Gig Worker Bookkeeping - Track Uber, DoorDash & Delivery Income
Driving for Uber, DoorDash, Instacart, or other gig platforms means tracking income, mileage, and vehicle expenses for taxes. SheetLink automatically syncs your bank account to Google Sheets, giving you real-time visibility into gig earnings, deductible expenses, and quarterly tax obligations—all in one spreadsheet.
Why Gig Workers Choose SheetLink
Most gig workers track earnings manually or don't track expenses at all, resulting in overpaid taxes. SheetLink automates the busywork:
- Auto-sync gig income - Track Uber, DoorDash, Instacart deposits automatically
- Track vehicle expenses - Gas, maintenance, insurance, car washes
- Calculate mileage deductions - Import mileage data and calculate 67 cents/mile deduction
- Quarterly tax estimates - Know what you owe before tax season
- Schedule C preparation - Organized records for tax filing
- Affordable pricing - $2/month vs Hurdlr at $10/month
How to Set Up Your Gig Worker Finance Tracker
Get your gig finances organized in under 10 minutes:
- Install SheetLink Chrome Extension - Add from Chrome Web Store
- Connect Your Bank Account - Link the account where Uber/DoorDash deposits earnings via Plaid
- Connect Your Credit/Debit Card - Track gas and vehicle expenses automatically
- Create Your Gig Worker Sheet - Start with a blank sheet or gig worker template
- Sync Transactions - SheetLink pulls in all deposits and expenses
- Add Mileage Tracking - Import weekly mileage from Stride or MileIQ
- Calculate Net Profit - Use formulas to track income minus mileage and expenses
Track Income from Multiple Gig Platforms
SheetLink syncs deposits from all gig platforms so you can see your total earnings:
Rideshare Platforms
- Uber (rideshare)
- Lyft
- Uber Black
- Local taxi companies
- Medical transport (MTM, Veyo)
Delivery Platforms
- DoorDash
- Uber Eats
- Grubhub
- Instacart
- Amazon Flex
- Shipt
Add a "Platform" column to tag each deposit. See which platform pays best per hour and focus your time accordingly.
Maximize Your Mileage Deduction
The standard mileage deduction is the biggest tax benefit for gig workers. Here's how to track it:
Step 1: Track Every Business Mile
Use apps like Stride, MileIQ, Everlance, or Gridwise to automatically track mileage while you drive. Log miles from the moment you turn on the app until you turn it off (includes miles between deliveries/rides).
Step 2: Export Monthly Mileage
Most mileage apps let you export CSV or PDF reports. Add monthly totals to your SheetLink spreadsheet.
Step 3: Calculate Deduction
Multiply business miles by standard rate ($0.67/mile for 2024). Example: 20,000 miles × $0.67 = $13,400 deduction.
Step 4: Compare to Actual Expenses
SheetLink tracks actual vehicle costs (gas, insurance, maintenance). Compare total actual expenses vs standard mileage deduction. Use whichever is higher (but you must pick one method per vehicle per year).
What Vehicle Expenses Can Gig Workers Deduct?
SheetLink syncs all vehicle-related transactions from your bank and credit cards:
Actual Expense Method
Gas, oil changes, repairs, tires, car washes, insurance, registration fees, lease payments, depreciation. Deduct business-use percentage only (e.g., if 80% of miles are business, deduct 80% of expenses).
Standard Mileage Method (Recommended)
67 cents/mile for 2024 (covers gas, depreciation, maintenance). Simpler and often results in larger deduction for high-mileage drivers. Can still deduct parking, tolls, and interest on car loan separately.
Other Deductible Costs
Cell phone bill (business portion), phone mount/charger, dash cam, insulated delivery bags, hand sanitizer, parking fees, tolls, roadside assistance (AAA), car cleaning supplies.
Calculate Your Gig Worker Profit & Taxes
Understanding your true profit after expenses is critical for financial planning:
Example: DoorDash Driver (Annual)
Without tracking mileage, you'd pay tax on the full $45,000 and owe $12,000+ in taxes. Proper tracking saves $4,000+/year.
