Is Amazon Flex Worth It? My Pay, Mileage and Insurance Costs

Written by Al Baker | Founder & Editor, The Penny Pincher - Last updated: the 10th of October 2026

Earning £45 for a couple of hours delivering shopping sounds like a useful way to bring in some extra money, especially when you can fit it around your other commitments. However, once you’ve driven more than 70 miles, put fuel in the vehicle and paid for the insurance that allows you to do the job, that £45 starts to look rather different. That’s why my Amazon Flex review looks at the costs as well as the money coming in, using my own experience of getting back behind the wheel.

I’ve restarted Amazon Flex as one of my backup income options since becoming a full-time self-employed content creator. Having more than one way to earn makes sense for me, and delivery work is something I’ve done before. My previous Amazon Flex shift was in April 2023, so returning in October 2026 has given me a chance to see what’s changed and whether it still works for my circumstances.

How I reviewed Amazon Flex: This review combines my previous delivery experience with two Amazon Fresh blocks completed since returning in October 2026. The earnings and mileages below are my own figures; other block prices mentioned are offers I’ve seen rather than shifts I’ve completed.

The tax information is general guidance. Your allowable expenses and tax bill depend on your circumstances, so check HMRC’s guidance or speak to an accountant if you’re unsure.

How does Amazon Flex work?

If you’ve ever had an Amazon order arrive in someone’s own car rather than a branded delivery van, you may have met an Amazon Flex driver. You use your own eligible vehicle to deliver orders, choosing available shifts through the Amazon Flex app. You’re working as a self-employed delivery partner, so you’re responsible for the costs of doing the work and keeping track of your income.

Amazon calls these shifts “blocks”. An offer shows the collection location, scheduled time and payment, allowing you to decide whether it fits around your day. Once you’ve accepted a block, you go to the collection point, follow the check-in and scanning instructions, load your orders and use the app to work through the deliveries.

The flexibility is appealing, but it depends on suitable blocks being available. Having a free afternoon doesn’t necessarily mean there’ll be a delivery block nearby, and seeing one in the app doesn’t mean you’ll secure it before somebody else does. That uncertainty matters if you’re hoping to use the money to cover a regular bill.

What do you need before your first Amazon Flex block?

For car or van deliveries, you'll need to be at least 18, have the right to work in the UK, a valid full UK driving licence, a National Insurance number and suitable delivery insurance. You'll also need to complete the background checks and provide the account details needed to receive payment. Signing up doesn't guarantee an immediate start, as your area may have a waiting list.

Check the current Amazon Flex requirements before spending money on equipment or insurance. For car deliveries, the vehicle needs to be mid-sized or larger with at least five seats; eligible vans and enclosed-bed pickups are exceptions to the five-seat rule. Your vehicle must also be suitable for the particular block you accept, so don't assume a smaller vehicle will be accepted for a large-vehicle offer.

I find the space in my van helpful, but you don't need to buy a van to try Flex. Clear out unnecessary belongings before collecting so there's room to load orders safely, without blocking your view or leaving loose items moving around. Check the vehicle and insurance requirements together, because being accepted by Amazon doesn't mean every insurer will cover it.

Take your actual driving licence.

Take your original physical driving licence with you, rather than relying on a photograph, screenshot or photocopy. In my experience, checks are particularly worth preparing for at the larger parcel depots, where staff may ask to see it to confirm who you are. Don't assume that because it wasn't checked at one collection point, you won't need it at the next.

Be ready for a photo identity check.

Another check to expect is the app asking you to take a photograph of yourself to verify your identity against the information held on your account. Follow the prompts while safely parked and give yourself time to complete the check before collecting. A working phone camera matters for this as well as for scanning orders, so it isn't something to discover is faulty when you're already at the depot.

How much does Amazon Flex pay?

My first two Amazon Fresh blocks since returning paid £45 each for a scheduled two-hour block, and that works out at £22.50 per scheduled hour before costs, but it isn’t my take-home hourly rate.

Travelling to the collection point, getting home afterwards and paying the running costs all affect what I actually keep.

I’ve also seen a 90-minute Morrisons block for £29.50 and a two-hour Amazon Logistics block for £40.

These are examples from my own app, rather than rates everybody will be offered. Prices and availability vary, so check the specific offer before accepting it.

