United States · Gig work

Gig driver profit per hour.

Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Instacart, Spark and Flex: what you keep per hour and per mile after fees, fuel, wear and taxes.

Net profit = pay and tips − platform fees − fuel − wear − other costs. Divide by every hour you were online, then set aside self-employment tax and your income tax.

2026 IRS ratesRuns in your browser, nothing storedRules as of October 2, 2026

Your numbers

Platform (changes labels only)

Fares and incentives paid to you

Use the same period for every field, such as one week. The numbers shown are examples: replace them with your own.

Tips

Platform fees not already deducted

Leave at 0 if your earnings figure is already after fees.

Online hours (waiting included)Count every hour you were logged in and available, not only hours with a passenger or order.

Total miles driven for the workInclude miles driven to pickups and between orders. Do not include your normal commute.

Vehicle miles per gallon

Gas price per gallon

Type the price you actually pay. Nothing is pulled from the internet.

Wear and maintenance per mile

Tires, oil, repairs and depreciation, in dollars per mile. Your own estimate.

Phone, insurance and other costs for the period

Only the business share, for the same period as above.

IRS standard mileage rate per mile

2026: $0.725 for miles driven January 1 to June 30, $0.76 from July 1. Used for the deduction value only.

Your income tax rate on this profit (%)Your own federal bracket, optionally plus state. Applied as a flat percent.

Order check (optional)

Offer pays

Leave blank to see only the minimum.

Trip miles (including the drive to pick up)

Trip minutes

Hourly pay you want

Your own target before tax.

Estimate

How it is calculated

Fuel = miles ÷ MPG × gas price. Wear = miles × your per-mile estimate. Net profit = pay + tips − fees − fuel − wear − other costs. Per hour = net profit ÷ online hours; per mile = net profit ÷ miles. Break-even per mile = (fuel + wear + other costs) ÷ miles.

Tax. Taxable profit = pay + tips − fees − (miles × IRS standard mileage rate) − other costs. Self-employment tax = 92.35% of that profit × 15.3% (12.4% Social Security up to the $184,500 2026 wage base, 2.9% Medicare), owed once net earnings reach $400. Income tax = your percent × (profit − half of the SE tax). Set-aside = SE tax + income tax. The standard mileage rate is used instead of deducting fuel and wear, so the tool shows both so you can see which is larger.

Platform presets change labels only. The math is identical for every platform and no pay rates are built in.

Worked example

$900 pay + $150 tips, no extra fees, 40 hours, 900 miles at 28 MPG and $3.40 gas: fuel = 900 ÷ 28 × 3.40 = $109.29; wear at $0.08 = $72; other costs $60. Net = $1,050 − $109.29 − $72 − $60 = $808.71, or about $20.22 per hour. The mileage deduction is 900 × $0.76 = $684, so taxable profit is $306. That is under the $400 net-earnings threshold, so SE tax is $0 for this period alone (the threshold is tested on your full-year earnings) and the set-aside is 12% × $306 = $36.72.

Limits. Not modelled: the qualified business income deduction, Additional Medicare Tax, state and local tax, W-2 wages, and other income. SE tax uses the full wage base against this period alone, so treat annual figures as the most reliable input.

Official sources: IRS standard mileage rates ($0.76 per mile from July 1, 2026; $0.725 for January–June); IRS Schedule SE and Publication 334 for the self-employment tax method; IRS self-employment tax. Gas price, MPG, wear and your tax rate are your own inputs. Rules verified October 2, 2026.

Cite this page: TNAADO Tools. “Gig Driver Profit Per Hour Calculator.” tools.tnaado.ca/us/gig-driver-profit-per-hour-calculator.html. Primary sources: IRS standard mileage rates; IRS Schedule SE and Publication 334.

Frequently asked questions

How much should a gig driver set aside for taxes?

A common estimate is self-employment tax of about 14.1% of profit (15.3% x 92.35%) plus your income tax rate on the same profit, then less the mileage deduction. The calculator shows both parts for your numbers. Self-employment tax applies once net earnings reach $400.

Can I deduct mileage if the platform pays for gas or I rent the car?

The standard mileage rate is for a vehicle you own or lease and is not combined with actual-expense deductions for fuel and repairs. If you rent or the platform covers costs, enter those costs under other costs and set the mileage rate to 0.

Do miles with no passenger or order count?

Business miles generally include driving to a pickup and between orders while you are working, but not your commute to where you start. Keep a mileage log with dates, miles and purpose.

Is the break-even per mile the same as what I should earn?

No. Break-even is only what covers fuel, wear and other costs per mile. The order check adds the hourly pay you want, so you can see the lowest offer that still pays you for your time.

Why is profit per hour lower than the app says?

Apps usually show gross pay for active time. This tool divides profit after fees, fuel, wear and other costs by every online hour, including waiting, which is how much you actually keep for the time you gave up.

Which mileage rate should I use in 2026?

Use $0.725 for business miles driven January 1 through June 30, 2026 and $0.76 for miles from July 1. For a full year, add each half at its own rate, or use the IRS rate history page.

Estimate only

This page is educational and is not tax advice. Keep a mileage log and records of every expense. Confirm your deductions and filing details with IRS guidance or a qualified tax professional.