Short answer: A $9.00 offer that takes 12 miles and 30 minutes, start to finish, pays $9.60 an hour after $4.20 of gas and wear, and $0.75 a mile. Against minimums of $20 an hour and $1.50 a mile, the verdict is: skip it: misses both minimums. Why a dollar a mile often isn't enough: The Dollar-Per-Mile Rule: Does It Work for Delivery Drivers?.
Check our math
Here is the result above, step by step, using the numbers already filled in.
- Car cost for the trip12 mi × $0.35 = $4.20
- What you keep$9.00 − $4.20 = $4.80
- Time in hours30 min ÷ 60 = 0.50
- Pay per hour after car costs$4.80 ÷ 0.50 = $9.60
- Pay per mile (offer ÷ total miles)$9.00 ÷ 12 = $0.75
- Profit per mile$4.80 ÷ 12 = $0.40
- Check against your minimums$9.60 vs $20/hr · $0.75 vs $1.50/mi → Skip it
How this calculator works
An offer screen shows the pay and part of the distance. What decides whether it's worth it is the whole trip: the drive to the pickup, the wait, the delivery, and the drive back to an area where the next order is likely. Enter those total miles and minutes and the calculator works out two numbers.
Pay per hour is what you keep after your car cost per mile, divided by the time the trip takes. It answers "is this a good use of the next half hour?" Pay per mile is the offer divided by the total miles, the number most drivers use as a quick screen. An offer can pass one test and fail the other: a short, slow order can pay well per mile and badly per hour, and a long highway run can do the opposite.
Your car cost per mile is your own number for gas and wear, not the IRS rate. Work it out once in the car cost per mile calculator and it's saved on your phone for this page. Your two minimums are saved too, so each check takes a few seconds.
What common offers really pay
| Offer | Total miles | Minutes | Per mile | Per hour after car costs | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $4.00 | 2 | 12 | $2.00 | $16.50/hr | Borderline |
| $6.50 | 3 | 15 | $2.17 | $21.80/hr | Take it |
| $7.00 | 6 | 20 | $1.17 | $14.70/hr | Skip it |
| $9.00 | 12 | 30 | $0.75 | $9.60/hr | Skip it |
| $10.00 | 5 | 20 | $2.00 | $24.75/hr | Take it |
| $12.00 | 8 | 25 | $1.50 | $22.08/hr | Take it |
| $15.00 | 18 | 45 | $0.83 | $11.60/hr | Skip it |
| $18.00 | 10 | 30 | $1.80 | $29.00/hr | Take it |
| $22.00 | 25 | 55 | $0.88 | $14.45/hr | Skip it |
| $25.00 | 12 | 35 | $2.08 | $35.66/hr | Take it |
$0.35 a mile in car costs, minimums of $20/hr and $1.50/mi. Before taxes.
Worked examples
Short order close by
$6.50 for a 3-mile trip that takes 15 minutes, counting the wait at the counter.
| Result | |
|---|---|
| Per hour after car costs | $21.80/hr |
| Per mile | $2.17 |
| Verdict | Take it: meets both minimums |
Big offer, long drive
$15 for 18 total miles and 45 minutes, including the empty drive back toward town.
| Result | |
|---|---|
| Per hour after car costs | $11.60/hr |
| Per mile | $0.83 |
| Verdict | Skip it: misses both minimums |
Using your result
Set your minimums from your own numbers, not someone else's. Start with the per-hour figure you need from the weekly income goal calculator, and a per-mile figure comfortably above your car cost. Then use the check on offers you're unsure about until you can judge them at a glance.
Accepting fewer, better offers can raise what you make per hour even if you complete fewer orders. Track a week of shifts in the real hourly pay calculator before and after you change your minimums to see the difference.
When an offer is close, think about where it leaves you. A delivery that ends in a busy area can be worth more than its numbers, and one that strands you far from the next order is worth less.
What it doesn't cover
- Taxes aren't taken out. Setting aside around 15–25% of what you keep is common; the gig tax calculator gives your number.
- It can't see tips that change after delivery, or the next offer you'd get instead.
- Your car cost is an estimate. Fuel prices and repairs change it over time.
- The verdict uses your minimums only. It doesn't know your area or time of day.
Read more
- The Dollar-Per-Mile Rule: Does It Work for Delivery Drivers?
- How to Calculate Pay Per Mile (Using the Real Distance)
- Is DoorDash Worth It? How to Decide With Your Own Numbers
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if a delivery offer is worth it?
Count the whole trip, including the drive back, subtract your car cost per mile, and divide by the minutes it takes. If it beats both your per-hour and per-mile minimums, take it. With the starting numbers here, a $9.00 offer for 12 miles and 30 minutes pays $9.60 an hour.
Is $1 a mile a good offer?
It's a common rule of thumb, but on its own it misses time. A $1-a-mile offer that takes a long time can pay far less per hour than a shorter one. Check both, and see The Dollar-Per-Mile Rule: Does It Work for Delivery Drivers?.
Should I count the miles back after a delivery?
Yes, if you'd have to drive them to get your next order. They're part of the cost of taking the offer, even though the app doesn't pay for them.
What does a $12 offer for 8 miles and 25 minutes pay?
About $22.08 an hour after car costs and $1.50 a mile, at $0.35 a mile in car costs.
What minimum per hour should I set?
Work back from your weekly goal. The weekly income goal calculator shows the hourly amount you need to keep, and the real hourly pay calculator shows what you keep now.
Sources
This calculator uses only the numbers you enter; it doesn't depend on tax figures.
Updated October 2026 · By the NetTakeHome team. Estimates for planning, not tax, legal or financial advice. NetTakeHome is not affiliated with DoorDash, Uber, Lyft or Instacart.