Looking for a flexible, part-time side job you can do while you build your business?

Become an Instacart Shopper!

Instacart is a grocery delivery service that connects personal shoppers with customers who need groceries. Instacart Shoppers use the Instacart app to get paid to shop and/or deliver people's groceries directly to their homes.

I've personally been a Full-Service Shopper with Instacart for the past 2 years (meaning, I shop for people's groceries and then deliver their groceries to their door) and have found it an easy way to make some extra money on the side. Working 20 hours a week usually brings in about $400-$550 a week on average, which is about $20-$27/hour. That comes out to be about $2,000 a month, working part-time AND working when I choose 🙂 (I am all about freedom and flexibility, after all!)

With the pandemic, many people are unable to leave their homes (maybe they're sick, maybe they have kids at home, maybe they're handicapped, maybe their elderly, maybe they just don't want to go out in the weather...). Others might just be too busy to shop and would rather pay someone to do that for them.

For these reasons, there has been an increase in demand for home delivery services, which means service providers like Instacart are looking for more shoppers who can help out those in need.

In addition, more and more people are looking for ways to start their own businesses and might need a way to supplement their income while they do that.

If any of this resonates with you and you're interested in becoming an Instacart shopper, keep reading. I'll be going over some of the basic information you'll need to know before signing up + giving you some instructions on how to sign up for Instacart so you can start doing something that not only helps out your community but also helps you earn some extra income!

HOVER OVER THIS IMAGE TO PIN IT!

Disclaimer:
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please read my affiliate disclaimer.

There Are 2 Types of Instacart Shoppers

1. Full-Service Shopper - You will do the in-store shopping + delivery, which means you will need to have your own car. You can make your own hours and work as many hours you want a week.
2. In-Store Shopper - You will only do the in-store shopping and are considered a part-time employee who can work up to 29 hours per week.

I'll be going into more details about each of these in the next section... but if you're ready to sign up, click the button below!

Related: My Positive Experience with Instacart as a Customer + Shopper

Related: How to Make Extra Money - Ideas for Side Jobs + Quick Cash

Factors to Consider When Applying for a Shopper Role

1. Full-Service Shopper:

As a Full-Service Shopper, you would be considered a self-employed, independent contractor, meaning you work for yourself. 🙂 You can make your own hours and work as little or as much as you want a week.

A car is required for this role.

How it Works

You'd receive various customer orders (called "batches") through the Instacart app using your Apple or Android smartphone.

Once you log in to the shopper app, you'd be able to see a list of current batches available and would have the freedom to choose which one you want to accept.

You'd choose your batch based on a few factors:

• How much money you'd receive
• Which store you'd be shopping at
• How many items you'd be shopping for
• Which items you'd be shopping for
• The total distance you'd be traveling to deliver the order

Once you accept a batch, you'd drive to that store, shop for the groceries by scanning the bar codes of each item, checkout using the Instacart payment card you receive, and then deliver the groceries to the customer's door.

Batches consist of 1-3 customer orders at one store to save time, boost efficiency, and help you earn more. You will be able to how many orders are in a batch before you accept the order (see the above image as a reference).

Compensation

As a Full-Service Shopper, your payout will consist of several factors:

• Variable base pay/batch earnings for delivery (usually $7 - $10)
• Optional tip from the customer (you'd want to look for orders that add a 15-20% tip in order for it to be worth your time. You also keep 100% of your tips!)
• How many hours you work
• Which hours/days you are shopping (you can usually earn more in less time during weekday evenings, on weekends, or during other peak grocery shopping hours)
• The extra effort you do to communicate with the customer (for example, if the store has something out of stock and you need to subsitite the item with something else)
• Occasional "Guaranteed Earnings" promotions, which help you earn more than you usually do once you complete a certain number of batches on any given day (this is an incentive bonus that encourages Full-Service Shoppers to shop)
• Mileage reimbursement at or slightly above the federal mileage reimbursement rate

From My Personal Experience as a Full-Service Shopper

I would expect to make around $10-$20/hour a week on average when you're first starting out. Once you get the hang of it (meaning you get to know the stores, where items are located, which batches to accept that are worth your time, etc.) you will probably be able to earn more in less time.

