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E-Commerce · head to head

Instacart vs Mollie

Instacart logo

Instacart

E-Commerce

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Mollie logo

Mollie

E-Commerce

European payment service provider with published per-transaction rates and no monthly fee on the online plan

From
£0.3/transaction
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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.; Mollie non-European cards cost 3.25% plus 20p against 1.20% plus 20p for UK domestic consumer cards, so a merchant with significant traffic from the US or Asia pays close to triple the domestic rate on that revenue.
  • They diverge on capability: Instacart covers Multi-retailer marketplace, Mollie covers Local payment methods.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Instacart and Mollie actually diverge.

Attributes where Instacart and Mollie differ
AttributeInstacartMollie
Starting priceFree£0.3/transaction
Pricing modelFree to download; item markups plus delivery and service fees per order, optional subscriptionPer transaction by payment method
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebWeb, iOS, Android, API

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 Instacart

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

Only in Mollie

  • Local payment methods
  • Published rate card
  • Hosted checkout and payment links
  • Subscriptions API
  • Point of sale terminals
  • Plugin ecosystem
  • Multicurrency settlement

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

Mollie

  • A Dutch or Belgian shop where most customers pay by iDEAL or Bancontact and the flat 30p beats a percentage rate on high-value basketsnot Instacart
  • A small merchant that wants published pricing rather than a sales call before it can model card costsnot Instacart
  • A subscription business in the EEA collecting by SEPA Direct Debit mandate instead of cardnot Instacart
  • A marketplace or platform that needs one integration covering the main European local methodsnot 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.

Mollie

  • Non-European cards cost 3.25% plus 20p against 1.20% plus 20p for UK domestic consumer cards, so a merchant with significant traffic from the US or Asia pays close to triple the domestic rate on that revenue.
  • Coverage is built around European methods, so if you expand into Latin America or Southeast Asia you will need a second processor and a second reconciliation process rather than extending Mollie.
  • The in-person Pro plan requires a one-year contract and charges 20 pounds a month per additional terminal, so a shop with four tills pays 80 pounds a month in terminal fees before any transaction cost.
  • Mollie offers no interchange-plus option publicly, so large merchants cannot see or benefit from falling interchange the way they could on a cost-plus contract with an acquirer.
  • The developer tooling and reporting are lighter than the largest processors, so finance teams that want detailed fee breakdowns or granular reconciliation exports often end up building that layer themselves.

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

Mollie

£0.3/transaction
  • Online paymentsFree
    • No monthly fee
    • UK domestic consumer cards 1.20% + 20p
    • European and commercial cards 2.90% + 20p
  • In person, pay as you goFree
    • No monthly commitment
    • Per-transaction terminal rates
    • One terminal
  • In person, Pro$20/month
    • Lower per-transaction terminal rates
    • One-year contract required
    • Each additional terminal 20 pounds per month

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 Mollie if

  • You need local payment methods.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, API.
  • You also want published rate card.
Mollie review

Questions people ask

Is Instacart or Mollie better?
Neither clearly leads. Instacart starts at Free and Mollie at £0.3/transaction, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Instacart or Mollie?
Instacart has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Instacart and £0.3/transaction for Mollie.
Does Instacart or Mollie run on more platforms?
Instacart runs on iOS, Android, Web. Mollie runs on Web, iOS, Android, API.
Can I use Instacart for free?
Yes. Instacart has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Mollie starts at £0.3/transaction.
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 Mollie is typically brought in for.
What can Instacart do that Mollie cannot?
Instacart covers Multi-retailer marketplace, Instacart+ membership, Same-day and scheduled delivery, Pickup option. Mollie covers Local payment methods, Published rate card, Hosted checkout and payment links, Subscriptions API.

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.

Mollie: Does Mollie charge a monthly fee?

Not on the online payments plan. You pay only per successful transaction. In-person Pro is 20 pounds a month.

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.

Mollie: Is iDEAL really a flat fee?

Yes, 30p per transaction regardless of the amount, which is why it is cheaper than cards on high-value baskets.

Instacart: Are Instacart shoppers employees?

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

Mollie: Can I use Mollie outside Europe?

You can accept non-European cards but at 3.25% plus 20p, and merchant accounts are aimed at European businesses. It is not a global processor.

Mollie: Does Mollie do interchange plus?

Not publicly. The published rates are blended, so falling interchange does not flow through to you automatically.

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