Grocery delivery is one of the greatest things modern technology has brought us! You don’t have to worry about driving during unpleasant weather, standing in long lines, or getting your debit card in the car. Online grocery ordering and delivery services eliminate these less enjoyable aspects of shopping.
Instacart and Walmart are two of the biggest companies offering grocery delivery services. After pouring through reviews and lots of research, it’s clear that Instacart is the better grocery delivery service!
We’re going to go into detail about the specifics of these two grocery delivery services, including the areas they serve, membership options, and more. Stick around to read our full review of Instacart and Walmart grocery delivery services!
What’s the Difference Between Instacart and Walmart Grocery Delivery?
There are several differences between Instacart and Walmart’s delivery services. The biggest and most obvious difference is where customers can get their groceries from. With Walmart’s service, you’re limited to their store only. Instacart has the advantage here because you can order from multiple stores as long as they’re within a certain radius of your home.
Other differences between these services include their membership pricing, free trial period, and the areas they service. We’re going to dive into the details of these differences throughout this guide so you can see why Instacart is the better choice for grocery delivery.
Walmart Grocery Delivery
Walmart has allowed other companies like Door Dash to deliver groceries to their customers, but in 2019, they launched their own delivery service through Walmart+. This delivery service allows you to order items from a Walmart store near you and have them delivered right to your doorstep.
Walmart+ allows you to purchase more than groceries. You can also buy items from their health & beauty, clothing, toy, electronics, and any other departments. Customers can do an entire shopping trip without ever having to leave their homes, and if an item you requested isn’t in stock, then the Walmart associate filling your order will try to find a close replacement.
An interesting thing to note about Walmart’s grocery delivery service is that Walmart employees aren’t the ones delivering your groceries. Independent contractors can sign up to deliver groceries from Walmart through apps like Point Pickup and Spark. Walmart associates fill your orders in the store, but independent contractors deliver them to your door.
Instacart
Instacart has been around a lot longer than Walmart+! This grocery delivery service was launched in 2012, and quickly grew to partner with over 900 regional, national, and local retail brands as of 2022.
This grocery delivery company has a membership option for those who plan on using their service frequently, which is called Instacart+ (previously Instacart Express). You can buy more than just groceries with Instacart.
The stores Instacart is partnered with allow customers to purchase anything in stock. So, if you’re buying from Target, then you could purchase groceries, beauty supplies, baby supplies, and more all at once.
Instacart partners with retailers, but they hire independent contractors to make deliveries. However, unlike Walmart+, these independent contractors also do all the order filling as well.
Comparison Questions (Instacart vs Walmart Delivery)
Is Instacart or Walmart Delivery More Affordable?
The one downside that keeps many customers from getting with the grocery delivery trend is the fact that it will cost more than going to the store and buying your own groceries. However, most grocery delivery services have pretty reasonable fees, including Instacart and Walmart.
Both Instacart and Walmart have membership options for customers that plan on using their services frequently. The memberships save you money and provide you with additional perks. However, you don’t need to have a membership to receive grocery delivery from Instacart or Walmart.
Instacart Fees:
Without a membership, you’ll be paying a fee of $3.99 for same-day delivery on orders over $35. The fee for deliveries under $35 varies, and your order must be a minimum of $10 to be eligible for delivery.
Additionally, there are some other fees to be aware of with this delivery service. Instacart charges a “heavy fee” if the combined weight of your items exceeds 50lbs. You’ll also have to pay an alcohol fee if you want to have alcoholic beverages delivered, and customers will be charged a long-distance fee if their delivery address is thirty or more minutes away from the selected store.
Walmart Fees:
Walmart charges between $7.95-$9.95 to deliver products to non-Walmart+ members. There may also be other fees associated with your order depending on the weight of the order, whether you purchase anything alcoholic, and how quickly you need the groceries delivered.
If you’re comparing Instacart and Walmart deliveries without having a membership, then Instacart seems to be the more affordable option.
Is Instacart+ or Walmart+ More Worth It?
When you try to order from Instacart or Walmart without a membership, both services are going to encourage you to purchase their membership. Each membership comes with lower fees and enticing additional benefits, so they’re worth a look if you plan on using these delivery services frequently.
Let’s compare the memberships Instacart and Walmart offer to see which is more worth it!
Instacart+
Instacart+ is a very new membership option. It launched on June 15, 2022, as a way for customers to save more while using Instacart’s delivery services. You can either purchase this membership through a yearly fee of $99 or a monthly fee of $9.99.
Here are the perks of an Instacart+ membership:
- All orders over $35 have zero delivery fees and discounted related fees (alcohol fee, heavy fee, etc.)
