In major Indian cities, couriers working for various platforms can be found everywhere—on foot, by bicycle, motorcycle, or scooter. Recently, the gig economy and express delivery sector in India have been rapidly expanding. Individuals who own their own transport and smartphone can earn money by working as couriers for services like Swiggy and Zepto at a time convenient for them.
However, before starting work, a key question arises: is it necessary to pay any fees for registration as a partner, or is the joining process completely free? Companies establish specific rules regarding entrance fees, security deposits, and kit costs.
Although there are connection fees, partners are not required to immediately pay cash or pre-pay online for registration or a kit. These payments are deducted from the payouts the partner receives after starting work, meaning they are taken out of the service remuneration in installments.
In some locations, the registration procedure is digital and simple, but companies charge a fee for assistance with registration and partner training. For example, on Swiggy (Instamart), the initial fee is around 1500 Indian Rupees, although this amount may vary depending on the city. Platforms like Zepto also impose a fee for training and registration, including taxes, which the partner is informed about during registration.
Each platform and company manages these matters differently. Furthermore, to comply with working conditions and company rules, partners may be required to provide refundable security deposits. This amount is determined during the registration phase. If the courier stops working or the contract ends, the deposit is returned after all debts collected from customers (including cash and COD) have been settled.
Order acceptance and delivery require the use of branded gear. Companies provide partners with kits, such as T-shirts, reflective vests, and delivery bags. The cost of this kit is either added to the courier's bill or deducted from their service remuneration. A quality maintenance fee is also considered in case of damaged goods or the need for re-delivery.
The most important thing is that an initial payment for registration or a kit is not mandatory. All these fees are debited from the payouts the partner receives after starting work, over one or more payment periods. That is, you do not need to pay money on the first day.
There are other deductions to consider. If an order is lost, damaged, or delivered to the wrong place along the route, compensation may be made from the payouts. In this case, companies do not charge a commission on 100% of the tips left by customers through the app; the entire amount goes directly to the courier.
Thus, although fees are charged for registration, kits, and deposits, these amounts do not require immediate payment and are gradually compensated from weekly earnings on platforms like Swiggy and Zepto. For instance, if the initial fee at one company is 2000 Rupees, it does not mean the entire amount will be taken upon registration; instead, it may be divided into small monthly or weekly payments to avoid creating problems for the partner.