
Instacart's pay structure can be a bit complex, but don't worry, I've got you covered. Instacart pays its shoppers a base rate of $7 to $10 per delivery, depending on the location and the type of store.
Instacart's pay structure varies by store type, with higher-paying stores like Whole Foods and Costco offering up to $15 per delivery.
Instacart also offers a peak pay bonus, which can add an extra $3 to $5 per delivery during busy times.
Instacart's peak pay bonus is available during peak hours, which are typically weekdays from 4 pm to 8 pm.
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Instacart Pricing and Earnings
Instacart's pay can vary greatly depending on your area and the availability of orders. You can expect to make anywhere from $50 to over $1,000 a week, with the average being around $331.35 per week for one user.
Instacart's pay is consistent, but it's consistently low, so you'll pretty much depend on customer tips to make a decent income. In fact, one user made over $1,000 a week, but that's with tips, not just Instacart batch earnings.

Instacart pays shoppers around $15-$25 per hour, including tips, which are usually 5-20%+ of the order. Shoppers keep 100% of tips, which is a huge plus.
If you're an efficient shopper, you can earn up to $45/hour, but this is rare. Most shoppers make around $15-$20 per hour, including tips.
Here's a breakdown of Instacart's pay per hour, based on one user's experience:
- $331.35 divided by 28 hours worked is around $11.8/hour (batch earnings only)
- $331.35 divided by 21 batches (orders) is around $15.8/order (batch earnings only)
- $1,007 divided by 28 hours is around $36/hour (batch earnings plus tips)
- $1,007 divided by 21 batches (orders) is around $48/order (batch earnings plus tips)
Keep in mind that these are just examples, and your pay will vary depending on your area and the availability of orders.
One major complaint of Instacart drivers is the high cost of gas, but some companies are helping drivers save money and earn cash back for filling up.
In Canada, Instacart pays around $9 per batch, which is very similar to what it is in the US. You can increase your pay by working efficiently and following strategies like batch shopping and warehouse shopping.
Instacart provides unique earning opportunities through its referral program, which allows shoppers to earn bonuses for each new full-service shopper they refer.
Instacart Earnings Structure

Instacart's base pay includes most mileage and shopping, and it's between $5-$7.50, depending on your location. This pay structure is often misunderstood, as it's not just for shopping an order, but also for mileage pay.
Instacart's mileage pay is $.60 per mile, and it's only for the mileage from the store to the customer(s), nothing before or after. If the mileage from the store to the customer is 12+ miles, you'll see your pay increase by 60 cents for each mile.
Instacart often groups orders by two or three customers at the same store, but don't expect to get 3x the base pay for double or triple orders. In fact, the increase in batch earnings isn't really great, as seen in the example where the 11 miles times 60 cents mileage pay gives you $6.6 toward mileage and 4.2 to shop those two orders, which is $2.1 per order.
Here's a rough breakdown of what you can expect to earn per delivery:
- Instacart's base pay is between $5-$7.50
- Mileage pay is $.60 per mile
- For a typical order, Instacart pays between $1.50 to shop and the rest goes to mileage
What Does Base Cover?
Instacart's base pay includes most mileage and shopping costs, which can vary depending on the location.
Instacart's base pay for shopping and delivering ranges from $5 to $7.50, with the exact amount depending on the area.
Instacart's mileage pay is $0.60 per mile, and it's only paid for the distance from the store to the customer, not from your home to the store.
If you have to travel a long distance to deliver orders, you can earn more mileage pay, but this might not always result in higher batch earnings.
Instacart's batch earnings can be broken down into two components: batch earnings without tips and batch earnings with tips.
Here's a breakdown of what Instacart's base pay covers:
- Shopping costs: $5-$7.50
- Mileage costs: $0.60 per mile (only for the distance from the store to the customer)
- Some orders may have higher mileage pay due to longer distances, but this doesn't always result in higher batch earnings.
Note: Instacart's base pay doesn't cover gas, taxes, or vehicle maintenance costs, which you'll need to account for yourself.
Instacart Daily Earnings
Instacart's daily earnings can vary greatly depending on the number of orders you complete and the pay structure in your area. Instacart's base pay for Shop & Deliver orders is around $7.50, but this can range from $5 to $7.50 depending on your location.
To give you a better idea, let's break down the average batch earnings. An average batch for Instacart pays between $15-20, and shoppers can do about 1 batch per hour. This means for an 8-hour shift, you can expect to earn a minimum of $120-160 per day shopping for Instacart.
However, mileage pay can significantly impact your earnings. Instacart pays $.60 per mile, and if the mileage from the store to the customer is 12+ miles, you'll see your pay increase by 60 cents for each mile. In some cases, mileage pay can even exceed the base pay for shopping.
Here's a rough estimate of the daily earnings based on the examples provided:
Keep in mind that these are just estimates and your actual earnings may vary. It's essential to consider factors like mileage, tips, and the number of orders you complete to get a more accurate picture of your daily earnings.
What Is a Bump?
A bump is a payment increase you can receive as an Instacart shopper.
You'll occasionally receive an Instacart pay bump for difficult or heavy orders, but these are rare.
If you participate in an Instacart survey, video interview, study, or in-person shop, you'll receive a shopper bump deposited directly into your Instacart shopper app.
This payment increase can be a nice bonus, especially if you're having a tough day of shopping.
Instacart Earnings Breakdown
Instacart's pay structure can be quite complex, but let's break it down. Instacart implemented updates to their pay structure on July 24, 2023, which now includes a minimum pay of at least $4 for small batches like delivering a bag of chips or a pint of ice cream.
More complex batches, like larger business deliveries, can pay $10 or more, in addition to customer tips. Instacart may pay more for batches based on the size and complexity of each order.
Heavy item batches, which are orders with items weighing at least eight pounds and a total batch weight of 50 pounds or more, will have a heavy item pay of at least $2 added to the batch minimum.
Instacart's pay varies between Full-Service Shoppers and In-Store Shoppers.
For example, an average batch 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.
Here's a rough breakdown of what you can expect to earn per hour:
- $11.8 per hour for Full-Service Shoppers (based on a $331.35 weekly batch earnings and 28 hours worked)
- $8 per hour for Full-Service Shoppers (based on a $41.42 weekly batch earnings and 5 hours worked)
Keep in mind that these are just estimates and can vary depending on your location and the availability of orders.
Here's a comparison of Instacart's pay per batch:
- $15.8 per batch (based on a $331.35 weekly batch earnings and 21 batches worked)
- $13.80 per batch (based on a $41.42 weekly batch earnings and 3 batches worked)
- $48 per batch (based on a $1,007 weekly batch earnings and 21 batches worked)
- $42 per batch (based on a $125.89 weekly batch earnings and 3 batches worked)
Instacart Earnings Opportunities
You can increase your overall Instacart pay by doing a few things, including earning tips and extra pay opportunities.
Instacart shoppers keep 100% of the tips they receive, which can average about $6.50 per trip.
Tips and bonuses can significantly boost earnings, making them a great way to increase your pay.
How to Increase Earnings