Quarterly Estimated Taxes for Gig Workers
Gig platforms don't withhold taxes, so you must pay quarterly. Here's your schedule:
Q1: April 15 Deadline
Calculate Jan-Mar income minus expenses/mileage. Pay 25-30% of net profit via IRS Form 1040-ES or irs.gov/payments.
Q2: June 15 Deadline
Calculate Apr-May income. Adjust if you drove more or less than Q1.
Q3: September 15 Deadline
Calculate Jun-Aug income. Summer is often busy for delivery drivers—plan accordingly.
Q4: January 15 Deadline (next year)
Calculate Sep-Dec income. Holiday season is peak for delivery apps. Don't get caught short.
Prepare Schedule C for Gig Work
Gig workers file Schedule C (Profit or Loss from Business) with their 1040. SheetLink organizes your data:
- Part I - Income: Gross receipts from all platforms (Uber, DoorDash, etc)
- Part II - Expenses: Car and truck expenses (standard mileage or actual), commissions/fees (platform fees if applicable), supplies (delivery bags), other (phone, parking)
- Part IV - Vehicle Info: Date placed in service, business miles, commuting miles, total miles, yes/no questions about vehicle availability
- Line 9: Car and truck expenses: Either enter mileage deduction OR actual expenses (not both)
SheetLink gives you organized transaction history plus mileage totals, making Schedule C completion fast and accurate.
Multi-Platform Strategy with SheetLink
Many gig workers use multiple apps to maximize earnings. SheetLink tracks them all:
- Stack platforms - Run Uber Eats and DoorDash simultaneously to minimize wait time
- Track earnings per platform - See which pays best in your market
- Identify peak times - Filter SheetLink data by date/time to find highest-earning hours
- Calculate effective hourly rate - Income per hour after expenses (don't forget to subtract mileage cost)
SheetLink vs. Gig Worker Finance Apps
| Tool | Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| SheetLink | $2/month | Gig workers who want bank sync + spreadsheet flexibility |
| Stride | Free (basic), $8/month (tax filing) | Mileage tracking + basic expense tracking |
| Hurdlr | $10/month | Gig workers needing real-time profit tracking |
| Everlance | $8/month | Mileage + expense tracking with reporting |
Best approach: Use Stride (free) for automatic mileage tracking, then sync your bank transactions to SheetLink for complete financial picture at the lowest cost.
Real Gig Worker Use Cases
Carlos - Full-Time Uber Driver
Challenge: Carlos drove 30+ hours/week but didn't track mileage. Paid tax on gross income and got a $9,000 tax bill.
Solution: Started using Stride for mileage (free) and SheetLink for income/expense tracking. Logged 25,000 business miles = $16,750 deduction.
Result: Reduced taxable income from $55,000 to $38,250. Tax bill dropped to $5,400. Saved $3,600/year.
Jessica - Multi-App Delivery Driver
Challenge: Jessica ran DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Instacart but couldn't figure out which paid best.
Solution: SheetLink syncs deposits from all platforms. Jessica tags each deposit by app and calculates earnings per hour driven.
Result: Discovered Instacart paid $4/hour more in her market. Shifted focus to Instacart and increased monthly income by $600.
Pricing for Gig Workers
SheetLink is designed to be affordable for gig economy workers:
- Free Tier - Last 7 days of transactions (great for weekly income checks)
- Basic Plan - $2/month for 90 days of history (covers quarterly tax prep)
- Pro Plan - $10/month for 24 months of history (full tax year + prior year)
Compare to Hurdlr ($10/month) or Everlance ($8/month). SheetLink gives you automated bank sync with full spreadsheet control at the lowest price.
Get Started: Track Your Gig Income Today
Stop leaving money on the table. Track your income, maximize your mileage deduction, and keep more of what you earn.
Ready to track your gig income automatically?
Free forever for the last 7 days of transactions. Perfect for Uber, DoorDash, and delivery drivers.
Add to Chrome - Start Tracking