Why is my true $/hr lower than DoorDash shows?

DoorDash counts only on-delivery time and doesn't subtract gas, vehicle depreciation, or the 15.3% self-employment tax.

What about dead miles?

Add your commute and between-order idle time as 'Unpaid time' to lower your true hourly rate accurately.

Can I deduct mileage?

Yes — the IRS lets you deduct $0.67/mile in 2024 (check current year). The expense field is where to enter your real fuel + maintenance cost.

Free calculator

DoorDash Profit Calculator

Dashers see big gross numbers — but gas, wear, and self-employment tax eat 30–45% of it. Plug in a real shift and see what you actually earned.

Premium: skip the typing. Import a CSV export from Uber, DoorDash, Instacart and more.

These are estimates only. Platform fees, tax rates, mileage deductions and expenses vary significantly by location, time and your specific situation.

For the most accurate picture, update every number from your actual earnings statements. This tool is for educational purposes and is not official tax or financial advice — consult a tax professional when needed.

1Select your platforms

2Your numbers

DoorDashNo service fee (tips + base pay)

Hours

Gross $

Expenses $

Gas only (mileage below)

Miles driven

Standard rate: $0.70/mi — ✏️ edit miles from your odometer or app summary

Deduction

$0.00

3Tax location

Self-employment 15.3% + ~14% effective federal/state

✏️ Edit to match your real numbers — your actual effective rate depends on total income, deductions and filing status.

4Unpaid time (prep, commute)

hrs

Hours worked that platforms don't pay for

5"What if" — add hours

+0 hrs

Your real take-home

$238.00

After fees, expenses & est. taxes

Your true hourly rate is an estimate. Small changes to fees or expenses can meaningfully impact the result — edit each field to match your real numbers.

True hourly

$10.82/hr

App says $22.00/hr

Profit margin

54.1%

Healthy

Gross earnings: $440.00
Platform fees: −$0.00
Expenses: −$100.00
Est. tax reserve: −$102.00
Net after tax: $238.00

Shift date

Free up to 5 saves/mo. No card required.

Save this result — free

Don't lose this $10.82/hr calculation.

Create a free account to save this shift, track your true hourly across every gig, and get a free quarterly tax-reserve email — so April never surprises you.

✓Save up to 5 shifts a month — free, no card
✓Weekly & monthly trend charts across platforms
✓Quarterly tax-reserve email reminders

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Your shift, in your dashboard

Net take-home: $238.00
True $/hr: $10.82
Hours tracked: 22.0

Without an account, this disappears the moment you close the tab.

Estimates only. Platform fees, tax rates and expenses vary by location and situation. Edit any field to match your real numbers. For tax decisions, consult a tax professional.

What we factor in

Smart defaults: $22/hr gross and ~$5/hr fuel + wear (adjust to your area)
No DoorDash platform fee — base pay + tips are gross
IRS standard mileage deduction baked into the wear estimate
Self-employment tax reserve by state

Frequently asked

Why is my true $/hr lower than DoorDash shows?: DoorDash counts only on-delivery time and doesn't subtract gas, vehicle depreciation, or the 15.3% self-employment tax.
What about dead miles?: Add your commute and between-order idle time as 'Unpaid time' to lower your true hourly rate accurately.
Can I deduct mileage?: Yes — the IRS lets you deduct $0.67/mile in 2024 (check current year). The expense field is where to enter your real fuel + maintenance cost.

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