When it comes to grocery delivery services, what you’re ultimately paying for is convenience, says Lisa Young, adjunct professor of nutrition at New York University. Instead of taking time out of your day to visit a store, wander through aisles and wait in line to check out, you can quickly order food and other household essentials online or via an app. You can even choose a day and time for them to arrive at your doorstep.
Beyond helping you save time, these delivery services may also help you save money on groceries. “By not being in the store, you won’t be making impulse purchases,” says Ariane Resnick, a special diet chef, certified nutritionist and cookbook author. “Those could be items that you try to not eat because they aren’t healthy, or that you regret buying because of their high cost.”
I talked to Young and Resnick about the benefits of grocery delivery services and how to choose one that works for your budget and schedule. I also highlighted expert-recommended options, NBC Select staff favorites and others we think you should know about, including those that specialize in bulk orders or offer discounted produce.
SKIP AHEAD The best grocery delivery services | Membership-based services | Subscription-based services | Open-access services | How to choose a grocery delivery service | What are the main grocery delivery membership models? | What are the benefits of grocery delivery services?
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I spoke with experts to learn more about the benefits of grocery delivery services. To select our top picks, I kept the following factors in mind:
- Membership model: There are three main types of membership models: open access, membership and subscription. Each has benefits depending on the quantity and frequency you’re making orders.
- Product assortment: It’s important to look into what products the delivery service offers. Are you interested in ordering only groceries or would you like to be able to also order household items at the same time? Some delivery services only offer groceries and some don’t allow you to order certain perishables.
- Delivery location: Some services only operate in certain areas, so you want to do research on what’s available near you.
- Price: With many delivery services there’s various fees for aspects like delivery, shipping, service and convenience. Depending on the service there are discounts on these fees if you order a certain amount or join their membership programs.
I organized our list of grocery delivery services below by membership type: open access, membership and subscription. Open-access models let customers shop on an ad-hoc basis, membership-based models require memberships and subscription models automatically send preselected items to your doorstep on a regular cadence.
Below, I listed our NBC Select editors’ favorite membership-based, subscription-based and open-access grocery delivery services, as well as ones our experts use and love. Keep in mind that our list is not exhaustive, and local grocery stores in your area may operate their own grocery delivery services. Some stores also deliver groceries through food delivery platforms like UberEats, Postmates, GrubHub and Seamless.
Membership-based grocery delivery servicesTo get access to the below grocery delivery services, you need to pay a monthly or yearly fee. For each option, I highlighted the membership fee and delivery costs that are added on to your bill each time you shop.
Amazon Whole Foods Market
What we like
- Same-day delivery
- Added discounts on some sales
- Free pick up
Something to note
- Exclusively Whole Foods
Membership fee: $139 a year, discounted memberships available
Delivery cost: $9.95 service fee per order, plus an additional rush fee for one-hour delivery orders. Pick up is free on orders over $35.
Amazon Prime members can order groceries through Whole Foods and either pick them up in store or get them delivered. You choose a day and two-hour time slot for pickup or delivery in advance, or pay an added fee to have your groceries delivered within an hour.
Resnick says she orders Whole Foods groceries through Amazon, and to save even more, she uses her Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card, which offers 3% back at Whole Foods. Between groceries she’s purchased for personal and professional use, Resnick says she’s received a couple hundred dollars back this year so far in rewards by using the card. Additionally, Prime members get an extra 10% off sale items while shopping at Whole Foods in stores or online, excluding alcohol, according to the brand.
Amazon Fresh
What we like
- Available to non-Prime members
- Offers non-perishable goods
Something to note
- Not available in some areas
Membership fee: $139 a year, discounted memberships available
Delivery cost: There’s a $9.95 delivery fee for orders under $50; a $6.95 delivery fee for orders between $50 and $100; and orders over $100 are free for Prime members and don’t incur a service fee, according to the brand. Non Prime members are charged between $7.95 and $13.95 depending on basket size and selected delivery window.
Amazon Fresh grocery delivery was previously only available to those with an Amazon Prime membership, according to TechCrunch. As of November 2023, however, the company announced that AmazonFresh is also available to those without a Prime membership, though delivery will cost between $7.95 and $13.95, depending on order total, according to the brand. In addition to pantry items and fresh produce, you can also order baby essentials, pet products, health care, personal care and cleaning items. If you purchase specific items consistently, you can opt to make them Repeat Items, which means Amazon Fresh will automatically add them to your cart based on a schedule you set so they’re waiting for you before you begin shopping. Certain items also have a Subscribe & Save option, which will automatically ship the item after a designated number of weeks or months for up to 15% off.
