Does Instacart Take EBT or Accept SNAP?
Instacart’s Help Center says: “U.S. customers can pay for online orders with a valid Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, in full or in part.” It limits this to participating retailers and to states that take part in USDA’s online purchasing program, and it does not accept EBT cash.
Maintained by Archie Chang · Reviewed November 1, 2026 · Methodology & sources
What Instacart says
“U.S. customers can pay for online orders with a valid Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, in full or in part.”
“You can use your EBT card at any participating retailer, as long as the state that issued your EBT card is currently participating in the SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot.”
“Currently, Instacart accepts SNAP & SUN Bucks, but can’t accept EBT cash.”
Fees and the card you also need
“Note: You must also add a credit or debit card to your Instacart account to use your EBT card.”
“You must add a credit or debit card to your Instacart account to cover the cost of delivery and service fees, bottle deposit fees, taxes, tips, and any non-EBT items.”
“EBT cards only cover the cost of EBT-eligible items.”
“You can only save 1 EBT card to your account. If you need to change your EBT card, remove the first one before adding another.”
SNAP online and delivery: what USDA says
USDA FNS says SNAP online purchasing is available in the states it lists, and that fees are not covered:
“SNAP online is currently available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.”
“Only eligible food may be purchased with SNAP benefits; delivery fees and other associated charges may not be paid for with SNAP benefits.”
USDA publishes a list of retailers accepting SNAP online for each state. The California list we read (Internet Archive capture of March 17, 2026) did not include Instacart. Other states have their own lists, so check yours on USDA’s page.
What SNAP can and cannot buy
At any store, EBT pays only for what USDA allows. This is USDA FNS’s own list.
- Any food for the household, such as:
- Fruits and vegetables;
- Meat, poultry, and fish;
- Dairy products;
- Breads and cereals;
- Other foods such as snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages; and
- Seeds and plants, which produce food for the household to eat.
- Households CANNOT use SNAP benefits to buy:
- Beer, wine, and liquor.
- Cigarettes and tobacco.
- Food and drinks containing controlled substances such as cannabis/marijuana and CBD.
- Vitamins, medicines, and supplements. If an item has a Supplement Facts label, it is considered a supplement and is not eligible for SNAP purchase.
- Live animals (except shellfish, fish removed from water, and animals slaughtered prior to pick-up from the store).
- Foods that are hot at the point of sale.
- Any nonfood items such as:
- Pet foods
- Cleaning supplies, paper products, and other household supplies.
- Hygiene items and cosmetics
Check a specific store
A chain’s statement does not replace a check of the store you plan to use. USDA FNS says:
“The SNAP Retailer Locator allows anyone to locate nearby SNAP-authorized retailers by entering a street address, city and state or zip code.”
Open the USDA SNAP Retailer Locator and enter your address or zip code.
Frequently asked questions
Which stores on Instacart take EBT?
Instacart says “You can use your EBT card at any participating retailer, as long as the state that issued your EBT card is currently participating in the SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot.” Its Help Center links a list of participating retailers and states.
Can I pay Instacart delivery fees or tips with EBT?
No. Instacart says you must add a credit or debit card “to cover the cost of delivery and service fees, bottle deposit fees, taxes, tips, and any non-EBT items.”
Does Instacart take EBT cash?
No. Instacart says it “accepts SNAP & SUN Bucks, but can’t accept EBT cash.”
Can I save more than one EBT card on Instacart?
No. Instacart says “You can only save 1 EBT card to your account.”
Does USDA list Instacart as a SNAP retailer?
USDA’s online pages are organized by state and name retailers. The California example list we read did not name Instacart, and it said “SNAP online is currently available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.” Instacart’s own Help Center links the participating retailers and states.
Related pages
Sources
Reviewed November 1, 2026. Each answer comes from the retailer’s own statement or from USDA, quoted word for word; a page we could only read as an Internet Archive capture says so, with the capture date. Store policies change, so the date of each copy matters.
USDA Food and Nutrition Service
- USDA FNS, What can SNAP buy? (read from the Internet Archive capture of June 10, 2026; the page shows “Page updated: June 04, 2025”)
- USDA FNS, SNAP Retailer Locator (read from the Internet Archive capture of May 28, 2026; the page shows “Page updated: February 17, 2026”)
- USDA FNS, Stores accepting SNAP online (read from the Internet Archive capture of May 28, 2026; the page shows “Page updated: February 17, 2026”)
- USDA FNS, retailers in California accepting SNAP online (example state list) (read from the Internet Archive capture of March 17, 2026)
The retailer’s own pages
- Instacart Help Center, Shop with EBT SNAP (read on November 1, 2026)
- Instacart Help Center, “Check out with your EBT card” (served on Dollar Tree’s same-day storefront) (read on November 1, 2026; it is Instacart’s text, shown on a storefront under Dollar Tree’s address)