The ads make it sound great: "Earn $22-27 per hour delivering with Amazon Flex!" or "Make up to $25/hour with Uber Eats!"
But drivers across Canada are discovering a harsh truth: the real take-home pay is often far less than advertised.
Let's do the math that the apps don't want you to see.
The Advertised Rate vs. Reality
What They Tell You
- Amazon Flex: $22-27/hour
- Uber Eats: $15-22/hour (Gridwise)
- DoorDash: $15-20/hour
What Drivers Actually Report
According to Indeed reviews from Ottawa drivers in January 2025: "While Amazon advertises $27/hour, when factoring in 1 hour of travel back and forward for a 3-hour shift, plus gas and car wear & tear, the pay is way below minimum pay."
DoorDash drivers report that "DoorDash only pays drivers $2 to $4" per delivery, with one driver noting: "Without customer tips, you're looking at making around $13 an hour."
The Hidden Costs Nobody Talks About
1. Gas (The Obvious One)
With average gas prices around $1.50-1.70/L in Canada, a typical delivery shift burns through $15-30 in fuel.
2. Vehicle Depreciation
The CRA allows 70¢/km for vehicle expenses because cars lose value with every kilometer. Driving 100km per shift = $70 in real vehicle cost.
3. Unpaid Time
- Driving to the warehouse: unpaid
- Waiting for orders: unpaid
- Driving home: unpaid
- Refreshing the app trying to get blocks: unpaid
Drivers report spending 2-3 hours daily just trying to secure work. That's unpaid labor.
4. Maintenance
- Oil changes every 5,000 km
- Tire wear (faster than normal)
- Brake replacements
- General wear from constant stop-and-start driving
5. No Benefits
As an independent contractor, you get:
- No health insurance
- No paid sick days
- No vacation pay
- No retirement contributions
- No employment insurance if work dries up
According to Securian Canada research, 66% of Canadian gig workers are concerned about the lack of sick days and benefits, and 85% worry about their retirement.
The Real Math: A Typical Week
Let's break down a "good" week for a delivery driver:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gross earnings (25 hrs × $20/hr) | $500 |
| Gas (-$100) | -$100 |
| Vehicle depreciation (500km × $0.30) | -$150 |
| Phone/data plan (portion) | -$20 |
| Net before taxes | $230 |
| Real hourly rate | $9.20/hr |
That's below minimum wage in every Canadian province.
The Gig Economy Gap
Research from Alberta shows that gig workers earn $15,000 to $25,000 less per year than people in traditional jobs with similar hours.
And according to Securian Canada, 57% of gig workers rely on this type of work to supplement their primary income — meaning most people can't survive on gig work alone.
So What's the Solution?
If gig driving pays so poorly, why do some drivers still earn $1,200-1,500+ per week?
The answer: efficiency and strategy.
1. Multi-Platform Approach
Relying on one app means:
- Waiting for orders
- Accepting low-paying deliveries
- Unpaid downtime
Top earners work across multiple platforms simultaneously:
- Package delivery (Amazon, Intelcom, Purolator)
- Food delivery (Uber Eats, DoorDash)
- Grocery delivery (Instacart)
2. Route Optimization
The biggest expense is driving inefficiently. Every unnecessary kilometer costs you money.
FlexMesh solves this by letting you:
- Scan waybills from any carrier
- Combine all stops into one optimized route
- Reduce total distance driven by 20-40%
3. The Math That Actually Works
| Strategy | Weekly Net | Real Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Single app, random routes | $230 | $9.20 |
| Multi-app, separate routes | $450 | $15.00 |
| Multi-app + FlexMesh | $700+ | $23.00+ |
The difference isn't working harder — it's working smarter.
Getting Started
- Track everything — Mileage, gas, expenses. Know your real numbers.
- Add platforms — Don't depend on a single app
- Use FlexMesh — Optimize routes across all your deliveries
- Set a floor — Don't accept orders below your minimum acceptable rate
The gig economy can work, but only if you treat it like a business — not just an app you turn on and hope for the best.
Sources:
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