People prioritize two things when it comes to grocery shopping: Convenience and great prices. Grocery delivery services Amazon Fresh (available through Amazon Prime) and Walmart Plus offer users same-day and next-day delivery and opportunities to save on groceries with just a few clicks.
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But Amazon recently begun charging Amazon Fresh users delivery fees on grocery orders under $150 (in addition to the $139 annual Prime membership fee). Previously, Amazon only required users to spend $35 to qualify for free delivery (or $50 in New York City). Walmart Plus, comparatively, costs $98 a year and users only need to spend $35 to qualify for free delivery.
As food prices remain high due to inflation, you may be wondering which one of these grocery delivery services, if either, is right for you: Amazon Fresh or Walmart Plus. Below, we break down what both services include, how much they cost and what you should consider when deciding which to invest in. And if you’re wondering how warehouse clubs like BJ’s or Costco, compare, you can read more in our guide here.
Amazon Fresh
- Membership requirement: Amazon Prime membership required.
- Membership fee: $139 a year, discounted memberships available for students and those on certain types of government assistance.
- Delivery cost: Amazon Fresh now charges a $9.95 delivery fee for orders under $50; a $6.95 delivery fee for orders between $50 and $100; and a $3.95 delivery fee for orders between $100 and $150. Orders $150 and up qualify for free delivery. Previously, Amazon only required users to spend $35 to qualify for free delivery (or $50 in New York City).
- Associated credit card: Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card, which offers Prime members 5% back on Amazon Fresh orders.
- SNAP/EBT eligibility: You can pay for eligible products with a SNAP/EBT card when shopping through Amazon Fresh, but your SNAP/EBT card cannot be used to pay for the shipping fee if you do not meet the $150 order minimum. In that case, you will need to provide an alternate form of payment.
Only Amazon Prime members can order groceries and household essentials through Amazon Fresh. You’re able to choose an available window for your order to be delivered day-of or schedule deliveries ahead of time. Prime members also have exclusive access to Whole Foods grocery delivery and pickup, but Amazon Fresh has a larger variety of items to choose from since you’re not limited to what one specific supermarket carries. And if you order specific items consistently, you can opt to make them Repeat Items, which means Amazon Fresh will automatically add them to your cart based on a schedule you set so they’re waiting for you before you begin shopping. You also have the option to set up Subscribe & Save for items that offer it — Amazon will automatically ship these items to you after a designated number of weeks or months for up to 15% off.
Walmart Plus
- Membership requirement: Anyone can get groceries delivered through Walmart Plus without a membership, but delivery fees range from $7.95 to $9.95. With the Walmart Plus membership, delivery is free, so long as shoppers spend $35.
- Walmart+ membership fee: $98 annually or $12.95 monthly
- Walmart Plus delivery cost: $7 for orders under $35, or free when you spend $35
- Associated credit card: Capital One Walmart Rewards Card, which gives anyone 5% back on purchases made on Walmart’s website
- SNAP/EBT eligibility: You can pay for eligible products with a SNAP/EBT card when shopping through Walmart Plus, but your SNAP/EBT card cannot be used to pay for the shipping fee if you do not meet the $35 order minimum and you will need to provide an alternate form of payment.
With Walmart Plus, you can get groceries and household essentials delivered to your door, including brands only available at the retailer like Sam’s Choice, Freshness Guarantee, Parent’s Choice and more. You can choose an available window for your order to be delivered day-of or schedule deliveries ahead of time. Photo editor Becca Delman said her family orders groceries through Walmart Plus weekly. “They’re reliable, make smart swaps if a product is out of stock and I can order in advance, as well as adjust my order up to a certain time,” Delman said. She also noted that she can get supplies for her baby within hours if she needs something quickly, and has found the produce to be particularly fresh.
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How Amazon Prime and Walmart Plus compare
Amazon Prime and Walmart Plus retailer memberships come with a plethora of other benefits in addition to free grocery delivery options, like fast delivery when you shop online for any number of goods, with no additional shipping costs. With that being said, it’s important to think about which other parts of the memberships you’ll take advantage of beyond grocery delivery when deciding which to sign up for.
Generally, Amazon Prime offers more perks compared to Walmart Plus. When you sign up for Prime, you get access to the Amazon Prime Day mega sale, plus entry to the Amazon ecosystem, which includes the Prime Video streaming service, Prime Music streaming, Prime Gaming and Prime Reading, Amazon Pharmacy, Prime Try Before You Buy and more. You can also easily shop at physical Amazon stores located in select cities across the country. But all these offerings result in a higher price tag: Amazon Prime costs $40 more than Walmart Plus annually. And if you only plan on using Prime’s online shopping perks, it may not make sense for you to also pay for the extensive streaming and entertainment offerings.
Walmart Plus’ perks, while more limited, may fit some people’s lifestyles better than Amazon Prime, especially if you plan to shop at Walmart in-person as well as online. Walmart Plus comes with benefits like special prices on fuel at select gas stations and mobile Scan and Go, which allows in-store shoppers to pay for items as they add them to their cart. Members also get discounts at Walmart pharmacies — similar to Amazon Pharmacy — and an included Paramount+ Essential Plan subscription, a streaming service that’s comparable to Prime Video.
Whether you sign up for Amazon Prime or Walmart Plus is ultimately up to your personal preferences. Keep in mind that both memberships offer 30 day free trials, too.
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