What is Amazon Flex?
Amazon Flex is a gig app that allows you to be your own boss and make extra cash by delivering packages to Amazon customers. It is a great way to earn money in your spare time.
While the pay isn’t great, Amazon Flex offers an opportunity to make money on your own schedule. In some areas, there are delivery opportunities available on short notice, making it possible for workers to find blocks of time to pick up and deliver packages.
If you have flexible work hours or just need extra income, Amazon Flex might be a good option for you.
As an Amazon Flex driver, you will be completing deliveries for Amazon services like Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, and Amazon Prime.
Is Amazon Flex Legit
Yes, Amazon Flex is a legitimate company owned by Amazon.
Amazon Flex is a program that lets you sign up to deliver packages for the world’s largest online retailer. You have total control over your schedule and can earn $18-$25 an hour for delivering packages in your area.
The app is designed for independent contractors who want to make some extra cash on the side or full-time drivers who want to work a flexible schedule and make good money.
Amazon Flex Driver Requirement
If you want to be an Amazon Flex driver, you must meet the following qualifications:
- You must own your own car.
- You must have a valid driver’s license.
- You must have a smartphone capable of running the Flex app.
- You must have a bank account for direct deposit payments (Amazon will not mail checks).
- You must be at least 21 years old
- You must pass a background check.
How much can you earn with Amazon Flex?
Amazon Flex drivers can earn anywhere from $18 to $25 an hour (before taxes). That’s on par with other rideshare and delivery jobs, like DoorDash and Uber Eats.
Hands down, the biggest advantage to driving for Amazon Flex is that you’re more likely to get tips than driving for another app.
Some drivers say they average around $20 an hour including tips, while others say they make closer to $30 an hour.
The higher amounts seem to be more typical of larger cities like Seattle and New York City where demand is high and there are more areas that need deliveries.
The lower amounts seem more typical of smaller suburban areas or rural locations where there aren’t as many deliveries needed during each shift.
What is the schedule like?
With Amazon Flex, you can create a schedule as far in advance as you’d like and you can also change it 45 minutes before a delivery block starts.
You will have to check the Amazon Flex app on a regular basis to see what blocks are available. You’ll be able to see how long each delivery block lasts, how much it pays, and where Amazon needs drivers.
Once you select the block(s) that work best for your schedule and location, they’re yours. Make sure to leave yourself extra time before each block begins in case something comes up and you need to reschedule or cancel it altogether.
Amazon Flex Available Cities
Amazon Flex is currently available in 24 states and over 50 cities in the US. the following cities.
To see if your city is on this list, click here
Alabama Troy | Missouri Joplin Springfield St. Louis |
California Greater Los Angeles area San Diego San Francisco Bay Area | North Carolina Greensboro Raleigh Wilmington |
Colorado Denver | North Dakota Fargo |
Florida Gainesville Jacksonville Lakeland-Winter Haven Marianna – Cottondale Miami – West Palm Beach Orlando Pensacola Tampa-St. Pete | Ohio Akron Cleveland Columbus Dayton |
Georgia Atlanta Savannah | Oklahoma Oklahoma City |
Illinois Chicago | Oregon Eugene Portland |
Indiana Evansville Fort WayneIndianapolis | South Carolina Asheville Charleston Columbia Greenville Spartanburg |
Kansas Kansas City | South Dakota Sioux Falls |
Massachusetts Worcester | Tennessee Nashville |
Michigan Detroit Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo Saginaw | Texas Austin Dallas – Ft. Worth Houston San Antonio |
Minnesota Minneapolis | Washington Everett Greater Seattle Area Kitsap County |
Mississippi Hattiesburg | Wisconsin Appleton Milwaukee |
Note that if your city is not currently serviced, you can still download the app and signup to be notified.
How does the app work?
The Amazon Flex app is what you will use to set up your schedule and accept delivery batches.
You will sign into the app, and can then see what blocks are available for the week. Usually, you will select a block, or blocks, that you would like to deliver.
Each delivery block shows how many packages you will be delivered during that time period and also how much you will make per block. The minimum is the base rate while the maximum includes possible tips.
Amazon Flex Pros
- You can make a decent income
- You can set your own schedule
- You get to work from home
- You can work for other companies like Wrapify at the same time.
- Every dollar you earn in tips is yours to keep!
Amazon Flex Cons
These are some of the cons or things to be aware of when driving with Amazon Flex:
- The pay is low compared to other delivery apps.
- You drive your own car, so that means paying for gas, wear & tear, etc.
- You’ll need a smartphone and a data plan (which might sound obvious but it’s worth noting).
- You can be penalized if you don’t cancel a block in time
Amazon Flex Payouts
How will you get paid?
Direct deposit. Unlike other Amazon Flex programs, the direct deposit isn’t instant. Your pay can take up to 5 business days to hit your account after you complete a shift.
When will you get paid?
The day after each shift ends. If there is a bank holiday during the week, delivery workers have reported waiting an additional day for their direct deposit to hit their accounts.
What will you get paid?
Your earnings are based on how many blocks of time and distance you deliver packages. Delivery workers report that they make $18-$25 an hour- but this may vary due to location and demand.
You can look at your earnings in the Amazon Flex app at any time by tapping “Earnings” at the bottom of the screen.
What does completing an Amazon Flex block look like?
To complete an Amazon Flex block, you simply need to deliver all of the packages for the window you accepted. If it is a one-hour shift, then you will have to deliver all of your packages allocated for that block.
If you don’t think that you can complete a block in the given timeframe, then you shouldn’t accept it.
Once accepted, however, if something comes up and prevents you from completing your block as specified, you need to cancel it 45 minutes before the block start time.