When I previously did Amazon Fresh, I remember being offered £26 for a two-hour block, so the £45 offers are a welcome improvement for me. However, a higher payment doesn’t automatically make a route more profitable. The distance, collection location and time spent away from home still need to make sense.

My first two blocks: £90 earned and 118.9 miles recorded

Both of my recent blocks involved collecting Amazon Fresh orders from Camberley. The first journey recorded 70.6 miles and took me through rural areas, with country roads and the extra care needed when the weather’s poor. The second recorded 48.3 miles and involved more built-up areas, which I found easier.

Across the two blocks, that’s £90 in gross earnings and 118.9 recorded miles. It’s a useful example of why looking only at the payment on the offer screen doesn’t tell you enough. Two blocks paying the same amount can involve quite different amounts of driving.

Fuel is an obvious expense, but it isn’t the only one. Tyres, servicing, repairs and the effect of extra mileage on your vehicle’s value all need to come into the calculation. You might not pay for a replacement tyre immediately after a shift, but the wear still happens.

On the way home from my first delivery block back with Flex, one of my windscreen wipers flew off the van while I was on a dual carriageway in pouring rain. I'd earned £45 for the block, then ended up paying Halfords £46 for a set of replacement wiper blades and fitting, because I wanted to be confident they were properly secured. That was the whole block's pay gone, plus another pound, before I'd even accounted for fuel.

The wiper might have needed replacing soon anyway, so I can't say that one delivery block caused the problem; however, it was a very real reminder that vehicle repairs don't wait until you've had a profitable week. When you're relying on your vehicle to earn money, an unexpected bill can swallow up what you've just made.

I drive a diesel van, so fuel costs are very much on my mind when deciding whether a block is worth taking. An electric vehicle may have lower energy costs, particularly with access to cheaper home charging, but that depends on the vehicle and how it’s charged. Either way, it’s worth recording your actual costs rather than assuming the advertised hourly equivalent is what you’ll earn.

Why I prefer Amazon Fresh deliveries

Personally, I prefer Amazon Fresh because, in my experience, there tend to be fewer delivery addresses than with a parcel route. The trade-off is that those addresses can be spread over a wider area, which means more mileage. My first two blocks back are a fairly good reminder of that.

Fewer stops also doesn’t necessarily mean less carrying. One household’s shopping can involve several bags, and getting those bags from the vehicle to the front door can take time if parking is awkward. Add rain, stairs or a lengthy walk and the job becomes a bit more physical than you might expect.

Amazon Logistics involves parcel deliveries, and I’ve now seen a £40 offer for a two-hour block. I haven’t completed one since returning, so I can’t yet compare its current mileage and workload with my Fresh routes. For now, Fresh is my preference, but the payment and collection point still need to work for me.

Be prepared to deliver alcohol and check the recipient's age.

Amazon Fresh shopping can include alcohol, so you need to be comfortable with age checks as well as carrying the bags. If a child answers while their parent is busy, don't hand the alcohol to the child to pass on. Ask for an adult and complete the checks with the person receiving it.

Follow the Amazon Flex age-verification process and the app's instructions on every age-restricted delivery. Ask for the recipient's year of birth, and check valid ID if they're under 25, look under 25, or the app requires it. Check the photograph and date of birth, then wait for the app to confirm that the handover can proceed; don't photograph or scan their ID yourself.

If the required checks can't be completed, don't hand over the age-restricted item or leave it unattended. Follow the app's instructions and contact support if needed. Keeping a customer happy isn't a reason to skip the checks.

Amazon uses mystery-shopping checks to assess age-verification compliance, so a delivery could also be a test of whether you're following the process. Failing to follow the rules can put your ability to continue delivering at risk, including termination. Read the current training and policy messages in your app rather than relying on what another driver says they normally do.

If you don't want to transport alcohol, whether for religious or personal reasons, check with Amazon Flex support before accepting grocery blocks. Don't assume you can choose an alcohol-free route or remove particular items from an assigned order. If carrying alcohol isn't something you're willing to do and no suitable arrangement is available, Amazon Fresh may not be the right side hustle for you.

Amazon Flex insurance was my biggest hurdle.

