Chase Instacart Mastercard review: Earn $100 in credit and 5% cash back at Instacart with no annual fee

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The Instacart Mastercard® from Chase is worth considering if you're looking for a grocery credit card and frequently use Instacart. It earns 5% back on Instacart purchases and a welcome offer of a Instacart Mastercard®. If you don't spend a lot with Instacart, you'll likely do better with a different cash-back credit card.

Instacart Credit Card Overview

The no-annual-fee Instacart Mastercard® from Chase just launched, and it's a compelling option for those who regularly spend on Instacart. Cardholders can earn unlimited 5% cash back on Instacart purchases and on travel booked through the Chase Travel Center, along with 2% back on restaurants, gas, and select streaming, and 1% back on everything else. 

An Instacart+ membership gets you $0 delivery fees on orders of $35 or more, including reduced service fees.  

Instacart Mastercard® cardholders receive a decent range of benefits, including car rental insurance, baggage delay and lost luggage insurance, and purchase protection. 

If you don't use Instacart or if it's not available in your area, the Instacart Mastercard® isn't a good fit. If you're looking to earn rewards on all your grocery spending, a card that includes supermarkets as a bonus category, like the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card (3% cash back on groceries, excluding superstores like Walmart and Target) is a more suitable option. Here's our Capital One SavorOne card review with full details.

Or, if you use other grocery delivery services and want a card with more benefits, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card could be a good pick. It comes with a welcome bonus offer of Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and earns 3x points on online grocery purchases. You can find out more in our full Chase Sapphire Preferred review. 

How to earn rewards with the Instacart credit card

The Instacart Mastercard® is marketed as a cash-back rewards card, but it actually earns points that are worth 1 cent each (meaning 100 points equals $1). 

You'll receive unlimited cash back rewards by using the Instacart Mastercard® for your purchases, with no spending caps. Cardholders earn: 

• 5% cash back on Instacart purchases at Instacart partnered locations across North America
• 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel Center
• 2% cash back at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery services) 
• 2% cash back at gas stations 
• 2% cash back on select streaming services
• 1% cash back on all other purchases

The bonus on Instacart purchases is a very good deal, and one of the best cash-back rates of any top grocery credit card. You can earn 5% cash back when you use your card at Instacart.com or through the Instacart mobile app (including memberships and subscriptions, but gift cards don't qualify). Keep in mind that you can't earn bonus cash back if you spend directly with Instacart's partner retailers. 

Instacart is available at more than 800 national, regional, and local brands (such as Wegmans, CVS, Costco, and Target) including over 70,000 stores in 5,500+ cities.  

You'll also earn 5% back when you use the card to book hotels, flights, rental cars, and more through the Chase Travel Center. But, you can't do this online — you'll have to book by contacting Chase Travel directly at 833-458-0526, or by calling the number on the back of your card. 

Moreover, cardholders get 2% cash back on select streaming services when they use the Instacart Mastercard®. Keep in mind that it doesn't apply to all streaming services; this only applies to Chase-eligible streaming services as listed below:

• Apple Music
• Apple TV
• Disney+
• ESPN+
• Fubo TV
• HBO Max
• Netflix
• Pandora
• Paramount+
• Peacock
• Showtime
• SiriusXM
• Sling
• Spotify
• Youtube Premium
• Youtube TV
• Vudu

How to use Instacart Mastercard rewards 

You can redeem rewards from the Instacart Mastercard® in multiple ways, including cash back as either a statement credit or a direct deposit of any amount. You can also use rewards toward travel booked through Chase and other redemptions such as gift cards. 

Beginning in fall 2022, you'll be able to pay for all (or part) of your delivery orders through the Instacart website or app, with no minimum redemption amount. 

Chase Instacart credit card benefits and features

Instacart Credit

As part of its welcome bonus, the Instacart Mastercard® comes with an Instacart credit and it's a great way to get free or discounted groceries, which is good considering the current rise in prices. You should receive your credits in your Instacart account upon approval for the Instacart Mastercard®, but it could take up to 10 days. You can apply these credits toward any Instacart order in the US (not including alcohol, gift cards, or prescriptions).

But since your credits can only be used on Instacart, your shopping options are limited. If you're looking to save on purchases outside of Instacart, a cash-back card is more flexible. Plus, you can use cash-back welcome bonus offers on any purchase. 

Instacart+

Cardholders receive one free year of Instacart+ when approved for the Instacart Mastercard® (usually $9.99 per month or $99 annually). You'll get free delivery on orders over $35 (from a single retail location) and reduced service fees. 

