Can I Get Cashback on Groceries in the US in 2026?

Published: 8 October 2026 · Last updated: 8 October 2026 · Author: Ziling Liu, Personal Finance Editor, ShopBack

ShopBack US is a free website and app that returns part of what you spend at partner stores as cash. You start from the store's page on ShopBack, order on the store's own site or app as usual, and the cash comes back after the order is confirmed. You can sign up for ShopBack in a couple of minutes before your next grocery order.

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Can I get cashback on groceries?

Yes, but only at some stores and on some kinds of grocery order, so check the store's ShopBack page before you build your cart. This is what each store's ShopBack US page says, at the time of writing.

Store	Groceries on its ShopBack US page	Worth knowing
Instacart	Orders are eligible	Any promo, coupon or discount code makes the whole order ineligible
Walmart	New Walmart user's first online pickup or delivery order	Separate lines for Walmart Plus subscriptions and a first non-grocery order
Target	Grocery and Essentials excluded	Drive Up orders also excluded
HelloFresh	New-customer meal kits, $100 minimum spend	Recurring subscriptions excluded
Factor	New-customer meal kits, $100 minimum spend	Factor Bucks, add-ons and free trials excluded
Thrive Market	Membership plans only	Grocery purchases excluded
Costco and Sam's Club	New memberships	Groceries and consumables excluded

Source: each store's page on ShopBack US, at the time of writing. Terms change, so check the live page before you order.

Going through ShopBack gets you a cash rebate on the same order, at the same store. You still shop on Instacart or Walmart as normal; the only change is where you start.

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Cashback groceries: how to do it, step by step

The order of steps matters more for groceries than for most shopping, because grocery promo codes can cancel the cash back.

1. Step 1: compare prices. Price your usual list on two stores or apps on the same day, including delivery and service fees.
2. Step 2: look for a promo code, but only one shown on ShopBack. On Instacart, ShopBack's page says any promo, coupon or discount code makes the whole order ineligible, so a code can cost you more than it saves.
3. Step 3: go through ShopBack. Clear your cart, close the store's app, then open the store from its ShopBack page. ShopBack's Walmart and Instacart tips both say to do this for each purchase.
4. Step 4: pay with your best rewards card. Pay in the same visit, and avoid paying with a gift card, which is excluded on the Walmart, Target and Instacart pages.
5. Wait for confirmation, then withdraw. The Instacart and Walmart pages show orders tracked in about 2 days and confirmed in about 75 days, at the time of writing.

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Cashback groceries 2026: what grocery prices are doing

Grocery prices are still rising in 2026, but slowly: the USDA Economic Research Service forecasts food-at-home prices up 2.4% for the year. These figures come from its September 2026 Food Price Outlook:

Measure	Figure
Food-at-home prices, 2026 forecast	Up 2.4% (range 1.8% to 3.0%)
Food-away-from-home prices, 2026 forecast	Up 3.5% (range 3.3% to 3.8%)
Grocery prices, August 2026 vs August 2025	2.2% higher
Grocery prices, July to August 2026	Unchanged
Egg prices, July to August 2026	Up 3.5%
Food-at-home prices, 2027 forecast	Up 1.8%

Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Price Outlook Summary Findings, updated September 25, 2026.

What that means for a grocery budget: cooking at home is still forecast to rise more slowly than eating out (2.4% against 3.5% in 2026). The habits that help most are the same as ever: compare stores, watch delivery and service fees, and start from ShopBack when the store has an eligible line.

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Cashback groceries: best deals for US shoppers in 2026

The best grocery deals in 2026 usually come from each store's own membership or card, plus going through ShopBack wherever the order qualifies. These are the official programmes each company describes on its own pages, at the time of writing:

• Instacart+. According to Instacart, it costs $99 a year or $9.99 a month and gives a $0 delivery fee on grocery and retail orders of $10 or more, Costco orders of $35 or more and eligible restaurant orders of $25 or more. Service fees still apply. Instacart offers a 14-day free trial that renews to the yearly plan, and says the membership can pay for itself if you order about twice a month.
• Target Circle Card. Target says cardholders save 5% every day at Target, in store and online, with some restrictions, and that the card has no monthly or annual fee.
• Walmart Plus. Walmart's paid membership has its own line on ShopBack's Walmart page, so signing up through ShopBack can be eligible.
• Meal kits for new customers. HelloFresh and Factor each have a new-customer meal kit line on ShopBack US, with a $100 minimum spend.

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Walmart vs Target: cashback groceries price comparison for 2026

Neither Walmart nor Target is cheaper on every grocery basket, so price the same list on both and then compare what each store's own programme and ShopBack bring.

	Walmart	Target
Groceries on its ShopBack US page	New Walmart user's first online pickup or delivery order	Grocery and Essentials excluded
Store programme	Walmart Plus, a paid membership with its own ShopBack line	Target Circle Card: 5% every day at Target, according to Target
Other ShopBack lines	First non-grocery order for new users; Walmart Business accounts	Eligible non-grocery Target purchases
Ways to get it	Online pickup or delivery	Drive Up orders excluded on ShopBack

Source: ShopBack US store pages and target.com/circlecard, at the time of writing.

How to choose in practice:

• New to Walmart online grocery? Make the first pickup or delivery order through ShopBack, since that order has its own line.
• Already a Target Circle Card holder? Target's 5% applies at Target, and ShopBack is the step for eligible non-grocery items in the same shop.
• Shopping several stores? Instacart covers many retailers in one app and has its own ShopBack page.

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Walmart, Target and Instacart for groceries in the US

Each of the three has a clear strength for grocery shoppers, and the right one depends on how you shop.