Jennifer Birkhofer, vice president of commerce at NBC News, says that when she uses Amazon Fresh, her order is always delivered on time. You can choose delivery times before 6 a.m. so your order is waiting for you when you wake up, she says.
Amazon also offers a $10 monthly grocery subscription, where Prime members can get unlimited free grocery delivery from Whole Foods, Amazon Fresh and local retailers on orders of $35 or more. The subscription includes priority access to grocery deliveries, 1-hour delivery windows and free 30-minute pickup from Whole Foods Market and Amazon Fresh.
Walmart+
Membership fee: $98 a year
Delivery cost: Free for orders $35 or more, $7 for orders under $35
Walmart+ members can get free same-day delivery on groceries with no additional delivery fees. Senior photo editor Becca Delman says her family orders groceries through Walmart+ weekly and enjoys the low-priced, high-quality fresh produce. You can choose a one-hour delivery window day-of or schedule deliveries ahead of time. Additional benefits include a free Paramount+ subscription and savings on auto care, fuel and travel, according to the brand.
Thrive Market
What we like
- You can customize your order
- Autoship delivery
- Ships in a business day
Something to note
- No perishables
Membership fee: $60 a year
Delivery cost: Free for orders $49 or more, $5.95 for orders under $49
Thrive Market sells fresh and frozen groceries, nonperishables, household essentials, wine and more. The company works directly with brands to cut out middlemen like brokers and distributors, allowing it to avoid markups you may see at other retailers and offer products at lower prices, according to Thrive. It also carries its own line of grocery items available exclusively on the platform.
Benefits include customizing your order and shopping on an as-needed basis — there are no order frequency requirements or limits, according to the brand. You can also set up autoship deliveries for specific products so they’re delivered on a recurring schedule — when you do so, you get an extra 5% to 10% off these items. Members also get exclusive deals and free gifts throughout the year in addition to earning Thrive Cash that they can redeem toward future purchases. I used Thrive Market to stock my apartment with groceries while living with roommates in college; shipping essentials to my door while I was in class or at work was very convenient.
Subscription-based grocery delivery servicesThe below online grocery delivery services operate on a subscription-based model. This means that, by signing up, you agree to have a preselected amount of food automatically sent to your doorstep on a regular basis each month. That said, you can cancel your subscription at any time and skip weeks when you don’t need a delivery, like if you’re going on vacation. For each option, I highlighted how much it costs to subscribe to the service and the delivery cost that would be added to your bill every time an order is delivered.
ButcherBox
What we like
- Free delivery
- Customizable boxes
Something to note
- Nothing to note at this time
Cost: $146 to $169 for classic sized boxes and $269 to $306 for bigger boxes
Delivery cost: Free
ButcherBox, a meat, poultry and fish subscription service, is especially great for people who live in areas where there is limited access to grass-fed and wild meat and seafood choices, says Resnick. Food is delivered cold — sometimes frozen — allowing you to refrigerate items for more immediate use or freeze them for future use, according to the brand.
ButcherBox has four different boxes, which have a combination of beef, pork, chicken and wild-caught seafood. Each box’s content varies, as does how much meat or seafood it has. You can choose how often you want to receive an order and change which type of box you get at any time. ButcherBox members also get access to exclusive deals, referral perks, recipes, tutorials and more.
Misfits Market
Cost: $35.98 to $41.98 per box, or per item if shopping a la carte
Delivery cost: Flat rate per zip code starting at $6 per order
Misfits Market works with food producers to source items like organic produce, meat, seafood, dairy products and pantry staples that might otherwise go to waste and sells them at up to 40% off grocery store prices. You can choose from grocery plans that range in price from $35 to $40 per box and customize what’s in your order each week during a specific time period leading up to delivery. Alternatively, you can choose to shop a la carte so you’re only charged for the items you order. You can also purchase wine through Misfits Market and earn points while shopping, which you can later use toward free shipping, discounts and more.
Imperfect Foods
What we like
- You can purchase wellnes items
- No membership fee
- No minimum order value
Something to note
- Nothing to note at this time
Cost: Order minimum start at $15
Delivery cost: $6 per box
Misfits Market acquired Imperfect Foods in 2022. The services operate similarly, with each focusing on decreasing food waste in addition to delivering fresh groceries. Imperfect Foods works with food producers to source items that may otherwise go to waste. It also has a wider array of products compared to Misfits Market. In addition to groceries, you can buy wellness items like hand soap, tampons and sunscreen. Imperfect Foods also has its own line of food that it makes from rescued and upcycled ingredients, according to the brand.