Before accepting any work, make sure your motor insurance covers paid deliveries. Ordinary private-use cover or standard business use isn’t enough by itself; you need appropriate hire-and-reward cover for the work you’re doing. This covers using the vehicle to deliver other people’s goods for payment.

Pay-as-you-go top-up insurance remains an option for eligible drivers and vehicles. However, your underlying insurer must allow the arrangement, and the delivery cover needs to include the platforms and types of deliveries you’ll undertake. Zego’s Amazon Flex insurance information explains the distinction between top-up cover and policies that combine delivery and personal use.

My van made finding suitable cover particularly difficult. The pay-as-you-go options I looked at wouldn’t cover my particular vehicle, and several companies couldn’t offer the combination of cover I needed. That doesn’t mean every van driver will have the same problem, but it’s a good reason to get insurance quotes before making plans around delivery earnings.

After a lot of searching, I had a quote of around £3,200. I then spoke to XYZ Insurance, explained what I needed and told them about the other quote. They went back to the underwriters and came back promptly with a price around £1,000 lower, which made a considerable difference.

The policy replaces my normal van insurance and covers my private driving, Amazon parcel and food deliveries, and Deliveroo work. I paid a £375 deposit, and my ongoing monthly payments are £158. It’s still a substantial commitment, particularly because those payments continue whether I manage to find suitable work or not.

How we made the insurance fit our household budget

My wife cancelled an unused £70-a-month gym membership, and we reviewed a few other direct debits as well. Along with replacing my previous van insurance, those changes mean our regular monthly household spending has increased by about £38. That made restarting delivery work more manageable for us.

However, the insurance itself hasn’t become a £38-a-month policy. The other savings help us afford it, but I still need to account for the delivery insurance properly when deciding whether the work is worthwhile. It’s an important distinction when comparing a fixed policy with pay-as-you-go cover.

How mileage affects your Amazon Flex tax bill

For the 2026/27 tax year, the simplified vehicle expense rate for eligible cars and vans is 55p per business mile for the first 10,000 miles, then 25p per mile after that. This is a deduction when calculating taxable profit, rather than a payment of 55p into your bank account. The earlier rate for the first 10,000 miles was 45p.

Using my rounded total of 118.9 miles gives an illustrative mileage deduction of about £65.40, provided all those miles qualify and fall within the first 10,000-mile band. Against £90 of earnings, that would leave approximately £24.60 of profit after that deduction, before any other allowable expenses. If that profit were taxed at 20%, the Income Tax on it would be about £4.92.

That example doesn’t establish my final tax bill or my actual cash profit. My wider income, allowances and any National Insurance liability also matter, while the vehicle’s real running costs won’t necessarily equal the mileage deduction. It simply shows why keeping proper records can make a substantial difference to the amount of income that’s taxable.

You also need to check which journeys qualify. Private driving and ordinary travel between home and work aren’t allowable business travel, so don’t automatically include every mile between leaving home and returning. If you’re unsure how journeys to your collection depot should be treated, ask HMRC or an accountant.

You can’t claim mileage and the same vehicle costs again.

The simplified mileage allowance replaces claims for the vehicle’s purchase and running costs, including fuel, insurance, servicing and repairs. You can’t deduct the mileage allowance and then add those same vehicle costs again. Eligibility also depends on how you’ve previously treated the vehicle in your accounts. Once you use mileage rates for it, you generally need to continue while using that vehicle in the business.

When do you need to tell HMRC?

If your total gross trading income exceeds £1,000 in a tax year, you generally need to register for Self Assessment if you aren’t already registered. That means income before expenses, across relevant trading activities, rather than a separate £1,000 allowance for Amazon, Deliveroo and every other side hustle. Already being self-employed doesn’t give you another allowance when you add delivery work.

The amount you earn isn’t automatically the amount you pay tax on, because allowable expenses can reduce your taxable profit. However, you can’t deduct expenses while also claiming the trading allowance against the same income. Keep records from the beginning, even if you’re only trying a few blocks to see whether the work suits you.

Why I use Driversnote to record my mileage

Keeping track of driving is one of those jobs that’s easy to put off until you’ve forgotten where you went. I use Driversnote to record journeys automatically, then classify them as business or personal and add details about what the trip was for. Being able to review everything on the website is particularly useful when I have several journeys to organise.

