Couriers and riders work in many large cities, moving daily to deliver orders on time. However, the question often arises about how much money they keep after all expenses and what commissions are deducted for each order.
Details of platforms such as Zepto, Blinkit, Rapido, and Uber have been studied. According to information provided on their websites, if a rider earns 1500 rupees per day as gross income, they ultimately retain approximately 1000 to 1150 rupees. This final amount depends on the city, state, type of transport, and the day of work.
It is important to consider that expenses related to gasoline, onboarding fees, or equipment kits, as well as vehicle maintenance, are deducted from any gross income.
For example, to earn 1500 rupees per day, one may need to travel about 100–130 kilometers. With this calculation, the net saving is between 1070 and 1200 rupees, which averages around 1100 rupees per day. If the goal is to keep 1500 rupees in hand daily, the gross income target must be set at 2000–2100 rupees.
The main expense when earning 1500 rupees is fuel, accounting for 250 to 350 rupees daily. Depending on fuel consumption, covering more than 100 km per day requires 2.5 to 3.5 liters of gasoline.
Additionally, monthly deductions for onboarding or installment payments for equipment kits can amount to 30 to 50 rupees daily. Such charges, like joining fees, training, or bags, are levied by companies like Swiggy and Zepto in the first weeks of payment.
There are also estimated costs for vehicle maintenance and other needs ranging from 30 to 50 rupees daily, including engine oil changes, tire repairs, brake pad replacement, and parts wear. Based on this data, the net saving when earning 1500 rupees is between 1070 and 1190 rupees.
Notably, if an electric vehicle (EV) is used, fuel consumption drops to 80–120 rupees, and up to 1300 rupees may remain in hand.
Payment and deduction rules differ across companies. In Swiggy, payments are made weekly and deposited directly into a bank account. The joining or onboarding fee at Swiggy is estimated at about 1500 rupees, although this amount can vary depending on the city, and it is deducted by the company in installments from weekly payments.
In Zepto, payments are made weekly or over a set period. At Zepto, the onboarding fee, training, and branded merchandise, such as T-shirts or bags, may be withheld from payments over one or several periods.
If an order is lost or stolen on the way, or damaged due to the rider's fault, compensation is made from the payments, or the rider does not receive a service charge for that order. Delivery fees may also be suspended for delivering the wrong order.
In Rapido, riders, called captains, receive payment directly from the customer for parcel transportation services in Karnataka state and across India. When collecting cash in other states, the company adjusts or deducts its commission from the rider's final settlement. A subscription fee for platform access may also be charged.
In Snabbit, funds are transferred directly to experts or workers through the application, while the company regulates the technology commission, demand commission, or convenience fee.
Overall, the figures presented show that the entire gross income of 1500 rupees per day is not kept by the courier. After accounting for fuel, equipment, onboarding, maintenance, and company policies, the savings amount to about 1100 rupees. If the goal is to keep 1500 rupees in net income daily, a gross earnings of 2000–2100 rupees must be achieved.
