Zepto vs Blinkit (Grofers): The Better 10-minute Delivery App

With the onset of Covid-induced lockdowns globally, moms to millennials were heavily dependent on online grocery delivery portals. Though things have (almost) gone back to normal, we haven’t really parted ways with these convenient (read: lazy) options. E-commerce was upgraded to quick commerce when portals like Zepto and Blinkit promised instant delivery within 10 minutes. Yes, TEN.

Just like you, at times, we are in urgent need of ingredients in our Test Kitchen during reviews and rely on these apps for quick deliveries. Safe to say, these have proven to be nothing but a boon for us. To test which is the better portal, we collated delivery data over 8 weeks at our HQ. This data includes delivery time, customer service, quality of the product, and much more. 

The next step was to take it to other locations. Let’s find out who fared better in our Zepto vs Blinkit review which is a collective experience of 100 + orders placed over several weeks.

Mumbai, Delhi, and Gurgaon were the three locations our reviewers placed orders from. Mangoes, lady’s finger, and dal were ordered to test everything from speed and packaging to quality and customer service. Moreover, we also gauged how user-friendly the applications are.

Zepto was founded by Aadit Palecha and his pal Kaivalya Vohra when they were 19. They recently raised $100 million for financing the operations and now work within the quick commerce segment in India. Initially, this delivery portal offered services only in Mumbai. Now, they have extended to major cities like Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Ghaziabad, Hyderabad, Noida, Pune, and Kolkata, among others.

Zepto has attracted top-profile executives like Amazon, Uber, Pharmeasy, Flipkart, and Dream 11. 

Our experience (Gurgaon Sector 50) – The delivery person had covered her face and head. The pack of dal and lady’s fingers were wrapped and sent in a paper bag. The mangoes were safely placed in a carton. All items were handed over in a large paper bag. 

Quality- The pack of dal was in good shape. The lady’s fingers and mangoes looked good too. The freshness was noticeable. Moreover, the mangoes had no spots or wrinkles. 

Delivery time – Our order was at the doorstep within the estimated time. (8 minutes)

Our Experience (Gurgaon Sector 26) – Similar to location 1, the delivery guy had a mask on. The packaging was almost identical. The only difference was that the lady’s fingers were in a plastic pouch, not paper. 

Quality- The mangoes and pack of dal were decent. The lady’s fingers did not look fresh. 

We contacted the customer service executive to find out whether or not we could receive a resolution regarding this. After asking us to share images of the poor-quality product, the executive offered two options. Instant refund in the form of a coupon or a refund in the bank account which would be reflected in 3-5 days. We went with the first option. 

Delivery Time- It was delivered within the time frame, in 11 minutes.

Blinkit (formerly known as Grofers) started as a one-of-a-kind grocery delivery portal. It proceeded to make other everyday items easily accessible. Blinkit offers its services in almost 18 Indian cities. 

This instant delivery service was founded in December 2013 by Albinder Dhindsa and Saurabh Kumar.

The same items were ordered via Blinkit too. The following is more on our experience.

Our Experience (Gurgaon Sector 50)- The delivery boy had no mask on. Moreover, our items were packed inconsistently. The pack of dal had no additional packaging. The mangoes were sent in a recyclable plastic bag. The lady’s fingers were in a brown envelope.

Quality- We got no complaints in regards to the pack of dal. In terms of the fresh produce, it wasn’t the freshest. 

The lady’s fingers did not have the crispness that fresh okra does. Moreover, the mangoes had spots that signified they were overripe. That said, we informed the customer service of the unsatisfactory quality of the veggies and they provided a refund the same day. We appreciate how convenient this was. 

PS- the refund was reflected in our Blinkit wallet, as we paid in cash. 

Delivery Time- The app said our order would reach us in 15 minutes and it did.

Our Experience (Mumbai)- Since wearing a mask is not a compulsion, we excused the fact that the delivery boy did not have one on. 

Each item was wrapped in individual brown wrappers. While the lady’s fingers had a single layer of packaging, the mangoes and dal were first packed in plastic bags and then in the brown envelopes that read ‘Blinkit’ on the front and ‘Grofers’ on the back. This was handed to us individually without a larger bag. 

Quality- The mangoes we received via Blinkit in Mumbai were TOO soft to touch. We contacted customer care asking for a replacement. This replacement was delivered in fifteen minutes. 

Delivery Time- The initial order was at our doorstep in 28 minutes.

Our Experience (Gurgaon Sector 26)- With his face masked, the delivery boy handed over the items in a large, see-through, ready-to-be-recycled plastic bag. Additionally, the mangoes were covered in a separate recyclable bag and the lady’s fingers in a paper envelope.

Quality- All items looked fresh and ripe (ready to use), we got no complaints here!

Delivery Time- The order arrived quicker than anticipated, in 7 minutes.

From browsing and placing your order to customer service, including modes of payment and overall convenience, which grocery delivery service fared better?

1. Delivery Time

Question of the decade – which delivers faster?

