Instacart

About this app

Instacart is the leading grocery delivery platform in North America, partnering with nearly 1,500 retail banners across 80,000+ stores. Shop from your favorite grocery stores — Costco, Kroger, Safeway, Publix, Aldi, Wegmans, and more — and get everything delivered to your door in as fast as 30 minutes. Beyond groceries, Instacart delivers from pharmacies, pet stores, electronics retailers, and convenience shops. The app lets you compare prices across stores, create shopping lists, reorder favorites, and filter by dietary preferences. Instacart+ membership ($9.99/month) offers free delivery on orders over $35, reduced service fees, and exclusive savings.

Key Features

How It Works

Detailed Review

Instacart dominates grocery delivery for one simple reason: store selection. While DoorDash and Uber Eats partner with select grocers, Instacart connects to nearly every major grocery chain in North America. In our testing zip codes, we consistently found 15-25 stores available, from budget options like Aldi to premium chains like Whole Foods.

The shopping experience is well-designed. You can browse a store's full inventory, organized by aisle. Product photos are clear, nutritional info is available, and you can filter by dietary needs (gluten-free, organic, vegan). The 'Buy It Again' section remembers past purchases, making weekly grocery runs a 5-minute task.

The personal shopper model is Instacart's differentiator. A real person walks through the store picking your items. When something's out of stock, they message you through the app for a substitution preference. This real-time communication prevents the frustrating 'wrong item' problem common with automated systems.

Delivery speed has improved dramatically. Priority delivery (extra $2) consistently arrived within 30-45 minutes in our metro-area tests. Standard delivery windows are available in 1-hour, 2-hour, or scheduled slots for later in the day.

Costco delivery through Instacart is hugely popular — you don't need a Costco membership, though prices are marked up roughly 15-20%. For people who want Costco's bulk deals without the annual membership and warehouse trip, it's a compelling trade-off.

The costs add up. A typical $80 grocery order becomes $100+ after markup, delivery fee ($3.99-7.99), service fee (5%), and a reasonable tip. Instacart+ ($9.99/month) eliminates delivery fees on orders over $35 and reduces service fees, which makes it essential for regular users.

Store pickup is the hidden gem — it's completely free with no markups at many stores. An Instacart shopper picks your items, and you drive to the store to collect them. All the convenience of someone else doing your shopping without the delivery cost.

For regular grocery shoppers, Instacart is indispensable. The store selection, shopper communication, and scheduling flexibility make it the clear category leader.

App Information