Shipt vs. Instacart: Which Is Better? (Cost and Service Comparison)
With the surge of demand for online grocery shopping, grocery delivery services gained a lot of popularity. Shipt and Instacart are the top two grocery delivery services, and in this article, we’ll compare the two to find out which one is better.
The comparison is based on multiple criteria, including grocery prices, fees, service quality, and store availability.
We’ll cover our findings more in detail below, but here’s the answer to the most commonly asked question; which grocery delivery service is better, Shipt or Instacart?
Although Shipt and Instacart have similar prices and services, Instacart is better overall because of its broader coverage. Instacart delivers from most of the top grocery chains, whereas Shipt has limited store availability. Additionally, Instacart’s monthly membership cost is 10% less than Shipt’s.
Let’s take a deep dive into each delivery service and look at the findings.
Shipt vs. Instacart: Costs
The main costs for Shipt and Instacart are membership, delivery, and service fees. We’ll cover these fees for each service below:
What Is the Membership Fee For Instacart?
Instacart’s membership is called Instacart Express. The annual membership for Instacart Express costs $99, and the monthly membership cost is $9.99.
With an Instacart Express membership, customers get free delivery for orders over $35.
What Is the Membership Fee For Shipt?
The annual Shipt membership costs $99, and the monthly cost is $10.99.
With a Shipt membership, customers get free delivery for orders over $35.
What Are the Delivery Fees For Instacart?
With an Instacart Express membership, customers get free delivery for orders over $35.
If you don’t have a membership, Instacart charges a standard $3.99 delivery fee for orders over $35.
For orders under $35, the delivery fees vary based on the order size and the requested delivery time. You should expect to pay from $4.99 to $7.99.
What Are the Delivery Fees For Shipt?
With a Shipt membership, customers get free delivery for orders over $35. For orders under $35, Shipt charges a flat $7 delivery fee.
If you don’t have a membership, Shipt charges a $10 delivery fee for all orders.
What Are the Service Fees for Shipt and Instacart?
Shipt service fees vary by store, and there’s no clear explanation from Shipt. Instacart charges a 5% service fee to non-members.
If you are an Instacart Express member, you pay a reduced service fee, starting at 1.99%.
We will summarize all fees in the table below and conclude the winner of the cost comparison:
| Fees | Shipt | Instacart |
| Membership | $99/year – $10.99/mon. | $99/year- $9.99/mon. |
| Delivery | Members: Orders over $35 – (Free) Orders under $35 – ($7) Non-members: ($10) | Members: Orders over $35 – (Free) Orders under $35 – ($4.99-$7.99) Non-members: Orders over $35 – ($3.99) Orders under $35 – ($ 4.99 – $7.99) |
| Service | Varies by store | Members: Starts at 1.99% Non-members: 5% |
Instacart is the winner of the cost comparison.
While both Shipt and Instacart have the same annual membership costs, Instacart’s monthly membership fee is 10% less than Shipt’s.
Additionally, Shipt’s $7 and $10 delivery fees are a little steep.
With Instacart, you pay from $3.99 to $7.99, and if you don’t request delivery at peak hours, you can stay close to the lower end.
Shipt vs. Instacart: Grocery Prices
When it comes to grocery prices, Shipt and Instacart seem to have a close race.
Grocery stores set their own prices on Instacart. Instacart charges grocery stores a “personal shopping” fee, and some stores charge higher prices on Instacart to offset this fee.
At the same time, some stores continue to honor in-store prices.
You can find out each store’s pricing policy if you click the “More info” link at the top of their Instacart page.
Shipt, on the other hand, charges a markup on every item purchased.
According to Shipt, customers should expect to pay $5 more for a $35 order.
To find out which one has lower prices, we compared the prices of several products at H-E-B through Shipt, Instacart, and Heb.com
| Shipt | Instacart | Heb.com | |
| H-E-B Fat-free Milk 1 Gal. | $3.39 | $3.53 | $3.17 |
| H-E-B Organic Eggs 12ct | $5.09 | $5.43 | $4.88 |
| H-E-B Prime Ribeye 1lb | $15.39 | $15.32 | $13.38 |
| Central Market Spaghetti 16oz | $2.29 | $2.15 | $1.94 |
| Gain Original Detergent 100oz | $11.79 | $11.38 | $10.24 |
| Fresh Avocado Large 1ct | $1.79 | $1.72 | $1.55 |
| Desert Creek Honey 12oz | $7.09 | $6.81 | $6.13 |
| Tabasco Original 5oz | $4.29 | $4.08 | $3.67 |
| SkinnyPop Popcorn 6ct | $5.29 | $5.13 | $4.61 |
| Total | $56.41 | $55.55 | $49.57 |
We’re declaring a tie for the grocery price comparison.
Heb.com’s total price was the lowest among the three. However, the difference between Shipt’s and Instacart’s subtotals was less than $1.
We randomly picked these items, and as you can see, Shipt is slightly higher than Instacart on some items and vice versa.
We can conclude there’s no significant difference between Shipt and Instacart in terms of grocery prices.
Shipt vs. Instacart: Store Partnerships
When you log in to Shipt or Instacart app, you will see the list of partnering stores in your area. This list will change based on where you live, but usually, Instacart has a larger number of stores available.
