What Is the Cheapest Food Delivery App in the US in 2026?

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

ShopBack US is a free app and website that gives you cash back when you shop online. Before you order on DoorDash or Instacart, you open the store on ShopBack, tap through and order as usual, and part of what you paid comes back as cash. Join ShopBack US for free before your next order.

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What is the cheapest food delivery app?

The cheapest food delivery app is the one with the lowest checkout total for your order, and that changes with what you order and how often. The menu or item price is only part of the bill. Here is how the main US apps line up by order type:

What you are ordering	Usually cheapest route	Why
Weekly groceries	Instacart with Instacart+	$0 delivery fee on grocery orders of $10 or more for members, according to Instacart
Costco run	Instacart with Instacart+	$0 delivery fee on Costco orders of $35 or more for members
Takeout two or more times a week	DoorDash with DashPass, or Uber Eats with Uber One	Memberships remove the delivery fee and cut service fees on eligible orders
One-off restaurant meal	Pickup, or whichever app shows the lower total	No membership fee to cover
Any order you can collect	Pickup	No delivery fee, and Instacart pickup has no service fee

DoorDash is the largest food delivery platform in the US by market share, at about 56 percent in the most recent figure cited on its Wikipedia page, so it often has the widest restaurant choice. Instacart is the specialist for grocery and retail baskets.

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Food delivery apps: the fees that decide the price

On most food delivery apps, fees and tip can add more to the bill than the food price difference between apps. Instacart's own fees page is a clear example of what to look for on any app:

• Delivery fee. Instacart says it varies by retailer, delivery window and order total, and Instacart+ members get $0 delivery fees on eligible orders of $10 or more per retailer.
• Service fee. Instacart says it varies by location and by the number and type of items, and it is not a tip.
• Minimum order. On Instacart, all orders must be at least $10 to qualify for delivery.
• Priority fee. Charged when you choose the fastest delivery window.
• Long distance fee. Instacart may charge one if the route is 15 minutes or more or includes a toll.
• Tip. Separate from fees; on Instacart, 100 percent of the tip goes to the shopper.

DoorDash and Uber Eats use similar building blocks, including delivery fees, service fees and small order fees on low subtotals, and show each one at checkout. The habit that saves the most: compare the final checkout total, not the menu price.

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Food delivery apps in 2026: are memberships worth it?

A delivery membership in 2026 is usually worth it only if you order at least a few times a month. Here is what each main app offers, from its own pages:

Membership	Price	What it removes
Instacart+	$99 a year or $9.99 a month, with a 14 day free trial, according to Instacart	$0 delivery fee on grocery and retail orders of $10 or more, Costco orders of $35 or more, eligible restaurant orders of $25 or more; service fees still apply
DashPass (DoorDash)	Shown in the DoorDash app	$0 delivery fee and lower service fees on eligible orders above a minimum subtotal
Uber One (Uber Eats)	Shown in the Uber app	$0 delivery fee on eligible orders above a minimum, plus member perks on rides

Instacart says that if you order just twice a month, Instacart+ can pay for itself. Instacart+ also lets you add family members to share carts and benefits, and lists streaming and cooking perks for members. If you only order once a month, skipping the membership and paying per order, or picking up, is often cheaper.

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Food delivery apps best deals in the US for 2026

The best food delivery deals in the US in 2026 come from three places: the app's own offers, the right membership, and going through ShopBack before you check out. In order of size:

1. Free trials. Instacart+ has a 14 day free trial, and DoorDash and Uber Eats often run trials for their memberships. Set a reminder before the trial renews.
2. In-app offers. Each app shows restaurant and store promotions on its home screen and deals pages. Use the app's own offers, not codes from random coupon sites.
3. Pickup. The simplest discount: no delivery fee.
4. ShopBack. Check ShopBack before you check out. Open the DoorDash or Instacart page on ShopBack US, see which orders earn cash back, then tap through and order.

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DoorDash vs Instacart: food delivery apps price comparison 2026

DoorDash and Instacart are built for different baskets, so the cheaper one depends on what is in your cart. A fair 2026 comparison:

	DoorDash	Instacart
Built around	Restaurant meals, plus convenience and grocery delivery	Grocery and retail delivery from local stores, plus restaurants
Membership	DashPass	Instacart+ ($99 a year or $9.99 a month)
Member delivery fee	$0 on eligible orders above a minimum subtotal	$0 on grocery and retail orders of $10 or more
Pickup	Available at many restaurants	Available at many stores, with no service fee
Best fit	Frequent takeout, wide restaurant choice	Weekly groceries, Costco runs, household items

To compare on the day, build the same basket on both apps, go to checkout, and note the full total including fees and tip. For meals, DoorDash often has more restaurants nearby; for a full grocery shop, Instacart's $10 member threshold is easy to clear.

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DoorDash and Instacart food delivery apps in the US: how to order for less

For the lowest total on DoorDash or Instacart in the US, combine the right membership, a basket above the free delivery threshold, and ShopBack as the step before checkout.

