2026 tax year · gig & platform work

Gig economy tax calculator

Grouped by what you can deduct. That, not which app pays you, is what changes the tax.

Gig income is self-employment income: no tax is withheld, you owe self-employment tax on top of income tax, and your deductions are whatever your work costs. But those costs differ sharply by what you do: a driver's whole return turns on mileage, a seller's on cost of goods, a creator's on equipment. Pick the category that fits your work.

Driving and delivery

Mileage is the whole deduction.

Services and tasks

Tools, supplies, travel between jobs.

Creators

Equipment, software, home studio.

Sellers

Cost of goods, fees, shipping.

Rental hosts

The 14-day rule and depreciation.

What every gig category shares

Income is reported on Schedule C, and net profit is subject to 15.3% self-employment tax.
No one withholds tax, so most gig workers owe quarterly estimated payments.
The right deductions are the ones tied to your work, and the category pages lead with those.
A 1099-K now arrives for far more sellers and hosts; it reports gross, before fees and refunds.

Whatever you drive, sell or make

Tools every gig worker needs

The full 1099 picture Self-employment tax plus federal and state income tax on your net profit, all in one estimate. Self-employmentBy state Quarterly estimated taxes Nobody withholds on gig income, so you pay the IRS four times a year. See each 2026 payment and due date. Form 1040-ESDue dates What your 1099-K means Platforms now report gross payments before fees and refunds. See what's taxable and what to subtract. 1099-K Real $/hour and $/mile After gas, wear and the platform's cut, what a shift pays. The number the app doesn't show you. Net pay Mileage deduction For drivers the standard mileage rate is usually the biggest write-off there is. See what your miles are worth. Standard rate Deductions by profession What your specific trade can legitimately write off against Schedule C profit, beyond the obvious. Schedule C

Your category decides your deductions

All gig work is self-employment income, but the tax turns on what you do. A rideshare driver lives and dies by mileage; an Etsy seller by cost of goods and platform fees; a creator by equipment and home-studio costs. Start from the category that fits your work, then plan the self-employment tax and quarterly payments that apply to every gig alike.

Find the full self-employment picture

Gig income is self-employment income for the 2026 tax year. Not tax advice.