Imperfect Foods does not charge a membership fee and prices items individually. Where you live impacts what day of the week your order will be delivered. Each week, you customize the contents of your order during a specific time period leading up to delivery. There is no minimum order value.
Hungryroot
What we like
- Personalized delivery plans
- Come with easy recipes
Something to note
- Nothing to note at this time
Cost: Starting at $69 per plan
Delivery cost: Free delivery for plans $70 or more, $7 for plans under $70
Hungryroot is a cross between a meal delivery service and a grocery delivery service, says Resnick. When you sign up, you take a quiz about your dietary preferences, tastes, culinary skills and more, and Hungryroot recommends meals and groceries for you based on that information.
Hungryroot has different plans to choose from based on how many servings of each meal and snack you want. Lunches and dinners come with the ingredients and instructions you need to make each meal, while everything else — like snacks, sweets and pantry essentials — is a la carte.
Open-access grocery delivery servicesIf you’re looking for grocery delivery services that do not require a paid membership or subscription and allow you to order on an ad-hoc basis, I rounded up a handful of options below. Delivery and service fees vary, and I included information about each service’s associated paid membership options as well.
Instacart
What we like
- You can schedule delivery
- Provides order tracking
- Free order delivery over $35
Something to note
- Marked-up prices
- Some issues with replacements
Delivery fee: Starts at $4 for same-day orders over $35, fees vary for one-hour deliveries, club store deliveries and deliveries under $35
Paid membership option: Instacart+ for $99 a year
Instacart lets you order groceries and other items from participating stores near you. You can schedule deliveries or curbside pickup days in advance, as well as choose from same-day and one-hour options if you need products quickly. You can order from warehouse clubs like Costco, Sam’s Club and BJ’s without a membership, but prices are marked up. I use Instacart multiple times a month and often place an order when I’m on my way home from work through the service’s app.
The Instacart+ membership includes benefits like free delivery on orders over $35, lower service fees, 5% credit back on pickup orders and more.
Shipt
Delivery fee: $10
Paid membership option: Shipt membership for $99 a year
Shipt is similar to Instacart, and some stores — like Costco and Target — offer delivery through both platforms. You can schedule deliveries and pickups in advance or choose from same-day and one-hour options.
With a Shipt membership, you can get free delivery on orders over $35. There’s a $7 fee for deliveries under $35 with a membership.
NBC Select intern Jeffrey Kelly used Target’s same day delivery with Shipt to order a fan and some groceries when he moved into his sublet apartment last month. “I was just getting to know the area and using the app made getting the things I needed less of a hassle,” he says.
Gopuff
What we like
- Priority delivery fee
- Open late for deliveries
Something to note
- Only the Gopuff warehouse
Delivery fee: $3.95
Membership option: Gopuff Fam for $7.99 a month
Instead of shopping from local stores in your area that partner with services like Instacart or Shipt, you can shop directly through Gopuff, which has warehouses stocked with products in areas it serves across the country. Once you place your order, personal shoppers pack and deliver it to your door. Its product offerings are what you’d typically find at a convenience store — you can’t get fresh fish and meat, but you can order snacks, basic dairy products like milk and eggs, alcohol and more, according to Gopuff.
Gopuff also has bath, beauty and health products, as well as pet and baby supplies. I specifically recommend Gopuff for college students — it was one of the most popular grocery delivery services used on my campus. Students would purchase shelf-stable snacks they could keep in their dorms and frozen meals they could microwave. The Gopuff Fam membership offers perks including free delivery on regulated products like alcohol.
Weee!
What we like
- Potential for cash back
Something to note
- Delivery date can't be changed
Delivery fee: Varies based on location and rewards membership status
Membership option: Weee users are automatically enrolled in the Weee Rewards program, which is separated in three tiers: Bronze (which is free for everyone), Silver for those who spend $150 in three months and Gold for those who spend $350 in three months to qualify.
Weee is an online market that has groceries across what it describes as “ethnic storefronts,” meaning storefronts focused around the following cuisines: Chinese, Mexican, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Filipino and Indian. You can shop for groceries online and choose a delivery day and time that best fits your schedule.
The Weee Rewards program is the service’s optional membership program. Perks include 3% cash back on eligible purchases for Silver Rewards members, discounted pricing on select items and more.
