Instacart Mastercard® Review: Is This Credit Card Really Worth It?

Instacart is a grocery delivery service that has its own Mastercard. This card makes a lot of sense for people who frequently use Instacart to shop for groceries. It offers to earn rates on Instacart orders.

You can learn more about the card and its advantages and disadvantages by reading this Instacart credit card review. After reading, you’ll be able to decide whether the Instacart Mastercard is right for you.

Who Is The Instacart Mastercard Aimed At?

The Instacart Credit Card is designed for people who use the Instacart grocery delivery service. There are better rewards credit cards available for those who often get their groceries in-store or via other means.

Instacart’s credit card has no annual fee. Although it offers a 5% cashback rate on Instacart purchases, keep in mind that using Instacart is required to earn this benefit.

Cashback credit cards are a great way to earn rewards on your everyday purchases. But with so many different cards available, it can be hard to know which one is right for you.

Instacart Mastercard Benefits

• Welcome offer: Receive $100 in Instacart credit when you sign up for a free year of Instacart+.
• $0 annual fee: There is no annual fee for using an Instacart Mastercard.
• Cashback rewards: As a cardholder, you can enjoy 5% cash back on the Instacart app and Instacart.com purchases. You’ll also get 5% cash back on travel booked through the Chase Travel Center. For everyday expenses like restaurants, gas, and select streaming services, you can get 2% cashback.
• Instacart+ benefits: With Instacart+, you can get free delivery on orders over $35, lower service fees, and 5% credit back on pickup orders.
• No foreign transaction fees:  You can avoid paying any foreign transaction fees abroad by using this card.
• Mastercard network: Mastercard is accepted in over 210 countries and territories around the world.
• Purchase protection:  With the World Elite Mastercard, you can get purchase protection, which gives you coverage against damage or theft when you buy new eligible items.
• Extended warranty protection: You can extend the manufacturer’s warranty on your eligible new purchases.
• Auto rental collision damage waiver: Get protection against loss or damage to your rental car.
• Baggage delay insurance: You could be eligible for reimbursement for any delays to your baggage.
• Lost luggage reimbursement: Receive compensation for your lost or damaged luggage.
• Travel accident insurance: When you purchase an eligible trip, you will be covered by travel accident insurance.
• Roadside assistance: You’ll have access to help with flat tires and more tires, lockouts, and more. Cardholders should keep in mind that this access uses a pay-per-use model.
• Travel and emergency assistance services: As a cardholder, you have access to travel and emergency assistance services. This means that in the event of an emergency, you can contact or locate medical, legal, and other types of services while traveling.
• 24/7 concierge service: The World Elite Mastercard 24/7 service. They can assist you with making dinner reservations, finding concert tickets, and more.

Cons Of The Instacart Credit Card

• No bonus rewards for non-Instacart groceries: Other credit cards may offer better rewards for spending outside the Instacart category. You might want to consider using a different card for your non-Instacart purchases.
• No online travel redemptions: Instacart’s credit card offers the ability to redeem travel rewards, but you have to call in to do so. You may also have to pay a service fee to use Chase’s Travel Center. This can be seen as an unnecessary hassle, as Chase already has a strong online presence in the travel industry.
• No intro APR offer: There is no intro APR offer available with the Instacart credit card.
• Instacart+ membership: After the first year of being a cardholder, the Instacart+ membership auto-renews for $99 per year.

How To Earn Cashback As A Cardholder

Potential Earnings In Years One And Two

Here you can see how your cash back can add up with the Instacart Mastercard. To calculate these values, it is used a point valuation of 1 cent per point.

This is only an estimate of what you might spend. The actual amount will depend on your spending habits and which categories you spend money in.

Year one earnings: $963

Year two earnings: $863

Note

As a cardholder, you are automatically enrolled in Instacart+ benefits for the first year. This program typically costs $99 per year but is free for cardholders.

