Delivery Driver Real Pay Calculator
The app shows what an order pays. It doesn't show what the order costs you: gas, tires and oil changes, the value your car loses with every mile, the extra insurance, and the tax you owe as a self-employed driver. Enter a typical week and this shows your real hourly pay, what each mile costs you, and the least an order should pay per mile before you take it.
Type in an offer to check it against your costs and your target pay.
The tax estimate is federal only and assumes delivery is your only income, you file single, take the standard deduction, and deduct your miles at the IRS standard mileage rate of 76 cents a mile (the 2026 rate from July 1) plus your work phone, parking and tolls. State income tax isn't included. Car wear here is what the car loses in value, not the depreciation used on a tax return. Estimates only. This calculator is for educational purposes and is not financial, tax or legal advice.
Why the app's number isn't your pay
As a delivery driver you're an independent contractor. The app pays you for the order, and every cost of doing the job is yours: the gas, the oil changes and tires that come sooner, the car's value dropping with every mile, the extra insurance a delivery policy needs, your phone, and the self-employment tax that covers both halves of Social Security and Medicare (IRS).
The biggest of these doesn't show up at the pump. A car loses value with every mile you put on it, and you pay for it all at once, when you sell or trade it in.
The number to use on every offer
Your minimum pay per mile is what each mile costs you plus the pay you want for the time it takes. If each mile costs you about 36 cents and you average 15 miles an hour, earning $20 an hour after costs needs $0.36 + $20 ÷ 15 = about $1.70 a mile. An offer that pays less than that, counting the miles to the restaurant, pays you less than your target. The order checker above does the math for a single offer, including the time you'll wait.
Taxes: set money aside every week
No tax is taken out of app pay. You owe self-employment tax of 15.3% on most of your profit, plus income tax, and you pay it yourself, usually as quarterly estimated tax. Keeping a mileage log matters most: the IRS business mileage rate is 72.5 cents a mile for the first half of 2026 (IRS) and 76 cents from July 1, 2026 (Journal of Accountancy), and at 600 miles a week that's the biggest deduction you have.
A worked example
The numbers already in the calculator: $1,000 for a 40-hour week and 600 miles. Gas at $3.20 and 28 mpg is $68.57, maintenance $60, and car wear $90, so the miles cost $218.57, about 36 cents each. Add insurance, phone and parking ($30.77 a week) and the week costs $249.34. That leaves $750.66, or $18.77 an hour, against the $25 an hour the app's numbers suggest. After setting aside federal tax, take-home is lower again.
California drivers
Under Proposition 22, California pays app-based drivers $0.37 per engaged mile in 2026 toward their costs (California State Treasurer). Engaged miles are only those driven while on an order, so compare that with your full cost per mile above.
Sources: IRS, 2026 standard mileage rate; Journal of Accountancy, IRS raises standard mileage rates for the remainder of 2026; IRS, self-employment tax; California State Treasurer, Prop 22 per-mile compensation. Gas, maintenance, wear and insurance figures in the calculator are examples to replace with your own.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do delivery drivers really make per hour?
It depends on your pay, your miles and your car. Subtract gas, maintenance, the value your car loses per mile, extra insurance and your phone from what the app paid, then divide by the hours you were online, including the waiting. That is your real hourly pay before taxes.
What is a good minimum pay per mile for DoorDash or Uber Eats?
Add what each mile costs you to the hourly pay you want divided by your average miles per hour. With costs of about 36 cents a mile, a $20 target and 15 miles an hour, the minimum is about $1.70 a mile. Count the miles to the restaurant, not just to the customer.
Do delivery apps show earnings after expenses?
The apps show what an order pays, the distance and an estimated time. Gas, car wear, insurance and taxes are up to you to work out, which is what this calculator does.
Do I have to pay taxes on delivery driver income?
Yes. Delivery drivers are self-employed, so no tax is withheld. You owe self-employment tax and income tax on your profit, usually paid as quarterly estimated taxes. Deducting your business miles at the IRS standard rate lowers the profit you are taxed on.
What is the IRS mileage rate for 2026?
72.5 cents a mile for business miles driven from January 1 to June 30, 2026, and 76 cents a mile from July 1, 2026, after the IRS raised it mid-year.