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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Instacart vs Instacart Shopper

Instacart 4.8★ · Free to download 75
Winner Instacart
Instacart Shopper 4.8★ · Free to download 50

Instacart (App A) is the clear choice for customers seeking grocery delivery, while Instacart Shopper (App B) is for those looking to earn money by fulfilling those orders, making them complementary rather than directly competitive.

Full reviews: Instacart · Instacart Shopper

Instacart (App A) is the customer-facing app for grocery delivery, praised for convenience and helpfulness for those unable to shop, despite issues with order accuracy and fees. Instacart Shopper (App B) is for the delivery drivers, offering a way to earn money, but often criticized for low pay, app bugs, and poor support.

Head to head

Features (App Functionality) tieR2R5R6R12
Instacart Instacart users appreciate the convenience of ordering groceries and the ability to track deliveries R2R5. However, some users report issues with not being able to choose replacement options R6, inability to edit orders with alcohol , and difficulties with payment methods like gift cards or OTC money R12. The app also has accessibility complaints, such as no dark mode and issues for blind users with screen readers .
Instacart Shopper Instacart Shopper users find the app generally easy to use for shopping and delivery . However, there are significant complaints about the app's functionality, including frequent crashes , a faulty face verification scanner , and a lack of in-store item location guidance, which makes shopping more time-consuming R65. Shoppers also report issues with batches not showing up despite notifications and general bugginess .
Order Accuracy & Reliability edge: InstacartR1R4R7R16
Instacart Instacart customers frequently report issues with order accuracy, including receiving incorrect items R7, missing items , or damaged goods R18. Deliveries are sometimes delayed or canceled last minute R1R4R16, leading to significant inconvenience. Some users also mention shoppers making poor replacements or delivering expired items .
Instacart Shopper Instacart Shopper users experience challenges that can impact order accuracy and reliability, such as customers continuously adding items and issues with the app not showing item locations in stores R65. Shoppers also face unfair ratings from customers for out-of-stock items or for following legal requirements like age verification . Some shoppers report customers lying about order drop-offs, leading to non-payment .
Price/Value tieR9R12R13R19
Instacart Instacart users frequently complain about high service fees and upcharges, which significantly increase the cost of orders R9R19. Some users feel the service is too expensive, especially given the frequent mistakes . There are also issues with incorrect charges or difficulty applying discounts and gift cards R12R13.
Instacart Shopper Instacart Shopper users consistently report low pay for their work, citing insufficient compensation for mileage, heavy items, and time spent R73. Many feel the pay doesn't justify the effort, especially with high gas prices R73. There are also complaints about not receiving heavy item pay and the belief that the company doesn't value its shoppers .
Customer/Shopper Support tieR4R7R16R18
Instacart Instacart customers often report poor customer service, describing it as unhelpful, unresponsive, or difficult to contact R7R16R18. Users mention being offered no solutions or credit for issues, being disconnected, or having problems unresolved R4R7R16.
Instacart Shopper Instacart Shopper users also express significant frustration with support, describing it as slow, sluggish, difficult to communicate with, and generally unhelpful R73. Shoppers report long wait times, being disconnected, and support agents not knowing how to solve problems or being accusatory R73.
Availability of Work/Orders edge: Instacart ShopperR26R56R65R72
Instacart Instacart customers sometimes experience issues with order availability, such as not being able to order for same-day delivery R26 or having orders canceled due to no shopper being assigned R56.
Instacart Shopper Instacart Shopper users frequently complain about a lack of available orders or "batches" R65R72. Many report long periods of downtime, difficulty getting off waiting lists, and a significant decrease in order availability compared to previous years . There are also concerns about bots and scripts taking desirable orders before human shoppers can .
Pick Instacart if

You need a convenient way to get groceries delivered, especially if you have mobility issues or a busy schedule R2.

Pick Instacart Shopper if

You are looking for a flexible way to earn supplemental income by shopping and delivering groceries, and are willing to navigate app issues and potentially low pay R62.

Evidence note: The two apps serve different user bases (customers vs. shoppers), so direct head-to-head comparisons on some dimensions are not applicable. The evidence for each app is substantial, reflecting their large user bases.

