Amazon Flex Guide: How It Works & Whether It’s Worth It
If amazon flex works whether is on your radar, this short guide cuts through the noise. Here is what is worth knowing, and how to put it to work today.
Key Takeaways
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- Amazon advertises that it pays its team of independent Amazon Flex delivery drivers $18 to $25 per hour , a tempting offer when you’re inter...
Amazon advertises that it pays its team of independent Amazon Flex delivery drivers $18 to $25 per hour , a tempting offer when you’re interested in driving as a side hustle.
But can you really earn that much money, considering you’re on the hook for your own gas, insurance and vehicle maintenance? And is there enough work available on the platform to make it a better option than food delivery apps like DoorDash and UberEats?
This Amazon Flex guide explains everything you need to know about getting started, including how to sign up and how much you can realistically expect to earn.
Table of Contents
ToggleWhat Is Amazon Flex?
As an Amazon Flex driver, you deliver packages directly from Amazon to shoppers. This includes both regular packages that contain online orders and fresh grocery items ordered through Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods.
Flex is one of several ways to make money on Amazon, and it’s centered around completing delivery “blocks” for set pay.
- Flex delivery is for Amazon Prime orders. Drivers pick up a batch of packages from a warehouse and deliver them to shoppers.
- Amazon Fresh is a grocery delivery service. Flex drivers pick up batches of grocery orders from a single location, then deliver them to shoppers along an assigned route.
- Whole Foods offers delivery through Amazon. Flex drivers pick up orders at Whole Foods stores, then deliver those orders to shoppers.
All three of these delivery methods are available on Amazon Flex, and you can choose which type of deliveries you’d like to make when you schedule shifts (more on this down below).
You work as an independent contractor and you’re paid for a set block of deliveries (not by the hour). You use your own vehicle to make deliveries, and you’re responsible for gas, parking, tolls and any additional business expenses.
To drive for Amazon Flex, you must be at least 21 or older and live in a city that offers Flex. You must also have a valid driver’s license, a midsized or larger vehicle (i.e., a midsize sedan, truck or van), and a compatible smartphone.
Amazon Flex Reviews and Consensus
Amazon Flex is ideal for people who live in urban or dense suburban areas and want a part-time job or a side hustle. Drivers (especially students and single moms) appreciate the flexible, work-when-you-want schedule. Former Uber and Lyft drivers appreciate that there are no riders to deal with , just packages and grocery bags.
Note: The review scores below were collected on September 15th, 2022. We update this table periodically throughout the year to keep the data current.
Review SiteReview ScoreNumber of ReviewsGlassdoor3.6/54,213Indeed3.4/52,455As with most gig economy apps, Amazon Flex has its snags and problems. The main complaint from drivers is that the advertised pay rate doesn’t account for the cost of gas.
For instance, Amazon might pay around $36 for a two-hour delivery block, which works out to $18 per hour. Not bad for a flexible side hustle. But when you factor in gas, tolls, parking, insurance and wear and tear on your personal vehicle, that number goes down substantially.
After accounting for the time to drive to the Amazon pickup location (which isn’t reimbursed) and gas for a 60-mile round trip (or more), some drivers end up making substantially less than the touted $18 to $25 per hour.
This varies depending on the delivery block: some blocks are quick, simple and lucrative, while drivers make very little on others. Unfortunately, a Flex driver has no way of knowing the exact delivery route of a given block, nor how profitable it will be, before selecting it.
There’s also been a growing sentiment that Amazon has misclassified Flex drivers as independent contractors when they should be considered employees with corresponding benefits and protections. One former driver has filed a class action lawsuit against Amazon for this reason.
Amazon Flex Earning Potential
As independent contractors, Amazon Flex drivers are responsible for the expenses of running their business. So how much are Amazon Flex drivers really earning after all is said and done? Is it the $18 to $25 per hour that Amazon claims on the program’s website?
The “other factors” mentioned in the screenshot above can dramatically eat into your hourly rate.There’s obviously some variability here, but Amazon is fairly transparent with one element: the base pay for each delivery block.
For each delivery block, Amazon contributes a minimum of $15 per scheduled hour. So they would pay $45 for a three-hour block. You keep 100% of any tips you receive, though tipping is more common for Fresh and Whole Foods deliveries than standard Amazon Prime orders.
How much does this translate to in take-home pay?
Let’s say you drive for Flex for one three-hour block Monday through Friday. You’ll make a minimum of $225 per week in gross income for 15 hours of work.
However, mileage can vary significantly between blocks. 15 miles is low, and 70 miles is high. Using 25 miles per delivery block as an example, your fuel an
Final Thoughts
The bottom line: a little research on amazon flex works whether goes a long way. Compare your options, watch for seasonal offers, and never pay full price when a better deal is one click away.
Originally published at thewaystowealth.com.
Jenni Sisson
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