After doing this for a while and tracking my daily income and hours in a spreadsheet, I've found that I personally make about $20-$27/hour a week on average (working about 10-20 hours a week).

If you break it down on an individual batch level, you can expect to see batches anywhere from $7 all the way up to $80, which means if you set a goal to make something like $100 a day, accepting a higher-paying batch usually means you won't have to work that many hours that day. 😉 Again, this also depends on the factors I mentioned above, specifically considering how many items are in the order, how long it takes you to shop, and how long it takes you to drive to their location to deliver the batch.

In addition, I find it usually takes me anywhere from 15-120 minutes to complete a batch (shopping and delivering) on average, which again, depends on the size of the order and how far I have to drive to deliver the items.

Full-Service Instacart Shopper Requirements

• 18 years of age or older
• Eligible to work in the U.S. or Canada
• Have a smartphone with Android 5.0 or later, iOS 9 or later
• Have a functioning, registered vehicle
• Have vehicle insurance, in accordance with local laws
• Can lift 30+ pounds
• Follow Instacart’s food safety policies

2. In-Store Shopper:

As an In-Store Shopper, you would be considered a part-time W2 Instacart employee, who works up to 29 hours a week at a store that is within Instacart’s network.

No car is required for this role.

How it Works

You would work at a grocery or warehouse store and receive batches through the Instacart app using your Apple or Android smartphone. You'd shop for the items, complete checkout, and then hand off the deliveries to Instacart drivers for final delivery.

You would be able to choose your own hours and work scheduled shifts. You wouldn't be required to work during peak hours, however, per-hour earnings tend to be higher when the demand for orders is higher (usually weekday evenings and weekends).

Compensation

As an In-Store Shoppers, you will earn at least a guaranteed minimum wage payment, but you can earn more if you work during peak hours.

In-Store Instacart Shopper Requirements

• 18 years of age or older
• Eligible to work in the U.S. or Canada
• Have a smartphone with Android 5.0 or later, iOS 9 or later
• Can lift 30+ pounds
• Follow Instacart’s food safety policies

Click here to learn more about Instacart shopper roles.

Instacart Payout Schedule

As an Instacart Shopper, you can expect to be paid weekly (every Wednesday) via direct deposit to a checking or savings account. You will be paid for any work done Monday through Sunday.

If you need money that day, you can also use their Instant Cashout feature, which will allow you to transfer your earnings immediately to your debit card. Note, that you will only be able to transfer your base pay immediately... tips will not be available for Instant Cashout until it's been 24 hours (to give customers time to adjust the amount).

You can use this Instant Cashout for the first time after completing five batches. After that, you can cash out at any time, as often as five times per day, as long as you have at least $5 in earnings. There’s a $3,000 daily limit and the cost to use the Instant Cashout feature is .50 cents per transaction.

Instacart Shopper Locations

Instacart is available in many cities and small towns across the U.S. and Canada, and they are constantly expanding to new regions.

Click here to see if Instacart is offered in your area.

For the best pay and hours, I recommend signing up to be an Instacart Shopper in a major metropolitan area.

Instacart Shopper Perks

Instacart offers a variety of awesome perks and discounts for its associates including:

• Health - Enjoy health-related perks, such as health insurance plans, fitness discounts, and more.
• Finance - Get help handling taxes and doing financial planning.
• Professional Aid - Get help taking care of your car + discounts!
• Shopper Injury Protection - All full-service shoppers are eligible for shopper injury protection and are automatically enrolled–no signup or enrollment requirement.
• Education - Receive professional guidance on student debt management, including repayment plans, debt counseling, and refinancing options.
• Other programs - Instacart constantly looks for new ways to engage with and recognize their shopper community.

Click here to learn more about Instacart's shopper perks.

Background Checks

Instacart runs a background check on all of its applicants (both Full-Service Shoppers and In-Store Shoppers) before accepting any new positions.

What is an Instacart Background Check?

Instacart uses Checkr, Inc. to perform all background checks.

When they extend a conditional offer and you accept it, that authorizes them to perform this check.

According to Checkr, they provide AI-powered background checks that may include criminal, civil, driver, drug/health, and international data to verify personal information.

