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Skip and Instacart do not share one fee system. A grocery order placed in Instacart is priced by Instacart and the selected retailer, while a Skip order is priced by Skip and the restaurant or store. The important exception is Instacart’s Canadian restaurant experience: those orders are fulfilled, charged and supported by SkipTheDishes inside Instacart. Membership benefits and coupons follow the service on which you place the order, and a “$0 delivery” label does not mean the entire order is fee-free.
To compare either service fairly, enter the same address and items, open the complete order summary, and compare the final total after delivery, service, taxes, tip and any promotion. Headline delivery prices are only one line in the calculation.
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Skip and Instacart are separate systems, with one Canadian restaurant exception
SkipTheDishes and Instacart calculate most orders independently. Skip’s delivery charge is based on the distance between you and the business. Instacart’s grocery delivery charge depends on the retailer, delivery window and order total. Their memberships, credits and promotional rules normally apply only to the platform where the order is placed.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchIn Canada, restaurant ordering inside Instacart is different. Instacart states that SkipTheDishes supplies the restaurant catalog, fulfillment, payment processing and customer support for those orders. Skip is the merchant of record, so it handles the charge, refund and dispute even though you began in the Instacart app or website. A payment-method change made in the Skip webview applies to that restaurant order only; it does not change the payment method saved for your Instacart grocery orders.
#1 Best Overall
- GROCERY SHOPPING MADE EASY: Get your entire grocery store list delivered in as fast as 30 minutes. Prefer pick up? Order your groceries online, pick up at your local store, and skip the fees and tipping.
- GROCERY COUPONS AND DEALS: Discover exclusive deals and grocery coupons found only on the Instacart app.
- SHOP GROCERY STORES NEAR YOU: Instacart connects you with over 85,000 supermarkets and stores across North America.
- Redeem in the app: Sign up for Instacart or log into your existing account Enter the main menu Tap Credits, promos & gift cards Enter the code Redeem on the website: Sign up for Instacart or log into your existing account Click Account or your name Click Add promo or gift card Enter the code
- No returns and no refunds on gift cards.
Skip operates in more than 450 Canadian cities and towns, according to its FAQ. Availability, participating restaurants and membership eligibility still depend on your exact address.
Use this checkout formula instead of comparing “delivery” alone
For either platform, think of the payable total as:
Item subtotal + delivery fee + service fee + applicable priority, long-distance, pickup or other fees + taxes + tip − eligible promotion or credit.
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The exact lines change by location, merchant, order size, delivery window, item substitutions and the offer’s conditions. A $0 delivery badge can still leave a substantial service fee, tax, tip, bottle or bag charge, priority fee or higher platform item price. Skip notes that prices shown by vendors on its platform may differ from prices in a physical store. Instacart similarly warns that some in-store sales may not apply to online orders.
How Skip calculates delivery, service fees and Skip+ benefits
Delivery fee is distance-based
Skip says, “Delivery fees are determined by your distance from the business.” The charge appears after you enter the delivery address and is repeated in the order summary. Two customers ordering from the same restaurant can therefore see different delivery fees if their addresses are different. A restaurant’s own delivery area and participation can also affect whether the order is available.
Rank #2
- GROCERY SHOPPING MADE EASY: Get your entire grocery store list delivered in as fast as 30 minutes. Prefer pick up? Order your groceries online, pick up at your local store, and skip the fees and tipping.
- GROCERY COUPONS AND DEALS: Discover exclusive deals and grocery coupons found only on the Instacart app.
- SHOP GROCERY STORES NEAR YOU: Instacart connects you with over 85,000 supermarkets and stores across North America.
- Redeem in the app: Sign up for Instacart or log into your existing account Enter the main menu Tap Credits, promos & gift cards Enter the code Redeem on the website: Sign up for Instacart or log into your existing account Click Account or your name Click Add promo or gift card Enter the code
- No returns and no refunds on gift cards.
