Postmates

What Postmates does

Postmates is an on-demand delivery marketplace founded in 2011 and headquartered in San Francisco. The platform connects three constituencies — consumers, local merchants (predominantly restaurants but also grocery, alcohol, and retail), and independent couriers — through iOS, Android, and web applications. Its "anything from anywhere" positioning extended the service beyond restaurant meals to groceries, alcohol, and convenience retail, differentiating it from peers focused primarily on restaurant food. The core product is the Postmates Delivery Platform, supplemented by Postmates Pickup (takeout without delivery fees) and Postmates Unlimited (a $9.99/month subscription with reduced fees).

The company monetizes through four streams: customer delivery fees (~50% of revenue), merchant commissions of 15-30% per order, the Postmates Unlimited subscription, and an Enterprise API Platform that contributed 8-12% of revenue via integrations with Starbucks, Walmart, and Apple. Distribution is mobile-first and self-serve, with consumers ordering directly and couriers signing up independently; merchants onboard via a self-service portal. Hyperlocal density in major U.S. urban markets and Puerto Rico was the operating thesis, supported by relationships with small- and medium-sized restaurants.

In December 2020, Uber acquired Postmates for approximately $2.65 billion in an all-stock transaction, integrating the Postmates operations and brand into Uber Eats to consolidate its North American third-party delivery position. Prior to the deal, Postmates had raised roughly $778M across 14 rounds led by Tiger Global Management, Spark Capital, and Founders Fund, and pursued adjacencies including autonomous last-mile delivery pilots with Ford and the 2021 spin-out of Serve Robotics into a standalone sidewalk delivery robot company. The company also faced structural headwinds, including thin margins, high customer acquisition costs, and regulatory exposure around gig worker classification (notably California's AB5 law).

Name

Postmates

Legal name

Postmates Inc.

Website

https://postmates.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Postmates operates an on-demand delivery marketplace connecting consumers with local restaurants, grocery, and retail merchants via independent couriers. It was acquired by Uber in December 2020 for $2.65 billion and now operates under Uber Eats.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

On-Demand Delivery Platform

NAICS

Couriers and Express Delivery Services (49211)

SIC

Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210)

akta.pro primary industry

Restaurant Meal Delivery Platforms & Aggregators (AFAIAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Food Delivery & Restaurant Logistics Platforms (BPAMAHAB), Restaurant Meal Delivery Platforms (TLAAAHAA), On-demand Grocery Delivery Platforms (CRAFAFAA), Marketplace-Managed Parcel Delivery (In-House Seller Fulfillment) (TLAAAFAA)

Keywords

• Food delivery platform
• On-demand delivery
• Restaurant delivery
• Grocery delivery
• Courier marketplace

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Customer Fees: Customer fees represent approximately 50% of earnings, charged for delivery services
2. Merchant Commissions: Merchant commissions of 15-30% per order charged to restaurants and merchants
3. Postmates Unlimited Subscription: $9.99/month subscription program offering unlimited deliveries with reduced fees
4. Enterprise API Integrations: Enterprise API integrations with companies like Starbucks, Walmart, and Apple contributing 8-12% of total revenue

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Postmates operates a three-sided on-demand delivery marketplace connecting consumers with local restaurants, grocery stores, and retailers through a fleet of independent couriers. Customers order food, drinks, groceries, alcohol, and other goods via the Postmates mobile app or website for delivery or pickup. Postmates also offers a subscription program (Postmates Unlimited) and enterprise API integrations enabling brands to embed delivery into their own channels.

