Food inflation may be slowing, but that doesn’t mean the effects of recent years aren’t still being felt at the cash registers. If you’re looking to cut food costs, we’ve located the best places to buy cheap groceries online. Discount grocery delivery definitely exists, and we’ve done the math to find the absolute price. the cheapest online grocery service. We looked at three of the most popular national grocery stores with at least some form of delivery: fresh amazon, Aim and Walmart. In the end, Walmart took the top spot as the cheapest place to buy groceries online. The big box store came out about 10% cheaper than Target and 18% cheaper than Amazon Fresh.
If what you are looking for are gourmet products, we also find the The best places to buy specialty items online.. For staples and staples at affordable prices, see the full breakdown of online grocery costs at Walmart, Target, and Amazon Fresh below.
Amazon, Target and Walmart compared
undefined
| Walmart | Aim | fresh amazon | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total before extras | $137.10 | $153.34 | $165.66 |
| Monthly membership fee | $13.00 | $11.00 | $15.00 |
| Total: | $150.10 | $164.34 | $180.66 |
Walmart has the cheapest groceries online
Walmart is known for having some of the lowest prices of any national retail chain. In this review of the cheapest online grocery delivery operations, its budget-friendly reputation held up. Walmart virtually swept the lowest total cost in every grocery subcategory except one (pantry staples), for which Target has the lowest total, around $2. Many of Walmart’s cheapest items come courtesy of its in-house brand, Great Value. Target has a private label called Good & Gather, while Amazon has a number of generic brands including Amazon-branded groceries along with Happy Belly and 365 from Whole Foods, which is owned by Amazon.
How did I do the calculations?
To find the cost of buying groceries online at these three retailers, I first generated a list of 37 popular grocery items: some brand name, some generic — same day and across all grocery categories, including bread, snacks, dairy, produce, meat, fish, beverages and pantry staples. I mainly avoided the special items and organic ingredients for this exercise. For each product, I chose the cheapest option available from all three retailers: Amazon Fresh, Target, and Walmart.
If an item was not available at a retailer, I selected the closest one, since that is what a buyer would likely do. In some cases, a product was only available in a larger or smaller size. In those cases, I prorated the quantity and price to make sure the comparison was fair.
Cheapest Online Grocery Delivery Services
undefined
| Walmart | Target (ship) | fresh amazon | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs/dairy: | |||
| Brown eggs (12) | $4.87 | $5.19 | $2.98 |
| 2% milk (1 gallon) | $3.08 | $3.89 | $4.39 |
| Almond milk (1/2 gallon) | $2.44 | $2.99 | $4.00 |
| Cabot Block Cheddar Cheese (8 oz.) | $2.98 | $3.19 | $4.29 |
| Plain yogurt (32 oz.) | $2.36 | $3.79 | $3.29 |
| Subtotal: | $15.73 | $19.05 | $18.95 |
| Bread and snacks: | |||
| 7 grain loaf of bread | $2.38 | $3.99 | $4.00 |
| Thomas’ English Muffins (6 Pack) | $3.48 | $3.49 | $4.69 |
| Crackers (13.7 oz.) | $3.38 | $3.99 | $4.79 |
| Subtotal: | $9.24 | $11.47 | $13.48 |
| Produce: | |||
| Broccoli head (1 pound) | $1.38 | $4.11* | $1.99 |
| One Pound Bag of Red Potatoes (1 Pound) | $1.18 | $1.30 | $1.00 |
| Mixed Vegetable Packet (5 oz.) | $2.98 | $3.69 | $4.14 |
| hass avocado (1) | $0.88 | $0.99 | $0.99 |
| Bag of carrots (1 pound) | $1.24 | $1.29 | $1.00 |
| Bag of yellow onions (1 lb.) | $1.05 | $1.30 | $0.93 |
| Subtotal: | $8.71 | $12.68 | $10.05 |
| Pantry: | |||
| Heinz Ketchup Bottle (32 oz.) | $4.28 | $4.99 | $4.28 |
| Jar Hellman’s Mayo (20 oz.) | $5.48 | $6.29 | $7.49 |
| White rice (2 pounds) | $1.62 | $0.95 | $1.99 |
| Chicken broth (32 oz.) | $1.33 | $1.99 | $2.79 |
| Ground Starbucks coffee (12 oz.) | $14.92 | $10 | $8.90 |
| Peanut butter (16 oz.) | $1.84 | $1.69 | $3.19 |
| mineral water (8) | $3.28 | $3.99 | $4.49 |
| Barilla Penne Pasta (16 oz.) | $1.84 | $2.19 | $1.99 |
| Prego Pasta Sauce (24 oz.) | $2.24 | $2.89 | $3.69 |
| Canned Dog Food (12.5 oz.) | $1.88 | $1.79 | $1.67 |
| Subtotal: | $38.71 | $36.77 | $40.48 |
| Appetizers: | |||
| Box of Cheerios (18 oz.) | $4.78 | $5.49 | $4.78 |
| Bag of cod chips (8 oz.) | $3.68 | $3.99 | $4.59 |
| Corn Chips (11 oz.) | $2.48 | $2.29 | $2.49 |
| Chewy Granola Bars (Box of 8) | $2.44 | $2.99 | $3.98 |
| Breyer’s ice cream (1 liter) | $4.97 | $5.79 | $5.99 |
| Simply Orange Juice (52 oz.) | $3.98 | $4.59* | $5.29 |
| Subtotal: | $22.33 | $25.14 | $27.12 |
| Meats/fish: | |||
| Ground beef (1 pound) | $3.98 | $6.29* | $4.66 |
| Atlantic salmon (1 pound) | $10.98 | $10* | $12.00 |
