Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Propel vs Instacart

Propel 4.9★ · Free to download 75
Winner Propel
Instacart 4.8★ · Free to download 65

Choose Propel for better user experience and tracking of benefits.

Full reviews: Propel · Instacart

Propel offers a more user-friendly experience for tracking EBT benefits, despite some security concerns. Instacart, while convenient for grocery delivery, faces criticism for high fees and inconsistent service.

Head to head

features edge: PropelR2R20R34R72
Propel Users appreciate Propel's ability to track EBT benefits and spending easily, with some reviews highlighting its convenience and user-friendliness R2R20R34.
Instacart Instacart users mention the convenience of grocery delivery but express frustration over missing items and high service fees R72R90.
ease of use edge: PropelR2R20R56R79
Propel Many Propel users find the app easy to navigate and helpful for tracking their benefits R2R20R56.
Instacart Instacart users report mixed experiences, with some finding the app cumbersome and difficult to navigate R79.
reliability tieR3R6R31R85
Propel Propel has faced significant issues with reliability, with numerous users reporting login problems and app crashes R3R6R31.
Instacart Instacart also has reliability issues, particularly with order fulfillment and delivery timing R85.
price/value edge: PropelR1R18R73R90
Propel Propel is free to use, which is a significant advantage for users needing to track benefits without additional costs R1R18.
Instacart Instacart is free to download but has high service fees that can add up quickly, leading to dissatisfaction among users R73R90.
support tieR10R17R25R67
Propel Propel users express concerns about security and customer support, with some feeling their issues are not addressed R10R17R25.
Instacart Instacart users frequently report poor customer service experiences, with many feeling unsupported when issues arise R67.
Pick Propel if

you need a reliable app for tracking EBT benefits without costs.

Pick Instacart if

you prefer grocery delivery services and are willing to deal with higher fees and potential inconsistencies.

Evidence note: Propel's reviews are more focused on user experience and functionality, while Instacart's reviews highlight service issues and costs.

Frequently asked

Is Propel free to use?
Yes, Propel is free to download and use for tracking EBT benefits, which many users appreciate R1R18.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R2] Propel 5/5 · US Love this app: Great app!!! easy to use
  2. [R20] Propel 5/5 · US very helpful app.: i always know exactly when my card is loaded lol. 🩵🩵🩵
  3. [R34] Propel 5/5 · US Great app: Very good app! Super up to date! Gets me my EBT info very quickly and very accurately! Love all the discount offers I was eligible for because I received EBT and would have never known without Propel!!!
  4. [R72] Instacart 3/5 · US Expensive: I don’t own a vehicle. This site and its products and food are very expensive.
  5. [R56] Propel 5/5 · US So Convenient.: I really enjoy checking the app to see my balance and the offers that are on the app. I got Prime Video at a huge discount.
  6. [R79] Instacart 1/5 · US What a nightmare for “convenience “: How complicated! I just wanted to pay with my card and pick it up at my local Publix. Instead, it kept pulling up my dad’s address over 2 hours from here and wanting Apple Pay. THEN it made me sign up for a 14 day trial which I don’t want. I just got out of the hospital and wanted something convenient for today’s use only. Never again! 😡
  7. [R3] Propel 3/5 · US Not working: Keeps saying can’t load recent transactions etc. for months now done deleted it an all that
  8. [R6] Propel 3/5 · US Was great: This really served its purpose well up until recently. I have uninstalled the app twice now due to error messages, saying that they are unable to access the network. However, I keep getting notifications from the app, unfortunately, I’m not able to check the notifications because as soon as I open it, there’s an error.
  9. [R31] Propel 1/5 · US NEVER WORKS: This is useless trash! Even with updates, uninstalled & reinstalled, it STILL gives that same message “We can’t show your EBT balance right now”! Even when I click on the news icon, here comes that message “Something went wrong, please try again later”! It’s not the state of Connecticut’s issue, it’s THE APPS ISSUE! I haven’t seen nor been able to access anything in over 3 months now!
  10. [R85] Instacart 1/5 · US Orders canceled last minute TWICE: This is the second time this week I have placed an order, the order has been confirmed, and then canceled two hours later when it was supposed to be delivered. I was relying on receiving these orders and would have made other arrangements had I known the orders would not be fulfilled. On both occasions, the orders rescheduled to come the next day. Not helpful. Cu
  11. [R1] Propel 1/5 · US Locked me out: Do not download this app it locked me out of my app. I got a new card from my assistance office. Try entering that and it wouldn’t let me link a new card. This app sucks. Do not download. I’m currently going through a situation where my County assistance can’t even help me due to the fact propel got my information locked on their account so any card I received will be locked
  12. [R18] Propel 5/5 · US EBT: Very Convenient
  13. [R73] Instacart 1/5 · US Ridiculous “Service Charge”: Charges for Instacart just get higher & higher! The priority fee is a joke when your delivery time gets changed 3 times! AND love when you tip 10% but your shopper refunds 10 items bc they are lazy so you’ve just tipped $15 on a $70 list. (2 items refunded were $19.99)
  14. [R90] Instacart 3/5 · US Extra fees constantly: Despite having a subscription the app charges multiple extra fees per order. A small order of less than $100 can easily have $20 in fees between the passing down to the consumer the ‘city regulatory fee’ and other app fees, then you add a tip and ta da! You’re paying an extra $20 or more dollars. If you add anything heavy such as a case of water or cat litter, yes, there’s a
  15. [R10] Propel 1/5 · US Skimming cards/leaking information-download connect EBT.: YALL HURRY AND GO DOWNLOAD CONNECT EBT! You know the app is bad when the county assistance office tells you to delete it and download CONNECT EBT because Propel is skimming cards and leaking people’s private information😳 you would think they have a fire wall set up for people‘s private information, but it doesn’t seem like they’ve taken an
  16. [R17] Propel 1/5 · US Useless: This app is useless. Have been trying to link my new card for the past month and app keeps saying it is having trouble connecting to the system in our state. Texas. I have emailed several times and called 211 and it still hasn’t been resolved. Yes I done everything from deleting to reinstalling to updating app and my phone and still NOTHING!!!!!
  17. [R25] Propel 1/5 · US Account was hacked: My account was skimmed and I was advised to avoid this app. Regardless of the response I received, it was confirmed my information was stolen via Propel. Notice how I didn’t say my benefits were stolen, it was just assumed.
  18. [R67] Instacart 1/5 · US Worst app ever: The customer service on this app is non existent. No one helps you even if something is done wrong on THEIR end. They just leave you high and dry and do not care about their customers or our hard earned money. No one wants to help. Will be deleting this app

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store