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E-Commerce · head to head

Erply vs Instacart

Erply logo

Erply

E-Commerce

Cloud point of sale and retail management

From
$59/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Instacart logo

Instacart

E-Commerce

US and Canada grocery delivery and pickup marketplace with a paid membership tier

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Instacart has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Erply priced per store per month rather than a flat company rate, starting at $49/store for the Giftshop & Grocery Chain plan with only 1 user account and 1 POS terminal included; Instacart item prices shown in the app are frequently higher than the same items in the physical store, and this markup is not clearly separated from delivery and service fees at checkout, making true cost comparison difficult.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Erply and Instacart actually diverge.

Attributes where Erply and Instacart differ
AttributeErplyInstacart
Starting price$59/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionFree to download; item markups plus delivery and service fees per order, optional subscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebiOS, Android, Web

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (E-Commerce).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Erply

Nothing recorded that Instacart does not also cover.

Only in Instacart

  • Multi-retailer marketplace
  • Instacart+ membership
  • Same-day and scheduled delivery
  • Pickup option
  • Item substitution controls
  • Instacart Ads and retail media

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Erply

  • Managing inventory across multiple retail locations in real-timenot Instacart
  • Synchronizing online store orders with physical point-of-salenot Instacart
  • Processing customer payments integrated with loyalty programsnot Instacart
  • Generating multi-location sales and inventory reportsnot Instacart

Instacart

  • A household with limited time wanting groceries delivered same day from a familiar supermarket chainnot Erply
  • A frequent orderer comparing whether an Instacart+ subscription pays off against per-order feesnot Erply
  • Someone using SNAP EBT benefits at a participating retailer through the appnot Erply
  • A shopper who wants to order ahead and collect at pickup to avoid the delivery fee entirelynot Erply

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Erply

  • Priced per store per month rather than a flat company rate, starting at $49/store for the Giftshop & Grocery Chain plan with only 1 user account and 1 POS terminal included
  • Multichannel Chains plan is limited to 2 user accounts at $179/store per month
  • POS for NetSuite starts at $1,800 per month and Franchise & Chain starts at $3,500 per month, both quote-adjusted from there
  • Cancellation requires a written request 30 days prior to the end of the billing cycle

Instacart

  • Item prices shown in the app are frequently higher than the same items in the physical store, and this markup is not clearly separated from delivery and service fees at checkout, making true cost comparison difficult.
  • Shoppers are a mix of employees and independent contractors depending on market and retailer, and gig-classified shoppers have raised pay and working-condition complaints that have drawn regulatory attention in several US states.
  • The service fee and delivery fee combination means a small grocery order can carry a large proportional surcharge, making Instacart uneconomical for frequent small top-up shops.
  • Item substitutions chosen by a shopper when stock runs out can differ meaningfully from what was ordered, and refund handling for a poor substitution requires customer support intervention.
  • Availability is limited to the US and Canada, and even within those countries, delivery zones and retailer coverage vary block by block in a way that is not obvious until you enter an address.

Pricing, plan by plan

Erply

$59/month
  • Giftshop & Grocery Chain$59/month
    • 1 user account
    • 1 point of sale terminal
    • For net sales turnover up to $25,000 per month
  • Multichannel Chains$199/month
    • 2 user accounts
    • 1 warehouse license
  • POS for NetSuite$1800/month
    • 2 user accounts
    • Inventory licensing
  • Franchise & Chain$3500/month
    • For 50+ store retail chains or franchises
    • Franchise HQ Module
    • Chain HQ Module

Instacart

Free
  • Pay per orderFree
    • Item prices often marked up versus in-store
    • Delivery fee varying by store and delivery window
    • Service fee of roughly 5 percent of order subtotal
  • Instacart+$9.99/month
    • Delivery fees waived on orders over a store minimum
    • Reduced service fees
    • Also offered at a discounted annual rate

Which should you pick?

Choose Erply if

Nothing in the data separates Erply from Instacart on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Erply review

Choose Instacart if

  • You need multi-retailer marketplace.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want instacart+ membership.
Instacart review

Questions people ask

Is Erply or Instacart better?
Neither clearly leads. Erply starts at $59/month and Instacart at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Erply or Instacart?
Instacart has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $59/month for Erply and Free for Instacart.
Does Erply or Instacart run on more platforms?
Erply runs on Web. Instacart runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Instacart for free?
Yes. Instacart has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Erply starts at $59/month.
What is Erply best used for?
Erply is most often used for managing inventory across multiple retail locations in real-time, synchronizing online store orders with physical point-of-sale, processing customer payments integrated with loyalty programs, generating multi-location sales and inventory reports. Of those, managing inventory across multiple retail locations in real-time and synchronizing online store orders with physical point-of-sale are not what Instacart is typically brought in for.
What can Erply do that Instacart cannot?
Instacart covers Multi-retailer marketplace, Instacart+ membership, Same-day and scheduled delivery, Pickup option.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Erply: What payment options does Erply offer?

Erply offers both monthly and annual billing contracts. Payment is due in advance at the start of each billing cycle. Annual contracts receive discounts compared to monthly rates. Changes to payment take effect within 48 hours.

Source
Instacart: Are Instacart prices the same as in the store?

Often not. Many retailers set higher item prices for Instacart orders than for in-store purchase, on top of delivery and service fees.

Erply: Is there a free trial for Erply?

Erply offers free account creation with no credit card required to explore the platform. Users can create an account and test the service before committing to a paid plan.

Source
Instacart: Does Instacart+ pay for itself?

Only for households ordering often enough that the waived delivery fees exceed the subscription cost; occasional orderers usually do not break even.

Erply: Can I cancel my Erply subscription?

Erply subscriptions can be cancelled, but require a written request submitted at least 30 days prior to the desired cancellation date.

Source
Instacart: Are Instacart shoppers employees?

It depends on the market and retailer; Instacart uses a mix of directly employed and independent contractor shoppers.

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