Have your “people skills” been tested to the max by rideshare and food delivery work? If so, Amazon Flex could be an excellent option for you. Flex is Amazon’s platform for drivers who want to deliver “smiles,” the company’s way of describing Amazon packages, to online shoppers. Most of the time, you won’t even see the people at the other end of the delivery, so this gig is likely to give you a break from the pain and angst of dealing with the general public.
That’s not the only good thing about Amazon Flex, though. In this post, we’ll cover more pluses and a few things that aren’t so great, so you can decide if this could be a good gig for you.
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Amazon Flex basics
How does Amazon Flex work? Amazon Flex drivers are independent contractors who use their own vehicles to deliver items ordered from Amazon, including
- packages: picked up at a delivery station and then delivered to customers within a given time frame, usually a 3–6 hour block
- Prime Now and Amazon Fresh: groceries and household items picked up from an Amazon delivery station, then delivered, usually in 2–4 hour blocks
- store orders: pickups of items from local stores, in blocks of 2–4 hours
- instant offers: last-minute restaurant deliveries completed in 15–45 minutes, separate from scheduled blocks, and available only in select areas
The Amazon Flex app handles all the tasks drivers must complete, which include
- scheduling
- scanning barcodes on packages
- plotting the delivery route
- re-scanning the package again at the delivery point
- providing photo evidence of the delivery
Drivers for Amazon Flex work on schedule blocks, meaning they must prearrange work times, show up at the delivery station on time, and complete all the deliveries within the scheduled block. This YouTube video from the Side Gig Guy describes how schedule blocks work, and offers general tips about working for Amazon Flex.
To schedule a block as a Flex driver, start by selecting the warehouse you want to work from. The app will then show you what’s available and how much you’ll be paid; then select the block that works for you.
You must be on time for your scheduled block if you expect to maintain a high driver rating with Amazon Flex. When you arrive at the delivery center, you will need to scan the package codes into your app.
You are expected to get all the goods delivered within the scheduled time block. While that usually isn’t an issue, it can become problematic, depending on the number of items, traffic, and other delays. If you work beyond your scheduled block, you won’t be paid for the extra time it takes to finish all your deliveries.
You can always get help from Amazon Flex when you run into problems. This Gridwise blog post describes situations when you might need to get in touch with Amazon Flex support and how you can best obtain help.
Knowing all these things, you’ll be ready to go out and complete your deliveries. This is how individual deliveries may appear within the Amazon Flex app:
When you click on the individual deliveries, the app will direct you to the customer’s address.
As you can see, you will depend on your app for almost everything you do as a Flex driver. Fortunately, you’ll get opportunities to learn more about how to use it once you sign up and are accepted as a driver. First, though, you need to meet the Amazon Flex driver standards.
What are the requirements for Amazon Flex drivers?
The requirements for Amazon Flex drivers differ some from those you need to meet to do rideshare or food delivery driving. There are a few things to consider before you even think about signing up.
- You will have to do some moderate-to-heavy lifting in the course of delivering packages.
- You will need to deal with being outside in extreme weather.
- You must live in a city where Amazon Flex operates. Check the Amazon website to see if it’s possible to drive for Amazon Flex in your city.
- There must be slots available for drivers in your area. To make working for Amazon Flex desirable, the company limits the number of drivers they approve. That way they can guarantee there will be enough work for them. Be prepared to be placed on a waiting list if there are already enough drivers in your town.
Once you get past these considerations, you’ll need to meet these company requirements:
- be 21 years of age or older
- have a SocialSecurity number
- pass a background check (criminal and DMV)
- have a valid U.S. driver’s license
- have a vehicle large enough to carry delivery loads, specifically, a midsize four-door sedan or larger; except for Prime Now, which permits the use of any reliable four-door vehicle
- carry sufficient insurance on your vehicle, beyond the insurance Amazon provides, as shown on the Amazon website
- own a suitable smartphone, as shown in the table below
| Android | iPhone |
| Android 7.0 or newer 2 GB or higher RAM Camera with flash GPS location services SIM card | iPhone 6s or newer iOS 14 or higher |
Granted, qualifying to be an Amazon Flex driver, and dealing with the logistics involved in scanning and delivering once you’re on board, can sound daunting. But there’s a really good reason why so many drivers love working for Amazon Flex, and that has to do with the way we can answer this question: How much do Amazon Flex drivers make?