Service fee is a variable percentage of the subtotal
Skip’s service fee is calculated as a percentage of the item subtotal. The percentage and dollar amount can vary by business and order value. Read the checkout line rather than estimating it from another order; the exact amount is displayed before payment.
Skip+ has a minimum and participating-partner limits
Current Skip+ terms state that participating partners can offer $0 delivery when the order reaches at least $15 before associated taxes. Individual partners may set a higher minimum or other conditions. Skip also states at least 40% service-fee savings at participating partners. The benefit does not automatically apply to every merchant or every order.
Skip advertises a price of $9.99 per month for Skip+ as of 2026, but membership pricing and introductory offers can change. Check the membership screen for the amount you will actually be charged and confirm that the restaurant or store shows the Skip+ benefit before placing the order.
Skip promotions, vouchers and rewards have separate scopes
Look for offers in email, the My Skip area, the Offers area and Skip’s social pages. Promotional notifications can be enabled in account settings. A voucher may provide a fixed-dollar discount, a percentage discount or another stated benefit. The terms can exclude taxes and fees, set a minimum subtotal, limit eligible merchants or prohibit combining with another voucher.
Referral credit applies to the item subtotal before taxes, tip and delivery fee. Skip Rewards points are not earned on fees, taxes, tips or the discounted portion of an order. Consequently, a coupon that reduces the subtotal can also reduce the points you receive.
Rank #3
- GROCERY SHOPPING MADE EASY: Get your entire grocery store list delivered in as fast as 30 minutes. Prefer pick up? Order your groceries online, pick up at your local store, and skip the fees and tipping.
- GROCERY COUPONS AND DEALS: Discover exclusive deals and grocery coupons found only on the Instacart app.
- SHOP GROCERY STORES NEAR YOU: Instacart connects you with over 85,000 supermarkets and stores across North America.
- THOUGHTFUL GIFT: Share the gift of time by taking a chore off a friend’s or family’s to-do list. Perfect for new parents!
- Redeem in the app: Sign up for Instacart or log into your existing account Enter the main menu Tap Credits, promos & gift cards Enter the code Redeem on the website: Sign up for Instacart or log into your existing account Click Account or your name Click Add promo or gift card Enter the code
How Instacart grocery and pickup charges work
Grocery delivery varies by retailer, window and order total
Instacart shows the delivery fee when you select a delivery window. The amount can differ between retailers, time slots and cart totals. An Instacart+ member generally receives a $0 delivery fee on an eligible grocery order of at least $10 from each retailer. If your cart combines retailers, the minimum is evaluated per retailer rather than on the combined cart.
Service fees depend on location and cart composition
Instacart describes its service fee as supporting platform operations. It varies with location and what is in the cart and is shown at checkout. Instacart+ delivery-fee savings do not automatically remove the service fee.
Pickup is often cheaper, but not always free
Pickup orders generally have no Instacart service fee. Some retailers nevertheless charge a separate pickup fee, and taxes, bottle or bag charges and item-price differences can remain. Confirm the pickup line in the final summary instead of assuming that “pickup” means no extra charge.
Extra charges can appear on delivery orders
- Long-distance fee: may apply when the delivery location is far from the retailer.
- Priority fee: can be added when you select a faster delivery option.
- Bottle and bag fees: depend on the retailer and local rules.
- Taxes: are calculated under applicable provincial or local requirements.
- Tip: is separate from platform fees and goes through the checkout tip control.
Replacements and refunds can change the final service fee
Instacart recalculates parts of an order when an item is replaced, removed or refunded. Because the cart composition and subtotal have changed, the final service-fee total can be different from the estimate you saw before shopping began. Review the post-delivery receipt, not only the initial authorization, when checking a changed amount.
Instacart restaurant orders powered by SkipTheDishes
Who is responsible for the order
For Canadian restaurant orders placed through Instacart, Skip provides the restaurant listings, fulfillment, payment processing and customer support. Skip is the merchant of record for the charge, refunds and disputes. This arrangement explains why the receipt, support interaction or payment descriptor can refer to Skip even though the order was discovered in Instacart.
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Rank #4
- GROCERY SHOPPING MADE EASY: Get your entire grocery store list delivered in as fast as 30 minutes. Prefer pick up? Order your groceries online, pick up at your local store, and skip the fees and tipping.
- GROCERY COUPONS AND DEALS: Discover exclusive deals and grocery coupons found only on the Instacart app.
- SHOP GROCERY STORES NEAR YOU: Instacart connects you with over 85,000 supermarkets and stores across North America.
- THOUGHTFUL GIFT: Share the gift of time by taking a chore off a friend’s or family’s to-do list. Perfect for new parents!
- Redeem in the app: Sign up for Instacart or log into your existing account Enter the main menu Tap Credits, promos & gift cards Enter the code Redeem on the website: Sign up for Instacart or log into your existing account Click Account or your name Click Add promo or gift card Enter the code
Instacart+ restaurant threshold
Instacart+ members receive $0 delivery on eligible restaurant orders above $15 before taxes, fees and tips. The restaurant benefit also includes a reduced service fee labeled as an Instacart+ perk. Alcohol is excluded from this restaurant benefit. The threshold is different from the $10-per-retailer grocery threshold and from Skip+’s $15 pre-tax partner minimum.
Keep grocery and restaurant payment settings separate
If the restaurant checkout opens a Skip webview, changing the card or payment method there changes only that restaurant order. Your saved payment method for ordinary Instacart grocery orders remains unchanged.
Skip and Instacart compared at a glance
| Question | Skip order | Instacart grocery or pickup | Instacart restaurant in Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who prices the order? | Skip and the participating business | Instacart and the selected retailer | SkipTheDishes inside Instacart |
| Delivery-fee trigger | Distance from you to the business; shown after address entry | Retailer, delivery window and order total | Restaurant rules and delivery details supplied by Skip |
| Service fee | Variable percentage of subtotal; exact amount at checkout | Varies by location and cart; pickup generally has none, although a retailer pickup fee may apply | Reduced for eligible Instacart+ orders; exact amount at checkout |
| Membership threshold | Skip+ $0 delivery at participating partners with at least $15 before associated taxes; partner minimums can vary; at least 40% service-fee savings stated for participating partners | Instacart+ $0 delivery on eligible orders of at least $10 per retailer | Instacart+ $0 delivery above $15 before taxes, fees and tips; alcohol excluded |
| Promotion scope | Voucher or referral terms determine the eligible subtotal, fees and stacking | Offer terms determine eligible retailer, window, subtotal and stacking | Instacart restaurant or Skip terms shown in that checkout apply |
| Other possible charges | Taxes, tip and any order-specific fees; discounted portions may not earn points | Priority, long-distance, bottle/bag, pickup fee, taxes and tip | Taxes, service or other restaurant charges and tip |
| Payment and support | Skip | Instacart and the retailer’s fulfillment process | Skip is merchant of record and provides processing, refunds and support |
How promotions actually reduce an order total
Skip vouchers and referral credits
A dollar voucher can remove a fixed amount, while a percentage voucher usually applies only to qualifying items or subtotal. Unless the written terms say otherwise, assume vouchers cannot be combined. Taxes, delivery and service fees may remain payable even when the item discount is large. Referral credit applies before taxes, tip and delivery fee, so it cannot normally pay those lines.
Instacart’s first-three-orders example
Instacart documents a new-customer offer requiring at least $10 with one retailer. It covers standard delivery only. Service fees, other fees and taxes remain payable, and the offer may be restricted from combining with other promotions. “First three orders” is a defined offer condition, not a permanent membership benefit; read the expiry date and eligible delivery type shown in your account.
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Platforms commonly reject a second code when one promotion is already attached, when the cart misses a minimum, when the selected window is excluded or when the code is limited to new customers. Apply the code before payment and open its terms if the discount does not appear. Do not infer eligibility from an email subject line or a banner that omits the exclusions.
