DoorDash specializes in restaurant food delivery with faster service (30-45 min average), while Instacart focuses on grocery and convenience store shopping with broader product selection. DoorDash is better for meal delivery; Instacart excels for weekly groceries and household essentials.
DoorDash vs Instacart — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
On-demand restaurant food delivery platform serving 500,000+ partner restaurants
Grocery and convenience store delivery platform connecting 80,000+ retail locations
Primary Service Focus. Average Delivery Time. Number of Partner Stores. Delivery Fee (Average). Service Area Coverage (US). Subscription Plan Cost (Annual). Product Selection
Choose DoorDash if you primarily order restaurant meals and value faster delivery times with lower fees—it dominates the food delivery market with 500,000+ partner restaurants and 30-45 minute average delivery. Choose Instacart if you prefer grocery shopping delivery, need a wider product selection for household essentials, and have better geographic coverage; it's ideal for weekly shopping and convenience items despite longer delivery times.
DoorDash: Full upfront visibility | Instacart: N/A
DoorDash: No minimum guarantee | Instacart: N/A
DoorDash: Hyper-sensitive GPS monitoring (2026) | Instacart: N/A
DoorDash: $8.5 billion | Instacart: $3.3 billion
DoorDash: 35 minutes | Instacart: 75 minutes
DoorDash: 35+ million | Instacart: 15+ million
DoorDash: 100,000+ restaurants | Instacart: 50,000+ stores
DoorDash: 27 countries | Instacart: Nationwide (all US states)
DoorDash: $9.99 (DashPass) | Instacart: $9.99 (Instacart+)
DoorDash: $9.99/month | Instacart: $8.25/month ($99/year Instacart+)
DoorDash: 4,500+ cities | Instacart: 2 countries (USA, Canada)
DoorDash: 30-45 min | Instacart: 60-90 min
DoorDash: 3 (groceries, convenience, pet supplies) | Instacart: N/A
DoorDash: 7,000+ cities worldwide | Instacart: N/A
DoorDash: 7,000+ cities | Instacart: N/A
DoorDash: $9.99 (DashPass) | Instacart: N/A
DoorDash: 2.3 million Dashers | Instacart: N/A
DoorDash: $119 (DoorDash+) | Instacart: $99 (Instacart+)
DoorDash: 50,000+ restaurants | Instacart: 1,000,000+ items
DoorDash: 4.8 stars | Instacart: 4.6 stars
DoorDash: $15 (with subscription) | Instacart: $35 (standard, no subscription)
DoorDash: N/A | Instacart: $0-2.99 (or $9.99/month)
DoorDash: N/A | Instacart: Instacart+ separate subscription
DoorDash: N/A | Instacart: Not available
DoorDash: N/A | Instacart: $3.3B (Instacart 2024)
DoorDash: N/A | Instacart: Expanding partnerships nationwide
DoorDash: N/A | Instacart: 60-120 minutes
DoorDash: N/A | Instacart: 5-35% of items
DoorDash: N/A | Instacart: 66% of grocery delivery
DoorDash: N/A | Instacart: Groceries, pharmacies, convenience, household
DoorDash: N/A | Instacart: 85,000+ stores
DoorDash: N/A | Instacart: $9.99/month (Instacart+)
DoorDash: N/A | Instacart: Not applicable
Minimum Order for Free Delivery (with subscription)
DoorDash: N/A | Instacart: $35 (Instacart+)
DoorDash: N/A | Instacart: 50+ supermarket chains
DoorDash: N/A | Instacart: 5,500+ cities
DoorDash: N/A | Instacart: 80,000+ partner stores
DoorDash: N/A | Instacart: $0-$10 (varies by retailer)
DoorDash: N/A | Instacart: $3.99 per order
DoorDash: N/A | Instacart: 20,000+ products (depends on retailer)
DoorDash: N/A | Instacart: 4.4/5 (iOS App Store, 2026)
DoorDash: N/A | Instacart: 15 minutes (select items)
DoorDash: N/A | Instacart: $99 (Instacart+)
DoorDash: N/A | Instacart: $45-65 (groceries)
DoorDash: N/A | Instacart: 4.3 stars (iOS App Store)
How to choose between DoorDash and Instacart
DoorDash vs Instacart — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for DoorDash vs Instacart. Contains 90 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
DoorDash vs Instacart — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for DoorDash vs Instacart.
Which delivery app is faster, DoorDash or Instacart?
DoorDash is significantly faster with average delivery times of 30-45 minutes, compared to Instacart's 60-90 minutes. This is because DoorDash focuses on ready-made restaurant meals, while Instacart involves shopping and picking items from grocery stores, which takes longer.
What are the total costs including delivery fees and subscription?
DoorDash costs $119/year for DoorDash+ with $2-3 delivery fees waived on $15+ orders, totaling roughly $15-20/month on average. Instacart+ costs $99/year or $9.99/month with delivery fees of $3.99-$5.99 per order, totaling $25-40/month for regular users. DoorDash is cheaper if you order frequently.
Can I use DoorDash for grocery shopping?
No, DoorDash does not offer grocery delivery. DoorDash specializes in restaurant and quick-service food delivery only. For grocery shopping, you must use Instacart, which partners with 350+ grocery chains including Whole Foods, Kroger, and Albertsons.
Which app has better geographic coverage?
Instacart has slightly better coverage, serving 95% of the US population compared to DoorDash's 90%. However, both apps cover most major metropolitan areas, and availability varies by specific zip code and location.
Which app is better for busy professionals?
DoorDash is better for busy professionals who need quick meals and restaurant delivery (30-45 min). Instacart is better for those who want to consolidate weekly grocery shopping into one efficient order, despite the longer delivery window. Ideally, using both services serves different needs.
How to Choose Between DoorDash and Instacart
Primary Service Focus: DoorDash has Restaurant & food delivery, while Instacart has Grocery & convenience stores.
Average Delivery Time: DoorDash has 30-45 minutes, while Instacart has 60-90 minutes.
Number of Partner Stores: DoorDash has 500,000+ restaurants, while Instacart has 80,000+ retail locations.
Delivery Fee (Average): DoorDash has $2-3 per order, while Instacart has $3.99-$5.99 per order.
Service Area Coverage (US): DoorDash has 90% of US population, while Instacart has 95% of US population.
Consider: Subscription Plan Cost (Annual)
Subscription Plan Cost (Annual): DoorDash has $119 DoorDash+, while Instacart has $99 Instacart+ or $9.99/month.
Product Selection: DoorDash has 50,000+ restaurants nationwide, while Instacart has 1M+ grocery items available.