Method
How GigMath turns a gig app's advertised pay into a net hourly figure: where the inputs come from, how the math is checked, and what the answer can't tell you.
GigMath answers one question about gig apps and side hustles: what does an hour of this actually pay once everything has been subtracted? It covers delivery apps, rideshare, platform fees and taxes, and the “is it worth it” math on any other hustle. It is written for people deciding whether a hustle deserves their time, who would rather see the arithmetic than take anyone’s word for it.
The formula
Every breakdown on GigMath is the same calculation with different inputs:
net per hour = (gross pay − platform fees − running costs − tax) ÷ every hour you spent
The two terms people tend to leave out are the ones that move the answer most. Running costs include gas, wear on the car, a phone plan and supplies. Every hour you spent includes the hours nobody pays for: waiting for an order, driving to the next job, writing a listing, answering messages. Both go in.
Where the inputs come from
| Input | Where we look first |
|---|---|
| Pay rates, fees and payout rules | The platform’s own help center, pay pages and fee schedules |
| Mileage rates, tax rules and filing thresholds | Government sources, such as the IRS |
| Wages to compare against | Government statistics and minimum wage rules |
| Anything an official source doesn’t publish | Stated as an assumption, so you can swap in your own |
If a figure can’t be confirmed, the breakdown says so instead of filling the cell with a guess. Advertised “up to” amounts are treated as ceilings, not as typical pay.
Before a breakdown goes up
- Facts and figures are checked against their sources before publishing.
- Sources are linked inline, next to the number they support.
- Assumptions are written down where you can see them: miles per hour, fuel economy, the share of logged-in time that is actually paid.
- Rounding is stated. Each breakdown says whether it rounds to the cent or to the nearest ten cents, so the rows may not add up exactly and you will know why.
When the inputs change
Platforms change their fees, pay formulas and requirements, and tax rates change every year. When that happens, the affected breakdowns are updated. Each one shows published= at the top and, once it has been revised, updated= with the date of the last change.
What the answer is not
GigMath is a calculator with notes, not an adviser. The figures are estimates built from published rates, averages and stated assumptions, and your real numbers will move with your city, your hours and your luck. Tax sections describe general rules, not your situation: run that past a tax professional. Confirm pay and requirements with the platform before you sign up for anything.
The most useful thing a breakdown can do is show its working. Change any input to match your own city, car and hours, and the answer changes with it.