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Due to COVID-19, grocery delivery is more vital than ever, as it helps promote social distancing — also called physical distancing — by cutting down on trips to the grocery store.

Still, even without a pandemic, grocery delivery can be a convenient option when you have a busy lifestyle, lack easy access to grocery stores in your vicinity, or are home sick.

Several grocery delivery services are now available, offering a wide variety of options, price points, and delivery times. Some also cater to unique or specific dietary needs.

The factors used to rank these grocery delivery services include delivery time, pricing, geographic availability, and the variety of food offered, such as whether they include fresh produce and frozen or refrigerated foods.

The best grocery delivery services offer same-day delivery, are available nationwide, cater to all dietary needs and preferences, offer fresh produce and frozen or refrigerated foods, have an optional cost-saving membership option, and are reasonably priced.

Here are the top 14 grocery delivery services of 2020.

  • Delivery time: same-day available
  • Offers fresh produce: yes
  • Offers frozen and refrigerated foods: yes
  • Ways to use: app, website
  • Fees: $9.99 delivery fee per order
  • Membership: optional, unlimited free delivery for $12.95 per month or $98 per year
  • Location: nationwide

Walmart’s delivery service, although it’s not yet available at all Walmart stores, is widely available — even in rural areas.

If you have any issues with your order, you can contact Walmart customer service through the app or email, or directly at the store you ordered from.

Walmart offers a wide variety of products to suit all dietary needs, and because they don’t outsource their delivery service, the prices are the same as they are in the store.

If you plan to use Walmart delivery at least once per month, paying for an annual membership is the most cost-effective option.

Start shopping at Walmart here.

  • Delivery time: same-day available
  • Offers fresh produce: yes
  • Offers frozen and refrigerated foods: yes
  • Ways to use: app, website
  • Fees: delivery starts at $3.99 per order, plus a 5% service fee
  • Membership: optional, but $35 per year to unlock free delivery on orders over $35 and reduced service fees
  • Location: nationwide

Instacart is a grocery delivery service that partners with grocery store chains to provide delivery from a variety of stores. As such, they offer a wide variety of products to suit all dietary needs.

Some grocery store chains like Kroger partner with Instacart to provide grocery delivery services directly through their own website or app.

Instacart personal shoppers may text you while picking your order to make substitutions if needed, and you can contact Instacart support through their app or email.

One potential downside of Instacart is that certain items may have higher prices on the Instacart platform than they do in stores, in addition to delivery and service fees.

To get the best value from Instacart if you use it regularly, join the Instacart Express membership program and make sure all of your orders meet the $35 minimum for free delivery.

Start shopping at Instacart here.

  • Delivery time: same-day available
  • Offers fresh produce: yes
  • Offers frozen and refrigerated foods: yes
  • Ways to use: online, app
  • Fees: free delivery over $35, small service fee applies, membership required
  • Membership: required, $99 per year or $14 per month
  • Location: select metro areas, mostly across the Eastern United States

Like Instacart, Shipt is a grocery delivery service that partners with grocery chains to offer delivery from a variety of stores. Because of this, it caters to all dietary needs and preferences.

It’s unique in that it requires a membership. The most cost-effective membership option is the annual one, which works out to about $8 per month. Individual items may still be marked up to a higher price for this service.

Additionally, Target grocery delivery is offered exclusively through Shipt.

Start shopping at Shipt here.

  • Delivery time: same-day available
  • Offers fresh produce: yes
  • Offers frozen and refrigerated foods: yes
  • Ways to use: app, website
  • Fees: $9.99 per order
  • Membership: optional Shipt membership
  • Location: nationwide

While Target has a small in-house delivery program available in a few large cities, the majority of its grocery delivery is handled by Shipt, a grocery delivery service similar to Instacart.

Through Target, you’re able to get delivery with Shipt without purchasing a membership for a $9.99 fee.

However, becoming a Shipt member and making sure that all of your orders meet the $35 threshold for free shipping is the most cost-effective ways to use the service. If you’re not set on delivery, the Target app and website offers convenient drive-up service.

Start shopping at Target here.

  • Delivery time: same-day available
  • Offers fresh produce: yes
  • Offers frozen and refrigerated foods: yes
  • Ways to use: app, website
  • Fees: $9.95 per order
  • Membership: n/a
  • Location: nationwide

Kroger partners with Instacart for their grocery delivery service, but you can place your order directly through the Kroger app or website — ensuring that you pay the same price as you would in the store or for grocery pickup.

Kroger also has a ship-to-home option in which certain non-perishable foods and household products can be ordered online and shipped to your home, with free shipping over $35.

