How much do delivery boys earn?
Nowadays, delivery partners running on the streets of every city of the country wearing red, yellow and green T-shirts have become an important part of our lives. But, as fast as food or ration reaches our homes, a question has also arisen, are these workers getting the right amount for their hard work? Are their lives being put at risk in the pursuit of a 10-minute delivery? Amidst these debates on social media and on the streets, Deependra Goyal, CEO of Zomato and Blinkit, has himself come forward and revealed the complete details of earnings and security figures.
It is often discussed that the earnings of delivery partners are better than any entry-level office job. If we look at the data shared by Deependra Goyal, the picture is quite interesting. In the year 2025, the average hourly earnings (EPH) of Zomato's delivery partners will be Rs 102, which is about 11% more than last year. The special thing is that this earning is not calculated only for the time of delivering the order, but also for the time spent logged in and waiting for the order.
Goyal also presented an estimated blueprint of earnings. If a person works 26 days in a month and remains logged in for 10 hours daily, his total monthly gross income can be around Rs 26,500. However, this also includes the cost of petrol and maintenance of the bike. Even if these expenses are reduced by approximately 20%, the net income in hand comes to around Rs 21,000. This figure appears to be on par with or slightly better than many entry-level jobs.
Facts below (1/5):
In 2025, average earnings per hour (EPH), excluding tips, for a delivery partner on Zomato were ₹102. In 2024, this number was ₹92. That's a ~10.9% year-on-year increase. Over a longer horizon also, EPH has shown steady growth.
Most delivery partners work
— Deepinder Goyal (@deepigoyal) January 2, 2026
We often think that delivery work is the only source of livelihood for these youth, but the data tells a different story. The company claims that most of the partners do not do it as a full-time job, but part-time or as per their wish. On an average, a partner worked only 38 days in a year. There were only 2.3% people who worked more than 250 days in a year. That is, this work runs on flexibility, where there is no fixed shift or boss.
At the same time, Goyal also clarified the situation regarding the 'tip' given by the customers. Many times people think that the company keeps the tip money, but Goyal clarified that 100% of the tip money goes to the rider. However, Indian customers seem to be a bit stingy in tipping. The tip is only 2.5% on Blinkit and 5% on Zomato. On average, the earning from tip in one hour is only Rs 2.6.
The biggest controversy is regarding 'quick commerce' i.e. delivery in 10 minutes. There have been allegations that this creates deadly pressure on riders to drive fast. Clarifying on this, Zomato chief said that the delivery time is not related to the speed of the vehicle, but to the location and logistics of the store. The average distance covered for delivery on Blinkit is just 2.03 kilometers, which takes 8 minutes to complete. During this period, the average speed is 16 kilometers per hour, which can be considered quite safe according to the city traffic.
On the security front, the company also informed that they have spent more than Rs 100 crore for their partners. This includes facilities like accident insurance of Rs 10 lakh, medical cover of Rs 1 lakh and even loss-of-pay insurance during delivery.
