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

Instacart vs DoorDash

Instacart 4.8★ · Free to download 70
Winner Tie
DoorDash 4.8★ · Free to download 70

DoorDash is generally more reliable for food delivery, while Instacart excels in grocery shopping convenience, but both struggle with high fees and inconsistent customer service.

Full reviews: Instacart · DoorDash

Instacart and DoorDash both offer convenient delivery services, but users frequently complain about high fees and inconsistent order accuracy and delivery times. Instacart is praised by users for its grocery shopping convenience, especially for those with mobility issues, while DoorDash is a popular choice for restaurant food delivery.

Head to head

Features and Convenience tieR2R6R31R32
Instacart Instacart is highly valued for its convenience, especially by users who cannot easily shop in person, with many calling it a "lifeline" R2. Users appreciate the ability to order groceries and other items, and some find deals through the app . However, some users report issues with replacement options, leading to unwanted food R6, and a bug prevents editing orders with alcohol R32. There are also complaints about the inability to order same-day delivery sometimes R31.
DoorDash DoorDash is praised for its ease of use and convenience, making it "addicting" for some users . It is used for restaurant cravings, grocery shopping, and even electronics/clothes . However, users note that the app may not allow choosing a pick-up location away from their home address . Some users also wish for more options to deselect items like coleslaw .
Reliability and Order Accuracy tieR1R4R5R7
Instacart Instacart's reliability is a significant concern for many users, with frequent complaints about canceled orders, late deliveries, and incorrect items R1R4R7R16. Some users report receiving only "half" their groceries or items that are expired or moldy . Drivers sometimes deliver to the wrong address or mishandle perishable goods R7. However, other users consistently have great experiences with shoppers who are early, accurate, and professional R5.
DoorDash DoorDash also faces significant issues with order accuracy and delivery reliability. Users frequently report wrong orders, missing items, and food being delivered to the incorrect address R73. Food often arrives cold due to extended delivery times, sometimes because dashers pick up multiple orders . Some users have even had their orders stolen . Despite these issues, many users have positive experiences with "amazing" and "perfect" dashers .
Pricing and Value tieR9R13R20R30
Instacart Instacart users frequently complain about high fees, even with a subscription. These can include service fees, "city regulatory fees," and "lifting fees" for heavy items, making a small order significantly more expensive R9R20R30R33. Some users feel they are "crooks" for charging fast delivery fees when orders are late . There are also reports of extra charges after purchase R13 and being charged for delivery if not a Plus member .
DoorDash DoorDash is widely criticized for its high costs, with users stating that prices are significantly marked up compared to in-store prices R61. Delivery charges can be high, sometimes nearly $7 for short distances . Users feel they are "getting over on us on every order" due to price differences for delivery versus pickup . The DashPass subscription is seen as valuable by some for saving money , but others report being sneakily charged for an annual pass instead of monthly or finding that promotions are misleading or do not work .
Customer Service and Support tieR1R7R16R19
Instacart Instacart's customer service receives overwhelmingly negative reviews. Users describe support as "terrible," "unhelpful," and a "cover-up for not being able to help" R7R16R19. Issues include being denied refunds for bad items R7R38, accounts being flagged and deactivated without resolution , and money being held for days after cancellations R1. Some users struggle to even get in touch with support .
DoorDash DoorDash customer service is also a major point of contention. Many users report being refused refunds or credits for missing or incorrect items, even with evidence R73. Users describe agents as "useless, incompetent and unreliable" . There are complaints about being charged for canceled orders and issues with DashPass subscriptions not being corrected . However, some users have had positive experiences where support "heard me out" and "cleared things up" .
App Experience tieR21R30R32R50
Instacart The Instacart app is generally considered easy to use R30, but users report several bugs and glitches. These include issues with pictures and "buy again" items for certain stores R21, a persistent glitch showing unconfirmed orders R50, and difficulty searching order history by item . The inability to edit orders containing alcohol is also a reported bug R32.
DoorDash DoorDash's app is described as easy to use and convenient for ordering . However, users report issues such as slow loading times , problems with promotions not working , and a bug with "unable to serialise J-son object" on the orders screen . Some users also find the app's location selection for pickup to be unintuitive .
Pick Instacart if

Pick Instacart if you primarily need grocery delivery, especially if you have mobility challenges R2.

