6 Best Grocery Delivery Services

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Ordering your groceries online is a great way to monitor your spending and avoid the crowds at grocery stores. It’s also a great way to avoid impulse purchases.

Fortunately, grocery delivery services are increasing in popularity, which means you have more choices now than ever.

In this article, I’ll explain how grocery delivery works and highlight six of the best online grocery delivery services to help you determine which one is the best option for you.

I took a close look at each company to see how much it costs to have your groceries delivered, whether or not you need a membership and how long it takes to get your order.

This article was updated in September 2023 and I review it every 12 months. Detailed notes on all updates can be found here.


5 Things To Know About Grocery Delivery

The cost and process for having your groceries delivered vary depending on which company you order from. Here are a few things to know before choosing your delivery service and ordering your groceries:

  1. Some grocery delivery services, such as Amazon Fresh, require memberships with monthly or annual fees to get started. Other companies offer optional memberships for frequent shoppers to take advantage of free delivery. 
  2. Without a membership, you can expect to pay around $8-$10 per delivery. In addition to the delivery charge, some companies also charge a small service fee.
  3. For individual products, you may see price markups set by the retailers when shopping through Instacart or Shipt. Direct retailers with grocery delivery services, such as Walmart and Kroger, are more likely to offer the same prices you’ll find in their stores.
  4. Most of the grocery delivery services below can be accessed online or through an app on your iOS or Android device.
  5. Once you’ve signed in or indicated where you’ll need your groceries delivered, you’ll be able to select products, keep track of what’s in your cart and watch your running total. You’ll also be able to apply digital coupons, search for sales and compare prices while you’re shopping.

The Best Online Grocery Delivery Services

Whether you’re brand-loyal or deal-loyal, ordering your groceries online canbe a great way to save time and prevent impulse buys. However, before you decide where to place your order, make sure you’re aware of the delivery service’s minimum order requirements, delivery fees and membership options. 

Below, I’ve highlighted six of the best online grocery delivery services.

Amazon FreshInstacartKroger DeliveryPeapodShiptWalmart
Best For:Amazon CustomersCostco MembersKroger CustomersStop & Shop CustomersTarget CustomersWalmart Customers
Minimum Purchase:None$10None$60None$30
Delivery Fee:Free 2-hour delivery w/ $150 purchase in select areas$3.99 + 5% of order total$6.95 - $11.95$7.95 - $9.95$7 OR Free w/ $35+ order$7.95 - $9.95
Membership:Prime Members OnlyOptional
$9.99/month
Optional
$59/year or
$99/year
Optional
$13/month
Shipt membership fees and one-time delivery fees vary by market.
$99/year or
$10.99/month
($4.99/month for students)
Optional
$98/year or
$12.95/month

Delivery fees may vary per order depending on the total amount and designated time frame. Below, you’ll find more detailed information on what to expect when ordering groceries from any of these companies.


Amazon Fresh

Amazon Fresh grocery delivery truck

Minimum Amount: None
Delivery: Free for eligible purchases
Membership: Required

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Amazon offers two food delivery services: Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market Deliveries. Both services are offered for free exclusively to Amazon Prime members. The key difference is that Whole Foods Market Deliveries has products just from Whole Foods while Amazon Fresh allows you to shop a wider range of products available from Amazon warehouses throughout the country.

According to Amazon, Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market Deliveries both offer one-hour and two-hour delivery options. You can also schedule your order two or three days in advance.

If your order contains at least $150 worth of eligible products, you may be eligible for free two-hour delivery. For faster delivery or local store products, some additional fees and markups may apply. 

Standard substitutions are available for out-of-stock items. If your product was substituted with a less expensive product, you’ll be charged for the cheaper of the two.

You can find more information about Amazon Fresh online, and visit Amazon’s website to see if Amazon Fresh or Whole Foods Delivery is available in your area. Additionally, you can read our full review of Amazon Fresh here.


Instacart

Instacart grocery delivery service

Minimum Amount: $10
Delivery: Cost varies depending on your order size and delivery window.
Membership: Optional

Instacart connects you with shoppers in your area. Instead of shopping by product, you’ll choose a store in your area and shop from that store’s inventory. 

The pricing you’ll see for products on the app is set by the retailers. While many are the same as in-store prices, you may notice a slight markup on others. The amount of the additional costs varies based on the size of your order and the designated delivery window. Typically, the standard delivery fee is $3.99 and the service fee is varies

These additional charges can be avoided with Instacart +. The premium membership costs $99 annually or $9.99 monthly after a 14-day free trial. With it, you’ll get unlimited free deliveries on all orders meeting the $35 minimum requirement. You’ll also be able to order from multiple stores with no additional charge and waive peak delivery time fees. You can see a full list of + membership benefits online.

Instacart also offers the option to get a refund for out-of-stock items or replace them with the next best match. You can manage this preference in your account before placing your order.

