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 13 grocery delivery services for 2021.

Walmart

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.

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

Instacart

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.

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

Shipt

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.

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

Target

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.

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

Kroger

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.

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Source: healthline