When Does Instacart Pay Shoppers? The Complete Guide For Gig Workers
If you're looking for a flexible side hustle idea, it's hard to beat driving gigs that pay.
For example, jobs like Instacart let you work whenever you want, and you don't need any prior experience to start.
But, like any side hustle idea, it's important to know when and how you actually get paid so you can benefit from all of your hard work!
So in this post, we're covering everything you need to know about Instacart Shopper payments, when Instacart pays you, and some tips for getting paid faster!
Let's get to it!
Looking for other ways to make extra money? Checkout:
- DoorDash – Make money delivering food with the leading food delivery app in North America!
- HappyNest – Invest in income-generating real estate starting with just $10!
When Does Instacart Pay You?
Instacart pays shoppers every week through direct deposit for batches you completed the previous Monday through Sunday. Payments typically process on Wednesday, so it can take a bit over a week for your Instacart earnings to clear and hit your bank account.
Instacart uses Stripe to pay Instacart Shoppers, and the time period for your payment period runs from Monday to Sunday at midnight.
So, let's say you earned $250 working for Instacart between Monday and Sunday on a given week. You would probably see the $250 hit your bank account on Wednesday morning.
Instacart can pay you slightly earlier depending on how fast funds clear and reach your bank account, but typically, Wednesday is the day of the week payments actually arrive.
This is very common for gig apps, and jobs like DoorDash or Uber Eats use the exact same payment method.
Alternatively, you can use the Instant Cash Out feature to get paid instantly for a $0.50 fee.
This feature lets you withdraw your daily earnings to your bank account immediately. For a $0.50 fee, you get access to your money instantly without having to wait a week or longer.
This feature is useful if you need money in a pinch, and you can use Instant Cash Out as much as you like.
How Does Instacart Pay?
Instacart pays shoppers with direct deposit. When you sign up for Instacart, you provide your bank account information so Instacart knows where to send your weekly earnings to.
This is the same as setting up direct deposits with an employer, so you have to provide information like your bank, routing number, and account number.
Some sources state Instacart also pays shoppers via check if you don't set up direct deposit. However, this is for in-store shopper roles, which are W2 Instacart employees and not the same as full-service shoppers (which is what most people sign up as.)
What Day Does Instacart Pay?
Instacart pays shoppers at the start of every week. However, funds typically take three days to process and reach your bank account, meaning you actually get your Instacart payments on Wednesday of every week.
How Much Do Shoppers Make?
We have lots of resources on this blog about how much money Instacart shoppers make.
If you look at various salary review websites like Indeed, Glassdoor, and PayScale, you usually find that Instacart Shoppers make $18 to $20 per hour on average.
This is a fairly consistent number, but what factors actually contribute to how much Instacart pays?
Well, here are some factors that influence how much you earn per Instacart batch:
- Number of batch items
- Delivery distance
- Delivery difficulty
- Base pay which varies by market
- Potential fees like heavy item fees
Instacart Shoppers also keep 100% of tips, and if you get lucky with large batches, you can definitely earn $20 to $25+ per hour with this side hustle.
Plus, if you drive at peak Instacart times and use some Instacart Shopper tips like improving your customer service, you can also increase how much you earn per hour.
The bottom line is Instacart is a high-paying side hustle. However, testing out other gig apps like driving for DoorDash or other delivery gigs is a smart move so you learn which app pays the most in your area.
Extra Reading – How Much Money Do DoorDash Drivers Make Per Week?
Frequently Asked Questions
Now that we've answered when does Instacart pay you, let's cover a few more popular questions people have about this delivery gig!
Does Instacart Pay For Mileage?
When you deliver groceries for Instacart, you're working as an independent contractor. This means Instacart doesn't cover gas or any other vehicle-related expenses.
You should still track mileage and vehicle costs so you can potentially deduct some expenses when filing your taxes.
However, don't expect Instacart to pay for any of your bills!
When Do Instacart Shoppers Get Paid Tips?
Instacart Shoppers get paid weekly tips on Wednesdays alongside regular payment from batches they completed the previous week.
You keep 100% of all your tips, and you can see a breakdown of your delivery earnings and your total tips under your earnings tab within the Instacart Shopper app.
Note that customers have up to 24 hours to adjust tip amounts, so this can change how much you get paid if a customer changes their tip at the last moment.
Does Instacart Pay Weekly?
Yes, Instacart pays shoppers weekly. You get paid on Wednesday for previous deliveries you completed the previous Monday through Sunday.
Does Instacart Deduct Taxes?
Instacart doesn't deduct taxes from Instacart Shoppers. This is because you're an independent contractor, so it's your responsibility to accurately track and report your income when filing your taxes.
This is why it's a wise idea to keep a record book of all your income, driving expenses, and tips.
You can also use mileage tracking apps like Hurdlr to automatically track your gig economy mileage.
Is Instant Cash Out Worth Using?
Instacart Instant Cash Out is worth using if you need money fast.
However, even at $0.50, this fee can add up quickly. I mean, if you use it three times per week, that's $1.50 in weekly fees, $6 in monthly fees, and $72 in annual fees just to get your money a bit quicker.
What Are Some High-Paying Instacart Alternatives?
Instacart is an effective way to make extra money in your spare time.
However, it's always a good idea to test multiple gig economy jobs to see which one pays the most in your market.
Furthermore, many pro delivery drivers use multiple apps at once or per week to ensure they're always staying busy and making as much as possible.
Some other gig jobs like Instacart you can try include:
- DoorDash: Deliver fast food and restaurant meals for the most popular food delivery service in North America.
- Uber Eats: Another popular food delivery gig that lets you deliver via bike, car, and scooter.
- Amazon Flex: Earn $18 to $25 per scheduled hour as an Amazon delivery driver!
- GoShare: Make money delivering packages to people with your truck or cargo van.
- Roadie: Like GoShare, this delivery gig lets you make money by transporting goods and delivering packages to people.
Pick a job or two, sign up, and then hit the road to start making extra cash!
Final Thoughts
I hope our guide on when Instacart pays you helps clarify any questions you might have about this delivery gig.
The fact that Instacart pays weekly and lets you work as much as you want makes it one of the more lucrative gig economy jobs out there.
Just remember to track your expenses and to experiment with other delivery jobs so you maximize your income as a gig worker!
Best of luck!
You can sign up for Instacart with our link if you're not currently shopping and want to support WebMonkey.
We also recommend trying out DoorDash since this is one of the best food delivery apps to use when you're not working for Instacart.
Looking for even more ways to make extra money? Checkout:
