5 Popular Grocery Shopping Apps of 2020

Just about everybody has had it up to here with 2020.

With COVID-19, record-breaking extreme weather and wildfires, the presidential election, civil unrest… We’re all ready to start a new year.

However, some businesses and certain jobs have seen growth due to the pandemic. One of those jobs is delivery man or woman.

Many of us have quit dining out or at least limited those occasions. We’ve also stopped or limited our store visits. But since we still need food and other products, we’ve placed delivery orders instead.

Delivery or pickup

In order to simplify these deliveries, grocery store apps have been created by a variety of companies.

They know many people are concerned about being out in public during the pandemic. Especially when the number of cases is surging.

So, they try to make it as easy as possible for people to order grocery store items. And then sit back and wait for the delivery.

Today I want to tell you about five of what I consider the better grocery store apps. You may already be using one or more of them.

Shipt

With Shipt, you sign up for a membership and download the app for either iOS or Android.

Then you select your groceries, choose your delivery option and check out. Before long, your shopper will hand-pick your items and deliver them to your doorstep.

Among the major grocery store chains for which you can use Shipt are Publix, Kroger, Fry’s and H-E-B. The fastest way to determine if Shipt operates in your area – and at which stores – is to go to shipt.com and type in your zip code.

Shipt memberships are $100 a year or $14 per month. Delivery is free on orders exceeding $35. Prices are slightly higher than if you went to the brick and mortar store yourself. Tipping your shopper is encouraged.

Instacart

This service uses a team of local shoppers to pick out grocery store items and delivery them to area homes.

You can schedule deliveries in advance or order on demand. There’s even a feature for shopping by recipe.

Delivery fees depend on the size of the order and the chosen delivery time. Fees may be higher during busy shopping times. Express customers ($99 annual fee) pay a smaller service fee than non-Express customers.

To find out if Instacart delivers where you live – and at which stores – go to instacart.com/grocery-delivery and insert your zip code.

Peapod

This is an online store organized by “aisles,” rather than a delivery service. Many of the items delivered by Peapod come from its own inventory.

Because the bulk of items Peapod offers is stored in their warehouses, customers can avoid a delivery fee by picking up their orders.

Delivery fees vary depending on the size of the order. The delivery fee is $10 for orders of $30-$75, $8 for orders of $76-$100, and $7 for orders over $100. 

To learn if Peapod is available in your area, visit peapod.com/index.jhtml and input your zip code.

Amazon Prime Now

While this service has its limits in terms of groceries, it also has certain advantages. Items are stored at Amazon warehouses.

A wide variety of items including cleaning supplies are available. Amazon Fresh, which is available in certain areas, delivers groceries only. You can also get deliveries from Whole Foods through this service, if you live close enough to one.

Amazon Prime Now is included with the $100 annual fee for Amazon Prime. Two-hour delivery is free, assuming you order at least $35 worth of items. It’s about $10 extra for one-hour delivery.

You can download the Amazon Prime Now app at amazon.com or through iTunes or the Google Play Store.

Walmart Grocery Store Delivery

Walmart is the largest retailer in the world. So it makes sense that it has its own delivery and pickup service.

You can order grocery items through the Walmart Grocery app or visit the Walmart Grocery website.

It will tell you your nearest pickup location. Click “Change” and then “Delivery” to determine if delivery is available in your area. Choose your time slot for delivery.

Delivery fees are usually between $8-$10. A Grocery Unlimited service provides unlimited deliveries for $13 per month (or $100 per year).

Grocery shopping is more expensive than it used to be. But when you use a grocery store shopping app, you can avoid crowded stores during a pandemic and save time.