Voila vs Instacart Canada: The Real Cost of Grocery Delivery in 2025

TL;DR: Voila is generally cheaper for full grocery shops because it has no hidden markups (prices match in-store) and tipping is not expected (drivers are hourly employees). Instacart is faster (same-day) but often charges higher item prices and service fees, plus tip. Voila also uses refrigerated trucks, ensuring better food safety than Instacart’s personal vehicles.

The Question Everyone Asks

“Should I use Voila or Instacart?”

It’s a fair question. Both deliver groceries. Both operate across Canada. Both show up with the stuff you ordered.

But the costs are very different once you dig past the surface.

Let me show you the math that most comparison articles ignore.

The Hidden Cost Nobody Mentions: Tipping

Let’s start with the elephant in the room.

Instacart Tipping Culture

Instacart shoppers are gig workers. They’re not employees of Instacart or the grocery store. They rely on tips for a significant portion of their income.

The app suggests 15-20% tips. Many users feel obligated—and should, honestly, because these workers aren’t paid fairly otherwise.

On a $200 order:

• 15% tip = $30
• 20% tip = $40

That’s $30-40 on top of the delivery fee and service fee.

Voila Tipping Policy

Voila drivers are employees of Sobeys/Empire. They receive hourly wages and benefits. Tipping is permitted but explicitly “not expected.”

The company says this directly. The drivers don’t rely on tips. You’re not being cheap by not tipping—you’re using the service as designed.

On a $200 order:

• Expected tip = $0

That’s a $30-40 difference on a single order.

The Price Markup Problem

Instacart’s “Menu Price Inflation”

Here’s something that’s not immediately obvious: Instacart often charges higher prices than you’d pay in-store.

This isn’t hidden—it’s disclosed in fine print—but most users don’t notice. The markup varies by retailer, but 10-20% over shelf price is common.

Example: A $5 item in-store might cost $5.75-$6.00 on Instacart.

Across a $200 basket, that’s $20-40 in invisible price inflation before fees.

Voila’s Price Match

Voila matches the in-store shelf prices of Sobeys (in Ontario), Safeway (in the West), and IGA (in Quebec).

No markup. The price you see on Voila is the price you’d pay walking into the store.

Now, Sobeys isn’t the cheapest grocery banner in Canada—it’s not No Frills. But you’re comparing apples to apples. The delivery service doesn’t add phantom inflation on top.

The Fee Breakdown

Let’s compare total fees on identical orders:

The difference is staggering. A $200 grocery order on Instacart can easily cost $260-290 once everything is calculated. The same items through Voila would run $208-212.

That’s $50-80 in savings per order.

The Quality Difference: Warehouse vs. Store-Pick

This is where things get interesting beyond just cost.

The Instacart Model

1. Gig worker receives your order
2. They drive to the store
3. They walk through aisles picking your items
4. They check out like any customer
5. They load items into their personal vehicle
6. They drive to your house
7. Your ice cream has been in a non-refrigerated trunk for 20-40 minutes

The shopper is doing their best, but they’re competing with in-store customers for inventory. If someone grabs the last pack of chicken thighs before your shopper gets there—substitution or out-of-stock.

The Voila Model

1. Order goes to a robotic warehouse (Central Fulfillment Centre)
2. Robots pick items from temperature-controlled zones
3. Items are packed into refrigerated compartments
4. Custom-engineered delivery truck maintains cold chain
5. Employee driver (not gig worker) delivers to your door
6. Your ice cream is frozen. Your meat is cold. Your produce is fresh.

The warehouse isn’t open to the public. Inventory is dedicated to online orders. Substitution rates are dramatically lower.

Voila claims 99%+ order accuracy. Instacart accuracy varies wildly by shopper and store.

The “Melted Ice Cream” Problem

This deserves its own section.

If you’ve used gig-economy grocery delivery in summer, you know the pain. Your ice cream arrives as soup. Your cheese is warm. Your chicken has been sitting at unsafe temperatures.

Why? Because a personal vehicle—even with AC running—doesn’t have dedicated refrigeration. During multi-stop delivery runs, food sits in heat between drops.