1. Pick the app that fits the order. Meals on DoorDash, groceries on Instacart.
2. Clear the threshold. On Instacart+, $10 for groceries, $35 for Costco, $25 for eligible restaurants.
3. Choose a standard delivery window unless speed matters, since priority windows carry a fee.
4. Check item prices. Instacart shows a No markups label on some stores; prefer those for big baskets.
5. Check ShopBack before you check out. Start from the store's ShopBack page, tap through and order in the same visit.

Other food and grocery stores on ShopBack US include Uber Eats, HelloFresh, Factor and Walmart, so compare where your weekly food spend fits best.

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How ShopBack lowers the price of a delivery order

Before you check out, go through ShopBack to get a post-purchase discount on the 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.

How it works on a delivery order:

• Open the ShopBack US app, website or browser extension.
• Go to the DoorDash or Instacart page and tap through.
• Place the order in the same visit, without switching to a coupon site.
• Read the terms on that page, since some order types, first orders or membership sign ups may be treated differently.

Your effective price is what you pay minus the cash ShopBack returns. A worked example with an illustrative rate: on a $120 Instacart grocery order at an illustrative 3 percent, $3.60 comes back, so the effective price is $116.40. Rates differ by store and change, so check the live rate on the Instacart page on ShopBack before you order.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest food delivery app?

In the US no single app is cheapest for every order. For groceries, Instacart+ members pay a $0 delivery fee on orders of $10 or more, according to Instacart. For restaurant meals, DoorDash with DashPass or Uber Eats with Uber One usually works out cheapest if you order often. Pickup is cheaper still, since it avoids the delivery fee. Check ShopBack before you check out so part of the order comes back as cash.

How much does Instacart+ cost?

According to Instacart, Instacart+ costs $99 a year or $9.99 a month, with a 14 day free trial that renews to the paid annual plan. Members get 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.

What is DashPass?

DashPass is DoorDash's paid membership. It removes the delivery fee and lowers service fees on eligible orders that meet a minimum subtotal, at participating restaurants and stores. Price, minimums and trial offers are shown in the DoorDash app before you join.

Is DoorDash or Instacart cheaper?

It depends on what you order. DoorDash is built around restaurant meals and quick convenience orders, while Instacart is built around grocery and retail baskets, with $0 delivery on orders of $10 or more for Instacart+ members. Compare the full checkout total, including fees and tip, for the same basket on both.

Is a food delivery membership worth it?

Usually only if you order regularly. Instacart says that if you order just twice a month, Instacart+ can pay for itself. If you order once a month or less, paying the delivery fee on each order, or choosing pickup, is often cheaper.

What fees do food delivery apps charge?

The common ones are a delivery fee, a service fee, a small order fee on low subtotals, priority or express fees for faster delivery, and sometimes long distance or regulatory fees. Instacart, for example, says its service fee varies by location and basket, and that it may charge a long distance fee on routes of 15 minutes or more. Tips are separate.

Is pickup cheaper than delivery?

Usually, yes. Pickup avoids the delivery fee, and Instacart says its pickup orders have no service fees, whether or not you are an Instacart+ member. Some retailers do charge a pickup fee, which you see at checkout.

Can I get cash back on DoorDash and Instacart orders?

Often, through ShopBack US, but not on every order. Each store's ShopBack page lists what is eligible: at DoorDash that may be specific actions, such as an eligible first order or a membership sign up, rather than every meal. Open the DoorDash or Instacart page on ShopBack, check the terms and live rate, then tap through and order in the same visit.

Why are prices on delivery apps sometimes higher than in the store?

Some restaurants and retailers set different prices on delivery apps than in person. On Instacart, some stores carry a No markups label, which helps you see where item prices match the store. Compare a few item prices before you build a large basket.

Does cash back work like 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.

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Key takeaways

• No food delivery app is cheapest for every order; match the app to the basket.
• Instacart+ costs $99 a year or $9.99 a month and gives $0 delivery on grocery orders of $10 or more, according to Instacart.
• DashPass and Uber One remove delivery fees on eligible orders and suit frequent takeout.
• Pickup is usually the cheapest option, and Instacart pickup has no service fee.
• Check ShopBack before you check out. Your effective price is what you pay minus the cash ShopBack returns.

About to order? Open the DoorDash or Instacart page on ShopBack US, check which orders earn cash back, then tap through and check out in the same visit.

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Related reads

• Best Cashback App in the US
• US Cashback Directory
• Walmart Discounts in the US
• Which Apps Deliver Costco Cheapest?
• Are Meal Kits Cheaper Than Grocery Shopping?

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Disclaimer

The views and recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author. Delivery fees, service fees, membership prices, thresholds and trial offers are set by each app, vary by location and can change; the Instacart figures quoted reflect Instacart's own pages at the time of writing. Check the total at checkout before you order. Cash back rates and terms on ShopBack US are shown live on each store's ShopBack page.

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