The idea behind Instacart is straightforward — same-day grocery pickup and delivery to your door.
Since launching, the platform has broadened its roster to include mainstream supermarkets like Whole Foods and other retailers such as Petco, CVS Pharmacy and regional liquor outlets (subject to applicable state regulations).
But is Instacart truly worthwhile? Below is an explanation of how it operates, along with candid feedback from users who shared what they like — and what frustrates them — about the service.
Getting Started With Instacart
To begin, install the Instacart app (available for iPhone and Android) on your smartphone. If you don’t own a phone, you can still use the platform through the Instacart website. You can register with an email address or sign in via Facebook or Google.
After creating an account, enter your zip code to view which stores partner with Instacart in your neighborhood. For instance, I live in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and my options included the Rocky Mountain chain King Soopers, Safeway, Natural Grocers, Sam’s Club, Albertson’s and Petco — all common national or regional retailers.
To place an order, pick “delivery” or “pickup” beneath the search bar at the top of the home screen, then choose your preferred store. You’ll be directed to a page featuring current deals at the top.
New users often worry about coupon usage, but Instacart accepts coupons — just not physical paper coupons.
Instacart honors digital coupons displayed on the store page or found in the expanded “Savings” area. To redeem a coupon shown in the app, tap “Apply Coupon” beneath the item price and wait for the discount to register.
How to Shop on Instacart
To add items to your cart, use the search box at the top to locate specific products. You can also browse categories like “Popular” or “Produce” on the store’s Instacart storefront. Each product includes an image, and under the name you’ll see its price and weight or size.
Select the quantity you want, click “Add to Cart,” and continue until your cart contains everything you need for the week.
Frequent Instacart users recommend reviewing your cart one last time before submitting the order and using the “Preferences” option if required. This feature tells the shopper which item to substitute if the original item is unavailable and allows you to include special instructions (for example, a desired ripeness for fruit).
Checking Out With Instacart
Because of higher demand during the pandemic, many Instacart delivery orders now have a minimum total. When I checked the app on a recent Sunday, delivery orders had to reach at least $35. Keep this in mind when weighing delivery versus pickup, especially if you’re on a tight budget.
After reviewing your cart, if you chose delivery you’ll be prompted for your street address and zip code. There’s an “instructions for delivery” field that’s handy for people isolating at home who need the shopper to leave the order in a particular spot.
Once your address is confirmed, you’ll pick a delivery time. Due to demand, a “Fast & Flexible” option appears near the top; selecting this lets the first available Instacart shopper accept your order and you’ll receive an estimated delivery window. Orders taken under this option are typically fulfilled by the following day at the latest.
The other choice is to pick from several two-hour delivery windows, generally starting at 10 a.m. and going through the evening. The delivery fee shown in the app is typically $3.99.
After selecting a slot, you’ll enter your phone number and payment card details. This is also where you can add a tip for your shopper. Instacart suggests a 5% tip by default and will calculate that for you, though you can click “Change” to set a different amount.
Before finalizing your purchase, you’ll see a breakdown showing the subtotal (the total of all item prices at the chosen store), the delivery fee (commonly $3.99), a service fee (in my sample it was $4.07) and estimated sales tax (which in this example was $4.45).
Right now, some products are frequently out of stock. Instacart shoppers use their app to message customers, so after placing an order keep an eye on your phone in case the shopper asks which alternative you’d prefer. Even if you provided a substitute preference, that replacement might also be unavailable, so remain flexible and responsive.
Instacart Express
Instacart Express is the platform’s subscription offering, priced at $99 per year or $9.99 monthly, billed on the same calendar day.
Key benefits include unlimited free delivery on orders of $35 or more and lower overall fees compared with non-members during peak delivery times.
Whether a membership pays off depends on your usage — opinions vary among those we interviewed — but generally busy households, or those with family members who are immunocompromised, may find the monthly plan worthwhile if they plan to order regularly during the pandemic.
Is Instacart Worth It? Users Weigh In
The big question is whether Instacart is worth using at all.
Sarah Moore of St. Louis, Missouri, says yes — especially at this moment.
Moore began using Instacart in December 2018 while commuting about 45 minutes to and from work. After long days she often lacked the energy to shop in person, so she tried a grocery delivery service.
She started ordering via Instacart before leaving for work and the groceries usually arrived about 30 minutes after she got home. She initially ended up enrolled in the membership by accident but found it valuable and kept it for nearly a year.
When her commute later shortened toward the end of 2019, she canceled the subscription, but she recently resumed placing orders — more occasionally and without a membership — to limit trips to the grocery store during the coronavirus outbreak.
“Instacart has overall been great for me,” Moore said. “The grocery prices are steeper, but especially right now I think it’s worth it.”
Moore’s main gripe has been increasingly receiving produce that’s gone bad. She attributes it to limited selection from stockpiling, but notes she’d rather not pay for produce that isn’t edible.
Nena Smith, who lives in Cheyenne, Wyoming, echoed that sentiment. She’s using Instacart out of necessity now, but misses choosing her own fruits and vegetables.
“I struggle to contain my picky side, especially when the shopper doesn’t know how to pick produce,” she joked. “When I open the bag I find cilantro, tomatoes, avocados, grapes and bananas crushed because they stack them with cans or other heavy items.”
Tara Jewell of Chicago, Illinois, has used Instacart intermittently for almost two years. As a stay-at-home mom of two and a freelance writer, she first saw it as a convenient splurge for times when she had both kids at home or was dealing with bad weather or illness.
For Jewell, the primary downside is the extra cost of grocery delivery. Instacart is significantly more expensive than shopping in person, which matters when you’re managing a family budget.
That said, she now believes the value of avoiding grocery stores outweighs the added expense.
“I do feel guilty paying someone else to take the risk for me,” she said, “but with my spouse a first responder, I’m frequently exposed. It’s better for me to avoid store trips to protect more vulnerable people who have no choice but to shop in person.”
Regarding customer support, Moore said any time she ran into a problem the help center phone number was easy to find and the issue was quickly resolved.
Written by Niki Kottman, contributor to Savinly.
