Taxes for Gigs
Tax year 2026

Instacart tax calculator

Full-service shoppers get paid with no tax taken out. See what you owe after your miles and tips, and how much to keep from each batch payout.

Batch pay plus tips for the year, from your 1099-NEC or the earnings in your shopper account.

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$0$50k$100k

Tips can be deducted from income tax through 2028.

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mi
mi

Miles driven for batches, from your mileage log. The IRS rate is 72.5¢ a mile until June 30 and 76¢ from July 1.

Business share of your phone, insulated bags, parking, tolls.

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h
$
Filing status

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Estimated federal tax as a shopper

$0

Instacart does not take this out of your pay. You pay it yourself.

0 %Set this much aside from every Instacart payout.
  • Mileage deduction $0
  • Tips deduction $0
  • Tracking your miles saves you $0 in tax.
Self-employment tax$0
Income tax$0
After tax, per hour$0

Quarterly estimated payments

  1. Q1$0Apr 15, 2026
  2. Q2$0Jun 15, 2026
  3. Q3$0Sep 15, 2026
  4. Q4$0Jan 15, 2027

The per-hour figure is after tax and the expenses above, but before gas and other car costs. Federal tax only, standard deduction.

How Instacart shopper taxes work

  1. Start with batch pay and tips for the year.
  2. Subtract your miles at the 2026 rates and other costs such as the business share of your phone and insulated bags.
  3. Pay self-employment tax on 92.35 % of the profit at 15.3 %.
  4. Pay income tax on what is left after the standard deduction and other deductions.

Forms, deductions and an example are in Instacart taxes explained. Also deliver for DoorDash? See the DoorDash tax calculator.

Questions

Does Instacart take out taxes?

Not for full-service shoppers. They are independent contractors, so Instacart pays them in full and you handle your own taxes. If Instacart gave you a W-2, you were an employee and tax was withheld from your pay.

How much should I set aside for Instacart taxes?

Use the percentage the calculator shows. Miles matter most: with $22,000 of earnings and 12,000 miles, it comes to about 8 % of what you were paid, before state tax.

Will I get a 1099 from Instacart?

For payments made in 2026, a 1099-NEC is required when Instacart paid you $2,000 or more. Look for it in your shopper account or email by early February. Report all your earnings even if no form arrives.

Can I deduct miles to the store?

Miles driven for a batch, such as to the store and on to the customer, are business miles. Keep a log with the date, miles and purpose of each trip.

Sources

Last updated November 3, 2026. Figures for tax year 2026 from IRS and SSA sources.