Do you want to make some extra money?
If so, becoming an Instacart Shopper may be the perfect opportunity for you.
But how much can you make a week with Instacart?
In this article, we will discuss how much you can expect to earn each week while shopping for Instacart customers, as well as a few tips on how to maximize your Instacart shopper earnings potential.
So, whether you’re a current shopper or thinking about becoming one, read on for information that will help you make the most of your experience.
Table Of Contents
How Much Can You Make a Week With Instacart?
As an Instacart shopper, you can expect to earn anywhere from $200 to $1,000 per week.
The amount you make will depend on several factors.
These factors include how many orders you complete and the size of the orders.
In general, shoppers who complete more orders will earn more money.
However, larger orders also tend to pay more.
It’s important to find a balance between the two if you want to maximize your earnings potential.
In addition to the amount you earn per order, you will sometimes receive a promotional bonus for each order you complete on time.
A bonus can range from $0.50 to $20, depending on the promotion and size of the order.
How Much Does Instacart Pay Per Delivery?
It’s difficult to provide an exact amount that you’ll earn per delivery when working with Instacart.
The Instacart pay structure varies widely depending on the location, time of day, and other factors.
However, we can provide a general range that you can expect to earn.
For most batches, you’ll earn between $10 and $20 per batch.
Of course, there are always exceptions to this rule.
You may occasionally find an order that pays significantly more or less than this range.
Other factors that Instacart uses to determine each batch payout include the following.
- Base pay
- Pay per mileage
- Pay per item
- Heavy order payout
- Tips
An Instacart customer tip, for example, can easily take a $15 batch payout to $20 or $25.
You may hear some Instacart shoppers talk about batches that earn up to $30 or $40.
These are typically double or triple batches.
Double batches make it harder on new Instacart shoppers.
However, you will find that they can increase your pay significantly after learning the ropes.
Minimum Pay Per Instacart Delivery
Instacart offers a minimum amount that you’ll earn per batch order.
It guarantees a $7 to $10 minimum for full-service orders.
An Instacart full service shopper does the shopping and delivering of orders.
An in store shopper only does the shopper part before handing over the bags to a delivery driver.
Instacart guarantees a $5 minimum when you only deliver the batches.
Instacart looks for other ways to guarantee minimum payouts to its shoppers.
In California, for example, Instacart guarantees that each Instacart employee will earn at least $0.30 per mile and 120% of the state’s minimum wage amount.
Instacart bases the 120% minimum figure on each hour that a shopper actively shops and delivers for customers.
At the end of each week, if a San Francisco worker, for instance, hasn’t earned enough to meet the guaranteed minimum, Instacart adjusts the payout by adding a wage adjustment.
The shopper then sees it when cashing out.
How Much Do You Get in Tips?
As an Instacart shopper, you can expect to earn a significant amount in tips.
Average Tips
Instacart recommends to customers that they tip at a 5% rate.
The average Instacart tip amount that Instacart shoppers receive is $0.50 per order.
However, tips can range anywhere from $0 to $20 or more, depending on the size of the order and how well you perform your job.
You’ll typically find that customers are more generous with tips during busy times.
They may also be more generous if you go above and beyond their expectations.
Suggested Read:
Instacart Tipping: Should customers tip drivers, and how much?
How to Maximize Your Earnings With Instacart
As you go about your work as a personal shopper, there are things you can do to maximize your Instacart earnings.
Let’s discuss eight ways to accomplish your goal of getting to higher weekly payouts.
1. Be Organized
When you first start as an Instacart shopper, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.
There are a lot of orders to complete.
It can be tough to keep track of everything.
The key is to stay organized.
Use a notebook or create a spreadsheet to keep track of your orders.
Doing this will help you stay on top of things and ensure that you don’t miss any orders.
2. Know the Area
Another way to be a more efficient Instacart shopper is to know your delivery area well.
Decide on the zones that you like best.
Work to remain within those zones so you can do more deliveries.
Familiarize yourself with the layout of your favorite grocery stores and the surrounding area.
You will save time when you’re shopping for orders.
3. Cut Down on Costs
You can also save money by cutting down on your costs.
For example, as you use your car to deliver orders, you’ll need to pay for gas.
You can save money on gas by using a fuel-efficient vehicle.
4. Track Your Expenses
As an Instacart shopper, it’s important to track your expenses.
It will help you stay on top of your finances and ensure that you’re making a profit.
Keep track of how much you spend on gas and other incidentals.
Using a personal finance app is one of the best ways to track expenses.
An app will show you where your money goes and how much profit you’re making.
Or, you can use an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of it.
You’ll love having this information at your fingertips during tax season.
5. Work During Peak Times
Instacart shoppers make the most money during times when there are a lot of orders.
Consider working on the weekends, during holidays, and after work hours during the weekdays.
Customers typically use these times to order food deliveries.
You can use the app to see how many orders are available in your area.
If there are a lot of orders, it’s a good time to go shopping.
Over time, you will learn your area’s most profitable times to work.
Pay close attention to these pockets of profitability.
There’s no sense working during times when you sit waiting for batches.
6. Deliver Good Customer Service
Tips represent the most control you have over your weekly pay.
Do everything in your power to maximize the tips customers give you following each batch delivery.
Customers will leave good tips if you provide excellent customer service.
Doing this includes being polite, helpful, and professional at all times.
You should also work to deliver the order as soon as possible.
Other ways to offer quality customer service include the following.
- Bagging items correctly
- Using insulated bags
- Double-checking the order at the grocery store
- Asking if there’s anything else you can do to help
- Making replacements easy for customers
7. Be Consistent
The best Instacart shoppers are consistent.
They show up and work when they say they will.
They also complete a high percentage of their batches.
If an order is too complicated or time-consuming, they cancel it.
Customers and Instacart both appreciate consistency.
It helps to build trust and establishes you as a reliable worker.
When customers see they can count on you, they’re more likely to leave good tips and give you positive feedback.
8. Use Referral Codes
Referral codes are a nice way to make extra money as an Instacart shopper.
When you sign up to be a shopper, you’ll receive a referral code.
You can share this code with friends and family members.
For every person who signs up using your referral code, you’ll earn a bonus.
The amount of the bonus varies, but it’s typically around $100.
So, if you refer five people who become shoppers, you’ll earn an extra $500.
There are a few different ways to share your referral code.
You can post it on social media, hand out flyers, or tell people in person.
Make sure you’re only sharing it with people expressing interest in a grocery delivery gig.
Wrapping Up
How much can you make a week with Instacart?
Now you know!
If you follow these tips, you’re well on your way to earning a great income as an Instacart worker.
So, what are you waiting for?
Download the Instacart shopper app, sign up, and start grocery shopping.