- Customers receive 5% cash back on eligible pickup orders
- You’re charged a 1.9% service fee versus non-members, who are charged a 5% service fee
- Customers can access the Family Cart feature, which allows them to shop with family and friends. You can then split the cost of all the groceries between each person
- Instacart+ has a Family Account option, which allows customers to add family members to their Instacart+ account for no extra fee
Instacart offers a 14-day free trial for their membership, during which time you won’t be charged. After the trial is over, you either cancel it free of charge or start paying for the annual or monthly membership.
Walmart+
Walmart+ is also relatively new, although it came on the scene in 2019. Their service allows customers to receive deliveries from a Walmart store near them. You can purchase anything in the store and receive quick delivery straight to your door.
This membership also has monthly and annual options. The monthly subscription fee is $12.95, and their annual fee is $98.
Here are the perks of a Walmart+ membership:
- Free delivery on orders of $35 or more
- 30 free trial option
- Receive up to $0.10 gas discount at certain gas stations (Exxon, Mobil, Walmart, and Murphy)
- Access the Scan & Go option on the Walmart mobile app, which allows you to scan products and pay as you shop in-store, so you don’t need to visit a checkout register
- Receive six free months of Spotify Premium
- Get early access to special deals and offers, like Black Friday
- Free access to Paramount+ Essential streaming plan
- Cashback rebates on certain items in partnership with Ibotta
- Can pay an additional $40 per year to have your groceries delivered to your home and put in your refrigerator for you
The perks of a Walmart+ membership are incredibly varied and cover more than just shopping perks! With access to ad-free music and streaming subscriptions, Walmart+ has way more perks than Instacart+.
Does Instacart+ or Walmart+ Service More Areas?
One of the biggest reasons people decide to go with a grocery delivery service is convenience. It’s very helpful to have your groceries delivered to you when you’re working full-time, taking care of a family, and indulging in hobbies. However, some people live in very rural areas where Instacart and Walmart delivery services aren’t available.
Instacart operates in thousands of cities across the US and Canada, but they aren’t as widespread as Walmart. Walmart has 5,520 stores worldwide, and most of these locations offer delivery services.
Does Instacart or Walmart Have Lower-Priced Groceries?
When you order delivery from Walmart, you’re almost guaranteed to get lower-priced groceries than anything you order through Instacart. Walmart has built itself on a foundation of offering lower prices than other surrounding businesses, which is partially why it’s become such a popular store.
Instacart allows you to buy groceries and other products from a variety of stores such as Target, Aldi’s, Food Lion, etc. Most of the products at these stores are more expensive than what you’ll buy from Walmart. In addition to that, Instacart charges customers a service fee, so you’re paying that fee on top of the cost of your products.
Overall, you’ll have a cheaper buying experience with Walmart delivery than Instacart.
Does Instacart or Walmart Delivery Have Better Customer Service?
Instacart and Walmart’s delivery services appear to have excellent customer service based on reviews. Both offer free delivery on orders of $35 or more (as long as you have a membership), and they have options for quick/same-day delivery.
There are options with both services to substitute for a different product if something you selected is out of stock, and getting refunded for receiving the wrong item is a simple process.
The apps for Instacart and Walmart delivery are easy to navigate and provide users with a simple format for selecting their groceries. Each app accepts several payment methods, including major cards like Visa, EBT, and even Paypal. In terms of their customer service, these two grocery delivery services are pretty evenly matched.
Related Questions:
Is Instacart Express The Same As Instacart+?
Instacart Express was the name for Instacart’s membership originally. This name was changed to Instacart+ by the company to more easily convey the benefits their membership program offers. You may still see some references to Instacart Express in their app, but the membership is now officially called Instacart+.
What Stores Is Instacart Partnered With?
Instacart is partnered with dozens of major, regional, and local retailers all over the US and Canada. Some of the most popular retailers partnered with Instacart include ALDI, Costco, CVS, Kroger, Publix, Sprouts, Food Lion, Albertsons, and Wegman’s.
Can You Order Groceries From Walmart With Instacart?
You might be surprised to learn that you can order your groceries from Walmart with Instacart! Walmart’s delivery service usually offers windows of time customers can select to have their groceries delivered. Going through Instacart could allow you to have your items delivered in as little as an hour. So, if you already have an Instacart membership and don’t want to sign up for Walmart+, you can still get your favorite Walmart products through the Instacart app.
The Verdict– Which Has Better Grocery Delivery?
While Walmart’s delivery service is cheaper than Instacart’s and offers many impressive benefits, it falls short of being the better delivery service. Instacart allows you to get groceries from a large variety of stores, services thousands of stores across the US and Canada, and will even bring you groceries from Walmart! If you’re looking for a reliable grocery delivery service where you can get products delivered from all your favorite stores, then you’ll want to stick with Instacart!
