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E-Commerce · head to head

Instacart vs Zomato

Instacart logo

Instacart

E-Commerce

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zomato logo

Zomato

Restaurants

Indian food delivery and restaurant discovery app, now operating under parent brand Eternal

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.; Zomato restaurant commission of roughly 15 to 25 percent is commonly passed through as higher in-app menu prices, so the delivered price is not simply the counter price plus a fee.
  • They diverge on capability: Instacart covers Multi-retailer marketplace, Zomato covers Food delivery marketplace.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Instacart and Zomato actually diverge.

Attributes where Instacart and Zomato differ
AttributeInstacartZomato
Pricing modelFree to download; item markups plus delivery and service fees per order, optional subscriptionFree to download; delivery and platform fees per order, optional paid membership
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 Zomato

  • Food delivery marketplace
  • Zomato Gold membership
  • Dine-out table booking
  • Restaurant reviews and ratings
  • Blinkit quick commerce
  • Zomato for Business

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 Zomato
  • A frequent orderer comparing whether an Instacart+ subscription pays off against per-order feesnot Zomato
  • Someone using SNAP EBT benefits at a participating retailer through the appnot Zomato
  • A shopper who wants to order ahead and collect at pickup to avoid the delivery fee entirelynot Zomato

Zomato

  • A diner in an Indian city ordering food delivery or comparing restaurants before eating outnot Instacart
  • A frequent orderer weighing whether Zomato Gold discounts outweigh its subscription costnot Instacart
  • Someone booking a table at a partner restaurant through the dine-out featurenot Instacart
  • A restaurant owner using Zomato for Business to manage online orders and view sales analyticsnot 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.

Zomato

  • Restaurant commission of roughly 15 to 25 percent is commonly passed through as higher in-app menu prices, so the delivered price is not simply the counter price plus a fee.
  • The company exited most markets outside India in 2019, so international coverage is far narrower than the brand recognition suggests.
  • Zomato Gold benefits and discount depth vary by city and restaurant partner, and heavy users report the value of the membership eroding over time as terms are revised.
  • Delivery riders are engaged on a gig basis with pay tied to order volume and distance, a model that has drawn wage and working-condition criticism in India.
  • The 2024 rebrand of the parent company to Eternal, alongside the Blinkit and Hyperpure businesses, means Zomato the consumer app is now one product line inside a multi-business group rather than a standalone company, which affects how disclosures and strategy are reported.

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

Zomato

Free
  • Pay per orderFree
    • Delivery fee scaling with distance and demand
    • Platform fee on order total
    • Restaurant menu prices often marked up versus dine-in
  • Zomato Gold$299/month
    • Discounts and free-item offers at partner restaurants
    • Priority service and reduced wait times at partner dine-in venues
    • Delivery perks vary by plan tier and market

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 Zomato if

  • You need food delivery marketplace.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want zomato gold membership.
Zomato review

Questions people ask

Is Instacart or Zomato better?
Neither clearly leads. Instacart starts at Free and Zomato at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Instacart or Zomato?
Instacart starts at Free and Zomato at Free.
Does Instacart or Zomato 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 Zomato is typically brought in for.
What can Instacart do that Zomato cannot?
Instacart covers Multi-retailer marketplace, Instacart+ membership, Same-day and scheduled delivery, Pickup option. Zomato covers Food delivery marketplace, Zomato Gold membership, Dine-out table booking, Restaurant reviews and ratings.

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.

Zomato: Is Zomato only available in India?

Its core market is India; it exited most other countries in 2019 and has minimal presence elsewhere.

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.

Zomato: What did Zomato rename to?

The parent company renamed itself Eternal Limited in 2024; the Zomato consumer app kept its own name.

Instacart: Are Instacart shoppers employees?

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

Zomato: Does Zomato Gold apply to delivery or dine-in or both?

Both, though the specific discounts and which restaurants participate vary by plan tier and city.

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