Amazon Flex Jobs: Pros, Cons and Driver Reviews

If Amazon Flex is looking for drivers in your area, you may be able to make $18 to $25 an hour. You'll be on the hook for gas and other expenses, plus you might get put on a waiting list.

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Updated Jul 7, 2026

If you're looking for a way to make money driving, Amazon Flex is one option, but maybe not the best one.

When you work for Amazon Flex, you set your own hours and deliver packages and groceries locally. The flexible hours, independent work and earning potential make it an appealing side hustle option.

It's not a slam dunk, though. High gas prices can cut into any driving job's earnings, but with Amazon Flex, you might have to wait a while to even get hired.

Where are Amazon Flex jobs available?

There's the rub. Amazon Flex operates in many cities and towns in the U.S. and hires new drivers based on availability and demand in specific areas.

If you can't get in, it means Amazon Flex isn't operating in your city right now or there are simply no spots to fill. If you encounter the latter, you can join the "interest list."

According to an AI analysis of the r/AmazonFlexDrivers subreddit, availability of Amazon Flex jobs varies heavily by market, and wait times can range from just a few days to over a year. The best way to find out? Go to the Amazon Flex page and try to sign up.

How much does Amazon Flex pay?

Most Amazon Flex drivers earn between $18 and $25 per hour, according to Amazon. Actual earnings depend on factors like tips, demand where you live and how much time you have for side work.

There's also the expense of driving your own vehicle, which Amazon isn't factoring into that estimate. As an independent contractor, you're responsible for your expenses including gas, tolls, parking, insurance and wear and tear on your car. Plus, you have to plan for taxes yourself.

When you do earn, Amazon Flex pays via direct deposit.

» MORE: Expenses hit hard when we tested Instacart.

How do I get started with Amazon Flex?

If there are opportunities where you live, you’ll download the Amazon Flex app to get started. Make sure you meet these requirements:

Be age 21 or older.
Have a valid driver’s license, Social Security number and checking or savings account.
Have access to a personally insured midsize or larger vehicle.

According to Amazon, you can be onboarded in an hour and approved to make deliveries within a week.

How does Amazon Flex work?

Standard deliveries are organized into blocks that last between one and six hours. Amazon Fresh blocks, where you pick up groceries or household items, last two and four hours.

You’ll use the Amazon Flex app to find and schedule blocks that fit your availability.

Blocks show the date, start time and estimated duration and earnings. What you won’t see is how many miles and how much ground you’ll cover during your block until you pick up your packages.

When it’s time to work, you’ll head to a delivery station or site — such as an Amazon fulfillment center or Whole Foods Market store — to pick up the packages/groceries for delivery.

When you arrive at the pickup location, you'll check in and your block time starts. The app will offer a suggested route for the deliveries. Then, you’ll make deliveries and be done when everything is out.

You will need to make note of any undelivered packages in the app and follow further instructions.

Pros and cons of Amazon Flex, according to Reddit users

To see what drivers actually think, we analyzed Reddit forum posts with the help of AI. Here are the pros and cons that came up most often. Note: Posts are anonymous, so we can't verify individual experiences.

Pros

It’s a flexible way to make money; you choose your own schedule and work without direct supervision.

It can provide good supplemental income when done as a part-time gig.

You can make decent money with surge pricing ($28 to $32 per hour), and, if you hustle, can sometimes finish a block ahead of schedule.

Cons

All that hustle leads to significant wear and tear on your car, and the cost of fuel is on you.

Income can be inconsistent and unreliable, and there are no benefits (e.g. health insurance or paid time off).

Routes can be many miles long and you don’t know the details of the trip before you accept it.

Is Amazon Flex worth it?

The consensus among Reddit users is that Amazon Flex can be inconsistent. Time blocks vary week to week and cannot be guaranteed, and you may not be able to sign up right away.

If you need money now, this is probably not the side gig for you.

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Article sources

NerdWallet writers are subject matter authorities who use primary, trustworthy sources to inform their work, including peer-reviewed studies, government websites, academic research and interviews with industry experts. All content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. You can learn more about NerdWallet's high standards for journalism by reading our editorial guidelines.

1.Amazon. Earn more with every delivery. Accessed Jul 7, 2026.

About the authors

Kelsey Sheehy

Kelsey Sheehy is a senior writer and NerdWallet authority on small business. She started at NerdWallet in 2015 and spent six years as a personal finance writer and spokesperson before switching gears to cover the financial decisions and challenges faced by small-business owners. Kelsey’s work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Nasdaq and MarketWatch, among other publications. Kelsey has appeared on the "Today" show, NBC News and ABC’s "World News Tonight" and has been quoted by the Los Angeles Times, CNBC, American Banker, NPR and Vice, among other publications. Prior to joining NerdWallet, Kelsey covered college (and how to pay for it) for U.S. News & World Report. She is based in Washington, D.C.

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Lisa Mulka

Lisa Mulka is a freelance writer specializing in personal finance content. With more than 15 years of writing experience, Lisa most recently authored a book on personal financial literacy and served as lead writer on the FDIC’s Money Smart for Young People program. She holds a bachelor’s in creative writing, and master’s degrees in written communication and in educational technology. Lisa lives with her husband and two children in Michigan, where she spends her free time teaching the next generation of writers at Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth.

Tommy Tindall

Tommy Tindall is a lead writer and content strategist covering how to make money — and how to keep it. He’s recorded and written about his experience testing popular gig jobs like driving for Uber, delivering with DoorDash and full-service shopping for Instacart. He loves making an extra buck, but laments the hours of awkward silence he endured as an Uber driver (never again).

Cool kids might call him a content creator because he makes YouTube videos for the NerdWallet channel and app, but he himself is no longer very cool. Ask him about budgeting apps — he's tried most of them, but still prefers a good ole Google sheet to track spending. Then be sure to smash that “like” and “subscribe” button.

Before NerdWallet, Tommy held decidedly more boring jobs at Fannie Mae and Booz Allen Hamilton. Today, he feels super privileged to write for you, the consumer.

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