Quick commerce apps like Zepto, Blinkit, and Swiggy’s Instamart have started adding extra charges to customer orders, on top of the usual service and platform fees, according to a report by The Economic Times. These new charges include extra fees for small orders, big orders, or bad weather (like rain). The aim is to help these companies make more profit per order. These fees are already active on major apps.
For example, Zepto now charges a handling fee for orders below Rs 175. Instamart has set its minimum order value at Rs 99. Blinkit charges a “quick delivery” fee and also adds fees for big or discounted orders. These extra charges change based on the city and order type but usually range from Rs 6 to Rs 30 per order. Zepto says this is for “handling products in stores,” while Blinkit says it is to ensure “proper handling” and fast deliveries. There are also surge fees during busy times or when there aren’t enough delivery workers, especially for small orders. Some apps even charge higher fees for large orders.
Currently, Blinkit, Instamart, and Zepto control 80-85% of the quick commerce market in India. Because of heavy competition, they cannot easily increase delivery charges and often still subsidize them. These companies are facing big financial losses. Blinkit lost Rs 178 crore from January to March 2025, which is nearly five times more than the same time last year. Swiggy Instamart’s losses went up to Rs 840 crore in the same period.
Other services like BigBasket’s BBnow and Flipkart Minutes are also adding similar charges. While the basic delivery fee has not changed much, many apps have increased the minimum order value to encourage people to order more at once. Food delivery apps like Zomato and Swiggy have also increased their platform fees, from Rs 2 in August 2023 to Rs 10 by October 2024. They kept it at this level to avoid losing customers in a slow market.