Cashback Earnings

Categories	Rewards rate
Instacart app and Instacart.com purchases	5%
Travel purchases through the Chase Travel Center, including flights and hotels	5%
Restaurants, gas stations, and select streaming services	2%
All other purchases	1%

One of the best ways to receive cash back is by using an Instacart Mastercard on elevated rewards purchases. For example, 5% cash back can be earned on the Instacart app and Instacart.com purchases.

Instacart Mastercard holders can earn $250 cash back per year by spending $5,000 on groceries through the Instacart platform.

Purchasing travel through the Chase Travel Center can be a little more complicated and expensive than using other travel credit cards available online. You’ll have to call in to book anything through Chase, and service fees may apply. However, 5% of all travel purchases still fall into this category.

The 2% category of restaurants, gas stations, and select streaming services could be helpful if you don’t have a credit card that offers rewards for these purchase categories.

How To Maximize Your Redemptions

Instacart credit card cashback rewards can be used for a variety of different redemption options:

• Cash back: You could get a statement credit or have a direct deposit into a linked bank account.
• Travel: You can also book a flight, hotel stay, car rental, cruise, and others by calling the Chase Travel Center.
• Instacart purchases: You can use Instacart to split the cost of your groceries.

There is no advantage to redeeming your Instacart Mastercard credit card points for one thing over another, as they all have the same value of 1 cent per point. However, booking a travel redemption may come with service fees charged by the company.

Instacart Mastercard FAQs

Does Instacart Mastercard offer any protections?

As a World Elite Mastercard holder, you are entitled to protections and coverages with your Instacart Mastercard. These benefits include:

• Purchase protection
• Extended warranty protection
• Auto rental collision damage waiver
• Baggage delay insurance

• Lost luggage reimbursement
• Travel accident insurance
• Roadside assistance
• Travel and emergency assistance services

Is there an introductory APR offer?

The Instacart Mastercard credit card does not offer an introductory APR on purchases or balance transfers. However, there are some Chase credit cards that do offer this benefit. These include:

• Chase Freedom Unlimited®
• Chase Freedom Flex℠
• Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
• Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
• Chase Slate Edge℠

How can I get a free Instacart+ membership?

Certain Chase credit cards come with a free Instacart+ membership:

• 12 free months with the Chase Sapphire Reserve®
• Six free months with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
• Three free months with the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, Chase Freedom Flex℠, Chase Freedom® Student credit card, and Chase Slate Edge℠

Does the Chase 5/24 rule apply to the Instacart Mastercard?

Yes, the Chase 5/24 rule applies to the Instacart Mastercard credit card. The Chase 5/24 rule is a guideline that some say may lead to your credit card application being denied by Chase, should you have opened five or more credit cards from any issuer within the past 24 months.

What are the benefits of getting Instacart+?

Instacart+ offers these benefits:

• Grocery delivery service from retailers.
• No delivery fees on orders of $35 or more
• Reduced service fees on every order
• 5% credit back on pickup orders (excluding alcohol)
• Family account to share benefits
• Offers from partnerships with Chase, Delta, and other partners

Consider These Other Cards

Instacart Mastercard could be a choice mostly for Instacart users. However, if this card doesn’t seem to be the right card for you, you can always compare credit cards to search and find which is the best for you. Two of the main alternatives are these two cards:

First, there is the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express. It has a $0 annual fee and offers 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and U.S. online retail purchases (up to $6,000 per year in each category, then 1%); and 1% cash back on other eligible purchases. Terms may apply.

There is also the Amex Blue Cash Everyday that provides a different earning potential compared with the Instacart Mastercard. It could be an option if you don’t always buy your groceries using Instacart. This card also provides intro APR offers on purchases and balance transfers.

With Chase Freedom Unlimited® you’ll earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% cash back on dining and drugstore purchases, and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Although both cards offer great rewards, for non-Instacart grocery purchases, as well as dining and drugstore purchases, Chase Freedom Unlimited could be a better option. In addition, it has intro APR offers on purchases and balance transfers that make it even more attractive.