There doesn’t appear to be a membership option for Kroger delivery orders placed directly through Kroger’s website or app.

Start shopping at Kroger here.

  • Delivery time: same-day available
  • Offers fresh produce: yes
  • Offers frozen and refrigerated foods: yes
  • Ways to use: browser, Amazon app
  • Shipping fees: free on orders over $35–$50 (depending on region)
  • Membership: requires Amazon Prime membership ($119 per year or $12.99 per month)
  • Location: available only in select large cities

Amazon Fresh is a service offered by Amazon, but to participate in the program, you must be an Amazon Prime member. It offers a variety of foods to suit all dietary needs, including natural and organic selections from Whole Foods Market, which is Amazon-owned.

Amazon Fresh also provides household goods and pet supplies, and you have access to Amazon customer service agents through live chat, email, or phone support.

It also offers a variety of delivery options, including:

  • Attended delivery. You are present to receive your order.
  • Doorstep delivery. The groceries are left on your doorstep.
  • Pickup. You go to a predetermined Amazon pickup location to retrieve your order.

To get your money’s worth from the Amazon Fresh program, you should place orders that meet the free shipping threshold for your area. Unfortunately, this service is only available in certain large cities at the moment.

Start shopping at Amazon Fresh here.

  • Delivery time: same-day available
  • Offers fresh produce: yes
  • Offers frozen and refrigerated foods: yes
  • Ways to use: app, Amazon website
  • Fees: $0 if your order meets the free shipping minimum ($35–$50, depending on your location)
  • Membership: Amazon Prime membership required ($119 per year or $12.99 per month)
  • Location: select large cities

Whole Foods Market offers a wide variety of organic and natural products and caters to many dietary needs and preferences, including vegan, gluten-free, and paleo.

Because they are owned by Amazon, Whole Foods delivery works just like the Amazon Fresh program.

To get the best value, make sure your orders meet the minimum threshold for free shipping, which is $35 to $50, depending on location. Items selected for delivery may still be marked up compared with in-store prices.

Start shopping at Whole Foods here.

  • Delivery time: same-day available
  • Offers fresh produce: yes
  • Offers frozen and refrigerated foods: yes
  • Ways to use: app, website
  • Fees: $9.95 delivery fee per order
  • Membership: n/a
  • Location: 17 states and Washington, D.C.

Safeway is a large chain of grocery stores operating in 17 states, as well as Washington, D.C. As a chain grocery store, it offers a wide variety of food options and caters to many dietary needs.

Although Safeway has in-house delivery staff in some locations, other locations partner with Instacart for grocery delivery. This may affect pricing.

When you order directly through Safeway, there doesn’t appear to be a membership option.

Safeway customer service can be reached via email, phone, or their app, as well as directly through the store you placed your order with. However, if your order was delivered through Instacart, you will need to contact Instacart to resolve any issues.

Start shopping at Safeway here.

  • Delivery time: same-day available
  • Offers fresh produce: yes
  • Offers frozen and refrigerated foods: yes
  • Ways to use: app, website
  • Fees: $5.99–$7.99 per order
  • Membership: optional, provides free unlimited deliveries for $10.75 per month when purchased annually
  • Location: only the Northeastern United States

FreshDirect is essentially an online grocery store. It provides a wide variety of food, including frozen, perishable, and natural and organic options.

However, it’s only available in certain states in the Northeastern United States, such as New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Customer service is available through email or phone.

To get the best value from FreshDirect, sign up for the annual DeliveryPass subscription, which works out to $10.75 per month for unlimited free grocery delivery.

Start shopping at FreshDirect here.

  • Delivery time: same-day available
  • Offers fresh produce: yes
  • Offers frozen and refrigerated foods: yes
  • Ways to use: app, website
  • Fees: delivery starts at $3.99, plus a 5% service fee
  • Membership: optional Instacart membership, $35 per year for unlimited free delivery on orders over $35 and reduced service fees
  • Location: Southeastern United States

Publix is a Southeastern United States grocery chain offering a wide variety. They partner with Instacart for their grocery delivery service, so it works exactly the same as Instacart, with similar pricing and fees. Still, prices for delivery are higher than those offered in the store.

If you plan to order Publix delivery regularly, the most cost-saving option is to sign up for Instacart Express and only place orders that meet the $35 minimum threshold for free shipping. If you need customer service, you will need to contact Instacart as opposed to Publix.

Start shopping at Publix here.