I can also produce reports and save them with my accounts, giving me a record of the journeys behind a mileage claim. That’s much more useful than trying to reconstruct several months of deliveries from memory. I still need to check that trips have been recorded and classified correctly, because an app can record a journey without knowing whether it qualifies for tax relief.

I’m paying £10 a month through the website. There’s also a free version, although its reporting is limited to 15 trips a month, which can soon be restrictive if you’re making lots of deliveries. Check the current Driversnote plans and checkout price, including any tax, rather than assuming everybody will pay the same amount as me.

If you’d like to try it, my Driversnote referral link is available here. The referral programme offers an eligible new subscriber 30% off, while I receive 30% off my next invoice after a qualifying referral. Check that the discount appears before paying, including which payment it applies to.

You don’t have to pay for an app to keep a mileage log. A spreadsheet or another reliable recording method can work, provided you keep accurate information. For me, the convenience is worth paying for, especially when I’m recording journeys for more than one delivery platform.

What’s changed since I last delivered for Amazon?

The app feels better than it did when I last used it, particularly when scanning orders. The navigation has improved too, although I still occasionally find myself being sent around roads in a way that doesn’t seem especially logical. It gets me where I need to go, but a bit of local knowledge can help.

One feature I’d strongly recommend is downloading the relevant offline maps before setting off. I’ve only completed two blocks since returning, and having maps available without reception has already helped me in rural areas. Offline navigation won’t make every part of the delivery app work without a connection, but it gives you a useful backup.

Finding blocks has felt more competitive since I returned. On Saturday morning, I saw one appear and tried to accept it, only to find somebody else had already taken it. It’s another reason I’m treating Flex as an additional income option rather than assuming a particular number of shifts will always be available.

My practical tips for working with Amazon Flex

There's more to a successful block than getting the orders into the vehicle and following the map. The small things, such as bringing your licence, having enough phone battery and leaving time to get home, can make the difference between a manageable shift and a frustrating one. These are the things I'd prepare for before heading out.

Be realistic about heavy shopping and stairs.

This image shows a typical Amazon Fresh delivery, and what you might expect to be required for delivery. This is for a shorter 90-minute delivery block, and there will normally be perhaps another 6 to 10 more parcels if you're doing a 2-hour block, and you might find the parcels are smaller, but equally they can sometimes be quite bulky!

When I worked Flex during the pandemic, and everyone was stocked up on loo roll (for some reason!), the Flexers' cars were jam-packed with loo roll, and it was hard to fit everything in!

Grocery deliveries can involve a surprising amount of carrying, particularly when somebody has ordered several packs of bottled water or other drinks. What looks like one straightforward delivery on the app can mean several trips up the stairs to a flat, especially if there's no lift or you can't park near the entrance. You need to be comfortable with repeated lifting, walking and carrying, rather than thinking of this as purely a driving job.

Don't overload yourself to save a trip, particularly on wet steps or where you can't see clearly around what you're carrying. Keep loads manageable and contact support if you can't complete a delivery safely. Fewer delivery addresses don't automatically mean an easier block when each address has a large grocery order.

Take strong reusable bags.

I use large, heavy-duty reusable bags from Costco to carry several grocery bags together. They're particularly helpful when I can't park close to the address and would otherwise have to make several trips backwards and forwards. They also provide some support when paper grocery bags have become wet, although I'm careful not to overload them.

Wear your high-vis before entering the collection area.

A reflective high-visibility vest is required on Amazon delivery-station premises, including Fresh and Logistics sites, along with footwear that covers your toes and heels. Put it on before entering the loading area and follow the site's instructions; it isn't just something to wear when delivering after dark. Amazon's safety information is worth reading before your first block.

My depot offers drivers free high-vis equipment, which is useful if you haven't already got your own. I can't confirm that every depot does the same, so check with your collection point beforehand rather than assuming you'll be given something when you arrive. You still need to meet the site's safety requirements before entering the loading area.

Prepare for the weather.

Both of my recent blocks involved loading the van in horrible weather. A waterproof coat, suitable footwear and somewhere to keep your phone dry make that much less miserable, but you also need to think about slippery paths and paper bags getting wet. Check the forecast before accepting a block, allow for slower driving in poor conditions and contact support if the situation becomes unsafe.