Before it was Blinkit, Grofers already had a widespread delivery network. And as we know, Zepto delivers to significantly fewer locations. In the areas where our reviewers are located, Zepto was not delivering. For a fair result, we took an average of 10 of our most recent orders at the Mishry HQ from both portals to check which is the quickest. This revealed…

This revealed, Zepto takes 11.08 minutes, whereas Blinkit takes 9.6 minutes on average. 

Zepto- The average delivery time that Zepto takes is 11.08 minutes.

Blinkit- Blinkit takes 9.6 minutes on average.

Winner: Blinkit

2. Product Quality

Raw or ripe? Fresh, close to expiry, or stale?

Zepto- The lady’s fingers we received at one of the two locations were rotten. 

Blinkit- While the mangoes received in Mumbai were overripe, the lady’s fingers delivered in Gurgaon via Blinkit were not fresh. 

Winner: Tie

3. Areas Covered

Following is a comparison of where the portals currently offer deliveries.

Zepto- Zepto currently delivers to nine cities. But the areas and pin codes are limited. 

Blinkit- Blinkit clearly covers larger areas as it offers its services in over 18 cities. 

Blinkit covers a larger market area as it was founded almost a decade ago, in 2013. So it has the advantage of a pre-established delivery network. 

Winner: Blinkit

4. Customer Service

We contacted the customer service executive due to unsatisfactory product quality. Both asked for images and resolved the issues almost instantly. 

Zepto- Zepto does not offer the option to replace. You can get a refund which will either be credited back to the source or offered as a coupon.

Blinkit- With Blinkit, you can either ask for a replacement (which will be delivered the same day) or a refund (credited the same day)

Winner: Blinkit

5.  Tracking Capability

Curious to know when your order will be delivered?

Zepto- Once the order is placed, you can get updates on how long it would take to arrive. The platform offers live tracking. 

Blinkit- From order accepted to packing, and notifying once the delivery person has left, Blinkit lists all details.

Winner: Tie

6. Discount and Offers

Lower than the MRP? 50% off? First order? 

Zepto- Zepto offers Rs 50/- off the first time you place an order with them. Additionally, for almost 60% of the products the prices are slashed by 5-10%.

Blinkit- Blinkit almost always offers products at prices lower than the MRP. The minimum discount starts at Rs 2 and goes as high as 60%. 

Winner: Tie

7. Convenience

Services

Can these quick commerce portals be relied on for everyday household items?

Zepto- Right from kitchen staples to personal care and other everyday items can be ordered via Zepto. 

Blinkit- Blinkit offers an array of products ranging from personal care to food and beverages. 

Winner: Tie

Payment

Would opting for a certain payment mode result in a higher bill value?

Zepto- Zepto is compatible with most online payment portals, e-wallets, net banking, and pay later options. You also have the option of paying on delivery without any extra charges.

Blinkit- While the UPI options may or may not be available, e-wallets, meal cards, card payments, and payment on delivery can be used. If COD is opted for, you will have to pay via PayTM (Mumbai). For our Delhi and Gurgaon orders, we were able to pay in cash.

Winner: Tie

Ease of use

Zepto- Though the product categories and presentation are quite similar to the contender, Zepto’s application is not as convenient. 

Blinkit- Orders on Blinkit can be placed via their app as well as the website. This is super smooth, quick, and very convenient. 

Winner: Blinkit

8. Safety

This is one overlooked aspect when it comes to getting goods delivered, the safety of delivery partners, incentives, insurance, etc. 

Zepto- At the time of making the payment, Zepto shows how they take the responsibility of their delivery partners. The partners are instructed to ride at a speed of 15 kmph. Further, there are no deductions or incentives in case orders are delivered later or on time, respectively. Finally, only the customer is shown a countdown of when their order would arrive. 

Blinkit- Blinkit has no such policy.

Winner: Zepto

Though we cannot really corroborate this claim, we think this is a commendable initiative on Zepto’s part. 

9. Dark Store Model

Dark store models are the essence of these quick commerce portals. Dark stores, also known as micro fulfillment centers are usually located in areas with high demand. Typically, these are retail stores that have been converted to fulfillment centers.

Zepto- Zepto was the first Indian grocery delivery portal that incorporated the dark store model delivery system.

Blinkit- Blinkit has partner stores located within two kilometers of their customers which enables delivery partners to pick up orders in under 2.5 minutes. 

Winner: Tie

Blinkit won under core parameters like delivery speed and areas serviced, which makes the better delivery app of the two. That said, Zepto’s delivery partner safety policy is commendable.

Summing up, Mishry compared two of the biggest, claimed-to be fastest grocery delivery portals in India. So who is the winner? Blinkit is the better quick commerce portal that not only delivers faster but to far more locations than its contender. 

Had a different experience with Blinkit or Zepto? Share with us in the comments below.

Here are some interesting FAQs on Zepto vs Blinkit.

Our reviews are unbiased and all samples used during the reviews were paid for by us. Read our entire ethics statement here.