Is Shipt cheaper than Instacart? There is no single answer, and shipt vs instacart price comparisons only hold for one basket, because the total on your screen depends on your order size, your store and whether you pay for a membership. What can be compared are the published rules: what each membership costs, which fees apply, how each service treats item prices and what happens when something goes wrong.
This guide sets those rules side by side for people who buy groceries. It does not cover what the shoppers earn, which is a separate question.
What is the difference between Shipt and Instacart memberships?
Shipt’s help center offers unlimited deliveries with a monthly plan at $10.99 or a yearly plan at $99, plus a 14-day free trial.[1] Instacart’s membership, Instacart+, is a flat $99 a year or $9.99 a month, and its page says the trial auto-renews into the $99 annual plan.[2]
The yearly prices are level and the monthly prices are a dollar apart, so the fee itself rarely decides. What each plan waives does.
Shipt vs Instacart price: how do delivery and service fees compare?
Shipt members pay $0 delivery on orders over $35. Without a membership, a one-time delivery carries a $10 delivery fee. Shipt’s fee page adds that member orders under $35 have a $7 delivery fee, orders with alcohol may carry a $7 alcohol fee, and some places add a local charge: $3.99 in California, $2.99 in New York and $0.20 in Washington, D.C.[3] A service fee may also appear at checkout for shoppers who are not Target Circle 360 members.
Instacart+ members pay $0 delivery on grocery orders of $10 or more, on Costco orders of $35 or more and on eligible restaurant orders of $25 or more, but service fees still apply. Instacart’s fee page says the delivery fee varies by retailer, delivery window and order total, and that the service fee depends on location and the number and types of items in the cart.[4] It also says the service fee is not a tip and does not go to the shopper.
| Shipt | Instacart | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly plan | $10.99 | $9.99 (Instacart+) |
| Yearly plan | $99 | $99 (Instacart+) |
| Free delivery for members | Orders over $35 | Groceries $10 or more; Costco $35 or more |
| Member delivery fee below the threshold | $7 | Not listed on the pages above |
| Non-member delivery | $10 one-time delivery fee | Varies by retailer, window and total |
| Service fee | May appear for non-Target Circle 360 members | Yes, varies by location and cart |
For an illustration, take a $30 basket. A Shipt member would see the $7 delivery fee, because the order is below $35. An Instacart+ member would see no delivery fee but would still pay the service fee. Neither page puts a figure on the service fee, so this shows where charges fall, not a winner.
Compare car rental
500+ rental companies. Free cancellation on most bookings.
What is the difference between Instacart and Shipt item prices?
Shipt’s pricing page says that if you are not a Target Circle 360 member, Shipt prices will vary slightly from in-store prices to help cover the costs of picking, packing and processing, and it lists no markups for Target Circle 360 members. Instacart’s fee page lists charges and taxes and says the tax and fees on products bought through the platform are the same as in a physical store, but it gives no statement comparing item prices with the shelf. Instacart does warn that on convenience orders, the fast and late-night kind, service fees and item prices may be higher than on other delivery orders.
The practical test: build the same basket in both apps for the same store, if both serve it, and compare totals at checkout, after fees and before tip.
Is Shipt like Instacart for stores and areas?
Coverage depends on your address. Shipt’s help center says to enter your address on its site to see which stores offer same-day delivery, and to sign up for launch alerts if it is not yet in your area.[5] Instacart works the same way: you enter an address and see the stores near you. A question such as what states Shipt is available in is best answered by an address search, because a service that reaches a state may still not reach your store. For a wider view of the options, see how to choose a grocery delivery service.
What happens when an order goes wrong?
Instacart gives you up to three days after pickup or delivery to report an issue, and a report within 24 hours of receiving the order may qualify for a same-day refund.[6] Credits cannot be applied to alcohol, prescriptions, restaurant orders, Instacart+ membership fees or fees, taxes and tips.
Shipt’s help center says there is a 7-day limitation for reporting issues on an order, with up to 90 days for Target orders, and that support replies by email within 24 to 48 hours of a report.[7] Those windows matter if you check groceries a day or two late.
Tip: Photograph a missing, damaged or wrong item right when the bag arrives and report it in the app the same day, so you stay inside the shorter window on either service.
What if you want to shop instead of order?
This page compares the customer side. If you are weighing the work, Shipt’s requirements page lists an age of at least 18, a valid mailing address, a U.S. driver’s license, a Social Security number, auto insurance, a reliable vehicle, the ability to lift 50 pounds and a recent iPhone or Android phone.[8] Instacart publishes its own shopper requirements, so compare the two lists before you apply. On the pay side, see how much Shipt pays per order.
So which one is cheaper for you?
Count your orders a month, since the waived fee is what a membership buys. Compare your usual order size with the $35 line at Shipt and the $10 line at Instacart. Then price one real basket in both apps and, if the totals are close, pick the one that lists your usual store.
