How delivery pay really works: per-drop, per-mile and daily rates

Two delivery offers can both say "up to $220 a day" and pay out very differently. The gap is almost never the headline number. It is how the run is priced underneath, and what you have to supply to earn it.

The three pricing models

Per drop. You are paid for each completed delivery. Dense urban routes with short distances favor this model: more stops per hour means more money. Watch the redelivery rules, since a missed recipient can turn one paid drop into two unpaid attempts.

Per mile. Common for longer runs between cities and for freight moves. The rate looks generous until you subtract fuel and the empty return leg. Always ask whether the quoted miles are loaded miles only.

Daily or block rate. A fixed amount for a route or a time window. This is the most predictable model and the easiest to compare, but check the expected stop count. A flat rate over an ever-growing route is a pay cut in disguise.

What to subtract before comparing

• Fuel, tolls and parking for the actual route, not the map distance.

• Vehicle wear: a realistic per-mile reserve for tires, brakes and servicing.

• Insurance appropriate for commercial delivery work.

• Unpaid time: loading, waiting at pickup and returns.

After those, an hourly figure emerges. That is the number to compare across offers, and the only one that tells you whether a run is worth repeating.

Signals a run pays fairly

Clear stop counts before you accept, mileage stated as loaded miles, payment terms of two weeks or less, and a named dispatcher you can reach. Companies that are upfront about those four things tend to be upfront on payday too.

Ready to put this to work? Browse the latest runs on the board and compare a few offers with the checklist above.