Use a reliable phone and take backup power.

Your phone is doing a lot of work: running the delivery app, navigating, scanning orders, taking photographs and possibly recording mileage as well. It needs to run the current Flex app reliably, have a working camera and GPS, and have mobile data available. Check Amazon's current phone compatibility requirements before relying on an older handset.

Start with a full battery and take an in-car charger or a charged power bank with the correct cable. A phone that's fine for occasional messages might struggle with several hours of navigation and camera use, especially if its battery is getting old. A power bank is particularly useful when you're away from the vehicle making deliveries, rather than sitting where the car charger can help.

Keep backup navigation ready.

Download the relevant offline maps before leaving home, ideally while you're on Wi-Fi. I also like having an alternative navigation app, such as Google Maps, available if I need to double-check a route. Keep using the Flex app for the delivery instructions and confirmations, and remember that offline maps won't make every delivery function work without reception.

Set up navigation while safely parked and follow road signs rather than assuming a map's speed-limit information is complete or correct. Rural roads, bus lanes and unfamiliar junctions can all catch you out if you're concentrating too much on the next instruction. Getting to an address a little sooner isn't worth an unsafe manoeuvre or a penalty.

Take a torch for evening deliveries.

A torch is extremely useful when you're trying to find a house number in the dark. You'd be surprised how many properties have numbers that are difficult to see, even when somebody's expecting a delivery. Bins sometimes carry a clearer number, but treat that as a clue and confirm the address before handing anything over.

Keep customer interactions polite and straightforward.

For the person opening the door, you're the person bringing their Amazon order, regardless of the self-employed arrangement behind it. A friendly greeting, taking care with their shopping and checking the delivery instructions can make the interaction easier for everybody. If there's an access problem or the address isn't clear, use the contact options in the app rather than guessing where to leave an order.

If a customer is unhappy, stay calm and use support where needed rather than getting drawn into an argument. Don't promise refunds or other fixes that you can't arrange yourself. Your own safety comes first if somebody becomes threatening or the situation feels unsafe.

Choose shift times that actually fit your day.

An early or evening block might fit around another job or family commitments, but think about the conditions you'll be working in as well as the start time. Evening work means finding addresses in the dark, while busy periods can mean extra traffic. Watch what becomes available locally rather than assuming a particular time of day will always be easier to book.

Blocks aren't guaranteed, and my experience since returning is that some offers disappear within seconds. Don't build your budget around shifts you haven't secured, or accept overlapping commitments that leave no room for delays. Only check and accept offers when it's safe to use your phone.

Allow for the journey home and other unpaid time.

Finishing your final delivery doesn't mean you're back home. You could finish a long way from where you started, so a two-hour block may take a larger chunk out of your day once you've travelled to collection and driven home afterwards. Leave a buffer before school pickups, appointments or another job, rather than booking something immediately after the advertised finish time.

When deciding whether the work pays enough, record your total time away from home as well as your mileage. Don't assume Amazon will add a separate payment for your normal journey home or reimburse the fuel used getting there. Whether particular travel qualifies as a business expense for tax is a separate question, covered in the tax section above; being unpaid doesn't by itself make a journey allowable or disallowable.

Don't assume somebody will be home for their delivery.

Even with a booked delivery window, reminders and tracking updates, customers aren't always there when you arrive. On my first Fresh block back, two customers were out, and it was pouring with rain. Their instructions said to leave the shopping on the doorstep, which left me wondering whether they really wanted their bags sitting outside in that weather.

I tried calling and messaging them through the Amazon app to check, and ultimately followed their doorstep instructions. However, it's a good example of how an apparently straightforward delivery can leave you having to make a judgement. Written instructions don't make a doorstep sheltered, and wet paper bags can become a problem very quickly.

If you're unsure whether to leave an order, contact driver support before completing the delivery and explain the weather, the instructions and your attempts to reach the customer. Ask what they want you to do so there's a record of the advice, rather than assuming you'll be able to explain everything later if a complaint comes in.

For alcohol or another age-restricted item, you must complete the required handover checks; an instruction to leave it outside doesn't override those rules.

