SAN FRANCISCO–In yet another example of companies expanding into financial services, Instacart said it plans to introduce benefits for shoppers on its platform that will include a debit card, business bank account and free membership in its paid subscription program.
Instacart has partnerships with more than 1,800 national, regional, and local retailers aimed at facilitating online shopping, delivery and pickup services from nearly 100,000 stores across North America on the Instacart Marketplace, according to the company.
Over the next few months Instacart said it will introduce a shopper rewards card and business bank account and a refresh of its Cart Star shopper rewards program.
Changes Coming in October
Beginning in October, Instacart said the new rewards card will debut as part of a partnership with workforce payments platform Branch, and will include a Mastercard debit card and business bank account created specifically to support shoppers on the platform.
“As part of these new perks, shoppers can choose to have their earnings automatically deposited to their Shopper Rewards Account after every batch fee-free, meaning they won’t have to wait for weekly direct deposits or pay any cashout fees,” the company said.
Cardholders will also have access to more than 55,000 ATMs nationwide with no withdrawal fees for up to eight transactions per month.
The Cart Star Update
Starting July 1, 2025, Instacart said it is updating how shoppers earn and gain access to Cart Star tiers. Every qualifying shopper in the Cart Star program will receive tailored rewards and offerings through third-party partners, as well as directly within the Instacart platform, the company said, adding that to qualify for Cart Star, shoppers accumulate points based on the number of orders they fulfill.
Moving forward, Instacart said shopping quality scores will play a key role in qualifying for tiers, alongside existing criteria of completed orders and customer rating. Instacart said it has also simplified advancement so shoppers will progress through tiers based on completed orders rather than earning points.
Higher tiers of Cart Star will also create access to greater rewards, Instacart explained, stating that all shoppers in Cart Star will receive priority access to batches, based on their tier — starting with Diamond Cart, then Platinum Cart, then Gold Cart. Diamond Cart shoppers will continue to have early access to batches before stores open.
Complimentary Membership
As a new benefit, Diamond Cart shoppers will receive a complimentary membership in the Instacart+ paid subscription program, which offers $0 delivery fees on groceries and eligible restaurant orders that shoppers can share with their families. New rewards will begin rolling out on Oct. 1, 2025, the company said.