Cheapest Food Delivery App

Click, click, click…

…and your meal is on the way.

Ordering food online has never been easier.

Additionally, nothing beats eating your favorite food from the comfort of your home.

However, it might be costly.

Here’s where SpendMeNot comes in – helping you find the cheapest food delivery app, so you don’t have to pay service fees greater than the cost of the food order itself.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Cheap Food Delivery App

In recent years, people have become more accustomed to ordering food online. And this trend is set to continue. According to estimates, 217 million Americans will use online food delivery services by 2027.

With such popularity, the industry is growing by the minute. So how do you choose which service to use? Let’s look at some of the factors to consider:

• The payment methods — The most commonly used options are debit/credit cards. Some delivery services also accept Google Pay, Apple Pay, cash, and PayPal. Make sure your preferred payment method is supported.
• Delivery fees — The delivery fee can be determined by the food delivery service or by the restaurant. It’s important always to pay attention to this one, as sometimes the delivery fee could be bigger than your meal’s price.
• Hidden costs — It’s not all about the food cost and its delivery fee. There are more fees consumers need to be aware of. For example, at the end of the order, you can find tax, service, and other similar fees. If you find your order’s total sum pricey, try another food app and compare the fees. Also, you can call the restaurant and find out what’s the price of your desired meal, so you would know how much extra the food app is making you pay.
• Food tracking and delivery time — With some food apps, you can track where your order is at any particular moment. Also, you’ll know your expected food delivery time. Due to weather reasons, traffic, or busy restaurants, you might wait longer than usual.
• User-app interface — You should search for a food delivery app that’s easy to navigate and offers various options and filters.

Cheapest Food Delivery Apps in 2022

What are the fees and prices of the cheapest food delivery online apps? Let’s see:

This was just a warm-up. It’s time to take a look at each company in a thorough manner, starting from the cheapest food app.

1. DoorDash

DoorDash is a California-based company that works with over 300,000 restaurants in more than 7,000 cities across the US, Canada, Australia, and Japan. Some of the top cities in the US are Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas, Miami, San Francisco, Washington, Atlanta, and Chicago. You can find everything from coffees, pizzas, burgers, vegan food, seafood, deserts, sushi… In other words, your favorite food will definitely be on the menu.

DoorDash holds the lion’s share in the industry, and it’s also the cheapest food delivery service. Now, let’s see some important facts about DoorDash:

• The app charges restaurants a commission fee for listing their food menus. It’s a percentage of the order’s total cost, and the fee is charged for each order processed and delivered through DoorDash. The commission fee is 15%, 25%, or 30%, depending on the restaurant’s partnership plan.
• Registration of a new customer is free.
• The total cost of a customer’s order includes the price of the menu items and tax, as well as delivery and service fees that the restaurant applies.
• There may be an additional fee for orders below a minimum subtotal and for orders made amid high demand.
• The minimum service fee is $3.
• The tax amount is approximately $1, but it could vary.
• The delivery fee is approximately $2, but it could vary.
• DoorDash doesn’t provide refunds for completed and delivered orders but may grant them in certain situations.
• The app is available for desktop and mobile users (iPhone and Android).
• New users get a $0 delivery fee on their first order.
• The average delivery time is 35 minutes.
• You can pay via debit/credit card, PayPal, and Venmo.
• Tipping the DoorDash driver is optional.

Save money with DashPass

DashPass is a subscription plan for customers across the US. It costs only $9.99 per month with a monthly plan and $96 per year with an annual plan. Notably, if customers choose the monthly plan, they can cancel it anytime. And, let’s not forget about the free trial — new users get 30 days of a free trial.

DashPass has a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees for subscribers, with a minimum food order of $12 from eligible restaurants and a minimum food order of $25 from eligible grocery stores. Also, subscribers get a lot of promotions and priority customer support.

Note: DashPass subscribers save approximately $4-$5 on an eligible order.

2. Uber Eats

Headquartered in California, Uber Eats is available in over 6,000 cities across 45 countries. Some of the US cities where Uber Eats is used the most are Miami, Atlanta, Washington, Boston, New York City, Chicago, and more.

Now, let’s see some important highlights about the work of this cheap online food delivery app:

• The commission fees for restaurants for their orders being processed and delivered through Uber Eats are 15%, 25%, and 30%, depending on the plan the restaurant chooses.
• The available payment methods are bank cards, Google and Apple Pay, PayPal, and Venmo.
• Orders’ total cost may include service, delivery, and small-order fee.
• The delivery fees start at $0.49 and go up to $3.99.
• Typically, the minimum service fee is $2, but never more than $9.
• The tax fee varies between $1 and $7.
• Tipping the Uber Eats driver is optional.
• The average delivery time from order pickup to drop off is 15 minutes.
• Uber Eats is available for iPhone, Android, and desktop users.
• Creating an account is free.
• Refunds are provided for missing items, incorrect items and orders.