I also like to keep a photographic record when leaving an order as instructed. Use the delivery-photo option in the app where provided and follow Amazon's current photo and privacy rules; don't assume you need separate customer-delivery photos stored on your personal phone.

Keep people, identity documents and the inside of the customer's home out of the picture, and remember that a photo records where you left the order but doesn't guarantee the customer subsequently received it or that a complaint will be decided in your favour.

Factor in returns, extra mileage and possible unpaid time

Undelivered orders can mean a journey back to the collection point, whether you're carrying ordinary parcels or Fresh shopping. That depot could be miles away from your final delivery or in the opposite direction from home. Follow the app's instructions, record the correct reason for the failed delivery and contact support if you're unsure what to do.

Amazon's published return guidance gives the end of the block, or 10 am the next day, as the return deadline for standard and grocery blocks. That's 10 am, not the end of the following day, and you should follow any specific instructions for your order rather than assuming you can keep groceries overnight. Scan returned items as instructed so the return is recorded properly.

Returning something the next morning can still be inconvenient and expensive. If you live 20 miles from the depot, a separate return could mean a 40-mile round trip, using more fuel and taking time out of another day. Include that possibility when deciding whether a distant collectiohttps://flex.amazon.co.uk/support/faq/n point makes financial sense.

Don't budget on automatically receiving extra money for the return journey. If a delivery problem or required return takes you beyond the scheduled block, contact Amazon Flex support, explain what happened and ask whether a payment adjustment is available. Keep a record of the times, mileage and any support instructions, but treat extra payment as unconfirmed until Amazon agrees to it.

Know what to do if a delivery can't be completed.

An inaccessible building, an address you can't locate or another delivery problem can add time to your route. Follow the instructions in the app and contact support when needed, rather than leaving an order somewhere unsuitable to finish the block. If the app requires a return to the collection point, factor that extra journey into your plans and follow the return instructions and deadline it gives you.

Park safely and plan for basic breaks.

A parking ticket or bus-lane penalty can quickly wipe out the benefit of a block. Check local restrictions and find somewhere lawful and safe to stop, even if it means carrying the shopping further. Don't assume a delivery permits you to park wherever is convenient, or that Amazon will cover a penalty.

Take drinking water and think about where you could safely stop for a toilet break, particularly on a rural route. It sounds obvious until you're some distance from the nearest convenient stopping point. Being prepared makes it easier to work without rushing or becoming uncomfortable halfway through the block.

Check the Amazon Flex fuel discounts.

Amazon Flex offers delivery-partner discounts through Onsi, including fuel offers. Check the current benefits available through your account and compare any discounted price with nearby forecourts. A discount is only useful if the final price, any fees and the extra distance needed to fill up make it worthwhile.

Is Amazon Flex worth it for me?

For me, Amazon Flex is worth having as an additional way to earn, particularly now I’ve found insurance that also allows me to do other delivery work. I like choosing blocks around my commitments, and I prefer the style of work involved with Amazon Fresh. However, the mileage on my first two routes shows why I need to keep checking what I’m earning after costs.

The biggest question isn’t whether £45 sounds good for two hours. It’s whether the payment is enough for the whole job once I’ve included travelling, fuel, insurance and vehicle wear. A block that works well for somebody living around the corner from a depot may be much less attractive to somebody travelling a long way to collect.

. You can also check the Amazon Flex website for current eligibility and availability in your area. Before committing to expensive insurance, work out what you’d need to earn and whether the available work is likely to support it.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a van for Amazon Flex?

No, you don’t need a van, although your vehicle must meet Amazon Flex’s current requirements. I use a van because I find the space helpful, but you should check eligibility and insurance for your particular vehicle before signing up.

Is Amazon Flex pay before or after expenses?

The payment offered for a block is before your own expenses and tax. Fuel, insurance, vehicle wear and time spent travelling all affect what you actually keep.

Are Amazon Flex shifts guaranteed?

No, suitable delivery blocks aren’t guaranteed. In my experience since returning, some offers have disappeared within seconds because another driver accepted them.

Does claiming mileage mean HMRC refunds the whole amount?

No, an allowable mileage claim reduces your taxable profit rather than giving you the same amount back in cash. The tax saving depends on your circumstances, including whether you have tax to pay.