Lauren SchwahnSenior Writer & Content Strategist
10 years of personal finance experience
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I Tried Instacart in 2026 (Here Are the Results)
Instacart shopper pay, gig economy income, and side hustle earnings in 2026 are not as simple as they look once you factor in gas prices, mileage, batch pay, delivery distance, grocery store efficiency, and time spent shopping. NerdWallet writer Tommy Tindall spends 12 hours as an Instacart shopper to see if Instacart is still worth it in 2026, breaking down how much money he made, what gas and driving costs did to his profits, which Instacart batches were worth taking, and the biggest pro tip for new Instacart shoppers: pick one main grocery store, learn the layout, avoid long-distance orders, and stop driving in circles.Money insights and know-how at your fingertips
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