  • Delivery time: next-day in most areas, some same-day availability
  • Offers fresh produce: yes
  • Offers frozen and refrigerated foods: yes
  • Ways to use: website, app
  • Fees: delivery fee ranges from $6.95–$9.95, plus fuel surcharge, which at the time of writing was $0
  • Membership: n/a
  • Location: available in select major metro areas

Peapod is an online grocery store that offers a wide variety of groceries, including a selection of natural and organic foods. You can reach their customer service via phone, email, or their app.

Currently, Peapod only serves large metro areas.

To get the best value, try to order when the fuel surcharge is low, and create a minimum order of $100 to unlock the lowest delivery fee.

Start shopping at Peapod here.

  • Delivery time: 2–3 day shipping
  • Offers fresh produce: no
  • Offers frozen and refrigerated foods: yes
  • Ways to use: website, app
  • Fees: shipping costs apply on orders less than $49
  • Membership: required ($49 per year after free trial)
  • Location: nationwide

Thrive Market is a unique grocery delivery service, operating as an online warehouse club for natural, organic, and healthy grocery products. Membership costs $49 per year but gives you access to exclusive pricing and free shipping on orders over $49.

Thrive Market also regularly provides full-size free gifts with orders, allowing you the chance to try new products at no cost. You can reach their customer service department via email or phone.

As is the case with Whole Foods Market, Thrive Market is best if you have very specific dietary needs and have trouble finding food to meet those needs at traditional grocery stores.

Start shopping at Thrive Market here.

  • Delivery time: same-day available for Boxed Express, standard shipping for Boxed
  • Offers fresh produce: only through Boxed Express program
  • Offers frozen and refrigerated foods: only through Boxed Express
  • Ways to use: app, website
  • Fees: shipping fees apply to orders under $79 without a membership and under $19.98 with a membership
  • Membership: optional, $49 per year for free shipping over $19.98, 2% cash back, and exclusive discounts
  • Location: nationwide for Boxed, large metro areas for Boxed Express

Boxed is an online bulk warehouse club that doesn’t require a membership but an optional one is available. They provide nonperishable foods and paper products.

However, they offer a service called Boxed Express, which provides same-day grocery delivery in certain metro areas. This service offers perishable foods and fresh produce. Customer service for Boxed and Boxed Express is offered via email.

For the best value from Boxed, joined the Boxed Up membership program and only place orders that meet the $19.98 minimum for free shipping.

Start shopping at Boxed here.

  • Delivery time: once per week delivery
  • Offers fresh produce: no
  • Offers frozen and refrigerated foods: yes
  • Ways to use: website
  • Fees: vary
  • Membership: required (weekly subscription service)
  • Location: nationwide

Hungryroot is a unique cross between a meal kit subscription service and a grocery delivery service. You tell them your dietary preferences and how much food you’ll need per week, and they send you a curated shipment of groceries that are picked to meet your dietary preferences.

They specialize in organic and natural foods and can cater to special dietary needs, including vegetarian and gluten-free.

Due to their unique business model, prices can vary widely depending on the food you choose and how much you need each week. For instance, a plan providing breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks 7 days per week may come to about $150 per week for 2 people.

While Hungryroot doesn’t provide basic staple foods like milk and bananas, they do send preportioned fresh produce and staple ingredients for the recipes you receive in your Hungryroot box each week.

They also offer a unique option where you can text customer service reps with questions.

Start shopping at Hungryroot here.

First and foremost, choosing a grocery delivery service depends on which services are available in your area. If you live in a large city, you’ll have many more options than if you live in a more rural area.

Next, you’ll want to consider which delivery service offers food that fits your dietary needs and preferences.

For example, you may want to evaluate whether it also offers staple foods, fresh produce, and frozen or refrigerated foods, or whether you’d need to make an additional grocery order from a different service for those items.

Then, you should consider pricing and how often you plan to use the delivery service. If you’re only going to use grocery delivery services infrequently — for example, less than once per month — you’ll want to choose the service that has the lowest per-order fees.

However, if you plan to use grocery delivery regularly, you’ll want to consider a membership option that would give you the best bang for your buck.

Finally, you’ll want to weigh other factors, like the availability of same-day delivery, if they have an app or just a website, and how their customer service is.

One additional consideration you’ll want to make is that — regardless of the delivery service you choose — tipping your delivery person is customary.

With more people than ever avoiding going inside of grocery stores due to COVID-19, grocery delivery is becoming a much more desirable option.

Yet, even without a pandemic, you may be interested in the convenience of having your groceries delivered.

There are several grocery delivery services available, some of which cater to unique dietary needs, and some of which are only available in certain areas.

However, there’s sure to be a great grocery delivery service for your household on this list.