| Bone-in chicken (3 lb.) | $3.96 | $5.07 | $6.96 |
| Organic Chicken Breast (1 pound) | $6.68 | 7.49* | $13.79 |
| Bacon (16 ounces) | $4.24 | $4.89 | $5.99 |
| Plant-based beef (1 pound) | $7.96 | $9* | $6.79 |
| Morningstar Veggie Burgers (4 Pack) | $4.58 | $5.49 | $5.39 |
| Subtotal: | $42.38 | $48.23 | $55.58 |
| Total before extras: | $137.10 | $153.34 | $165.66 |
| Monthly membership fee: | $13.00 | $11.00 | $15.00 |
| Total: | $150.10 | $164.34 | $180.66 |
| *Indicates that the item is not available for shipping |
Why these three retailers?
Amazon Fresh offers free delivery for members or in-store pickup, depending on your location.
Although there are other places to order groceries online, Amazon Fresh, Target (via Shipt), and Walmart are three of the most popular grocery stores in the US with a national presence and online delivery option. Other discount supermarket chains such as costco and aldi It can be delivered through third-party apps like Instacart, but Instacart increases grocery prices by about 10%, so it typically won’t be your best budget option. (That said, buy in bulk and in person at Costco can save you up to $1,000 throughout the year, potentially more if you become a Costco executive member.)
How much does unlimited delivery cost for Amazon Fresh, Walmart Plus, and Target?
All three retailers offer profitable monthly memberships that include unlimited free deliveries on orders of around $35 or more. Amazon Prime It costs $15 per month and includes free delivery on grocery orders over $150, as well as for most non-grocery products from Amazon. You’ll also get Amazon Prime Video and some other benefits. Starting February 28, Amazon Fresh charges fees for grocery delivery on orders under $150 even for Prime members, so you’ll pay up to $10 per delivery depending on the total.
Walmart Plus It’s $13 per month or $98 per year for unlimited free deliveries. aim send It’s the cheapest of three memberships at $11 a month with no minimum delivery total to meet. All three offer free in-store pickup in some form, although Amazon has fewer locations than Walmart and Target.
Starting February 28, Amazon Fresh charges fees for grocery delivery on orders under $150 even for Prime members, further increasing the total price.
Target does not deliver all types of food
Target-owned Shipt will ship groceries to your door within hours, but there are some staples, including meat, that aren’t available for delivery.
While I tried to only use items that were available for delivery, this was not always possible. Target and its national shipping partner Shipt do not have all staple foods available for delivery, particularly fresh meats and some produce. If you want to buy your full grocery list at Target, you’ll likely have to visit a physical store.
Are online grocery prices cheaper than in-store?
Walmart and Target generally offer the same prices online as they do in brick-and-mortar stores, but not always. Items for sale, in particular, are not always coordinated between online and in-store. Amazon Fresh is available primarily online, except in a few locations, although many products on Amazon Fresh can also be found at Whole Foods.
Hungryroot is a cross between a grocery delivery service and a meal kit company and encourages you to deviate from the recipe.
Other options for grocery delivery
instacartis a popular national delivery service and works as a third party buyer and delivery team allowing you to order food from a selection of local supermarkets. You’ll basically pay the same prices as if you visited the store yourself, plus a $4 delivery fee and tip.
direct fresh is another popular grocery delivery service and one of my favorites. Currently only available in the Northeast. The prices here are a little higher than the three retailers I reviewed above, but the grocery selection and customer service are excellent.
hungry root is a quirky grocery delivery operation that works differently from the others. With a subscription, you will receive weekly deliveries of food selected based on your preferences and eating habits. Hungryroot also provides recipe ideas upon ordering and will send you the ingredients to make them if you wish.
Prosperous market is another members-only grocery service. Thrive has lots of organic and high-quality meats, but no vegetables or dairy.
Boxed.com It is a good place to find dry goods, pantry items, and paper products at low prices, but it is not a complete substitute for a grocery store, as it lacks the fresh foods you would normally buy at a market.
If you don’t mind purchasing your various foods from different suppliers, we have conducted tests to find the best product delivery services, The best meat delivery services. and even the The best online fish and seafood markets. by 2023.
