The True Value of Flexibility: What Shoppers Tell Us About Independent Work & What We’re Advocating For Across the Country

The nature of work is rapidly changing. From the transformative shift toward remote and hybrid work after the pandemic to artificial intelligence introducing new efficiencies, the world is rethinking what it means to “go to work.” Amid these transformations, one of the most significant and lasting changes has been the rise of flexible, app-based work — a model that lets millions of people earn income on their own terms, outside the traditional 9-to-5 structure. 

For parents, caregivers, students, retirees, or anyone looking to supplement their earnings, the ability to choose when, where, and how to work offers freedom and control that simply didn’t exist before. This flexibility allows people to integrate work into their lives — not the other way around — in ways that can be truly life-changing.

At Instacart, we’ve long known that flexibility and independence are at the heart of why people choose to shop with us. Now, new data¹ is shedding light for the first time on just how much shoppers value that flexibility — revealing a powerful truth about why they continue to choose this work.

Below, we explore what shoppers tell us about the role of flexibility in their lives, how they think about independent work, and what Instacart is doing to help ensure they can continue to earn on their own time and their own terms.

Why Shoppers Choose Instacart

Flexibility and independence have long been defining features of app–based work. As evidence, look no further than the fact that 75% of shoppers say flexibility is the primary reason they choose to shop with Instacart.

Importantly, when we talk about flexibility in the context of app-based work, it’s an entirely unique, unparalleled level of control — one that extends far beyond what’s often considered “flexible” in a more traditional job. For Instacart shoppers, flexibility doesn’t mean choosing in advance which days of the week to work from home or the option to adjust their 8-hour shift to start a little earlier or a little later. 

It means having the power, every minute of every day, to decide whether to turn work on or off — no approvals, no scheduling requests, no questions asked. That level of autonomy is unmatched in the modern workforce, giving Instacart shoppers complete moment-to-moment control over when, how long, and how often they earn.

Shoppers consistently tell us they deeply value that level of flexibility, often using Instacart to help meet specific goals — like paying down bills, saving for travel, or supporting family — while balancing other jobs or responsibilities.

As Caryn, a retired teacher from Maryland, recently told our team: “When I wake up, I know I’m in charge of my day. I help my almost 90 year-old mother, and have two grandchildren I want to spend time with. Shopping with Instacart gives me the flexibility to spend quality time with my family while still being able to earn extra money.”

It’s no surprise, then, that the average Instacart shopper works fewer than 10 hours per week on the platform, often fitting shopping around other priorities. In fact, according to new data released today, 70% of Instacart shoppers have other sources of income — and for 80% of those with multiple income sources, Instacart isn’t their largest one.

For Rich, a shopper in Colorado, that flexibility also extends across generations. He told us recently, “As a dad, the flexibility of my job allows me to spend time with my children. As a son, it allows me to visit my mother in her assisted living home. The freedom to turn on the app and earn income on my own terms means the world to my family and me.”

This balance — control over exactly when and how they earn — is central to why people choose to shop with Instacart. And new data reinforces just how deeply shoppers value that independence.

A new national survey of Instacart shoppers reveals that most would turn down even a 50% increase in their earnings if it meant giving up their ability to set their own schedules. Said another way, most shoppers would prefer to keep their current earnings and protect their independence and the minute-to-minute control they currently have over when and where they work, rather than earn more but lose that control.

It’s a striking finding — one that underscores what we hear from shoppers every day: flexibility isn’t just a perk, it’s why they choose this work. 

As Michael in New York told us recently, “I am very concerned about being forced into some rigid type of work shift. This would reduce my earnings and probably end the job for me — a job that I love very much.”

Setting the Record Straight

Regardless of how much they work, shoppers consistently say they want to remain independent contractors. This challenges a common misconception: that app-based workers who rely most on this work would prefer to be employees. In reality, the data shows that’s simply not true.

Nearly three-quarters (73%) of shoppers who work more than 20 hours per week on Instacart (more than double the average) say they prefer to be independent contractors. That’s in line with the 74% of shoppers working between 5 and 20 hours per week, and the 79% working less than 5 hours per week. And among the minority of shoppers who say Instacart is their only source of income, two-thirds (67%) still prefer independent contractor status. 

These findings make it abundantly clear — the workers who rely most on this income and those who work the most on our platform are just as adamant about preserving their flexibility and independence. 