How to choose a grocery delivery serviceGrocery delivery services take the in-person work out of food shopping, and you can order everyday essentials like cleaning products and pet supplies, according to Resnick. But since there are dozens of grocery delivery services out there, finding your favorite may take some trial and error. To help guide your shopping, I highlighted a few important factors to think about based on our research, experience and expert advice. In addition to membership model types, which I outline above, here’s what else to consider:
Types of membership modelsWhen evaluating a grocery delivery service, consider how often you’ll be using it and whether you want to pay a recurring fee. This will help you decide whether you want to use an ad hoc open access service, pay for a membership-based service or opt for a subscription model. I go more in-depth on the different types of membership models below.
Delivery locationWhere you live can impact which grocery delivery services you have access to. For example, FreshDirect, which NBC Select managing editor Leah Ginsberg uses, only operates in parts of the East Coast like New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Additionally, stores that have delivery vary when it comes to services like Instacart and Shipt: After you input your zip code, the platforms tell you which participating local retailers you can choose from.
Product assortmentMany grocery delivery services have produce, pantry staples and prepared foods, as well as household necessities like toiletries and cleaning supplies. Others, however, specialize in a certain type of food — ButcherBox, for example, only delivers meat and seafood. If you enjoy visiting a grocery store to pick out your produce, perhaps choosing a grocery delivery service that offers more pantry staples is right for you. But if you want to get all your shopping done using the service, it’s best to pick one with a more expansive product assortment.
What are the main grocery delivery membership models?Open accessSome services are open access, meaning once you make a free account, all you have to do is pay a delivery fee every time you place an order. Some open access services offer membership plans you can join for a yearly or monthly fee, which may offer you perks like free or faster delivery, exclusive discounts or rewards and more. For example, anyone can use Instacart to get groceries delivered, but with an Instacart+ account, you get benefits like unlimited free delivery on orders over $35 and lower service fees.
MembershipOther services exclusively operate on a membership-based model. You pay a flat fee to gain access to the service and can usually opt for a monthly or annual membership. In some cases, you also pay an additional delivery fee per order. There are a few benefits of membership delivery services to consider:
- They may be the only way you can get grocery deliveries from a certain store. For example, only Amazon Prime members can get Whole Foods groceries delivered, according to the brand.
- Individual products sold by the service may cost less than those at a physical grocery store. Thrive Market, for example, works directly with companies to avoid markups you may see at chain grocery stores, according to the brand.
Some delivery services operate on a subscription model, delivering your food on a set schedule just like a meal kit delivery service. One of the biggest benefits of subscription services is that they “remember” to shop for you: You can ship groceries to your door consistently, and you don’t have to think about reordering them, according to experts. Most subscription services notify you via an email, text or app before an order ships so you can customize its contents, skip an order or cancel your subscription if needed.
What are the benefits of grocery delivery services?Beyond the convenience of shopping for food and household essentials online, grocery delivery services can help you save money on travel since you don’t have to pay for gas or other types of transportation, says Yang. Over time, the cost of getting yourself to and from the supermarket may end up being more than a grocery service’s delivery fee. Resnick recommends people think through the logistics of how long it takes to go grocery shopping and how much it costs to get there and back before balking at a grocery service’s delivery fee or monthly membership fee. “You might realize that a $5 or $10 fee is minimal compared to what you pay in gas and time,” she says.
When grocery shopping through a delivery service, you’re often on “automatic pilot,” says Young. You can see orders you’ve placed in the past and deliberately add items you need back into your cart, which she says makes you less likely to spend money on products that aren’t on your shopping list. As I highlighted above, many grocery delivery services offer subscription or autoship enrollment for specific products at a discounted price. If you know you need to buy paper towels every month or rice every two weeks, enrolling in these types of programs may save you money long-term.
Meet our expertsAt NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure that all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and with no undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Lisa Young is an adjunct professor of nutrition in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies at New York University.
- Ariane Resnick is a special diet chef and certified nutritionist. She’s also a recipe developer and has written about nutrition, health, wellness and identity for a variety of platforms, including The Kitchn, Livestrong and Simply Recipes.
I’m an associate updates editor at NBC Select who writes about the food and beverage space, including stories on meal delivery services, olive oil, salt, chocolate and nonalcoholic wine. For this article, I interviewed two experts about grocery delivery services and rounded up popular options, as well as ones I’ve tried.
Catch up on NBC Select’s in-depth coverage of personal finance, tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.