According to Shipt’s website, the list of stores they partner with includes:
| ABC Fine Wine & Spirits | H-E-B |
| Central Market | Meijer |
| Costco | Harris Teeter |
| Crest Foods | Target |
| CVS | Winn Dixie |
| Dierbergs |
Compared to Shipt, Instacart delivers groceries from more stores since they partner with over 300 national and local retailers.
Some of Instacart’s partners include:
| Albertsons | H-E-B |
| ALDI | Publix |
| Costco | Sam’s Club |
| CVS | Sprouts |
| Kroger | Winn Dixie |
| Loblaw | Wegmans |
Instacart is the winner of the store partnerships comparison. They partner with some of the biggest grocery chains in the US.
By partnering with big grocery chains, Instacart can service more customers than Shipt.
According to their website, Instacart’s service is now available to more than 85% of households across 50 States.
Shipt vs. Instacart: Service Quality
Instacart and Shipt both provide great service to customers.
Shoppers for both services pick good quality products and deliver within the specified timeframe.
It’s so much easier for me and my family to use delivery services. Our area only has Instacart and DD right now, but I couldn’t have survived this year without delivery folks. First responders and delivery people are heroes. ❤️????
— LoriMac (@Lizzle_McNizzle) September 30, 2020
The websites and apps are similar and very user-friendly. The checkout process is easy, and order updates are communicated clearly.
You have the option to chat with your shopper on both platforms while they are picking up your groceries.
It’s great to communicate with shoppers because sometimes they need your feedback for item replacements or refunds.
Ship and Instacart both allow you to specify replacements before you place the order.
With Shipt, you have three options, “no substitutions,” “substitute for me,” or “contact me for substitutions.”
Instacart also has similar options. You can choose “don’t replace,” “pick a specific replacement,” or “replace with the best match.”
Winner: Tie
Overall, it is a tie between Shipt and Instacart for service comparison.
Both Shipt and Instacart shoppers are friendly and well-trained, and they pick good quality items.
Their websites and apps are easy to navigate and work flawlessly. Also, both companies have very responsive and professional customer service.
These member stories have us in our feels. ???? ???? pic.twitter.com/w6xaJlAqqk
— Shipt (@Shipt) August 13, 2020
Shipt vs. Instacart: Deals and Coupons
Shipt and Instacart both offer digital coupons and exclusive deals. However, neither of them accepts printed coupons.
You can click on the “Savings” tab in both apps to see the latest deals.
They have good deals available at any given time, so we recommend checking this section to maximize your savings.
If you have a store loyalty/rewards card, you can link your card to both Shipt and Instacart to receive store benefits.
It’s a great perk to have because you can use those points towards gas purchases or special promotions at your favorite stores.
We covered how grocery pricing works for Shipt and Instacart earlier.
It’s worth mentioning that even if you add your store loyalty cards, you may still not be eligible to receive discounts or promotions associated with your card.
With loyalty card integration, you mainly get store points and rewards.
One other way to save money on Shipt and Instacart is through Ibotta.
You can link your Ibotta account with Shipt and Instacart to earn cashback.
Ibotta is our favorite rebate app since they have great cashback offers all the time.
Winner: Tie
It is a tie between Shipt and Instacart for deals and coupons comparison.
Shipt and Instacart both have exclusive deals available, and they allow store loyalty card integration to receive rewards at your favorite stores.
Shipt vs. Instacart: Which One Should You Pick?
If you still haven’t decided which service is better for you, follow the steps below to choose between Shipt or Instacart:
- Confirm service availability in your area: Check Shipt and Instacart websites to find out if they deliver to your address.
- Pick the stores to compare prices: You will see the list of stores Shipt and Instacart partner with at your location. Choose stores on both apps to compare prices.
- Compare prices on both apps: I’d recommend picking 5-10 items on your grocery list and checking the prices on both apps. This step will require some time, especially if you have many stores available in your area. But it’s a good investment of time to find the lowest prices.
- Calculate delivery and service fees: For Instacart, add a $3.99 delivery and 5% service fee to your subtotal. For Shipt, add a $10 delivery fee for non-members.
- Choose the lowest-cost option and place your order.
If you’re happy with the service after a few orders, you should consider signing up for a membership.
Shipt and Instacart charge the same amount for an annual membership ($99/year). If you don’t want to get locked in for a year, Instacart’s monthly membership fee is the lower-cost option ($9.99/mo vs. $10.99/mo).
If you’re planning to order from Shipt or Instacart at least twice a month, you can save money on delivery fees by signing up for a membership.
Lastly, you can find the summary of our comparison and the winner for each section in the table below:
Regardless of which service you choose, you will enjoy the convenience of grocery shopping from your home.
Online grocery shopping has become an integral part of our lives and is expected to grow in the upcoming years. It saves you time and the hassle of making frequent trips to the stores.
If you’re interested to find out more about online grocery shopping and how to save money, check out the related articles below:
Related Articles:
How to Contact Shipt Customer Service (By Phone, Chat, and More)
Does Shipt Have Pickup? (Yes, Here’s How It Works)
Do You Tip Shipt Shoppers? (Yes, Here’s How Much)
