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E-Commerce · head to head

Instacart vs Just Eat

Instacart logo

Instacart

E-Commerce

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Just Eat logo

Just Eat

Restaurants

European takeaway marketplace, merged with Grubhub as Just Eat Takeaway.com

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Just Eat delivery speed and reliability on marketplace-only listings depend on the individual restaurant's own drivers, which is far less consistent than a platform-run logistics network.
  • They diverge on capability: Instacart covers Multi-retailer marketplace, Just Eat covers Restaurant and takeaway marketplace.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Instacart and Just Eat actually diverge.

Attributes where Instacart and Just Eat differ
AttributeInstacartJust Eat
Pricing modelFree to download; item markups plus delivery and service fees per order, optional subscriptionFree to download; delivery and service fees per order, set by restaurant and market
CategoryE-CommerceRestaurants

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (iOS, Android, Web), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Instacart

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

Only in Just Eat

  • Restaurant and takeaway marketplace
  • Just Eat Delivery
  • Order tracking
  • Loyalty and voucher codes
  • Group and repeat ordering
  • Local brand names

What people use each for

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

Instacart

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

Just Eat

  • A diner in a market like the Netherlands or Germany wanting deep coverage of independent local takeawaysnot Instacart
  • Someone ordering from a restaurant that runs its own delivery rather than a platform-run rider networknot Instacart
  • A user who already has an account under a local brand such as Lieferando or Thuisbezorgdnot Instacart
  • A diner comparing marketplace commission and fee structures across Just Eat, Deliveroo and Uber Eats before orderingnot Instacart

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Just Eat

  • Delivery speed and reliability on marketplace-only listings depend on the individual restaurant's own drivers, which is far less consistent than a platform-run logistics network.
  • The Grubhub acquisition was written down by billions of dollars within two years, a sign the US delivery market did not work economically for the company even at scale.
  • The parent company was taken private by Prosus in 2025, so a former public company with disclosed results is now reporting to a single owner instead.
  • Fee structures differ by country and even by restaurant within a country, making the total cost of an order harder to predict than a flat platform fee.
  • Brand fragmentation across Just Eat, Lieferando and Thuisbezorgd means account, loyalty points and order history do not necessarily carry over if you move between the markets that use different local names.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Just Eat

Free
  • Pay per orderFree
    • Delivery fee where Just Eat Delivery is used
    • Service charge on order total in most markets
    • Restaurant-set delivery on marketplace-only listings, fee and speed vary by restaurant

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Just Eat if

  • You need restaurant and takeaway marketplace.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want just eat delivery.
Just Eat review

Questions people ask

Is Instacart or Just Eat better?
Neither clearly leads. Instacart starts at Free and Just Eat at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Instacart or Just Eat?
Instacart starts at Free and Just Eat at Free.
Does Instacart or Just Eat run on more platforms?
Both run on iOS, Android, Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Instacart for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Instacart best used for?
Instacart is most often used for a household with limited time wanting groceries delivered same day from a familiar supermarket chain, a frequent orderer comparing whether an instacart+ subscription pays off against per-order fees, someone using snap ebt benefits at a participating retailer through the app, a shopper who wants to order ahead and collect at pickup to avoid the delivery fee entirely. Of those, a household with limited time wanting groceries delivered same day from a familiar supermarket chain and a frequent orderer comparing whether an instacart+ subscription pays off against per-order fees are not what Just Eat is typically brought in for.
What can Instacart do that Just Eat cannot?
Instacart covers Multi-retailer marketplace, Instacart+ membership, Same-day and scheduled delivery, Pickup option. Just Eat covers Restaurant and takeaway marketplace, Just Eat Delivery, Order tracking, Loyalty and voucher codes.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Just Eat: Is Just Eat the same company as Grubhub?

It was; Just Eat Takeaway.com bought Grubhub in 2021 but sold it to Wonder Group in 2024 after large write-downs.

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.

Just Eat: Why does the app have a different name in some countries?

Just Eat Takeaway.com operates local brands such as Lieferando in Germany and Austria and Thuisbezorgd in the Netherlands, all on shared underlying technology.

Instacart: Are Instacart shoppers employees?

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

Just Eat: Is Just Eat still a publicly listed company?

No. Prosus took Just Eat Takeaway.com private in a 2025 acquisition.

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