E-Commerce · head to head
Instacart vs Slice
Instacart
E-Commerce
US and Canada grocery delivery and pickup marketplace with a paid membership tier
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Slice
Restaurants
Online ordering, POS and group purchasing built only for independent pizzerias
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Instacart has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- 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.; Slice the platform sells only to pizzerias, so a group that adds a second concept has to run a separate ordering stack for it.
- They diverge on capability: Instacart covers Multi-retailer marketplace, Slice covers Flat fee per order.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Instacart and Slice actually diverge.
Identical on both: 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 Slice
- Flat fee per order
- Branded ordering site and app
- Slice Register
- Slice Ingredients
- Delivery dispatch
- Marketing tools
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 Slice
- A frequent orderer comparing whether an Instacart+ subscription pays off against per-order feesnot Slice
- Someone using SNAP EBT benefits at a participating retailer through the appnot Slice
- A shopper who wants to order ahead and collect at pickup to avoid the delivery fee entirelynot Slice
Slice
- An independent pizzeria that wants online ordering without paying a percentage commission on every large family ordernot Instacart
- A shop whose packaging and cheese costs are high enough that group purchasing pays for the platform on its ownnot Instacart
- A two location pizzeria replacing an ageing legacy terminal with a POS that understands half and half toppingsnot Instacart
- An owner with no marketing staff who needs a customer list and repeat order campaigns run for themnot 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.
Slice
- The platform sells only to pizzerias, so a group that adds a second concept has to run a separate ordering stack for it.
- The consumer marketplace lists nearby competitors alongside you, and the flat order fee is charged even on repeat customers you introduced yourself, so you pay indefinitely for demand you already own.
- Slice Register is a much younger product than general purpose restaurant POS software and its reporting, inventory and multi location features are thinner than what an established POS offers.
- Delivery fulfilled through third party fleets is billed per delivery on top of the order fee, so the true cost per delivered order is well above the headline flat fee.
- Group purchasing savings depend on switching or supplementing your existing distributor and meeting order minimums, which small shops with limited storage often cannot do.
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+$9.99/month
- Delivery fees waived on orders over a store minimum
- Reduced service fees
- Also offered at a discounted annual rate
Slice
On request- Slice Ordering$undefined/year
- Flat fee charged per order rather than a percentage of the ticket
- Branded ordering site and marketplace listing included
- Delivery dispatch billed separately per delivery
- Slice Register$undefined/year
- POS hardware and software bundle for pizzerias
- Card processing quoted with the hardware
- Register pricing differs from ordering only accounts
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.
Choose Slice if
- You need flat fee per order.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want branded ordering site and app.
Questions people ask
- Is Instacart or Slice better?
- Neither clearly leads. Instacart starts at Free and Slice at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Instacart or Slice?
- Instacart has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Instacart and On request for Slice.
- Does Instacart or Slice run on more platforms?
- Instacart runs on iOS, Android, Web. Slice runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- Can I use Instacart for free?
- Yes. Instacart has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Slice starts at On request.
- 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 Slice is typically brought in for.
- What can Instacart do that Slice cannot?
- Instacart covers Multi-retailer marketplace, Instacart+ membership, Same-day and scheduled delivery, Pickup option. Slice covers Flat fee per order, Branded ordering site and app, Slice Register, Slice Ingredients.
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.
Slice: Does Slice take a commission on orders?
No. It charges a flat amount per order, so the fee does not rise with ticket size. Delivery, if you use the Slice driver network, is billed separately per delivery.
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.
Slice: Do I have to use Slice Register to get online ordering?
No. Ordering works alongside most common POS systems, and many shops take Slice orders on a tablet without any POS integration at all.
Instacart: Are Instacart shoppers employees?
It depends on the market and retailer; Instacart uses a mix of directly employed and independent contractor shoppers.
Slice: Will customers know they are ordering from my pizzeria or from Slice?
Both happen. Orders placed on your branded site look like yours; orders placed in the Slice app come from a marketplace where your listing sits beside other pizzerias.
Slice: Is it available outside the United States?
No. Slice operates in the United States only.
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