Do Amazon Flex drivers get tips in 2026?
Yes. Amazon Flex drivers keep 100% of customer tips, but only on tip-eligible deliveries, which in practice are mostly grocery orders from Whole Foods Market and Amazon Fresh and the newer Amazon Now blocks. Standard Amazon package blocks usually have no tips. Tip-eligible offers show an earnings range based on tips for similar recent blocks, or "$XX + tips" in some cities, and are paid 2 to 3 days after the block.
Which Flex offers can include tips
| Delivery type | Tips? | How the offer shows pay |
|---|---|---|
| Whole Foods / Amazon Fresh grocery | Often | Range, e.g. "$36-50" for 2 h, or "$XX + tips" |
| Amazon Now | Yes (Amazon says blocks are tip-eligible) | Earnings shown before you accept |
| Standard package blocks | Usually no | Flat block price |
Amazon says tip-eligible orders can appear across delivery types, so read each offer. Creators report that grocery routes now sometimes mix non-tip orders into a block, which narrows the range; Amazon has not published how often.
How to read a tip range
- The low end of the range is the safer number to judge an offer by; Amazon builds the range from tips on similar recent blocks in your region.
- "$XX + tips" means XX is guaranteed and tips are added later.
- Divide the low end by the block hours and by the expected miles, then compare with your own minimum (see how Flex pay works).
Habits that protect grocery tips
- Count bags and check temperature items at pickup. A missing bag hurts the customer and, creators report, can hurt standing too.
- Keep cold and frozen items in insulated bags and deliver them first when the route allows.
- Follow the delivery notes (attended vs. unattended, gate codes) and take a clear photo.
- Use the in-app contact if you cannot find the entrance, rather than leaving groceries in the wrong place.
Tips are protected by an FTC order
In 2021 Amazon paid $61.7 million to settle FTC charges that it had used customer tips to make up part of drivers' promised pay. The FTC order bars Amazon from changing how tips are used without drivers' express consent, and Amazon now states that drivers receive 100% of tips.
Watch: a Whole Foods block, start to finish
Delivery Dude Dave TV walks through a Whole Foods offer: check-in, matching bag keywords and counts like "1 of 4" so no order leaves incomplete, how Whole Foods tips work, and why he says final earnings show up about 27 hours after the block ends.
4:05
Tips and taxes
Tips are self-employment income and are included in what Amazon reports to you. For 2025 through 2028, the "no tax on tips" deduction lets eligible workers deduct up to $25,000 of qualified tips from income (phased out above $150,000 modified AGI, $300,000 joint). The final IRS rules list goods delivery among eligible occupations, so many Flex drivers who receive tips are likely to qualify; confirm with a tax professional. It does not reduce self-employment tax. Same framing as no tax on tips for shoppers.
Frequently asked questions
Do Amazon Flex drivers get tips?
Yes, on tip-eligible deliveries, mainly grocery orders from Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh and Amazon Now blocks. Drivers keep 100% of tips. Standard package blocks usually have no tips.
How does Amazon Flex show tips on an offer?
Tip-eligible offers show an earnings range based on tips for similar recent blocks in your region, or "$XX + tips" in some cities, where XX is guaranteed.
When are Amazon Flex tips paid?
Tip-eligible blocks are paid 2 to 3 days after completion, or on your next scheduled payment day after that.
Are Amazon Flex tips taxable?
Yes, they are self-employment income. For 2025 through 2028 many drivers may deduct qualified tips (up to $25,000) from income tax under the new tips deduction, but self-employment tax still applies.
Go deeper. Chapter 3 of the Amazon Flex Driver Playbook shows how to judge tip ranges against your cost per mile, and Chapter 6 covers grocery handoffs and delivery photos in full. Get the Amazon Flex e-book or read chapters 1–2 free.
Related guides
- How much does Amazon Flex pay in 2026?
- How do Amazon Flex drivers pay taxes in 2026?
- How do you get more Amazon Flex blocks in 2026?
Sources
- Amazon Flex: FAQ (tips, earnings ranges, payment timing)
- Amazon Flex: delivery types
- Amazon Flex blog: Amazon Now offers delivery partners more flexible ways to earn (February 2026)
- FTC: Amazon to pay $61.7 million to settle charges it withheld customer tips from Flex drivers
- IRS: One Big Beautiful Bill provisions (qualified tips deduction)