Earnings
How much can I really make driving?
Real numbers from real drivers — not advertised hourly rates. After gas, after wear, in 2026.
Realistic hourly ranges
What net hourly looks like by hour-type, on a 0–$30 scale.
By market
Where you drive matters as much as which app.
Phoenix · Tampa · Houston · Dallas · Atlanta · Denver · Charlotte
Lower COL, less driver saturation. Strong $/hr after gas.
Most of the Midwest, the Southeast, Texas mid-cities
Reliable $14–$20/hr. Decent tips. Less peak-hour competition.
SF Bay · LA · NYC · Seattle · Boston
Higher gross but gas, parking, and saturation eat in. Be smart about apps and hours.
By platform
Net hourly range by app, with the one-line reason.
| Platform | Net pay / hour | Why |
|---|---|---|
| DoorDash | Highest order volume in most cities | |
| Uber Eats | Pairs naturally with DoorDash | |
| Instacart | Higher per-batch, big tips on full shops | |
| Spark (Walmart) | Bigger orders, less competition in suburbs | |
| Grubhub | Use as 3rd app, slower in 2026 |
The honest math
A typical full-time gig driver runs 30,000–50,000 miles/year. At the IRS standard mileage rate (67¢/mile in 2026), that's $20,000–$33,000 in deductions. Actual cash outlay for gas + maintenance is usually 40–55% of that.
A driver grossing $50K typically nets around $35–$40K after expenses, then owes self-employment tax on what's left. See the full tax breakdown.
This is why drivers who track mileage carefully and run multiple apps make significantly more than the rest.
Earnings shown are typical ranges from public driver-reported data and are not a guarantee.