We compared Whole Foods' grocery delivery from Amazon Prime Now and Instacart, and it was clear which service does it better

Oct 6, 2018, 18:44 IST

I started by ordering from Instacart's website. As this was the first time I used the service, I was asked to enter my zip code and set up an account.

Once I logged in, Instacart went straight to selling me a membership.

When it comes to shopping for groceries alone, Instacart is the leading player. On here, you can shop from 300 different chains.

The first step is to select the store you want to shop from. I chose Whole Foods.

You can filter by brand to find items more easily. This is especially useful if you want to shop Whole Foods 365, the grocer's budget label.

When I clicked on each product, there was very limited information available aside from a photo that was hard to see. This was a major downside.

You don't need to click through to lots of other pages to find out when these items can be delivered. A tab on the right-hand side shows you exactly how soon you can receive the order.

When you click on the cart, it clearly states how much more you'd need to buy to be eligible for cheaper or free delivery depending on whether you are an Express member or not.

A 5% tip is suggested at checkout, with a minimum suggestion of $2 per individual store delivery. The tips are optional, and according to Instacart, you can adjust them up to three days after the order is delivered. The tips go directly to the shopper.

A 5% tip is suggested at checkout, with a minimum suggestion of $2 per individual store delivery. The tips are optional, and according to Instacart, you can adjust them up to three days after the order is delivered. The tips go directly to the shopper.

It's a slick process, and within five minutes I had placed the order.

At the end, it gave me one last push to add more items to my basket.

Once I completed the order on the website, I received a text message with a link to the app that allowed me to track the order.

Next, I tested out Amazon's Prime Now service.

The main page is very similar to Amazon proper, so it instantly felt familiar. However, it's not as user-friendly as Instacart.

At the bottom of the main page you will find product categories that are easier to search. I clicked through to seafood and found a selection of fresh and frozen produce.

It's not immediately obvious, but on the right-hand side, there is a button that gives you the option to filter by brand. That way you can find the budget Whole Foods 365 items.

One big advantage is that on most of the items I selected, I was able to see the nutritional information of the product. This wasn't the case on Instacart.

The options for delivery weren't as speedy as Instacart's. At first glance, I thought there was a within-the-hour delivery option, but this wasn't the case. I ordered around 6:30 p.m., and the soonest it could arrive was between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m.; this cost $9.99.

The options for delivery weren't as speedy as Instacart's. At first glance, I thought there was a within-the-hour delivery option, but this wasn't the case. I ordered around 6:30 p.m., and the soonest it could arrive was between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m.; this cost $9.99.

Once I placed the order, I received several text messages and requests to download the app so I could track my order.

If your groceries are going to be out on your doorstep for a while, you might appreciate that the Prime Now delivery bag is actually closed.

It was a bit off-putting to find an open Whole Foods bag with the Instacart delivery in it, as it felt like anyone could help themselves pretty easily.

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We compared Whole Foods' grocery delivery from Amazon Prime Now and Instacart, and it was clear which service does it better

I started by ordering from Instacart's website. As this was the first time I used the service, I was asked to enter my zip code and set up an account.

Once I logged in, Instacart went straight to selling me a membership.

When it comes to shopping for groceries alone, Instacart is the leading player. On here, you can shop from 300 different chains.

The first step is to select the store you want to shop from. I chose Whole Foods.

You can filter by brand to find items more easily. This is especially useful if you want to shop Whole Foods 365, the grocer's budget label.

When I clicked on each product, there was very limited information available aside from a photo that was hard to see. This was a major downside.

You don't need to click through to lots of other pages to find out when these items can be delivered. A tab on the right-hand side shows you exactly how soon you can receive the order.

When you click on the cart, it clearly states how much more you'd need to buy to be eligible for cheaper or free delivery depending on whether you are an Express member or not.

A 5% tip is suggested at checkout, with a minimum suggestion of $2 per individual store delivery. The tips are optional, and according to Instacart, you can adjust them up to three days after the order is delivered. The tips go directly to the shopper.

It's a slick process, and within five minutes I had placed the order.

At the end, it gave me one last push to add more items to my basket.

Once I completed the order on the website, I received a text message with a link to the app that allowed me to track the order.

Next, I tested out Amazon's Prime Now service.

The main page is very similar to Amazon proper, so it instantly felt familiar. However, it's not as user-friendly as Instacart.

At the bottom of the main page you will find product categories that are easier to search. I clicked through to seafood and found a selection of fresh and frozen produce.

It's not immediately obvious, but on the right-hand side, there is a button that gives you the option to filter by brand. That way you can find the budget Whole Foods 365 items.

One big advantage is that on most of the items I selected, I was able to see the nutritional information of the product. This wasn't the case on Instacart.

The options for delivery weren't as speedy as Instacart's. At first glance, I thought there was a within-the-hour delivery option, but this wasn't the case. I ordered around 6:30 p.m., and the soonest it could arrive was between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m.; this cost $9.99.

Once I placed the order, I received several text messages and requests to download the app so I could track my order.

If your groceries are going to be out on your doorstep for a while, you might appreciate that the Prime Now delivery bag is actually closed.

It was a bit off-putting to find an open Whole Foods bag with the Instacart delivery in it, as it felt like anyone could help themselves pretty easily.