Over the past year, demand for grocery delivery has exploded among shoppers. Among those in quarantine, home delivery is vital. The convenience of getting pantry staples and fresh meats, dairy, and produce delivered has been an eye-opener. Delivery times and fees vary, but delivery services are appealing to anyone who is ready to abandon their weekly trip to the grocery store and avoid crowded Saturday parking lots. Here are some of the best.
Instacart
Local shoppers will pick up your groceries from your favorite neighborhood store. You can even order from Costco and Sam’s Club without a membership, but you will pay higher prices than members. In some areas, you can order from liquor stores, pet stores, and pharmacies. You’ll receive updates as your shopper works through your list, and the shopper will contact you through the app if any questions come up.
Delivery Fee: $3.99 with orders of $10 or more, or free delivery with an Instacart Express subscription.
Membership required: Optional. Instacart Express costs $99 per year or $9.99 per month.
Availability: 40 states
Get started on Instacart (click here)
Walmart
You can shop from all of Walmart’s grocery offerings (and anything in store, from tech to clothing) and get same-day delivery on Walmart’s dedicated Walmart Grocery app. You get anything Walmart sells at low Walmart prices, which makes this one of the best grocery delivery services. The service also offers curbside pickup.
Delivery Fee: $7.95 to $9.95, or free delivery with Walmart Plus. All Walmart delivery services have a $35 order minimum.
Membership required: Optional. The Walmart Plus unlimited delivery plan costs $12.95 per month or $98 per year.
Availability: 1,600 cities
Get started on Walmart Grocery (click here) or Walmart Plus (click here)
Amazon’s Prime Now
Groceries from Whole Foods such as fresh produce, cheese, and meat are available for delivery on Prime Now, along with prepared foods and baked goods. Prime Now gives you access to Amazon goods, including the brand’s own groceries and household items. You’ll see Whole Foods items and Amazon items separated into different carts at check out. Delivery time varies from one-hour delivery to two-day delivery (two-day delivery is rare).
Delivery Fee: Free with a minimum order of $35
Membership required: Yes, Amazon Prime ($119 per year)
Availability: Almost 100 cities
Get started on Prime Now (click here)
Amazon Fresh
Amazon Fresh puts together orders in a warehouse and offers a range of goods, from fresh produce and meat to non-perishables like pasta. The service offers Whole Foods 365 branded items but not Whole Foods perishable groceries. You can even shop for electronics, clothing, and toys on Amazon Fresh. The service will deliver your groceries in as little as one hour. Fresh is similar to Amazon’s Prime Now; industry insiders expect the services will soon merge.
Delivery Fee: Free with an order of $35 or more
Membership required: Yes, Amazon Prime ($119 per year)
Availability: More than 2,000 cities
Get started on Amazon Fresh (click here)
Shipt
Shipt is similar to Instacart but requires a membership that offers free shipping on orders over $35. Shipt has somewhat limited coverage compared to other top grocery delivery services, but it’s expanding and is now available in more than 200 cities across the nation. Along with decent prices, Shipt provides weekly sales, coupons, and budget-friendly deals. Like Instacart, you get a personal shopper who will pick from local stores, including Kroger, Target, Petco, and CVS. In some areas, you can even get alcohol.
Delivery Fee: $7 for orders under $35, free delivery for orders $35+
Membership required: Yes, $99 per year, or $14 per month
Availability: Over 200 cities in the Southeast, parts of Texas, and Chicago
Get started on Shipt (click here)
Postmates
Though Postmates is best known as a take out delivery service, local retail partners provide groceries or even common items like clothing or cellphone chargers. Simply enter your zip code on the app homepage and search “grocery” to find local participants. A Postmates driver will pick up your groceries and deliver them to your door.
Delivery Fee: Delivery charge and minimum order vary by store. Delivery is subject to surge pricing during peak hours.
Membership required: Optional. Postmates Unlimited service at $9.99 per month eliminates delivery charges for orders more than $15.
Availability: 4,200 U.S. cities
Get started on Postmates (click here)
Doordash
This food delivery platform is the latest to put supermarkets on the menu. DoorDash is joining with grocery chains to launch grocery delivery through the DoorDash app. DoorDash says the new service will allow more than 75 million customers to select from more than 10,000 items at participating stores. Everything will be available on-demand and delivered within an hour.
Delivery Fee: Delivery charge varies by store and time of day, but is usually between $1.99 and $5.99.
Membership required: Optional. DashPass subscription ($9.99 per month) offers free delivery and reduced service fees for subscribers ordering at least $12 from participating restaurants.
Availability: More than 300 U.S. cities
Get started on Doordash (click here)