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Are you a first-time Dasher wondering when you’ll receive your DoorDash earnings? It’s natural to be eager for that paycheck, but let’s not let it overshadow your entire experience.
Sure, when you first signed up, the thought of earning money was exciting, but don’t let it consume you. I remember making $150.55 on my third day and a crazy $1,023.04 by my 11th day as a Dasher. It was incredible to realize I could earn this much on my own schedule, without too much interaction (shout out to my fellow introverts!).
Initially, the thrill of earning more drove me to hustle even harder. However, as bills piled up, that excitement started to fade. Working as a Dasher isn’t all glamour and glory; you need to learn everything from taking your first order to understanding the payment system.
While payday is something to look forward to, it’s also essential to strike a balance. Yes, you should care about payday because it helps you plan your finances and offers peace of mind. But remember, your Dashing experience is about more than just waiting for that paycheck. It’s about enjoying the flexibility and freedom this gig offers while also staying on top of your financial responsibilities.
Keep in mind, there’s no traditional “Doordash paycheck” since we operate as independent contractors, not employees. If you’ve recently downloaded and joined the best delivery app, you might find the payment system confusing, especially since Doordash has transitioned to a new pay-per-hour and per-order model.
Knowing when payday hits lets you plan your spending and, let’s be real, sleep a bit better at night. No one likes the money jitters that come with irregular income. In this post, I will break down all the things you need to know about the Doordash payment method, how often you’ll get paid, and other factors that may influence your income.
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1. Understanding the DoorDash Payment System
In mid-2023, DoorDash adjusted its payment method for Dashers in response to a groundbreaking law that ensures gig workers on side hustle apps receive an hourly minimum wage.
This pivotal change in the gig economy addresses concerns that delivery riders weren’t being fairly compensated.
Now, when you open your Dasher app, you’re presented with two earning options: “Earn by Time” and “Earn per Offer.”
Earn by Time
The “Earn by time” option allows Dasher a guaranteed hourly pay while on delivery. This is ideal for Dashers who often get little pay per delivery.
Your earnings are calculated based on the total active delivery time, from when you accept an order until you drop them off.
So, let’s say your pay rate is $15 and you accomplish the delivery in 30 minutes, then you’ll get $7.50 from DoorDash.
Note that you only get paid when you’re active and not when waiting for an order. Peak Pay is also added to your hourly rate until the promotion ends.
The drawback? You are not updated with upfront earning information when you are paid by time, so you can’t filter lowball orders. You are also allowed to decline orders once or twice.
Failure to do so will end your “Earn by Time” shift. You can only restart when the Dash Now button is available.
Earn per Offer
Earn per Offer is the original payment scheme in Doordash. It’s calculated as:
Base Pay + Promotions (challenges and peak pay) + Tips (100%) = Your pay
Base Pay typically ranges from $2 to $10. It adjusts based on the delivery time, the distance you travel, and if other Dashers have turned down the order.
Promotions are the additional income you get from participating in challenges (i.e., completing orders at a specific time) and peak pay (i.e., driving on busy hours such as during breakfast, lunch, and dinnertime).
Peak pay is available to both Earn by Time and Earn per Offer. However, the downside of the latter is that it’s possible to get lower-paying orders than the guaranteed hourly rate in Earn by Time.
DoorDash pays include those lovely tips! Sometimes customers include them during the order, or they might give a little something extra after their food’s delivered. Both payment ways can bring in those tips, but it’s anyone’s guess which might offer bigger ones more often.
2. Payment Schedule
The payment schedule in DoorDash ensures Dashers that their hard-earned money reaches you promptly. You can receive your payment on a weekly or daily basis.
Personally, I like getting paid on a weekly basis for the simple reason that I like receiving big amounts of cash *wink* plus the fast pay option is not free of charge.
Let’s take a closer look at each payment model:
Weekly Payments
Drivers who wish to get paid weekly can receive their payment through direct deposit. If it’s your first time receiving payment, you must know that DoorDash doesn’t hold your first paycheck because they don’t withhold taxes.
As an independent contractor, handling taxes is your responsibility. Once you hit $600 in income for the year, DoorDash will provide you with a 1099-NEC tax form.
It’s easy to get your weekly pay set up. Open the DoorDash app, navigate to ‘Earnings’, select the ‘Weekly pay to your bank account’ option, and input the relevant bank info – your transit, institution, and account numbers.
The payment goes out every Monday for the last week’s workload. Once the company has deposited your payment, you will see the amount in your bank account within 2 to 3 days. So, expect to see the payment by Wednesday or Thursday.
This scenario happens every week, so you only need to sit down and relax and wait for your pay. Not much of a hassle for a second job, right?
Daily Payments with Fast Pay
Need to make money today? Use Fast Pay. This feature allows Dashers to access their hard-earned money right away, outside the regular weekly payment cycle.