Amazon Flex driver pay
It’s true. Amazon Flex drivers make more than most rideshare and delivery drivers, at least as far as earnings per hour and earnings per delivery are concerned. In 2022, Gridwise data showed that Amazon Flex drivers averaged $23.35 per hour. This exceeds the rates raked in by drivers for just about any other rideshare or delivery app.
Some other factors might give us a bit of a different picture, though. Let’s answer this question:
How much do Amazon Flex drivers make a week?
As it turns out, Amazon Flex drivers are limited to working 40 hours per week. Drivers won’t get assigned more than 8 hours of work per day, and most times it will be less than that. If we take the $23.35 per hour figure and apply it to a full 40-hour week, a very busy Flex driver will earn about $934.00 per week. More common would be a driver working around 30 hours a week, bringing the potential 7-day work figure down to around $700.00.
How much do Amazon Flex drivers make a month?
If we look at the maximum figure again and average four weeks in a month, a very busy (and lucky) Amazon Flex driver could stand to earn $3,736 per month. The more likely figure, however, based on a 30-hour work week, would be $2,800.
These estimates are very high in terms of the average number of hours Amazon Flex drivers actually work. This Gridwise post reveals that the average Flex driver made about $420 for the whole month. That would mean that, on average, most Amazon Flex drivers worked only about 18 hours a month.
That base hourly earnings figure, or $23.35, is derived from actual data collected by Gridwise. Other sources report lower figures. Indeed.com estimates the national average hourly pay for Amazon Flex drivers to be $16.34.
If you want to get granular about analyzing Amazon Flex earnings, read this Gridwise blog post.
So, it appears that while the average hourly earnings are higher than most other gig driving opportunities, the maximum number of hours most Amazon Flex drivers work is low. There are ways, though, to maximize earnings with Amazon Flex, as shown in this Gridwise blog post. Also, there are some perks available for Flex drivers. This Gridwise post tells you about the extras Amazon has to offer.
Now that we have a rundown of what it takes to work for Amazon Flex, and how much you’re likely to be paid, let’s lay out the good points and bad points of using this app for your driving gig.
Perks and considerations of driving for Amazon Flex
Like any job in the gig economy, Amazon Flex has its plus points and a few considerations to think about before you sign up. Here are some interesting items to consider on both sides of the equation.
| Amazon Flex Perks | Amazon Flex Considerations |
| Little or no interpersonal interaction necessary | You should expect to practice your logistics skills (e.g. scheduling, scanning) |
| High hourly pay | Your hours could be limited by available schedule blocks |
| Solid company and reliable business | Must be able to do moderate to heavy lifting |
| Additional offers such as Amazon Fresh and instant offers | Amazon Fresh delivery opportunities are not common. |
| Drivers use their own vehicles | Drivers must have vehicles large enough to accommodate packages |
| Drivers get perks and discounts from Amazon | Drivers must carry additional insurance for your own protection |
| Amazon restricts the number of Flex drivers so there is not too much competition | Drivers are independent contractors and do not receive fuel reimbursement or company benefits |
Fitting Flex into your driving routine
If you happen to decide that you want to make more money by multi-apping, and Flex is going to be one of them, you’ll need Gridwise.
How Gridwise works
Not only is it a free Amazon Flex mileage tracker, Gridwise has its finger on the pulse of what’s happening in your area. Discover profitable times to schedule your blocks so you can earn more on your shifts!
Gridwise also tracks earnings and expenses for the rideshare and food delivery apps you might use in addition to an app such as Flex. Add in the $50/month gas discount, and you’ll start to save a lot.
Ready to take your gig work to the next level?
Download Gridwise, the app that helps you track your expenses and maximize your earnings
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