Frequently asked

Is Instacart reliable for grocery delivery?
Instacart is generally reliable for grocery delivery, with many users praising its convenience and the professionalism of shoppers R5. However, some customers experience issues with delayed or canceled orders, incorrect items, and poor customer support R1R4R7R16.
Is Instacart Shopper a good way to make money?
Instacart Shopper can be a good way to make money, with some users reporting earning good income R62. However, many shoppers complain about low pay, especially compared to mileage and effort R73, and a significant lack of available orders or "batches" R65R72.

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] Instacart 5/5 · US A great service.: I have medical issues that I won’t bore you with here but for me Instacart is a true blessing. I can’t get out to go shopping and rarely leave my apartment so this and Walmart plus are a lifeline.
  2. [R5] Instacart 5/5 · US Best service ever!: I had a last minute idea for dinner and the ordering process and communication and delivery were fantastic! Yulia did an amazing job and I’m so happy and thankful for the service!
  3. [R6] Instacart 3/5 · US Replacement options: Never lets me choose a replacement option so sometimes you end up With unwanted food and paid more
  4. [R12] Instacart 3/5 · US I got charged wrong: It didn’t take my otc money before charging my credit card
  5. [R1] Instacart 1/5 · US Worst app.: They can never follow throw with delivery and when they do it’s at a time I’m not available. So I have to cancel and they keep my money for days. Ridiculous terrible app
  6. [R4] 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
  7. [R7] Instacart 1/5 · US Terrible App. Terrible Support.: I’ve used the app for awhile now and was even paying for the plus. In the time I used it, I think I received maybe two orders that were completely correct. We live in town and we watched a driver with perishable goods drive literally past our house to go 20 minutes past us in the country to deliver an order then come back. This was during summer and the perishables
  8. [R16] Instacart 1/5 · US Avoid at all cost there are plenty of other platforms: They kept on pushing my delivery time without giving me any notice. I will discover it just by opening the app randomly. Their customer service is basically a cover-up for not being able to help you with anything just apologizing constantly. They couldn’t take responsibility on their own ETA eventually my order to the next day, which caused a
  9. [R9] Instacart 3/5 · US Things to make it better.: Too many up charges and fees. Can’t enlarge the images for those who have trouble seeing the tiny items and print.
  10. [R13] Instacart 2/5 · US Extra Charges After Purchase: Seem
  11. [R19] Instacart 4/5 · US Amazing - fees: I absolutely love the convenience!! I don’t mind tipping generously because it’s often deserved. I do however hate the service fees and they often keep me from ordering because it raises the cost so much.
  12. [R18] Instacart 1/5 · US The Service is Garbage: Out of four orders that I placed with Instacart, one of them was handled mediocre, and two of them were handled horribly, including the customer support afterward. One of those orders, the shopper either grabbed a smashed loaf of bread off the shelf or smashed the bread in transit. The bread was unusable. It was literally compressed into a flat pancake. Instacart did credit
  13. [R26] Instacart 1/5 · US Timing: Why can I no longer order for same day?
  14. [R56] Instacart 1/5 · US Today’s order at Aldi: Paid for priority and still have not gotten a shopper to talk to. I tried canceling but was going to charge me $15. So I didn’t cancel. O shop with Instacart several times a week and never have this problem
  15. [R65] Instacart Shopper 4/5 · US Almost a 5: Overall, a good app however it doesn’t tell you where things are inside the store which makes it more time-consuming and it doesn’t have as many jobs as you would like. There’s a lot of downtime in between when the JOBS show up even when you’re close to a prime location that would give you a lot of JOBS.
  16. [R72] Instacart Shopper 3/5 · US Más Pedidos: Tienen que mejorar los lotes y enviar más ya que se demoran en enviar y cuando lo hacen son pocos y cada vez que hacen actualización se pone mal
  17. [R62] Instacart Shopper 5/5 · US Use my referral code LAID085EE1: I love this app. You can make extra money easily ☺️
  18. [R73] Instacart Shopper 1/5 · US Terrible service: Way to long to speak with a customer representative way to long! So it’s definitely you all fault for the customers ice to be melted, also gas prices has skyrocketed and you all still paying pennies! No way I have a 50 item order and you all paying. $7 that’s highway robbery!

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