Instacart Fees Explained (2026): Delivery, Service Fees & Markups

The short answer

There is no single Instacart fee percentage that applies to every order. Delivery and service fees vary by retailer, location, delivery window, order total, and cart contents. Item prices are set by retailers and may differ from in-store prices. The only reliable total for a specific basket is the amount shown at checkout.

This guide was rechecked against Instacart's current Help Center on 19 August 2026. It deliberately avoids unsupported retailer commission rates, fixed service-fee percentages, and made-up “average markup” figures.

Instacart fees at a glance

Source: Instacart's current fees and taxes guide.

Delivery fee

Instacart says the delivery fee changes with the retailer, delivery window, and order total. It does not publish one universal fee schedule. A faster or less flexible window can cost more than a standard window, and an order from a store marked “Farther away” may include a long-distance fee.

All delivery orders must meet the minimum shown for the storefront. Instacart's current general Help Center says orders must be at least $10 to qualify for delivery, but retailer-specific thresholds can be higher.

Service fee

The service fee supports platform operating costs such as shopper operations, insurance, background checks, and customer support. It is not a gratuity and does not go to the shopper delivering the order. Instacart says the amount varies by location and by the number and types of items in the cart.

The fee may change after checkout if replacements, refunds, or other order changes alter the final basket. The digital receipt—not the original estimate—is the record of the final service fee. Pickup orders do not carry a service fee, although certain retailers can charge a separate pickup fee.

Are Instacart prices higher than in store?

Sometimes. Instacart's item-pricing guidesays retailers set marketplace prices. Many use everyday store prices, while others set different prices, and some in-store promotions may not apply. Instacart tells customers to open the retailer's pricing policy from the storefront before ordering.

Do not assume a blanket markup for every retailer or city. To compare accurately, capture the same product, pack size, store location, membership state, promotion, and observation time. Weighted items can also settle at a different final amount when the purchased weight differs from the estimate.

Instacart+: what it does and does not waive

Instacart+ is optional. The current benefits page says eligible members receive $0 delivery fees on qualifying orders of $10 or more. The current fee guide lists exceptions and thresholds including $35 for Costco and $25 for restaurant orders. Service fees, other fees, taxes, and tips can still apply.

Instacart publishes plan pricing inside the account signup flow, so check that screen before purchasing. Current official promotional terms reference a $99 annual renewal rate, and other official offer terms reference a $9.99 standard monthly rate; promotions and subscription prices can change. Membership also does not guarantee faster delivery or earlier time slots.

See the official signup guide and benefits page for the account-specific offer.

A correct way to calculate the total

Use variables from the actual cart rather than a generic percentage:

final order total =
  marketplace item subtotal after replacements
  + delivery or pickup fee
  + service fee
  + priority or long-distance fee, if any
  + local taxes, deposits, bag, regulatory, or convenience charges
  + shopper tip
  - coupons, credits, and eligible membership benefits

Compare that final order total with an equivalent in-store basket only after matching unit sizes, store, promotions, tax treatment, and substitutions. A different pack or replacement can create a false “markup” even when the listed unit price is unchanged.

When does Instacart+ break even?

Use your own orders:

break-even eligible deliveries =
  annual membership price
  / average delivery fee actually avoided

Exclude service fees because Instacart+ does not generally waive them. Also exclude orders that miss an eligibility threshold, use pickup, or would have had a promotional $0 delivery fee anyway. Review three to six recent receipts to estimate a defensible average rather than relying on a national example.

Practical ways to lower the total

1. Read the retailer pricing policy. Prefer an “Everyday Store Prices” storefront when the basket and fulfilment options are comparable.
2. Compare delivery windows. A flexible standard window may avoid a priority charge.
3. Check distance. A nearer branch can avoid a long-distance fee and may have different availability.
4. Evaluate pickup. Pickup has no service fee, though a retailer-specific pickup fee can apply.
5. Meet the relevant threshold. Confirm the minimum for the selected retailer and membership state.
6. Set replacement preferences. Higher-priced replacements and weighted-item differences can change the final charge.
7. Judge membership from receipts. Compare avoided delivery fees with the actual plan price offered to the account.

Tipping: separate from platform fees

Instacart's tipping guide says tips are optional and 100% goes to the shopper or shoppers fulfilling the order. The suggested amount depends on order attributes and tip history. Customers can increase a tip for up to 14 days after delivery or reduce it for up to two hours after delivery. This is separate from the service fee.

For brands and retailers: what should be measured?

Public customer fees do not reveal a retailer's private contract, brand advertising terms, or Instacart's unit economics. Avoid inferring a commission rate from the checkout page. For marketplace intelligence, collect the fields that are actually observable:

• retailer and store/location context;
• product ID, title, brand, variant, and pack size;
• current and reference price, promotion text, and coupon conditions;
• availability, replacement state, and observation time;
• delivery-window labels and visible customer charges;
• retailer pricing-policy label;
• search rank, sponsored status, and query context where available.

A location-aware sample is essential because price, assortment, availability, and delivery terms can change with the address and store assignment. Review the Instacart data coverage pageto scope representative rows by retailer, postal code, field, and refresh cadence.

Bottom line

Instacart's customer total is a stack of retailer-set item prices, platform fees, optional delivery choices, local charges, and tip. Instacart+ can waive eligible delivery fees, but service fees and other charges still apply. For a real decision, use the retailer's pricing policy, the checkout breakdown, and the final receipt— not a fixed fee table copied from an old article.