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Kroger Grocery Delivery

Kroger grocery delivery service

Minimum Amount: None
Delivery: $6.95 to $11.95
Membership: Optional Kroger Shopper’s Card

Kroger offers grocery delivery to your door within hours. The delivery fee ranges from $6.95-$11.95. According to Kroger’s delivery terms, the delivery fee may vary based on your location, the service making the delivery and the time of your scheduled delivery. 

If an item that you’ve ordered is unavailable in the store, you can allow substitutions to receive an appropriate alternative. If you aren’t satisfied with the substituted product, you can return it to the store.

You won’t have to pay for a membership to participate in Kroger grocery delivery, though you may need to create a free online account. If you do have a Kroger Shopper’s Card, be sure to sign in using that account’s information to get the most discounts and fuel points for your purchase. 

Recently, Kroger also introduced an optional Boost Membership that costs $59/year and includes free next-day grocery delivery. Alternatively, you can pay $99/year for free grocery delivery in as little as two hours. You can check out all of the Boost Membership benefits on Kroger’s website.


Peapod

Peapod grocery delivery service

Minimum Amount: $60
Delivery: $6.95 – $9.95
Membership: Optional

Peapod is another great online grocery delivery service. It’s operated by the same owner as Stop & Shop, Martin’s and Giant-Landover, which means shoppers who frequent those stores will find familiar brands and pricing. You can shop online or with the Peapod app to have orders delivered as soon as the same day in select areas.

There’s no monthly or annual membership fee required for Peapod grocery delivery. Instead, the delivery fee varies based on the total price of your order. According to Peapod’s FAQ page, here are the delivery fees according to price range: 

Order Total:Delivery Fee:
$60-$100$9.95
$100+$6.95

Peapod does offer the optional GoPass for $119 annually, or $12.95 every month. The premium membership provides a $6.95 delivery fee credit to each of your orders under $100, which essentially ensures free delivery (or at least a maximum delivery charge of $3).

Substitutions are available for most products in case your original selections are out of stock. You can indicate whether or not you want to allow substitutions for any or all products in your account before placing your order.

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Shipt

Shipt grocery delivery services

Minimum Amount: None
Delivery: $7; Free on orders over $35
Membership: Required in some areas

Shipt offers same-day delivery as soon as one hour from stores in your area. To get started, you’ll have to choose a membership plan. The options include an annual plan for $99 (which works out to $8.25/month) or a monthly plan for $10.99. Students can get a monthly plan for $4.99. You may also be able to get a free Shipt membership by enrolling your existing Visa consumer credit card. Additionally, Shipt offers a 14-day free trial.

Once you’ve signed up for a membership or free trial, you can begin shopping online or with an app on your iOS or Android device. Choose from local stores, and you’ll be connected with a Shipt shopper to pick up your groceries and bring them to you. With your membership, orders over $35 are eligible for free delivery. For an order that costs less, you can expect a delivery fee of about $7. 

The company also prides itself on a lack of hidden fees. According to Shipt, “A small markup may be added to some items to cover the cost of handpicking each one with care, but that’s included in the price you see in the app.”

When it comes to substitutions, you can manage your preferences in your Shipt account online. If you decide to allow substitutions, you can sign up to receive texts from your shopper with information on what’s out of stock and what substitutes are available.


Walmart Grocery Delivery

Walmart grocery delivery

Minimum Amount: $30
Delivery Fee: $7.95 – $9.95
Membership: Optional

Walmart grocery delivery is the service that I’ve used the most myself. I’ve always had a great experience with the website, allowing substitutions and correcting mistakes.

If you’re using the website to place your order, you’ll see a running list of items in your cart on the right side of the screen. This makes it easy to stay under budget and keep track of what you’re purchasing. Once you’ve built your list, you can reserve a time slot for your delivery the same day as your order or for sometime later in the week. 

Walmart offers Walmart+ for $12.95 per month or $98 per year. Walmart+ allows members to order grocery delivery in select areas for free with a $35 order minimum. For customers that order more than once per month, this could be a great way to save over time. Right now, new customers can sign up for a free 30-day trial of Walmart+.

For products that you aren’t brand-loyal to, consider allowing substitutions. If any items are substituted, you’ll be charged the lower price.

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For more ways to save, check out these 7 things to know before ordering with Walmart’s free grocery pickup service.


Final Thoughts

While it may seem like the delivery fees or membership fees add up, you still have the potential to cut down on your spending at the grocery store by having your food delivered. 

You’ll be less tempted to grab unnecessary products. Shopping online also makes it much easier to track your spending and compare prices.

Again, just be sure to familiarize yourself with a grocery delivery service’s minimum order amounts, delivery fees, substitution policies and membership requirements before placing your first order. Finally, consider ordering your groceries online and picking them up at the store for even more savings.

Do you have your groceries delivered? Let us know where you order from in our Clark.com Community!

Article Updates
  • September 12, 2023: Updated Amazon Fresh’ minimum free delivery to $150
  • September 12, 2023: Updated Shipt’s membership policy and options
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