Overview
- The APP indicator developed by Fundación Encuentro found in March 2026 that a delivery worker needed about 453 orders a month, roughly 15 deliveries a day, to reach the Canasta Básica Total for a four‑person household.
- The calculation uses an average gross payment of $3,165.20 per delivery and does not subtract fuel, maintenance, phone or other operating costs, so 453 orders is a conservative floor rather than a net take‑home estimate.
- Payments vary by platform: PedidosYa raised its per‑delivery rates in March 2026 while Rappi kept rates frozen since October 2025, creating divergent purchasing power for workers depending on which app they use.
- Argentine authorities have fined platforms for failing to register workers and the Buenos Aires provincial Supreme Court upheld most sanctions, while unions say preapproved loans with very high interest rates are being repaid via wage deductions and lengthen workers’ hours.
- New York provides a contrasting model: a DCWP report says rules that force visible tip options have returned an estimated US$104 million to delivery workers since January 26, 2026, showing that app design and enforcement can quickly shift earnings to couriers.