Background Check Requirements

Instacart will need your Social Security number (SSN) in order to run a background check. You can use/switch over to your Tax Identification Number (TIN) after they perform a background check with your SSN.

You will also need to have a valid U.S. license.

The Background Check Process

The background check process usually takes place within about 10 days.

Due to high volumes and temporary closures, delays are possible.

If you want to check in on your Instacart background check, you can use the Checkr applicant portal for updates.

What Disqualifies Shoppers from Instacart?

You must meet the basic requirements outlined previously in this article, but you also may be disqualified if you don’t have a clean driving record, if you have committed a felony, or if you have any other serious convictions on your record.

Frequency of Background Checks

In order to keep shoppers, retail partners, and customers safe, Instacart runs a background check on active shoppers every year. The annual background check identifies recent activity since a shopper’s last background check.

Click here to learn more information about Instacart's background check process.

Referral Bonus

If you're thinking about signing up as an Instacart Shopper, you definitely want to sign up using a referral code so you don't leave any potential earnings on the table!

A referral code will allow you to earn a sign-up bonus, which Instacart refers to as "Guaranteed Earnings." This means you'll earn a certain amount EXTRA once you complete a specific number of batches within a specified timeframe.*

For example, right now if you sign up in the Boston area, you'll make at least $1,050 plus 100% tips after completing 30 batches within your first 30 days. That's a $35 base pay, and most base pays are $7-$10, so this is totally worth it!

To receive this bonus, use one of the sign-up buttons included in this post: my referral code should automatically show up in the URL (you should see my last name somewhere in the link) 😉

You are also welcome to email me BEFORE filling out your application and have me privately email you my referral code (I can't share it publicly due to Instacart's policies).

Also, please be aware Instacart can't add a referral code after the signup process is complete.

*Terms apply. Click here to read.

How to Sign Up for Instacart and Earn Money as a Shopper

Ready to start earning money as an Instacart Shopper? Their application process is pretty simple and should only take you about 2 minutes.

Follow the simpe steps below:

1. Click my referral link to head to Instacart's application page.

Once there, enter your zip code and then click the green "Get Started" button.

2. Create an Account 

Enter your first name, last name, email address, and cell phone number.

Then click the green "Create Account" button.

3. Download the Instacart Shopper App.

From there, the app should prompt you to download the Instacart Shopper app.

Enter your phone number in the box that appears and a download link will be sent to your mobile device.

4. Finish Filling Out the Application 

Finish the application process by sharing all the information they ask for, which should include your contact info and referral code. You'll also confirm that you meet the shopper requirements, confirm whether you have a car or not, choose a shopper role (In-Store or Full-Service), fill out a quick questionnaire, submit a photo of yourself, and authorize a background check.

Once your documents and questionnaire answers are accepted and your background check comes back clean (usually in about a week), Instacart will mail you a prepaid debit card, which you'll use every time you check out at a store.

Once you receive your card, you can start shopping!

What to Expect After You Apply for Instacart

Once you apply, what’s next?

In between your application and your approval, here’s what you can expect.

How Long Does it Take to Become an Instacart Shopper?

The approval process is usually only held up by the background check, which takes about 7-10 days. However, it can become a longer process if there is abnormally high volume or any distinct court closures.

What Does the Instacart Shopper Approval Process Entail?

The approval process entails verification of the details you provided, including checking to see that you meet the basic requirements for the role you’ve applied for.

How Will I Know if Instacart Approved or Denied Me After Applying?

You can go into the Shopper app and look for your signup status. If it says “Awaiting Approval”, that means the team hasn’t had time to review your application yet.

What if I Get Waitlisted by Instacart?

If you get find yourself on the Instacart waitlist, that just means the zip code where you live is already too saturated with drivers or shippers.

Over time, as things change, you may be accepted.

If you’re willing to shop in an area other than your own zip code, you can reach out to Instacart customer service by starting a live chat with an Instacart agent or by sending them an email to share these new zip codes.

You may be able to skip the waitlist by working outside of your immediate area.

What Happens if I Get Denied by Instacart?

If you get denied, you have legal rights to fix any mistakes that may have led to this or even sue for damages under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

HAPPY SHOPPING!