Instacart is an online grocery delivery platform that helps people in North America restock their groceries from the comfort of their homes.
It’s one of the best grocery delivery platforms in Canada, as it offers quick delivery and pick-up services, along with affordable subscription plans.
Curious about other apps that deliver cheap groceries online in Canada? Continue reading to check out the best alternatives to Instacart.
Key Takeaways
- Some of the best app alternatives to Instacart are Voilà by Sobeys, Cornershop, and Walmart Grocery Delivery.
- The pros of grocery shopping apps include convenience and being more time-efficient.
- Ordering groceries online has some downsides, including spending more money and having less control over your goods’ quality.
Best Apps Like Instacart in Canada
1. Voilà By Sobeys
Voilà by Sobeys is one of the best grocery delivery services for those living in the Greater Toronto Area. It provides thousands of products, ranging from produce to dry goods, from Sobeys, Well.ca, and Farm Boy branches.
Voilà’s personal shoppers deliver straight from the warehouse to your door. Hence, you can expect fast and fresh deliveries every time.
This app is just as easy-to-use as Instacart. Just check out your virtual grocery cart, choose a delivery window that works best for you, and expect your goods to arrive at your door with no hidden charges.
Voilà’s slight downside is its limited availability. It only caters to the retailers mentioned earlier.
Pricing: Fees typically range from $3.99 to $7.99, depending if you choose delivery or pick-up. If you want to order goods while skipping the constant delivery fees, you can subscribe to the Voilà Delivery Pass. Its price ranges from $9.99 to $11.67 per month.
Here’s a Voilà by Sobeys review for more information.
2. Uber Eats
Uber Eats is a food delivery app that delivers meals directly from restaurants.
Despite its different purpose than Instacart, which focuses on groceries, there’s no denying that both apps are some of the best ways to receive food at your doorstep with minimal effort.
With Uber Eats, finding the perfect meal becomes as easy as filtering your search results by restaurants, food type, or cuisine. Plus, the app’s order scheduling and delivery tracking features tell you exactly when to expect your delicious dish.
However, note that not all local restaurants collaborate with Uber Eats.
Pricing: Delivery fees start at $0.99. If you subscribe to the Uber Pass, which costs $9.99/month, you can enjoy free deliveries and discounts at participating restaurants.
3. DoorDash
Like Uber Eats, DoorDash is one of Canada’s best food delivery apps.
Its pick-up services help you skip your favourite restaurant’s waiting time. And, of course, you can also use this app to get food delivered at your preferred time and location.
The average delivery time is 40 minutes, which is faster than many grocery shopping apps. But unfortunately, some merchants mark up the prices of their meals inside DoorDash.
Pricing: Delivery fees start at $1.99. However, by subscribing to the DashPass, which costs $9.99 monthly, you may skip this fee on eligible restaurants.
Related: Uber Eats vs DoorDash.
4. Cornershop
Cornershop is another online shopping platform Uber provides, perfect for ordering non-restaurant goods.
Like Instacart, Cornershop is an amazing choice if you want access to diverse products. Because, unlike other grocery delivery services like Voilà, Cornershop allows you to order from merchants specializing in non-grocery goods, including brands like Indigo, Rexall and Jack & Jones.
The downside is that Cornershop doesn’t have as many partnered stores as Instacart does.
Pricing: Delivery prices depend on the order size but generally start at around $7. If you’re subscribed to the Cornershop Pop, you’ll enjoy zero delivery fees for orders over $40. For orders less than that, only a $4.90 fee applies.
5. Walmart Grocery Delivery Canada
For loyal Walmart customers, this application will likely be the best grocery delivery app in Canada.
The shoppers of this app are store associates who work directly and exclusively for Walmart stores. So, you can guarantee time-efficient shopping services.
However, note that Walmart Grocery Delivery isn’t available in every city in Canada. And every order should cost at least $35.
Pricing: Delivery rates start at $7.97. However, you can enjoy unlimited same-day deliveries for free by subscribing to Walmart+ for $12.95 a month.
6. Grocery Gateway
If you need products from Longo’s, consider shopping through the store’s official online shopping app, Grocery Gateway.
Over 20,000 products in-store are available for same-day delivery through this application. Plus, pick-up services are also available for as little as $3.
Note that carts should cost at least $50 before you can hit check out. Moreover, Grocery Gateway only serves Toronto and nearby cities.
Pricing: Fees start at $14.95 for the regular same-delivery and around $19.99 for business purposes. Subscribing to the Delivery Pass+, which costs about $3.85 a week, will allow you to enjoy unlimited free deliveries.
7. PC Express Delivery
PC Express is another excellent online grocery shopping application with over 800 partnered locations.
This app maintains the in-store prices. So, you’ll easily avoid the traditional price markups some merchants do on other grocery platforms like Instacart.
Moreover, in-store promos will still apply to your pick-up or delivered PC Express goods, allowing you to maximize your time and money.
Heads up, though, sometimes shoppers choose a substitute if a specific product isn’t available.
