About & methodology

GigPayCalc provides independent educational calculators for US gig workers. The tools compare gross receipts, economic vehicle costs and simplified tax estimates. They are not affiliated with any listed platform.

Use your own records

Enter gross payouts divided by all hours online, including unpaid waiting. Platform benchmarks are attributed 2025 sample observations, not guaranteed earnings or measured city wages. A source's hourly denominator may differ from yours. City guides begin with an empty pay field for this reason.

Keep costs and deductions separate

Fuel, insurance, maintenance and a wear reserve reduce economic take-home. A reserve is not necessarily cash paid that week or an eligible tax deduction. Under the standard-mileage method, qualifying business miles determine the vehicle deduction; gas and wear are not deducted again. Under the actual method, enter eligible annual business-use vehicle expenses separately, including eligible depreciation or lease expense.

Tax assumptions and limits

The shared 2026 model uses federal filing-status brackets, the standard deduction, simplified self-employment tax and qualifying business income deductions. The state input is a user-selected flat scenario, not a state's tax law. Take-home tools assume 52 identical weeks, with miles split evenly across the two halves of the year. The mileage and quarterly tools accept separate half-year mileage.

The model does not prepare a tax return. It omits the active-business QBI minimum, detailed high-income QBI rules, qualified-tip deductions, refundable credits, capital gains, itemized deductions, loss carryovers and many other adjustments. The quarterly schedule assumes even installments; undated payment totals cannot determine penalties. Local platform pay-rule top-ups are not calculated.

Sources and review

Earnings sources are linked beside platform benchmarks. Local legal figures link to government sources on the applicable city guide. Tax assumptions reference the IRS mileage table, 2026 federal adjustments, and Publication 505. A displayed review date is not a promise that every later change is incorporated. Check the official source before using a legal or tax figure.

Understanding your result

Invalid inputs clear the estimate. Zero hours make the hourly result unavailable, while weekly expenses remain visible. Estimates use full precision internally and round displayed amounts; rounded rows may not add exactly. A higher deduction is not a dollar-for-dollar tax refund, and method eligibility must be checked separately.