Uber Eats vs Deliveroo vs Just Eat UK (2026): Which Pays More After Fuel and Expenses?

There is no defensible UK-wide answer that Uber Eats, Deliveroo or Just Eat always pays more after expenses. Your town, vehicle, available hours, order mix and unpaid waiting can change the result. Compare operating profit per hour across the whole session, not a screenshot of gross earnings or a headline rate for time on orders.

This comparison checks official UK platform information on 17 October 2026. Verified operating details are identified below. The worked earnings examples are hypothetical calculations, not platform averages, promises or GrabFinds test results. Fees, incentives, onboarding availability and contractual terms can change by area.

What the official platform information tells us

Platform	Verified detail	What to check locally
Uber Eats	Its UK courier page describes choosing your own schedule.	Available delivery mode, onboarding and the current offer and payment breakdown in your app.
Deliveroo	Its UK fee guidance says the order offer shows the full fee and that offers depend on estimated time and distance, among other factors.	Actual waiting, return distance and whether the order suits your vehicle.
Just Eat	Its UK guidance describes availability-based scheduling, plus open or custom runs where available.	Whether your preferred hours receive runs and what current account features allow.

Sources: Uber UK courier information, Deliveroo fee guidance and Just Eat scheduling guidance. None of these facts establishes a universal net hourly winner.

Deliveroo’s pay floor needs careful reading

Deliveroo’s fee page lists 2026/27 minimum fees equivalent to £17.18 per hour for cars, £14.40 for scooters, £12.99 for e-bikes and £12.88 for bicycles, inclusive of vehicle costs. The stated basis is estimated time spent on orders. This is not a promise of that return after expenses for every hour you remain online.

For example, an hour containing a short delivery and a long period with no order is not equivalent to a full hour of estimated order time. Do not use the car figure as a personal budget without understanding the scheme, its calculations and your actual costs.

Just Eat flexibility is not identical for every account

Just Eat says setting availability does not guarantee runs for every available hour. Its current courier-perks page also describes a Gold-level ability to create runs without scheduling, subject to local demand. Check your own account instead of assuming every courier has unlimited instant access.

The Just Eat earnings guide identifies transit pay, reimbursements and incentives on statements. Use those records to reconcile income; do not count the same reimbursement again as separate delivery revenue.

Gross earnings are not take-home money

Use a simple operating calculation: courier revenue received or earned, minus delivery-related costs, divided by total working hours. Record platform fees consistently. If the app total already excludes a fee, subtracting it again understates the result. Include tips separately so you can see the outcome without them.

For this comparison, operating profit is before personal Income Tax, National Insurance and any Universal Credit effect. It is not a guaranteed amount available for household spending. The tax calculation may use different expense treatment from an economic estimate of running the vehicle.

Count the time the headline misses

Record travel to the chosen working area, time online waiting, restaurant queues, delivery time and repositioning. For deciding whether a session was worth doing, include the journey home and reasonable administration as well. A personal profitability measure can include time even when a platform or tax rule treats it differently.

Four hours online with two hours actively delivering is four hours of committed time, not two. If multiple apps are open, count that hour once in your combined total. For platform-by-platform comparisons, test separate sessions or use a clear allocation method rather than claiming the same idle time against every app.

Budget for more than petrol

• Fuel or charging: record actual consumption and the price you pay.
• Delivery insurance: allocate the appropriate hourly or policy cost without ignoring a fixed premium.
• Vehicle wear: allow for servicing, tyres, brakes, repairs and depreciation.
• Equipment: spread the cost of bags, lights, locks and suitable clothing over realistic use.
• Phone and data: include a reasonable business share.
• Parking and access charges: understand lawful stopping arrangements before accepting work.

Do not add depreciation and a full vehicle-purchase allocation for the same cost. Equally, an unexpected repair does not mean earlier sessions were cost-free. Maintaining a running-cost allowance helps prevent a good-looking week from hiding an expensive month.

Check delivery insurance before going online

Uber’s UK insurance page requires suitable food-delivery or hire-and-reward motor cover. Deliveroo’s UK guidance distinguishes ordinary social cover from delivery cover. Just Eat’s application documents guide also explains hire-and-reward requirements.

Check that your cover matches your vehicle, delivery activity and all platforms you use. Personal accident benefits are not a replacement for the required motor policy. Ask the insurer to confirm compatibility if using top-up cover alongside an existing policy.

A worked comparison: higher gross can still lose

The following scenarios are invented and deliberately not assigned to platform brands. Costs represent example allocations for fuel, insurance, wear and other business overheads. Replace every number with your own evidence.

Scenario	Total time	Gross revenue	Operating costs	Profit before personal tax	Profit per hour
Longer driving session	5 hours	£72	£23	£49	£9.80
Shorter, compact session	4 hours	£60	£14	£46	£11.50
Quiet session	3 hours	£27	£9	£18	£6.00

The £72 session produces more total profit than the £60 session, but less profit per hour. Which is preferable depends on your available time and alternatives. A quiet result is possible; no listed scenario should be treated as a likely minimum.

Run a fair local test before choosing

Start with one platform for which you are already approved and properly equipped. Compare similar days and time windows over several sessions. Log total hours, completed orders, total business miles, income, tips and costs. Record unusual events such as a promotion, road closure or exceptional restaurant delay.

Then compare median or typical sessions alongside the best and worst, rather than choosing only your busiest evening. Break out one-off joining incentives from repeatable earnings. A platform with a strong bonus this week may not be the better ongoing option.

The GrabFinds delivery profit calculator can help organise an estimate. The Uber Eats side-hustle guide provides a starting overview. These tools do not replace your statements, insurer’s terms or accounting records.

Keep tax deductions separate from operating costs

For tax, read HMRC’s vehicle and travel expenses guidance and its simplified mileage rules. Do not combine mileage deductions with the same actual vehicle costs. A tax deduction reduces the relevant taxable amount; it is not reimbursement of your fuel bill.

Likewise, do not assume employee minimum-wage rules create a guaranteed online hourly rate for every independent courier. HMRC explains that genuine independent self-employment is different, and that employment status is not settled simply by a tax label.

Frequently asked questions

Which delivery app pays the most in the UK?

The available official information does not establish one nationwide winner after costs. Compare your local results using the same vehicle and a consistent time-and-cost method.

Is Deliveroo’s car pay floor guaranteed take-home pay?

No. The published figure includes vehicle costs and uses estimated order time. Waiting between orders and your own operating costs can reduce the return across a whole session.

Is a bicycle always more profitable than a car?

No. It avoids petrol and some motor costs but has its own equipment, maintenance and practical limits. Distance, local geography, weather and the orders available change the result.

Can I use more than one app?

Check each current contract, operating rules and insurance. Do not accept conflicting deliveries that you cannot complete properly, and never count overlapping hours as separate hours of work.

Should I count tips when deciding whether to continue?

Record them, but also calculate a result without tips and one-off incentives. That shows whether the underlying work covers its costs without depending on exceptional payments.

Find out what your own session is worth

Join GrabFinds free to discuss practical delivery results and use member resources. Bring hours, miles, costs and context to the conversation. A smaller honest profit figure is more useful than an impressive gross total with the expenses missing.