Pricing: Next-day deliveries cost $5.99, the same-day option costs $9.99, and priority orders are charged $13.99. You may subscribe to the PC Express Pass to enjoy unlimited free pick-up and delivery options for only $99.99 annually.
8. Metro
As one of the largest grocers in Canada, it’s not surprising that Metro also offers one of the most convenient online grocery services.
This retailer’s app allows you to shop by brand and category. In addition, it lets you sort by popularity, price and relevance. So, you can skip the virtual copycat of stressing out when not knowing which aisle to search for a specific product.
The downside, however, is Metro only operates in Ontario and Quebec.
Pricing: The delivery fee is usually $8, and the assembly fee costs $4. If you subscribe to the Unlimited Delivery service that costs $129.99 annually, you can enjoy free deliveries all year round.
9. Save-On-Foods
Get your food delivered by temperature-controlled vans through Save-On-Foods.
This supermarket chain’s online grocery service is one of the best alternatives to Instacart. Just sign up, build a shopping list, and pick up or get your goods delivered to your doorstep.
No price markups. No hidden fees.
As this app is exclusively for Save-On-Foods, though, you may still need Instacart’s help when ordering from other retailers. Also, note that this store’s minimum order value is $40.
Pricing: The delivery fee varies by your chosen time slot, but prices generally start at $4.95. On the other hand, pick-up fees cost as little as $1.95.
10. Costco Canada
Members of Costco can enjoy CostcoGrocery, Costco’s answer to the growing high demand for delivered groceries.
Although this service is technically not an app but a webpage, it deserves a worthy mention. After all, it’s a slightly cheaper delivery option compared to Instacart’s Costco products with steeper prices.
CostcoGrocery lets you order non-perishable food and household supplies at wholesale prices. However, buying products that cost at least $75 before checking out is highly recommended. Because otherwise, you’ll need to pay an extra $3 per item.
Pricing: Delivery fees vary as Costco uses couriers to deliver products.
11. Buggy
Buggy is an underrated online grocery platform that helps you optimize your time and shopping budget.
This application delivers as fast as an hour. And with the Buggy Bucks program, you can earn 1-2 cents on every dollar you spend.
The best part?
No minimum purchase is required!
Unfortunately, this application’s shopping services are only available from 1 PM to 12 AM.
Pricing: Delivery fees start at $5.99 plus the shopper’s picking fee, depending on the order size.
12. Spud
Spud is undoubtedly one of the best sources of high-quality groceries in Canada.
It prides itself in supporting local growers, producers, farmers and artisans and using sustainable transport and packaging. Hence, it’s my go-to recommendation for buyers who want a sustainable and environmental approach to online shopping.
This store lets you buy various products, from produce to meat and snacks.
However, it only delivers groceries to 4 locations in Canada—namely, the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island in BC, and Calgary and Edmonton in Alberta.
Pricing: Delivery fees range from $4.95 to $6.25.
What is Instacart?
Instacart is a popular online delivery application that provides customers a convenient way to shop from over 500 retailers.
After placing an order, Instacart’s personal shoppers find, verify, and deliver the goods you need at your preferred time. If you wish, you may also pick up your goods directly from the retail store.
One of my favourite aspects about Instacart is that it doesn’t require you to have a membership to shop from members-exclusive retailers like Costco.
However, since stores are responsible for listing their product prices on the app, retailers’ online product prices may be higher compared to the in-store prices.
The platform charges per delivery if you’re not subscribed to Instacart+. With the membership, though, you can enjoy zero delivery fees on orders over $35. This plan costs $99 annually or $9.99 monthly.
Related: Instacart Shopper Review.
Pros and Cons of Grocery Delivery Apps
Pros
- Convenience: There’s no need to put in the effort to buy products inside the store yourself.
- Less stress when finding products: You can skip visiting aisle after aisle thanks to specific search filters that help you find the products you need in seconds.
- Time-saver: Have more time doing what you need or love instead of spending half or an entire hour on your groceries.
Cons
- More expensive: In exchange for the convenience you enjoy, you’ll need to pay for the delivery and service fee. Some shops also make their product prices online more expensive, so grocery delivery apps are not always budget-friendly.
- Less control: Although most shoppers promise they’ll pick the goods exactly based on your preference, no one can better pick the products you like than you.
- Less availability: Some products that are available in-store don’t show up as available in online grocery apps.
Are Grocery Delivery Apps Worth It?
Grocery delivery apps are worth it if you prioritize convenience, time efficiency, and an easier time finding products.
Sure, these applications may cost you money and give you less control over your products’ quality. However, for many, the pros of grocery delivery apps heavily outweigh their cons, making them a must-have on mobile phones.
FAQs
Instacart is the cheapest grocery delivery app in Toronto. It delivers goods for as little as $3.99.
No. Shipt is a delivery service that only works in the US.
Yes. Instacart is available in Canada. In fact, it’s one of the best grocery delivery apps available in the country.
Instacart’s delivery fees are generally cheaper than others. However, some stores mark up their prices in this application, so buying from Instacart can be expensive.
Related: Best Food Delivery Apps and Services