If it has already begun but isn’t over yet, there is no way to cancel or pause your block. Canceling a block when there is less than 45 minutes remaining, will result in a missed block, impacting your rating.
How to Start Earning with Amazon Flex?
Start by downloading the Amazon Flex app from the Apple App Store or Google Play store.
Sign up as a driver. This means you’ll need to provide your name, address, phone number, bank account information, and social security number.
Amazon will conduct a background check on all applicants (unless you’re already an Amazon delivery partner). Your driving history will be reviewed and if all checks out, you are approved and you can then start picking delivery blocks.
On approval, log in to Amazon Flex and choose the blocks that work for you and you can start making money with Amazon delivery jobs.
Amazon Flex Delivery Shifts Details
Store Orders: These are standard Amazon orders that were picked and packed by Amazon employees at a local fulfillment center.
Amazon Packages: These are the plain brown or white Prime Now or Amazon Fresh packages. They can be sent out either as regular deliveries or Instant Offers.
Instant Offers: You can accept these on your own schedule and they will allow you to make more money per hour than other kinds of deliveries since they pay more per package delivered.
Sites Like Amazon Flex
There are a lot of options for side jobs that are similar to Amazon Flex if you want to diversify your earnings. We will look at six options that most significantly resemble the average experience with Amazon Flex.
Note that all of these options have sign-up processes and pay scales similar to Amazon Flex, though they may vary slightly by location. The following apps are available in the United States (as is Amazon Flex).
- UberEats: You can deliver food for Uber through their app called Uber Eats. This one is slightly different from other delivery apps because you have a wider range of restaurants from which you can deliver from.
- Postmates: This option is another delivery service where people buy products on demand and have them delivered quickly by drivers like yourself
- Instacart: If delivering food doesn’t sound exciting but running errands does, then this could be a good app to try out. With Instacart, users order groceries online and someone—you—goes and picks them up at the store before bringing them back home
Amazon Flex vs DoorDash for Drivers
New DoorDash drivers can only sign up during high-demand periods. When demand is low, there are no blocks available to be claimed and new drivers can’t start working. This is frustrating for drivers looking for a flexible side gig and it has led to some grumbling online.
The lack of jobs during slow times also means it isn’t possible to work full time as a driver for DoorDash. But, this won’t impact you if your goal is to make extra money on the side or supplement your income with some part-time work. If your goal is to earn $20 an hour or more, then DoorDash might not be the best option because you won’t always be able to find enough deliveries in a given shift.
In comparison, Amazon Flex offers unlimited shifts and there will always be an opportunity for you to deliver packages if that’s what you want to do with Amazon Flex.
Amazon Flex Vs GoPuff for Drivers
If you have a decent car and a smartphone, then you’re good to go. In addition, since the job is delivery-based, GoPuff drivers earn less than that of Amazon Flex [drivers]. With GoPuff, your average earning is $7 to $16 (an hour). With Amazon Flex, you can earn between $18 and $25 (an hour) for delivering packages.
The only problem with Amazon Flex is that it’s available in select cities and it’s not very beginner-friendly.
Amazon Flex vs GrubHub for Drivers
Amazon Flex is only available in the US. GrubHub, on the other hand, is worldwide. Both companies give you the ability to deliver goods and food to customers with your own vehicle.
Amazon Flex Vs Instacart for Drivers
But if you’re interested in delivering for Amazon, it’s not the only option. Instacart is a grocery delivery service that allows people to buy items from local grocery stores and have them delivered by an Instacart driver.
Instacart also allows drivers to make their own hours and work from home. In fact, there are some similarities between the two platforms, but other important differences as well. Let’s take a look at both of them.
Anyone with a desire for flexibility and earning a little extra income should definitely consider driving for Amazon Flex.
Whether you’re a student, a stay-at-home parent, or someone who just wants to make extra money on the side, Amazon Flex is an appealing platform.
Its independent contractor model makes it flexible in terms of scheduling and earning. As long as you have access to a smartphone (either Android or iOS), you can sign up and start working right away.
Still, even without being able to work as often as possible, you can still make enough money for that trip abroad with your family or for your child’s college tuition (or both).
Amazon Flex Reviews: Is Amazon Flex Worth it?
Yes, depending on your circumstances. “Worth it” is subjective, meaning what works for one person may not work for another. We recommend you consider the following:
Flexibility to work whenever you want. With this job, you get to pick and choose the hours you want to work without making a long-term commitment or dealing with any office politics. It’s great for anyone who needs flexibility in their schedules like stay-at-home parents or someone who wants extra income on top of their regular 9-5 job.
Chance to earn more money with tips. Since you earn 100% of tips, the amount you can make per hour can be rewarding.
Reliable weekly pay. You’ll never have to worry about getting paid because when you deliver packages for Amazon as an independent contractor, your earnings are deposited into your bank account every week via direct deposit (just make sure you have a bank account).
Amazon Flex FAQs
Here are some commonly asked questions about the Amazon Flex program:
How much do Amazon Flex drivers make?
Amazon Flex drivers make $18-$25 an hour.
How do Amazon Flex drivers get paid?
Drivers are paid weekly by direct deposit from Amazon.com into their bank account.
How do I get Amazon Flex blocks?
Amazon Flex app allows you to see available delivery blocks in your area and select them if they work for your schedule.
How many Amazon Flex blocks can you do in a day?
You can complete up to 9 flexible delivery blocks per day, although not all days allow for this many deliveries.
Is Amazon Flex a scam?
No, it is not a scam. It is a legitimate gig job opportunity provided by one of the largest companies in the world, and it pays its drivers fairly well.
Does Amazon Flex pay for Gas?
No, you’re responsible for all the expenses you incur while delivering packages for Amazon.