Pick DoorDash if

Pick DoorDash if you frequently order restaurant food and value the convenience of a wide selection .

Evidence note: Both apps have a significant number of negative reviews, particularly regarding fees, order accuracy, and customer service. The high volume of reviews for DoorDash (over 22 million) compared to Instacart (over 4 million) means that while DoorDash has more complaints in absolute numbers, the proportion of negative experiences relative to its user base is comparable.

Frequently asked

Are Instacart and DoorDash expensive?
Yes, both Instacart and DoorDash are frequently criticized by users for being expensive due to various fees and marked-up item prices. Instacart charges service fees, city regulatory fees, and even "lifting fees" for heavy items, which can add $20 or more to a small order R9R30R33. DoorDash users report that items are significantly overpriced compared to in-store prices, and delivery fees can be high, sometimes nearly $7 for short distances R61.
Do Instacart and DoorDash have good customer service?
No, both Instacart and DoorDash receive widespread negative feedback regarding their customer service. Instacart users describe support as "terrible" and "unhelpful," often failing to resolve issues like incorrect orders or held funds R7R16R38. DoorDash users also report being frequently denied refunds for missing or wrong items, with agents described as "useless" and "incompetent" R73.
Are deliveries reliable with Instacart and DoorDash?
Delivery reliability is a common issue for both services, with many users experiencing problems. Instacart users report frequent order cancellations, late deliveries, and incorrect or damaged items R1R4R7R19. DoorDash users also complain about wrong orders, missing items, and food arriving cold due to extended delivery times or drivers taking multiple orders .

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. [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
  3. [R31] Instacart 1/5 · US Timing: Why can I no longer order for same day?
  4. [R32] Instacart 4/5 · US Can’t edit if buying alcohol: If you have beer or wine in your order you can’t make any changes to the order after it has been placed even if what you are changing has nothing to do with the alcohol purchase. I have reported this bug before but it appears nothing has been done to correct it.
  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. [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!
  8. [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
  9. [R9] 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
  10. [R13] Instacart 2/5 · US Extra Charges After Purchase: Seem
  11. [R20] 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. [R30] Instacart 3/5 · US Service fees are too highl: Love being able to order groceries and food. App is simple to use. But the service fees are too high.
  13. [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
  14. [R19] 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
  15. [R21] Instacart 3/5 · US BUG with Costco and several others: Please fix the pictures and the buy again items for Costco and several other stores! The latest update that came over the weekend did not fix it.
  16. [R50] Instacart 1/5 · US There’s a glitch: Every time do a order either grocery or restaurants there’s a glitch. I keep closing the app and it’s still showing up on top of my screen to confirm order delivery and when I confirm it and then close the app it’s still showing up. I even restarted my phone and it’s still there. It doesn’t make any sense. Is definitely a glitch.
  17. [R33] Instacart 3/5 · US Mockups: Mockups are too high. No mockups better tips. We pay service per month. Service fee per delivery is too much!
  18. [R61] DoorDash 1/5 · US don't waste your time or money: this app sucks, fees are to high and customer service is really poor.
  19. [R38] Instacart 1/5 · US A joke very disappointed: I ordered watermelon, but I didn’t realize I had selected cantaloupe as the replacement option. When my order arrived and I saw the substitution, I immediately called because I am highly allergic to cantaloupe and cannot eat it. I explained the situation and asked if I could return it for a credit or exchange. Instead, I was simply told that I had chosen the replacement
  20. [R73] DoorDash 1/5 · US Did not receive item. DoorDash refused refund: Had an order where a $7.00 item was not with my order. Clearly shown on the picture the dasher took of the order before I even touched it, that the coffee drink was not there. DoorDash refused me a refund. Wouldn’t even give me credit. So DoorDash quite literally stole from me. I tried to escalate it up the ladder, to no avail. Never in my life have a

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