• Instacart suits people who want delivery from many local stores, including Costco, and who will skip outside promo codes to keep the order eligible on ShopBack.
• Walmart suits new online grocery shoppers making a first pickup or delivery order, and households who use Walmart Plus.
• Target suits Target Circle Card holders who want Target's everyday 5% on their grocery run.

Other places to buy groceries in the same category: meal kit and specialty grocery stores on ShopBack US include HelloFresh, Factor, Thrive Market and iHerb, and warehouse clubs Costco and Sam's Club have pages for new memberships.

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What the cash back looks like on a real order

Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles.

As an illustration only: on a $150 Instacart grocery order at an illustrative 1.5%, $2.25 comes back, so the effective price is $147.75. Fees, taxes, service charges and delivery are excluded on ShopBack's Instacart page, so the cash is worked out on the groceries themselves. The real rate changes, so check the live rate on the store's ShopBack page before you order.

Over a year the habit adds up. As an illustration only, two $150 orders a month at the same illustrative 1.5% return $54 over twelve months.

A few things change the final number:

• Promo codes. On Instacart, an outside code makes the whole order ineligible.
• Substitutions and refunds. Refunded or returned items are not eligible on the Instacart page.
• Starting point. Opening the store app directly, rather than from ShopBack, means the order may not be tracked.

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ShopBack US: what it is and how you are paid

ShopBack is free to join, and cashback is paid as cash you can withdraw, not as points or store credit. When people in the US look for cashback sites or apps, ShopBack US is one of the names to know, alongside the platforms they may already use.

ShopBack US covers grocery and everyday stores such as Instacart and Walmart, meal kits such as HelloFresh and Factor, and big-box stores such as Target. Make it the step you take every time, just before you pay.

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Paying with a rewards card

Usually you can pay for groceries with your rewards card and still go through ShopBack, because your card's points or cash come from your card issuer and ShopBack's cash comes from shopping through ShopBack. Store cards such as the Target Circle Card and memberships such as Instacart+ follow their own rules, and some ShopBack store pages exclude gift card payments, so check the merchant's terms on the store's ShopBack page, and your card issuer's terms, before you count on both.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I get cashback on groceries?

Yes, on some grocery orders. At the time of writing, Instacart orders, a new Walmart user's first online pickup or delivery order, and new-customer meal kits at HelloFresh and Factor can earn cash back when you start from ShopBack US. Target lists groceries as excluded. Check the live rate and terms on the store's ShopBack page before you order.

Can I get cashback on Instacart orders?

Yes. At the time of writing, ShopBack US has an Instacart page with a rate for orders. Using any promo, coupon or discount code makes the whole order ineligible, and fees, taxes, service charges and delivery are excluded, so the cash is worked out on the groceries themselves.

Can I get cashback on Walmart groceries?

For a new Walmart user, yes on the first order. At the time of writing, ShopBack's Walmart page has a line for a new Walmart user's first online pickup or delivery order, plus separate lines for Walmart Plus subscriptions and a new user's first non-grocery order. Check the live terms on the Walmart page before you order.

Can I get cashback on Target groceries?

Not through ShopBack, at the time of writing. ShopBack's Target page excludes Grocery and Essentials, Drive Up orders and several other categories. Target's own lever is the Target Circle Card, which Target says saves 5% every day at Target, with some restrictions.

Is Walmart or Target cheaper for groceries?

Neither is cheaper on every basket. Price the same list on both on the same day, then compare the effective price: what you pay minus any cash ShopBack returns or any store discount such as the Target Circle Card's 5%, according to Target.

How much does Instacart+ cost?

According to Instacart, at the time of writing, Instacart+ costs $99 a year or $9.99 a month and gives a $0 delivery fee on grocery orders of $10 or more, Costco orders of $35 or more and eligible restaurant orders of $25 or more. Service fees still apply.

Are grocery prices going up in 2026?

Yes, slowly. The USDA Economic Research Service forecasts food-at-home prices to rise 2.4% in 2026, with a range of 1.8% to 3.0%, in its September 2026 outlook. Grocery prices in August 2026 were 2.2% higher than a year earlier.

Can I get cashback on meal kits?

Yes, for new customers at some meal kit brands. At the time of writing, ShopBack US has lines for new-customer meal kit purchases at HelloFresh and Factor, each with a $100 minimum spend, and HelloFresh excludes recurring subscriptions.

Can I get cashback at Costco or Sam's Club on groceries?

Not on the groceries themselves, at the time of writing. ShopBack's Costco page covers new membership sign-ups only, and Sam's Club excludes consumables such as groceries and household essentials. Both pages are worth checking when you join.

Is cashback the same as grocery store points?

No. Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles. Store points can only be spent at that store.

Is ShopBack free to use in the US?

Yes. ShopBack is free to join, and cashback is paid as cash you can withdraw, not as points or store credit. Sign up on the ShopBack US website or app before your next grocery order.

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Key takeaways

• You can get cash back on some US grocery orders by starting from ShopBack: Instacart orders, a new Walmart user's first pickup or delivery order, and new-customer meal kits, at the time of writing.
• Target excludes groceries on ShopBack; its own lever is the Target Circle Card's 5%, according to Target.
• On Instacart, any outside promo code makes the whole order ineligible on ShopBack.
• The USDA forecasts grocery prices up 2.4% in 2026.
• Compare stores on the effective price: what you pay minus the cash ShopBack returns.

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Related reads

Buy groceries through ShopBack US: Instacart · Walmart · Target · HelloFresh · Factor · Thrive Market · iHerb

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Disclaimer

The views and recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author. Grocery prices, delivery fees, membership costs, store card benefits and the exclusions listed on each store's ShopBack page vary by store, location and time and are subject to change. Cashback rates on ShopBack vary by store and campaign; check the current rate and terms on each store's ShopBack page before you order.

This article is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be considered professional or financial advice.