Grocery Delivery Apps Compared: Instacart, Shipt, Walmart+, and Amazon Fresh

Grocery delivery apps bring your groceries directly to your door — you shop from your phone and a shopper (or delivery driver) handles the rest. This is especially helpful for people who have difficulty getting to the store, do not drive, or want to save time.

There are four main services to know about, and each one works a bit differently.

Instacart works with over 1,400 grocery chains including Kroger, Costco, Safeway, Publix, Aldi, and many local stores. You order through the Instacart app, and a local shopper picks your items and delivers them, usually within one to two hours. You pay a delivery fee per order (around $3–$10), plus a service fee, and it is customary to tip your shopper. For frequent users, Instacart+ costs about $100 per year and includes free delivery on orders over $35.

Shipt is owned by Target and works similarly to Instacart, but focuses more heavily on Target and a smaller selection of other stores. Same-day delivery, shopper model, and tipping applies. A Shipt membership is about $100 per year for free delivery.

Walmart+ is Walmart's membership program ($98 per year). It includes free delivery from your local Walmart store, fuel discounts, and access to Paramount+ streaming. If you already do most of your shopping at Walmart, this is likely the best value option.

Amazon Fresh is Amazon's grocery delivery service, available to Amazon Prime members. It delivers groceries from Amazon Fresh warehouses (which stock common grocery brands) as well as from Whole Foods Market. Delivery is available same-day or next-day in many cities. Prime membership costs $139 per year.

Quick Tip: For your first order on any of these services, look for a first-order discount. All four typically offer $10–$20 off your first delivery.