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- Use the same delivery address. Skip’s distance calculation and Instacart’s retailer availability both depend on the address.
- Build equivalent carts. Match package size and brand where possible, and note that online item prices may differ from physical-store prices.
- Select comparable fulfillment. Compare standard delivery with standard delivery, or pickup with pickup. A priority window is not an apples-to-apples comparison.
- Enter memberships and codes. Confirm that Skip+ or Instacart+ is active and that the offer is accepted before moving to payment.
- Expand every fee line. Record item subtotal, delivery, service, priority or long-distance, pickup, bottle or bag fees, taxes and tip.
- Compare the final payable total. A platform with $0 delivery can still cost more because of service fees, item prices or a smaller promotion.
- Save the receipt. For Instacart, compare the final receipt after replacements or refunds with the initial estimate.
What to check when the amount changes
“My delivery fee is different.”
On Skip, recheck the delivery address and the business selected; distance is the stated basis. On Instacart, check whether you changed retailers, delivery windows, order totals or delivery speed. Membership waivers apply only to eligible orders and thresholds.
Best Value
- GROCERY SHOPPING MADE EASY: Get your entire grocery store list delivered in as fast as 30 minutes. Prefer pick up? Order your groceries online, pick up at your local store, and skip the fees and tipping.
- GROCERY COUPONS AND DEALS: Discover exclusive deals and grocery coupons found only on the Instacart app.
- SHOP GROCERY STORES NEAR YOU: Instacart connects you with over 85,000 supermarkets and stores across North America.
- THOUGHTFUL GIFT: Share the gift of time by taking a chore off a friend’s or family’s to-do list. Perfect for new parents!
- Redeem in the app: Sign up for Instacart or log into your existing account Enter the main menu Tap Credits, promos & gift cards Enter the code Redeem on the website: Sign up for Instacart or log into your existing account Click Account or your name Click Add promo or gift card Enter the code
“I reached the minimum but still see a fee.”
Verify whether the minimum is pre-tax and whether it is measured per retailer. Skip+ uses a participating-partner minimum of at least $15 before associated taxes, while Instacart+ grocery delivery uses at least $10 per retailer and restaurant delivery uses more than $15 before taxes, fees and tips. Excluded products, alcohol and nonparticipating partners can prevent the benefit.
“The promotion reduced less than expected.”
Open the offer’s terms and identify whether it applies to items only, standard delivery only, a percentage cap or a minimum subtotal. Taxes, service fees, tips and delivery charges can remain outside the discount. Check whether another promotion is already attached.
“The service fee changed after shopping.”
For Instacart, compare the final item list with the original cart. A replacement, refund or removed item can change the subtotal and cart composition used in the service-fee calculation. Keep the final receipt if the adjustment is not clear.
Practical ways to pay less without misreading the offer
- Choose pickup when the retailer’s pickup fee is lower than delivery and you can collect the order.
- Avoid priority delivery unless the time saving is worth its separate fee.
- For a membership, check several recent orders and participating merchants before subscribing; a delivery waiver does not remove every fee.
- Keep each retailer’s cart above the applicable Instacart+ minimum rather than assuming a multi-retailer total qualifies.
- On Skip, compare the service-fee percentage and delivery charge for nearby participating businesses, not only the coupon value.
- Read the terms of every voucher before reducing the cart below its minimum or adding excluded items.
- Leave the tip decision until you have reviewed all mandatory charges, because a tip is separate from a delivery or service-fee waiver.
Bottom line
Skip and Instacart are not interchangeable fee calculators. Skip bases delivery on distance and applies its own variable service fee; Instacart grocery charges vary by retailer, window and cart, with additional fees possible. Canadian Instacart restaurant orders are the bridge between the services because SkipTheDishes fulfills and charges them. Memberships and promotions have different thresholds, exclusions and stacking rules, so the only dependable comparison is the complete checkout and, after substitutions or refunds, the final receipt.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
