earn income at your convenience. On the journey to financial freedom, every drop in the bucket counts.
The post Postmates Driver Review for 2022 appeared first on Millennial Money.
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January 11, 2022 at 07:30PM
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