Product overview

Postmates operates as a three-sided marketplace connecting customers, local merchants, and independent couriers through its digital platform. The core offering is the Postmates Delivery Platform, supplemented by Postmates Pickup for takeout orders and Postmates Unlimited subscription for $9.99/month. The Enterprise API Platform, contributing 8-12% of revenue, enables partners like Starbucks, Walmart, and Apple to integrate on-demand delivery. Postmates was acquired by Uber in December 2020 for approximately $2.65 billion, after which its operations were integrated into Uber Eats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Postmates Delivery Platform On-demand food, grocery, and alcohol delivery platform connecting customers with local merchants through independent courier fleets, operating across major U.S. urban markets and Puerto Rico. Customers place orders via iOS/Android apps or the website.
• Postmates Pickup Takeout and pickup service allowing customers to order from local restaurants and retrieve orders directly without delivery charges.
• Postmates Unlimited Subscription membership program at $9.99/month offering free delivery on eligible orders and additional perks to drive customer loyalty and repeat usage.
• Enterprise API Platform B2B integration platform enabling enterprise partners such as Starbucks, Walmart, and Apple to offer on-demand delivery through Postmates infrastructure, contributing 8-12% of total revenue.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• KrogercoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Kroger switched on rapid delivery service through Uber Eats, Uber, and Postmates apps, allowing customers to access Kroger's grocery offerings through multiple delivery platforms.
• Ford Motor CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Ford partnered with Postmates to pilot a last-mile autonomous delivery program in Miami, involving over 70 local businesses. Specially equipped Transit Connect vans with a multi-locker delivery system were used for research purposes, studying how consumers and businesses interact with autonomous delivery vehicles.
• Uber TechnologiescoreOthersUber acquired Postmates for approximately $2.65 billion in an all-stock transaction in December 2020, combining Uber Eats and Postmates under one umbrella to create a stronger third-party delivery marketplace across North America.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• DoorDash: Largest US third-party food delivery marketplace connecting consumers, restaurants, and Dashers. Direct competitor to Postmates across consumer delivery, restaurant commission structure, and subscription (DashPass), making it the closest comparable on business model and customer base.
• Uber Eats: Uber's owned-and-operated food delivery marketplace; now Postmates' sibling platform following the 2020 acquisition. Comparable on three-sided marketplace model, courier network, and enterprise API integrations, and the principal competitor Postmates was consolidated with.
• Grubhub: US-focused restaurant delivery marketplace acquired by Just Eat Takeaway. Comparable as a third-party delivery platform for SMB restaurants with a diner subscription (Grubhub+) and a similar commission model.
• Caviar: Premium restaurant delivery marketplace originally independent, now owned by Block (Square). Comparable as a curated food delivery marketplace targeting higher-end restaurants with a similar three-sided structure.
• Deliveroo: UK-headquartered on-demand food delivery marketplace operating across Europe and parts of Asia. Comparable on three-sided marketplace model, courier network, restaurant partnerships, and subscription (Deliveroo Plus).
• Seamless: US corporate-focused food delivery marketplace owned by Grubhub. Comparable on restaurant delivery model with a specific concentration on office/workplace ordering, overlapping with Postmates' urban SMB and consumer segments.

Emerging players

• Instacart: On-demand grocery delivery marketplace connecting consumers with retail grocers and personal shoppers. Comparable as a marketplace-based delivery business but focused on grocery rather than restaurant meals — overlap with Postmates' grocery and alcohol use cases.
• Gopuff: Vertically integrated instant-needs delivery platform operating micro-fulfillment centers. Comparable on 'anything delivery' positioning and 24/7 convenience, but operates a dark-store model rather than a pure restaurant marketplace.

Broad incumbents

• Just Eat Takeaway: Global online food delivery marketplace operator combining Just Eat and Takeaway.com brands. Comparable as a broad incumbent in restaurant delivery marketplaces with a similar merchant commission model and subscription layer.

Regional players

• Zomato: India-headquartered restaurant discovery and food delivery marketplace with international operations. Comparable on three-sided restaurant marketplace model and subscription (Zomato Gold), though geographically distant from Postmates' core US footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/postmates
• Facebookfacebook.com/Postmates
• Instagraminstagram.com/postmates
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/postmates

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds14 records

Investors35 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A3 records

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Postmates