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Restaurants · head to head

Swiggy vs Zomato

Swiggy logo

Swiggy

Restaurants

Indian food delivery marketplace with Instamart quick commerce grocery built in

From
Free
Rated
-
Zomato logo

Zomato

Restaurants

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

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Swiggy 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.; 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: Swiggy covers Instamart quick commerce, Zomato covers Zomato Gold membership.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Swiggy and Zomato actually diverge.

Attributes where Swiggy and Zomato differ
AttributeSwiggyZomato

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Free to download; delivery and platform fees per order, optional paid membership), free tier (Yes), platforms (iOS, Android, Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Restaurants).

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 Swiggy

  • Instamart quick commerce
  • Swiggy One membership
  • Swiggy Dineout
  • Swiggy Genie
  • Swiggy for Business

Only in Zomato

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

Both cover

  • Food delivery marketplace

What people use each for

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

Swiggy

  • A diner in an Indian city ordering restaurant food and wanting quick grocery top-ups in the same appnot Zomato
  • A household comparing Swiggy One against Zomato Gold based on which platform they use morenot Zomato
  • Someone needing same-day courier pickup and drop-off for a non-food item via Swiggy Genienot Zomato
  • A restaurant partner using Swiggy for Business to manage online order volume and menu pricingnot Zomato

Zomato

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

Where each one falls short

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

Swiggy

  • 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.
  • Instamart's fast delivery promise depends on dense local dark-store coverage, so the speed and product range advertised in major metros do not extend evenly to smaller cities.
  • Delivery riders and Instamart pickers are engaged on a gig basis with earnings tied to order volume, a model that has drawn wage and working-condition scrutiny in India.
  • Swiggy One's value depends on using multiple Swiggy products regularly; a household that only orders food occasionally will rarely recoup the subscription cost.
  • As a newly public company since its 2024 IPO, Swiggy is under investor pressure to show profitability, and cost-cutting or fee changes driven by that pressure can land on riders, restaurants or diners with limited notice.

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

Swiggy

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
  • Swiggy One$299/month
    • Delivery fee waivers across food, Instamart and Dineout orders
    • Additional discounts and offers at partner outlets
    • 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 Swiggy if

  • You need instamart quick commerce.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want swiggy one membership.

Choose Zomato if

  • You need zomato gold membership.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want dine-out table booking.

Questions people ask

Is Swiggy or Zomato better?
Neither clearly leads. Swiggy 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, Swiggy or Zomato?
Swiggy starts at Free and Zomato at Free.
Does Swiggy 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 Swiggy for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Swiggy best used for?
Swiggy is most often used for a diner in an indian city ordering restaurant food and wanting quick grocery top-ups in the same app, a household comparing swiggy one against zomato gold based on which platform they use more, someone needing same-day courier pickup and drop-off for a non-food item via swiggy genie, a restaurant partner using swiggy for business to manage online order volume and menu pricing. Of those, a diner in an indian city ordering restaurant food and wanting quick grocery top-ups in the same app and a household comparing swiggy one against zomato gold based on which platform they use more are not what Zomato is typically brought in for.
What can Swiggy do that Zomato cannot?
Swiggy covers Instamart quick commerce, Swiggy One membership, Swiggy Dineout, Swiggy Genie. Zomato covers Zomato Gold membership, Dine-out table booking, Restaurant reviews and ratings, Blinkit quick commerce. Both handle Food delivery marketplace.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Swiggy: Is Instamart a separate app from Swiggy?

No, Instamart quick commerce grocery delivery is built into the main Swiggy app rather than sold as a standalone download.

Zomato: Is Zomato only available in India?

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

Swiggy: What does Swiggy One include?

A paid membership bundling delivery fee waivers and discounts across food delivery, Instamart and Dineout dine-in bookings.

Zomato: What did Zomato rename to?

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

Swiggy: Is Swiggy a public company?

Yes, Swiggy Limited listed on Indian stock exchanges via an IPO in 2024.

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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