DoorDash vs Instacart

Choose DoorDash if…

• US and Canadian customers who order delivery often and want a broad choice of stores
• Very wide restaurant and store coverage in the US
• DashPass also covers Caviar orders

Choose Instacart if…

• US and Canadian households who want groceries from familiar stores without the trip
• Shops from many different chains and local stores in one app
• Same-day delivery or pickup in most US and Canadian cities

What is DoorDash?

DoorDash is a delivery marketplace that started with restaurant orders and now also covers groceries, convenience stores and its own DashMart shops, retail, alcohol in some markets, flowers and pet supplies. You order in the app or on the website, a courier (a 'Dasher') brings it, and you can choose pickup instead. Ordering itself is free; you pay menu prices plus delivery and service fees and a tip. The DashPass membership, sold monthly or yearly with a free trial for new members, removes delivery fees and reduces service fees on eligible orders over a minimum, and also works on Caviar, DoorDash's more upscale restaurant app. DoorDash operates in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and several other countries. Like other delivery apps, fees make orders noticeably more expensive than ordering direct, and DashPass savings only kick in at participating stores once you meet their minimum.

What is Instacart?

Instacart connects people with grocery stores and other retailers across the US and Canada. You choose a store in the app or on the website, fill a cart from that store's own range, and a shopper picks the order and brings it to your door, often the same day, or you collect it yourself. One account covers large supermarket chains, warehouse clubs, pharmacies, pet shops and specialty grocers, which is the main reason people use it over a single retailer's app. Using the service is free, but orders carry delivery and service fees plus an optional tip, and item prices at some stores are higher than on the shelf. A paid Instacart+ membership drops delivery fees on larger orders. Behind the consumer app, Instacart also sells technology to grocers: white-label online storefronts, the Caper smart cart for in-store checkout, and an advertising business. It runs on iOS, Android and the web, and is listed on Nasdaq under the ticker CART.