To use this program, make sure your debit card is linked to Fast Pay. There’s no minimum withdrawal requirement to use this feature, but you’ll need at least enough to cover the transaction fee ($1.99).
Unlike the weekly payment option, fast pay charges $1.99 for every withdrawal. This may not be a hefty fee, but it’s enough to buy a Cheeseburger at McDonald’s. The transaction fee can still eat away at your earnings if you use this feature frequently.
Ideally, reserve this option for unforeseen expenses, emergencies, or when withdrawing larger amounts, say, around $50.
Note: Fast Pay option is only available in the United States, Canada, and Australia. However, the program is free of charge for Australian-based Dashers.
3. Detailed Breakdown: How to Access Your Earnings
By default, DoorDash processes payment weekly unless you avail of the fast pay option. However, in reality, the app’s payment schedule depends on when you cash out on DoorDash or have completed deliveries for the week.
Here’s a more detailed information about your DoorDash earnings:
Setting Up Direct Deposit
When you sign up at DoorDash, the company will do a background check. A third-party company will look at your criminal and driving records.
- Once you pass, you can then set up a direct deposit at DoorDash. Here’s a step-by-step guide you must follow:
- Open the DoorDash app and log in to your account
- Navigate through the Earnings tab at the bottom bar.
- Tap the red bank symbol located at the top right of the screen.
- Click the Add bank account option to update your bank information. Fill out the necessary bank details and other personal
- information.
- Click Submit.
Checking Earnings in the Dasher App
If questions like “Is Dashing a decent side hustle?” or “Am I earning enough at DoorDash?” keep you up at night after a week or so of working with DoorDash, then you have probably never bothered checking your earnings on the app.
Tracking your earnings will help you determine whether you’re making enough money at DoorDash. It lets you check the base pay, tips earned, and other DoorDash-payment-related information.
The earnings tab will also give you an idea of whether DoorDash is worth it.
You can check your earnings by following these steps:
- Open the DoorDash app
- Tap the “Earnings” tab.
- Click the specific week to see how much you have earned for that week.
- Tap any Dash within the week to see individual earnings.
4. Tips and Tricks for Efficient and Timely Payments
If you make $500 per week with DoorDash, you’re probably counting down to Monday. That’s a pretty hefty sum for a side gig.
I recall waiting for a similar payout once. Though funds typically show up by Wednesday, mine were MIA. I almost reached out to Dasher support when my husband noted Monday was a holiday. Aha, mystery solved.
All I’m saying is that even though DoorDash provides clear payment timelines, sometimes unexpected situations may affect payment transactions.
Here are tips and tricks I have learned along the way that will help you avoid the stress and anxiety that I’ve gone through as a Dasher.
Make sure there’s money to cash out
This is a no-brainer. Why would DoorDash transfer money to your account if you haven’t worked for the week, right? If you have chosen the weekly payment option, you must have accomplished at least one order to get your payment.
The fast pay option, however, requires you to complete 25 orders before you can use the feature.
Get your funds on normal days
If a holiday falls during the processing time, expect a slight delay in receiving your funds. DoorDash tends to roll out weekly payments every Monday like clockwork, so it’s smart to bank on seeing your money during regular business days. Don’t forget that even with the fast pay feature, holidays can push things back by a day.
Use fast pay
Use fast pay if you really want to access your money sooner rather than later. It’s a popular choice for those who want to get paid instantly.
Make sure the banking information is correct
DoorDash probably paid you on time but to the wrong bank account. It’s rare for DoorDash to pay incorrectly, but it can happen. Double-check the banking information you put into your Dasher account before you contact them.
FAQs
What Time Does DoorDash Pay On Monday?
DoorDash transfers your money to your bank account on Monday at 6:30 am (EST), regardless of the time and day you worked. So if you work all-nighters, DoorDash can still make payments for work done on Monday 12 midnight until 6:30 am of the same day.
The processing time takes two to three days. So, you can expect your money to reflect in your account on Tuesday or Wednesday unless the processing time falls on a holiday.
Can Dashers Track Their Earnings In Real Time?
Absolutely! Like most Dashers, I bet you also like to keep a pulse on your earnings for smarter budgeting. DoorDash doesn’t leave us hanging. Just tap on that ‘Earnings’ tab in your account, and boom, real-time income updates.
No matter if it’s a weekly paycheck or a quick cash-out, this nifty tab breaks down your earnings by day, week, and month.
However, during payment processing, there’s no real-time tracking. The best way to check whether you have received your earnings is to check your bank account.
Why Won’t DoorDash Let Me Cash Out Instantly?
It’s super frustrating when your well-earned money isn’t immediately accessible, even when using fast pay. Before you get too worked up, there might be some simple reasons like attempting a cash-out on a holiday, needing an app update, or a passing glitch in DoorDash. Once you’ve ruled these out and still can’t get things sorted, it’s time to get in touch with DoorDash support.
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