Save money with Uber Eats

You can get a $0 delivery fee from local restaurants. The list is updated every 15 minutes, so keep an eye on it. You can also get free delivery if you make a pre-order from some of the offered options. In addition, there are exclusive deals that come at a lower price. Basically, you can always find great deals by scrolling through the app.

And with the No Rush delivery option, you get a discount. You might wait a little bit longer, but at least you’ll save some money.

There is one more option to save money with Uber Eats — the Uber One subscription plan. The package, formerly known as Eats Pass, costs $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year. Additionally, a free one-month trial is available to new users.

Subscribers get a $0 delivery fee for orders over $30 from eligible grocery stores and orders over $15 from eligible non-grocery stores. Also, discounts of up to 10% are applicable for orders from eligible non-grocery stores.

You can cancel the subscription plan 48 hours before the next billing date. Or, if you missed the deadline, you can contact customer support to cancel it.

Note: Uber One users can save an average of $25 per month.

3. Grubhub

Grubhub is part of Just Eat, a leading global online food delivery marketplace, with over 320,000 restaurants across 4,000 US cities in all 50 states. The company is based in Chicago, Illinois.

Some of the top cities Grubhub operates in are Boston, Chicago, Denver, Miami, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, Washington, and Philadelphia. Browse by a restaurant or by a dish, and your desired meal will definitely pop up.

So, what else is important to know about Grubhub? Take a look:

• The commission fee for restaurants for their orders being processed and delivered through Grubhub is 10%, no matter which pricing plan the restaurant chooses.
• The delivery fees for orders vary from $0.99 up to $9.99, depending on how near the restaurant is to you.
• The tax fees vary somewhere between $1 and $5.
• Service fees range from $1 to $9.
• A small-order fee of $2 is applicable on orders that cost below $10.
• The supported payment methods are Apple and Android Pay, PayPal, eGift, credit cards, and cash.
• Available on Apple App Store and Google Play Store, as well as for desktop users.
• Refunds are offered in the event of a mistaken order or a wrong charged amount.
• The usual delivery time is between 20 and 50 minutes, but rear cases could take up to 60 minutes.
• Creating an account is free and takes only a few seconds.
• Tipping the Grubhub driver is optional.

Save money with Grubhub+

You can save money by subscribing to Grubhub+ — a pricing plan that costs $9.99 plus taxes. Moreover, it’s free for the first 30 days for new users.

By using this subscription model, you get to enjoy exclusive perks and rewards with every order, such as a $10 free meal every month. Additionally, you’ll get $0 delivery fees for orders that cost a minimum of $12 before taxes, tips, and fees from the eligible Grubhub+ restaurants.

One last thing, you can cancel the subscription anytime without any additional costs.

Note: Users save an average of $4 per order.

4. Postmates

Postmates is an online food delivery app that works with 600,000 restaurants, groceries, and retailers across all 50 US states. As of December 1, 2020, the company was acquired by Uber. Both companies run separately, but their merchants and delivery networks are combined.

Some of the top cities Postmates operates in are Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Miami.

Now, it’s time for some facts regarding the work of Postmates. Let’s take a look:

• The commission fees Postmates charges its merchants for listing their food menus are the same as at Uber Eats — 15%, 25%, and 30%, depending on the pricing plan the restaurant chooses.
• Depending on how close you are to the merchant you want to order from, the delivery time varies from 20 to 35 minutes.
• The delivery fee is between $0.49 and $7.49, depending on the restaurant’s proximity.
• The service fee on most orders is $3.60.
• The tax fee can be as low as $0.3 and up to $2.
• A small-order fee may apply if your subtotal is less than a certain amount. But, not all restaurants and grocery stores charge a small-order fee.
• Some restaurants and grocery shops charge a bag fee of $0.07.
• Tipping the driver is optional.
• The supported payment methods are cash, credit cards, and PayPal.
• You can create an account for free.

Save money with Postmates Unlimited

Postmates Unlimited is a subscription plan that costs $9.99 per month. You can cancel it 24 hours before your next billing date without any additional cancelation costs.

Subscribers of this plan can enjoy a variety of discounts, deals, and giveaways. Also, you’ll get $0 delivery fees and 5% off on restaurant orders over $15 and grocery orders over $30.

5. Instacart

Instacart is a leading online grocery service with over 500,000 products to offer. The platform works with more than 40,000 grocery stores and operates in more than 5,500 cities across the US and Canada.

Top Instacart cities are Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Washington, and San Francisco — the headquarters of this company.