If you already pay for Instacart+ or the Instacart+ trial, the free year won't be applied until your membership is eligible for renewal, after which your membership will automatically receive the free year bonus. 

It's important to be mindful of when your free year of Instacart+ ends as you will instantly be charged the regular yearly membership fee ($99) at the end of the initial free year. If you want to avoid being charged, make sure to mark your calendar so you remember to cancel the service when your free year is up. 

Auto rental collision damage waiver

When you decline the rental company's collision insurance and charge the entire rental cost to your Instacart Mastercard®, you can receive coverage for theft and collision damage on most cars in the US and abroad. The coverage you'll receive is secondary, and will only cover the amounts your personal car insurance policy doesn't already cover (if you have one).

Baggage delay insurance

If you paid for your trip with the Instacart Mastercard® and your baggage is delayed by the carrier for more than six hours, you can get reimbursed for toiletries, clothes, and other essential purchases for up to $100 a day for three days. 

Lost luggage insurance

If you use the Instacart Mastercard® to pay for lost or damaged checked or carry-on luggage, you (or an immediate family member) can be covered for up to $3,000 per account. 

Purchase protection

When you use your card to pay for a new eligible purchase, you can receive 120 days of protection against damage or theft up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account. 

Extended warranty protection

You'll be able to extend an additional year of US manufacturer's warranty on eligible warranties of three years or less when you pay with your Instacart Mastercard®.

Travel accident insurance

You become eligible to receive accidental death or dismemberment coverage up to $500,000 when you use your card to buy air, bus, train, or cruise transportation.

Travel and emergency assistance services

If you run into a problem while traveling, you can contact a travel and emergency assistance hotline for help on legal and medical referrals, or other travel and emergency assistance needs. This service is free but you will be responsible for any third-party costs.

Roadside Assistance

You can call the Benefit Administrator to dispatch necessary aid in a roadside emergency. All roadside service fees will then be billed to your card. 

World Elite Mastercard benefits

You'll receive additional World Elite Mastercard benefits, which include 24/7 concierge service, access to Mastercard Priceless Experiences, and offers for ride-sharing and online shopping services. 

Instacart Mastercard fees and costs

The Instacart Mastercard® has no annual fee and a regular APR of Instacart Mastercard®. It's also a good card for traveling overseas because it has no foreign transaction fees. 

The card also has fees for balance transfers, cash advances and late payments, but no fee on returned checks. 

Compare the Instacart credit card

*Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as statement credits or at Amazon.com checkout.

Instacart Mastercard frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Is the Instacart credit card worth it? 

If you already spend big on Instacart, and you're looking to earn rewards on spending categories like groceries, gas, restaurants, and select streaming services, the Instacart Mastercard® will be a worthy addition to your wallet. It has unlimited cash-back opportunities, no annual fee, and a decent number of other benefits included. 

However, if you rarely use Instacart, subscribe to a different food delivery service, or don't spend much on groceries in general, this card won't benefit you. Another thing to keep in mind is if you're someone looking for cash back on travel bookings, the Instacart Mastercard® is fairly limiting so it's best to look into other cash-back card options.  

Where can you use the Chase Instacart card? 

You can use the Instacart Mastercard® at any Instacart affiliated store brand across more than 800 retail brands, in over 5,500 cities (unlimited 5% cash back). The card can also be used to earn cash back rewards at restaurants, gas stations, and select streaming services (unlimited 2% cash back). You'll also be able to earn cash back on all other purchases (unlimited 1% cash back). 

How can you get a free Instacart+ membership?

It's worth mentioning that the Instacart Mastercard® isn't the only way to get a free Instacart+ membership, since some other Chase cards (like the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Freedom Flex℠, and other select Chase cards) also include a free trial membership of up to a year. 

What credit score do you need for the Instacart credit card? 

You need good credit to qualify for the Instacart Mastercard® (FICO classifies a good credit score to be between 670 to 739). If you have a limited credit history or are currently rebuilding your credit score you'll have difficulty getting approved. 

If that's the case, you can check out our list of the best starter cards, best cards to build your credit, and read about responsible ways to use your credit.

Who is eligible for the Instacart credit card? 

Due to the Chase 5/24 rule, if you've opened five or more credit cards within the last 24 months — this includes Chase cards, as well as cards from other banks — you won't be eligible for the Instacart Mastercard® or other Chase cards.