Voila’s trucks have three temperature zones:

• Frozen
• Chilled
• Ambient

Items stay at optimal temperature from warehouse to door. The “cold chain” is never broken.

For produce, meat, and frozen goods, this isn’t a minor convenience—it’s food safety.

The Substitution Experience

Instacart Substitutions

The app lets you pre-select substitution preferences, but ultimately, the shopper makes real-time decisions in a store with fluctuating inventory.

Common complaints:

• Substitutions that don’t match dietary restrictions
• Different sizes (you ordered 500ml, you got 2L)
• Higher-priced items substituted without approval
• Items simply marked “unavailable” with no substitute attempted

Voila Substitutions

Because inventory is warehouse-dedicated, what you see on the app is actually in stock. Substitutions happen, but less frequently.

When they do occur:

• Voila’s system is programmed to match price and size
• You can set preferences in advance
• Most users report significantly fewer substitutions than store-pick services

Is the Voila Delivery Pass Worth It?

Voila offers a “Delivery Pass” for unlimited deliveries:

If you order weekly, the pass saves ~$300+/year in delivery fees.

Annual math:

• 52 weeks × $8 delivery fee = $416
• Annual anytime pass = ~$156
• Savings = $260/year

Combine that with the money saved from not tipping, not paying markups, and not getting substitutions you didn’t want—Voila users typically save $1,000+/year compared to heavy Instacart users.

When Instacart Still Wins

To be fair, Instacart has advantages:

Speed: Instacart offers 1-2 hour delivery. Voila typically requires next-day or same-day with more limited windows.

Retailer variety: Instacart fulfills for Costco, Walmart, Loblaws, and others. Voila only delivers from Sobeys/Safeway/IGA (plus Farm Boy, O&B, Well.ca partners).

Coverage: Instacart reaches some areas Voila doesn’t serve yet.

Small orders: If you need three items in an hour, Instacart wins. Voila is built for full grocery shops.

When Voila Wins Decisively

Large weekly orders: The savings compound on bigger baskets.

Produce/meat quality: The cold chain matters for perishables.

Consistency: Same warehouse, same drivers, same process every time.

No tipping stress: You’re not calculating percentages or feeling guilty.

Price transparency: What you see is what you pay. No hidden inflation.

Exclusive products: Farm Boy, Oliver & Bonacini, Well.ca items aren’t on Instacart.

The Honest Verdict

Use Instacart if:

• You need something fast (1-2 hours)
• You’re ordering from a specific store Voila doesn’t carry
• You’re buying just a few items and speed matters more than cost

Use Voila if:

• You’re doing a full weekly grocery shop
• You care about produce and meat quality
• You’re tired of calculating tips and getting surprised by fees
• You want access to Farm Boy, O&B, or premium Well.ca products
• You value consistency over speed

For most Canadian households doing regular grocery orders, Voila is the smarter financial choice by a significant margin.

The Referral Code

To get your $20 off, you need to follow a specific process (it’s not just a code you type in):

1. Click the referral link (buttons on this site).
2. Enter your email address on the Voila page.
3. Check your email for a unique code sent by Voila.
4. Paste that code at checkout.

Note: The discount applies to your first order of $100 or more.

Here’s the math on switching:

You save ~$15-20 on tipping you’d normally pay on Instacart. You save the markups on item prices. You get $20 off with the referral discount.

Total value on first order: ~$40-50 in savings compared to Instacart.

Try it once. Compare the experience. See if your ice cream actually arrives frozen.

I’m betting you won’t go back.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I really not have to tip Voila drivers?

Correct. Voila explicitly states that tipping is “not expected” because their drivers are paid fair hourly wages with benefits. You can tip for exceptional service, but it is not a requirement like it is for gig-economy apps.

Does Voila price match?

Voila matches the regular shelf prices of their parent stores (Sobeys in Ontario, Safeway in the West, IGA in Quebec). They do not charge a “convenience markup” on individual items like many third-party apps do.

Who has better substitutions?

Voila typically has lower substitution rates because inventory comes from a warehouse, not a public store where shoppers might grab the last item before your picker gets there.