Is there a minimum wage for app-based delivery riders in Australia?

Yes — from 17 August 2026 the Fair Work Commission's minimum standards order [MS900103] sets an engaged-time safety net for app-based food, beverage and grocery delivery workers: $31.30/hour on foot, bicycle or e-bike, $31.50/hour by motorcycle, and $32.00/hour by car (up to 1 tonne). It covers engaged time only (accept to drop-off), averaged over earnings periods of up to 21 days. Rates step up on 1 January 2027 ($31.80/$32.00/$32.50). By comparison, an employee delivery driver's award floor is $27.81/hour under the Fast Food Award Level 1 or $26.87/hour under the Road Transport Award Grade 1 — but employees are paid for every rostered hour, not just engaged time, plus weekend penalties, leave and super.

Do delivery riders get superannuation?

Employee delivery drivers do: the 12% superannuation guarantee applies whether they are casual or permanent, and this comparator adds it to both employee legs. For gig platform work, the minimum standards order sets engaged-time pay rates, averaging and top-up rules, personal accident insurance and dispute rights — the comparator does not add super to the gig leg, because whether super is payable on a platform arrangement depends on that arrangement.

Can a delivery platform pay me per delivery (piece rates)?

Platforms can structure pay per delivery, but for covered app-based food, beverage and grocery delivery work a floor now sits underneath: over each earnings period (up to 21 days), total pay for engaged work must be at least your app-recorded engaged hours multiplied by the safety-net rate for your vehicle class. If it falls short, the order requires the platform to top up the difference in the next earnings period or within 7 days after it ends.

What changed for delivery workers on 17 August 2026?

The FWC's Interim On-Demand Delivery Employee-like Worker Minimum Standards Order [MS900103] (PR813107, decision [2026] FWCFB 211) commenced. It sets the first engaged-time minimum rates for app-based food, beverage and grocery delivery workers ($31.30–$32.00/hour by vehicle class until 31 December 2026), requires shortfall top-ups after each earnings period, requires the platform to carry personal accident insurance at its own expense, and gives workers a dispute route to the Fair Work Commission. It does not cover parcels, rideshare, or vehicles over 1 tonne. From 1 January 2028 the rates index annually to the Annual Wage Review increase.

Delivery Driver Pay Comparator

Gig apps vs employee delivery jobs: compare the new minimum standards floor against Fast Food and Road Transport award rates for the same shift.

Last verified: 28 August 2026

How do you (or would you) deliver?

On foot / pedal bicycle — $31.30/hr

Electric bicycle or scooter — $31.30/hr

Motorcycle / petrol scooter — $31.50/hr

Motor vehicle (up to 1 tonne) — $32.00/hr

Sets the gig safety-net rate under the FWC minimum standards order (17 Aug – 31 Dec 2026 rates shown).

Hours you put in per week*

hrs

The same weekly pattern is priced three ways. Employee legs pay every hour; the gig floor pays engaged time only.

Engaged-time share on the app*

Engaged time runs from accepting a job to completing it — waiting between jobs doesn't count. Check your app's stats; busy metro dinner runs sit far higher than quiet suburbs.

Of those hours, worked on Saturday

hrs

Employee legs pay Saturday penalties (Fast Food 125%, Road Transport 150% — more for casuals). The gig floor rate is the same every day.

Of those hours, worked on Sunday

hrs

Sunday penalties: Fast Food 150%, Road Transport 200% — more for casuals.

Price the employee legs as

Casual

25% loading on the hourly rate instead of paid leave — how most delivery employees are engaged.

Permanent (full-time or part-time)

Lower hourly rate, but paid annual and personal leave — valued separately in the result.

What each weekly figure does and doesn't include

The three legs are built differently, and the differences matter as much as the headline number. This is what sits behind each column — neither work model is “better” here; they trade different things.

	Gig platform floor	Employee — casual	Employee — permanent
Hours paid	Engaged time only — waiting between jobs is unpaid	Every rostered hour	Every rostered hour
Weekend rates	Same rate every day of the week	Penalty + 25% loading (e.g. Road Transport Sunday 225% of base)	Award penalties (e.g. Road Transport Sunday 200%)
Paid leave	None	None — 25% loading paid instead	4 weeks annual + 10 days personal per year
Superannuation	Not counted here — the minimum standards order sets pay, not super; treatment depends on your arrangement	12% guarantee	12% guarantee
Guaranteed hours	None	None (roster-based)	Agreed weekly hours
Insurance	Platform must carry personal accident insurance at its own expense (cl 9 of the order)	Workers compensation	Workers compensation

Gig column: Interim On-Demand Delivery Employee-like Worker Minimum Standards Order [MS900103], effective 17 August 2026 — it covers app-based food, beverage and grocery delivery for immediate delivery only (not parcels, not rideshare, not vehicles over 1 tonne). Employee columns: Fast Food Industry Award 2020 (MA000003) and Road Transport and Distribution Award 2020 (MA000038), FY2026-27 rates.

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General information and estimates only — not legal, financial or tax advice. Always check your specific award, agreement or contract, or a qualified professional, before you rely on the result.

Delivery Driver Pay Comparator

What each weekly figure does and doesn't include

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