Getting Started Guide
How to Make Money with Shipt: A Beginner's Guide
Shipt pays you to shop for and deliver groceries and household goods to members on your own schedule. As a full-service Shipt Shopper you're an independent contractor who claims orders, shops the store, and drops off — choosing when and how much you work. This guide covers who can do it, how to sign up, how pay works, and how to figure out your real take-home — without quoting figures that don't hold up.
What Shipt is and who it's for
Shipt is a same-day delivery marketplace (owned by Target). Full-service shoppers see available orders, claim the ones they want, shop the items in-store, and deliver them to the member — communicating about substitutions along the way.
It suits people with a reliable car who are organized, good with customers, and want to choose their own hours. Your results depend on your market, the hours and order types you take, and how efficiently you shop and route.
Requirements to get started
Be at least 18
Shipt generally requires shoppers to be 18 or older.
A reliable car and license
You typically need access to a dependable vehicle, a valid driver's license, and auto insurance.
A smartphone
A reasonably current phone to run the Shipt Shopper app, claim orders, and message members.
Pass a background check
You'll complete an application and consent to a background check before you're activated.
Requirements vary by market and change over time — always confirm the current criteria with Shipt before you apply.
How to sign up for Shipt
Apply to be a shopper
Fill out the Shipt Shopper application with your location, vehicle, and availability.
Clear the background check
Consent to and pass the background check; approval can take a little time to clear.
Complete onboarding
Watch the shopper basics, set up your profile, and connect your payout details.
Claim orders and start shopping
Open the app, claim the orders that fit your schedule and store, shop, and deliver.
How Shipt pay works
Shipt pays per completed order, with the amount reflecting the effort an order takes (items, distance, and any active promotions), and you keep 100% of member tips. You're paid for the orders you actually complete rather than a guaranteed hourly wage.
Because no taxes are withheld and you cover your own gas, mileage, and phone, your gross pay overstates your take-home. To find your real number, subtract those costs and divide by the hours an order truly takes — including time spent waiting for and driving to orders.
What can you realistically earn?
Be skeptical of any flat hourly figure you see online — what you actually take home depends on your city, the hours you work, demand, tips, and your vehicle costs, and gross pay always overstates it. The honest way to know your real number is to track a few shifts, subtract gas, mileage, and other expenses, and divide by the hours you actually worked. The free Real Hourly Rate calculator and Earnings Consolidator do exactly that math, and if you run more than one app the consolidator compares your true net pay across all of them.
Tips to earn more on Shipt
- →Learn your stores' layouts so you shop and substitute quickly — speed per order drives your real hourly rate.
- →Favor times and zones with steady order volume rather than chasing every promo.
- →Communicate proactively about substitutions; ratings and tips follow good service.
- →Track every working mile and expense — they're deductions and inputs to your true net pay.
Pros and cons
Pros
- +You choose your own hours and which orders to claim.
- +You keep 100% of member tips.
- +Repeat members and good ratings can mean steadier orders.
- +No fixed shifts — work as much or as little as you want.
Cons
- −No guaranteed wage; pay depends on order volume and your area.
- −You cover gas, mileage, and vehicle wear.
- −Shopping in busy stores can be physically demanding and time-consuming.
- −No tax withholding — you handle your own self-employment taxes.
Frequently asked questions
What are the requirements to become a Shipt Shopper?
You generally need to be at least 18, have a reliable car with a valid license and insurance, have a smartphone, and pass a background check. Requirements vary by market and change over time, so confirm the current criteria with Shipt.
How much can you make with Shipt?
There's no fixed figure, and online averages are unreliable. You earn per completed order plus 100% of tips, and your take-home depends on your market, the orders you take, and your costs. Track your active hours and expenses and divide — the free Real Hourly Rate calculator does the math.
Is Shipt full-service shopping different from in-store?
Yes. Full-service shoppers shop and deliver as independent contractors and are covered by this guide. Some Shipt roles are in-store, part-time employee positions with taxes withheld — a different arrangement.
How and when does Shipt pay you?
Shipt pays out your order earnings and tips to your connected account on its regular payout schedule, with instant cash-out options in some markets. You keep 100% of member tips.
Do Shipt Shoppers have to pay taxes?
Yes. Full-service Shipt Shoppers are independent contractors, so no taxes are withheld and you owe your own income and self-employment taxes. See our Shipt taxes guide for what to set aside and how to file.
Before you start: know your taxes
Shipt pays Shipt Shoppers as independent contractors, so no taxes are withheld — you're responsible for your own income and self-employment taxes. Understanding this before your first payout saves a nasty surprise at tax time.
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Know your real numbers from day one
UnifyOne tracks your grocery shopping and delivery earnings, mileage, and tax set-aside automatically — so you always know your true net pay, not just the gross.
This guide is educational information, not financial advice, and is not a guarantee of income. Eligibility requirements and how pay works vary by market and change over time — confirm current details directly with the platform.