Expanding What Flexibility Can Mean

Independence is essential — and for those who want or need access to benefits, there’s an opportunity to go a step further. While some shoppers already receive health care or retirement benefits through other sources, for those who don’t, there’s growing interest in policies that would make it easier to access benefits without giving up flexible work.

That’s why we’re so encouraged to see innovative policy momentum in this area — including efforts to explore how app-based workers can maintain their independent contractor status while still gaining access to portable benefits that can be used for health care, paid leave, or retirement savings. If these benefits are tied to the worker rather than a specific employer or platform, people could move seamlessly between various apps or earnings opportunities while contributing to and drawing from the same portable benefits account.

And shoppers agree. While approximately 3 in 4 shoppers prefer independent contractor status over employment, support for flexible work grows even stronger when the concept of portable benefits is introduced. For many, it’s not about trading independence for security — it’s about finding smart, modern ways to have both.

That’s the future we’re excited to help shape: a flexible, independent model of work that also makes it easier for people who need them to access benefits that travel with them from job to job.

What We’re Fighting For Across the Country

At Instacart, we’re advocating at the federal, state, and local level for what our shoppers consistently tell us they want: the certainty that they can remain independent contractors — paired with access to benefits for those who need them. And in many places, we’re making real progress.

Policymakers are starting to recognize that protecting independence and expanding access to benefits don’t have to be at odds. We’re encouraged to see leaders across the country embrace policies that reflect how people actually work today.

At the federal level, we’ve fought hard to ensure app-based workers’ independence is protected. That’s why we believe the Department of Labor’s intended rescission of the 2024 rule is an important victory. It will reaffirm that shoppers can continue to work as independent contractors — a change Instacart and shoppers across the country strongly supported. We’ve also backed bipartisan proposals in Congress that establish new grant funding to help states test and scale innovative benefits models, but we are most excited about our work convening industry peers this year to develop federal portable benefits legislation. These are the kinds of forward-looking solutions we believe best serve shoppers.

At the state level, we’ve shown that flexible work and protections can go hand in hand. In California, we helped lead the effort behind Proposition 22, which guaranteed independence while unlocking new benefits like minimum earnings guarantees and healthcare stipends. The law remains widely popular, and shoppers like Tonya from the Bay Area says it has been life-changing: “I love that I am guaranteed a minimum earnings every single week that I shop. I started shopping as a way to earn extra income and am thankful to remain an independent contractor so that I can earn outside of my full time job,” she told our team recently.

We also worked alongside leaders in Wisconsin to support a portable benefits bill for independent contractors — a bipartisan measure that would allow workers to carry health and retirement benefits across jobs and platforms without sacrificing flexibility. While the governor vetoed the measure last fall, legislators are already working on a new version — a promising sign that more states are exploring creative, flexible approaches to support independent workers.

Of course, not everywhere is headed in the right direction. 

In New York City, for example, we’ve advocated against laws that have resulted in rigid, shift-based scheduling models, stripping away the flexibility shoppers depend on. Despite our efforts and the voices of many shoppers, the City Council has moved forward with expanding policies that have already pushed thousands of delivery workers out of the industry — and now threaten to do the same to grocery delivery workers. By threatening to force shoppers into pre-scheduled shifts, these laws could take away the very flexibility they have told us, time and again, that they want and need. As Lashawanda from Queens told us: “Flexibility is one of the most important parts of my work. It allows me to balance my mental health and choose when, where and how long I work.”

That’s why we’ll keep fighting for frameworks like those in California, which protect both independence and access to new benefits — and against harmful policies like those in New York City that risk eliminating the very flexibility and earnings opportunities shoppers value most.

Unlocking the Full Promise of Independent Work

Shoppers’ voices are clear and unmistakable: they want to keep their independence and flexibility — and shoppers who want or need benefits should have access to them without giving up that independence. California has shown it’s possible, Wisconsin is close behind, and federal leaders on both sides of the aisle are starting to make real progress. New York City’s experience, by contrast, is a warning of what happens when the voices of affected workers are ignored — fewer opportunities, less independence, and worse outcomes for everyone.

The future of work shouldn’t force a choice between flexibility and stability. Instacart shoppers deserve both. All app-based workers deserve both. For millions of Americans, it’s not about punching a clock. It’s about having the freedom to decide when and how to work, paired with the benefits that help them thrive.

^{1 Based on a survey of 1,800 Instacart shoppers in the United States conducted by David Binder Research in July 2025.}

*Data in this post resulting from a survey of 1,800 Instacart shoppers in the United States conducted by David Binder Research in July 2025.