To increase your Instacart earnings, focus on the referral program, which allows you to earn bonuses for each new full-service shopper you refer.
Instacart shoppers may not earn as much as DoorDash and Lyft drivers on average, but the referral program offers unique earning opportunities.
To maximize your earnings, refer as many new full-service shoppers as you can to take advantage of the bonuses.
Tips and Opportunities
Instacart shoppers can earn extra pay through large orders, which can significantly boost earnings.
You can earn up to $48 per order, as seen in the example of a $1,007 week, where the Instacart batch earnings was $331.35, and the shopper completed 21 batches.
Tips are also a crucial aspect of Instacart earnings, with shoppers keeping 100% of the tips they receive. On average, shoppers can earn around $6.50 per trip.
Here's a breakdown of how tips can impact earnings:
High-performance bonuses and referral bonuses are also available, but the exact details of these opportunities are not provided in the article sections.
Instacart Earnings Comparison
Instacart shoppers can earn between $120-160 per day for an 8-hour shift, with an average "batch" paying between $15-20.
In comparison to DoorDash and Lyft drivers, Instacart shoppers may earn less on average. Instacart, however, offers unique earning opportunities through its referral program.
Instacart's pay can vary compared to other delivery services, but many shoppers choose Instacart for its unique advantages.
Instacart Earnings Tips and Strategies
To increase your Instacart earnings, you can do a few things. One of them is to increase your overall Instacart pay by completing more deliveries. This can be achieved by being available to work during peak hours, which are typically between 4pm and 8pm.
Being available during peak hours can significantly boost your earnings. According to Instacart, you can earn up to 50% more during these hours.
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Guarantees
In certain regions of the US, Instacart is offering guaranteed earnings. For example, in California, drivers are guaranteed to earn at least 120% of minimum wage and $.30 per mile spent on shopping and deliveries.

Instacart's pay is consistent, but consistently low, so you pretty much depend on customer tips to make a decent living. This is evident in the example where the shopper made just $41.42 in Instacart batch earnings, but earned $125.89 with tips.
To give you a better idea of Instacart's pay guarantees, here's a breakdown of the guaranteed earnings in California:
This means that Instacart shoppers in California can expect to earn at least a certain amount per hour, plus a bonus for each mile driven. However, it's worth noting that these guarantees may not be available in all regions, so be sure to check with Instacart for more information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make $1000 a week on Instacart?
Yes, it's possible to make around $1000 a week on Instacart, but earnings can vary based on factors like schedule, location, and demand. Earnings of $1000-$1500 per week, like in the example, are achievable for some Instacart shoppers.
Sources
- https://www.yourgigeconomist.com/instacart-pay.html
- https://www.moneylion.com/learn/how-much-does-instacart-pay/
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/finance/instacart-shopper-make-money
- https://therideshareguy.com/instacart-shopper-pay/
- https://www.moneylogue.com/how-much-does-instacart-pay-their-workers/
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