The Best Places to Buy Groceries Online

Vitacost is one of our favorite lesser-known online shelf-stable natural grocery retailers, and we've reviewed it here. We like that you're able to shop for natural, organic, and eco-friendly products for your entire home, so it feels a bit like browsing a local store, but with really competitive pricing — and the convenience of being online.

• Price: No subscription required, so it’s just the cost of your orders.
• Shipping cost: Free shipping on grocery orders over $50 in contiguous 48 states, otherwise shipping costs are calculated based on your delivery address.
• Delivery area: Available in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, as well as more than 150 countries worldwide.

Thrive started out shipping natural and organic pantry essentials, but have really expanded into home-care staples, sustainable meat, frozen foods, wine, and more. For those who might be on the fence about shopping for meat online, the convenience and quality of Thrive's meat offerings convinced a Kitchn contributor to deviate from her usual grocery store. There is an annual fee, but prices reflect up to a 30% discount compared to many major grocery stores, so you'll likely save more than what you paid. You’ll also find specialty brands as well as Thrive's own private label, and can browse by preferences like keto or low-FODMAP.

• Price: Annual $60 subscription fee, plus the cost of your orders.
• Shipping cost: This depends on your type of order because of Thrive’s shipping schedules. There’s free shipping on grocery orders more than $49, otherwise a $5.95 fee; free shipping on orders of frozen food over $120, otherwise a $19.95 fee; free shipping on wine orders over $79, otherwise a $13.95 fee.
• Delivery area: Available in the 48 continental states.

Imperfect Foods started out rescuing perfectly edible produce that didn’t meet grocery store standards (like too-small apples or broken nut pieces) and have since expanded its offerings across grocery categories. Subscription boxes include products across categories (like produce, pantry items, dairy and alternatives, beverages, and more) and are available in 7- to 25-pound options; boxes that contain just produce are also available. Boxes can be customized to fit your needs and are delivered weekly or biweekly on an assigned day designed to reduce carbon emissions. You can skip weeks as needed. Imperfect Foods will also pick up used boxes for recycling when they drop off your next order.

• Price: Weekly deliveries start at $11. There's no subscription fee, and you can cancel any time.
• Shipping cost: $6 flat delivery fee.
• Delivery area: Available in 38 states across the nation. Check your zip code for availability here.

Misfits Market, which we've tested and reviewed here, also focuses on saving irregular or surplus products, although it has a heavier focus on sourcing organic. (It will offer conventional products if it means saving them from waste, though.) Subscription boxes include a mix of produce, bakery items, snacks, beverages, and/or pantry staples of your choosing. Boxes are shipped once a week, and you can skip weeks as needed.

Note that Misfits Market acquired Imperfect Foods earlier this year and has plans to combine the two brands under one label in the long-run. Until then, they’re separate brands with their own policies and fees.

• Price: Subscription boxes start at $35. There's no subscription fee, and you can cancel any time.
• Shipping cost: Flat rate shipping starts at $6.99, exact rate depends on the delivery area.
• Delivery area: Available in the 48 continental states.

Weee! specializes in Asian and Latin groceries, but carries a huge variety of inventory, from organic milk to fresh meat and a huge array of produce. While a trip to an Asian or Latin market can be a fun addition to your weekly grocery store run, it’s not always practical if there isn’t one nearby. Weee! gives you easy access to fresh noodles, frozen dumplings of all types, and dozens of specialty condiments. There's a lot to shop at Weee!, so you might want to read up on how best to shop it here.

• Price: No subscription required. There's no minimum order either and you can place orders at any time.
• Shipping cost: Free delivery for orders over $49, or a flat $6 for smaller orders. (Tipping your driver is suggested.)
• Delivery area: Available in the 48 continental states.

Amazon Fresh offers grocery ordering very akin to what you could expect stepping into most major grocery stores. From meat and produce to pantry staples to household cleaning supplies, you can choose from most major brands as well as Amazon's own private label. Same-day shipping is available for some areas, which is not as common of a perk for most of these services. Those looking for ease of shopping and a wide variety of groceries might have to get creative with reusing packaging materials, our Senior Contributing Food Editor Kelli points out in her review.

• Price: Available exclusively to Amazon Prime members. An annual Prime membership costs $13.99/month or $139 annually.
• Shipping cost: Free delivery for orders over $50, otherwise fees differ depending on your order and delivery area.
• Delivery area: Available in select cities. Depending on your location, there might also be free 2-hour same-day delivery on orders over $35. As always, tipping your driver is suggested. Check your zip code for availability here.

Boxed is an excellent bulk shopping alternative that doesn’t require a warehouse membership for its most basic program. The Boxed Up program for $49 annually gets you a lower threshold for free shipping, cash rewards, and exclusive savings. Boxed carries many nationally known brands, as well as their own private label, from frozen meats to cleaning products.

• Price: No subscription necessary, although upgraded paid accounts are available.
• Shipping cost: Free delivery for orders over $79 (or on orders over $19.99 if you go with Boxed Up), otherwise a location-based fee for smaller orders.
• Delivery area: Available in the 48 continental states.

Yümmy Bazaar features an array of international foods from all over the world. You can find shelf-stable snacks and seasonings, pantry staples, and even perishables like cured meats, cheese, and butter.

• Price: No subscription required.
• Shipping cost: Free delivery on nonperishable orders over $69, flat rate $6.99 for smaller orders. Flat rate $19.99 fee for any order containing perishables.
• Delivery area: Available in the 48 continental states.