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Instacart Mastercard® Review: Plenty of Rewards for Loyal Instacart Users

Review Updated
Steven Porrello
Nathan Alderman
Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures that our product ratings are not influenced by compensation. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page.

OFFER STATUS:

The information on this card has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer. Some details may be out of date. Please consult the issuer's site for more details.

If you're a regular Instacart user, there's probably no better credit card than the Instacart Mastercard®. This is one of the most powerful no fee grocery cards you'll find, with multiple earn rates, a generous welcome offer, and valuable travel and shopping insurance. If Instacart is how you get your groceries delivered, read our expert review to see what makes this card unique.

Instacart Mastercard®
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
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Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars.
3.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
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Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good (670-850)
Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good (670-850)

Intro APR

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular APR

20.24% - 28.99% Variable

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn 5% cash back on Instacart app and Instacart.com purchases, and on travel purchased through the Chase Travel Center. Earn 2% cash back at restaurants, gas stations and on select streaming services. Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases.

1%-5% cash back

Annual Fee

$0

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Get a free year of Instacart+ and a $100 Instacart credit automatically upon approval. Membership auto-renews. Terms apply.

a free year of Instacart+ and a $100 Instacart credit

  • For Instacart fans, this card packs a hefty punch. The occasional Instacart user, however, will be better served with other credit cards.

    • Big rewards for Instacart spending
    • No annual fee
    • Slew of valuable insurance
    • Poor rewards for supermarkets and non-Instacart groceries
    • No 0% intro APR offer
    • Get a free year of Instacart+ and a $100 Instacart credit automatically upon approval. Membership auto-renews. Terms apply.
    • Earn 5% cash back on Instacart app and Instacart.com purchases
    • Earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through the Chase Travel Center, including flights, hotels and more
    • Earn 2% cash back at restaurants, gas stations and on select streaming services
    • Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
    • No annual card fee

Credit card comparison

We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.

Offer Our Rating Welcome Offer Rewards Program APR Learn More
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Best for cash back on rotating categories
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. 1% - 5% Cashback Circle with letter I in it. Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Intro:

Purchases: 0%, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months

Regular: 18.49% - 27.49% Variable APR *Rates as of December 12, 2024.

Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Best for cash rewards on everyday spending
$200 cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. 2% cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers

Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening

Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers

Regular: 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR

Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Best for unlimited rewards on purchases
25,000 points Circle with letter I in it. 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases 1.5 points per dollar Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 18.49% - 28.49% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers.

Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases

Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days

Regular: 18.49% - 28.49% (Variable)

Full Instacart Mastercard® review

This credit card is a good fit for: Instacart fans who want to save money on grocery deliveries and get cash back on travel booked through Chase.

Top perks

The Instacart Mastercard® has quite a few carrots to offer cardholders, particularly for travel and Instacart purchases.

High earn rates

For a no fee credit card, the Instacart Mastercard® packs a mighty punch. Here's how the card's cash back rates break down:

  • 5% cash back on Instacart app and Instacart.com purchases, and on travel purchased through the Chase Travel Center
  • 2% cash back on restaurants, gas stations and on select streaming services
  • 1% cash back on all other purchases

To give you an idea of this card's potential, let's assume you're an Instacart+ user who pays $99 annually for your membership. To earn the value of your membership, you would only need to spend $2,000 annually (roughly $167 monthly). That would give you $100 back. Most loyal Instacart users could spend double or triple that per month.

Generous welcome bonus

Upon approval, you'll earn a free year of Instacart+ and a $100 Instacart credit. That's a $199 value just for getting the credit card. Other credit cards make you spend a certain amount within a tight time frame.

Multiple ways to redeem rewards

Like other cash back cards we've reviewed, the Instacart Mastercard® lets you apply cash back as a statement credit, get a direct deposit into your checking account, or use your rewards to book travel. This card, however, is unique in that it also lets you use cash back to pay for all or part of an Instacart order.

Valuable travel and shopping insurance

For a card that's built for a delivery service, the Instacart Mastercard® is chock full of free insurance. Here are the benefits you'll get when you use your card to cover travel and shopping purchases.

  • Baggage delay insurance
  • Lost luggage reimbursements
  • Travel and emergency assistance services
  • Travel accident insurance
  • Roadside assistance
  • Auto rental collision damage waiver
  • Extended warranty protection
  • Purchase protection
  • 24/7 concierge service

What could be improved

Notwithstanding its perks, the Instacart Mastercard® isn't for everyone -- especially if you're not a regular Instacart user.

Not enough perks for occasional Instacart users

This card's biggest weakness is that it offers few rewards outside of Instacart spending. True, it earns 5% back on travel purchases through Chase Travel Center. But this is nothing special, as several Chase cards earn 5% back on travel booked in this way. The 2% back on restaurants, gas stations, and select streaming services is cute, but it's not competitive with top dining and restaurants cards.

Suggested credit score

You should aim to have a FICO® Score of 670 to apply for the Instacart Mastercard®. Since this card is issued by Chase, however, it will fall under the Chase 5/24 rule. In a nutshell, this rule states that Chase will deny your credit card application if you opened five or more credit cards in the last 24 months. Unfortunately, that means that even a high credit score could result in a rejection if you've opened more than five credit cards in the last two years.

The Instacart Mastercard® is right for you if:

  • You're a regular Instacart user.
  • You spend a lot on grocery delivery services.

Our credit card methodology

At Motley Fool Money, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.

We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates credit cards.

FAQs

  • This card will benefit you most if you're spending highly on Instacart deliveries, even better if you're an Instacart+ user. If you're not using the Instacart app frequently, however, you might be better served with another grocery credit card.

  • No, this card doesn't charge a fee when you use it to cover purchases outside of the U.S.

  • The recommended score is 670, so it's unlikely Chase will approve your Instacart Mastercard® application with poor credit.