Here are some important facts about Instacart worth knowing:

• All orders need to be a minimum of $10 to be processed.
• The delivery fee starts at $3.99 for same-day orders over $35. For fast deliveries and orders that costs under $35, the delivery fee varies.
• New users get their first delivery for free.
• The service fee is usually $4, but it could vary.
• The accepted payment methods are all major US credit/debit cards, PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay, China UnionPay, as well as EBT cards at participating stores in selected states.
• Tax, sales and bag fees, bottle deposits, and sugar-sweetened fees may also apply.
• To make an order, you need to create an account, which comes free of charge.
• The standard average delivery time is between 2 and 5 hours.
• Tips for Instacart drivers are optional.
• The company offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee, which means you’re eligible for a refund if you received damaged items or poor quality replacements, your items are missing or late, and you experienced unprofessional service.
• Available for iPhone, Android, and desktop users.

Save money with Instacart+

The Instacart+ plan costs $9.99 for a monthly subscription or, $99 for a yearly subscription. Moreover, new members get two weeks of a free trial.

By subscribing to this plan, you’ll get a $0 delivery fee on orders over $35 and lower service fees on all orders.

Note: Members can save an average of $7 per order.

6. Caviar

The California-based company is one of the cheapest apps to order food online. Caviar was acquired by DoorDash in 2019.

So, whether you’re looking for a portion of healthy or fast food, you can find some of the coolest restaurants here.

Let’s see some important facts about Cavia and its pricing:

• The average delivery time is 10-20 minutes.
• It’s available for iPhone, Android, and desktop users.
• Creating an account is free.
• Accepted payment methods are all major US credit/debit cards, PayPal, Google and Apple Pay.
• $0 delivery fee on the first order with a minimum cost of $10.
• The delivery fee depends on the location of the restaurant you choose. They’re somewhere between $2 and $8.
• The minimum service fee is $3.
• The estimated tax fee is approximately $1, but it could vary.
• Tipping the driver is optional.

Save money with DashPass

As DoorDash owns Caviar, you can find the same subscription model here — DashPass. The price is the same – $9.99 per month or $96 per year. And, you can cancel it anytime without any additional costs.

The benefits of subscribing to this model are the same as at DoorDash. You get a free trial during the first 30 days. Also, your delivery fee is $0, and your service fees are reduced for orders over $12 from restaurants and $25 from grocery shops. Additionally, as a DashPass user, you’re eligible for various exclusive offers.

Note: DashPass subscribers save approximately $4-$5 on an eligible order.

7. Home Bistro

Now, let’s see something different from the others.

Home Bistro is a meal online delivery service where the most celebrated chefs cook you the meal and dessert you choose. All you have to do is heat it up a little, if needed, and eat it!

While not the cheapest app to order food, Home Bistro offers an affordable way to treat yourself to some real gourmet experience. Hence it deserves mention in our list.

Here are some things you should know about the work of Home Bistro:

• No refunds.
• Meals are cooked to serve only one adult.
• The accepted payment methods are all major US debit/credit cards, Venmo, PayPal, Meta Pay, Apple Pay, and Shop Pay.
• The average delivery time is between one and three business days. All orders are shipped overnight via FedEx, ensuring that your order will arrive in perfect condition, but cold.
• The delivery fees vary depending on your location. For example, we were able to find the following delivery fees: $48 for
• Chicago, $24 for Miami, and $54 for Auburn.
• A shipping protection fee is optional and costs $0.98 per order.

Save money with Home Bistro

There is no subscription model at Home Bistro.

But, there are discounted meals all the time. So, add your desired meal to the cart, wait for it to be discounted, and proceed with the checkout.

Pros and Cons of Food Delivery Services

Despite the growth of the food delivery industry, people need to know whether it’s worth using any of the various online food delivery apps.

Now, let’s see some advantages of using food delivery service:

• Discovering new restaurants and grocery shops.
• Eating from the comfort of your home with no need to dress up.
• Trying different kinds of food.
• You can save time when ordering food and eating at home, rather than cooking it yourself or eating out.
• Suitable for old people and people with disabilities who cannot leave their homes.

As for the drawbacks, take a look at some of them:

• It can be more expensive compared to dining in a restaurant due to the multiple fees customers are being charged when ordering food online.
• Customers may experience longer wait times for their orders to be delivered.
• You can receive low-quality/cold food and a wrong order.

Bottom Line: What’s the Cheapest Food Delivery App?

The easiest way to prepare a meal is to simply order it online.

And, here come the food delivery apps to help you with it.

But, which is the cheapest delivery service? Uber Eats, Grubhub, DoorDash…?

Each has different delivery, service, and tax fees. Also, deals and offers vary from app to app and from restaurant to restaurant. But, you’ll definitely find great ones daily.

So, choose the one whose pricing suits you most and whose delivery service is most convenient for you.