Which online grocery in Singapore delivers the biggest savings?

By SingSaver.com.sg

We compare baskets between RedMart, Honestbee, Kenny Grocery, FairPrice, Cold Storage, ShengSiong, and Giant. Which online grocery is the cheapest?

You might agree that grocery shopping is one of the life’s necessary evils. Like scrubbing the bathtub, doing the laundry and having dinner with the in-laws, it’s essential but rarely fun.

Thankfully, we live in an age when we can now eschew the chore of queueing endlessly at the supermarket once and for all. With just a few clicks and your trusty credit card by your side, you can have your day-to-day items sent to your door.

And with the sudden proliferation of online grocers in Singapore, the stiffening competition in the sector means these vendors can offer free or even same-day delivery — making your life that much more convenient.

So, armed with a short list of 10 daily essentials, we loaded up our virtual shopping carts with the same items at six of the most well-known online supermarkets to see what the differences would be — and came away quite surprised at the potential price gaps.

Witness the savings free delivery can mean to a simple grocery order:

RedMart

Among the online supermarkets, this one had an intuitive search engine in which the closest matches appeared first. For example, search for Coke and Coca-Cola turns up (unlike at some other retailers).

First-time customers can enjoy a low free delivery threshold of S$30; for subsequent orders, it rises to S$49.

However, you must sign up to order. Delivery is available seven days a week to all addresses on Singapore and Sentosa islands.

Delivery Charge: S$7

Minimum Order for Free Delivery: S$49 (S$30 for first-time customers)

Cold Storage

Cold Storage Online has a lightly clunky search (it doesn’t always give relevant results; eg. bread), which got a little bogged down when more than one term was searched for.

However, guest checkout is available if you don’t like the idea of signing up, although you would then be missing out on using your PAssion Card to accrue points. Unfortunately, no free delivery available.

Delivery Charge: S$7

Minimum Order for Free Delivery: no free delivery

FairPrice

FairPrice’s search engine is powerful and felt snappy, and the suggested keywords were useful. Search results can be ordered by relevance, alphabetical order and more.

However, it treated Coke and Coca-Cola as different things, so there were some drawbacks. Registration is required to order, and free delivery comes at a higher threshold of S$150 when using certain credit cards.

NTUC Union and FairPrice members are entitled to the usual rebates. No deliveries are made on Sundays or public holidays.

Delivery Charge: S$10.70 for orders S$60 and below, S$7.49 for orders above S$60

Minimum Order for Free Delivery: S$150 when charged to OCBC Plus! Visa credit card or OCBC NTUC Plus! Visa credit or debit card

Kenny Grocery

Kenny Grocery delivers to nearly all Singapore addresses, with some surcharges applicable within CBD/Orchard. Free delivery is available above S$80, though they are currently running a promotion where free delivery is given for orders S$50 and above.

Somewhat unique among this group, same day delivery is available although there are no deliveries made on Sundays and public holidays. Registration is required to order.

Delivery Charge: S$7

Minimum Order for Free Delivery: S$50 (promo rate)

All For You by Sheng Siong

For now, All For You only covers a limited delivery area, and free delivery is provided for orders above S$70.

The search experience is simple and intuitive, as results are sorted by product category, although it is also a little less flashy-looking than some of the others. But it is clever enough to know that Coke and Coca-Cola are the same.

Unlike most of the others, it also tells you in real time how much more you need to add to qualify for free delivery. Registration is required to order.

Delivery Charge: S$7

Minimum Order for Free Delivery: S$70

Giant

This megastore offers a huge range of products. Besides groceries, Giant Online also offers basic clothing, cosmetics, and even electronics.

Thus, search results can be somewhat irrelevant as a result — so stick to searching for specific items (eg. “Gardenia bread” rather than just “bread”, which nets you all sorts of unrelated items).

But hey, should you feel like it, you could add a massive flat-screen TV to your weekly shopping, for example, which is unique among this group.

Guest checkout is available, although free delivery is not offered. Delivery slots are available seven days a week until 10pm.

Delivery Charge: S$12 for orders S$60 or less, S$7 for orders S$7

Minimum Order for Free Delivery: no free delivery

honestbee

Unlike the online grocery stores mentioned above, honestbee doesn’t actually keep their own inventory of goods. Instead, they have a team of concierge shoppers who hand-picks items from supermarkets and delis near you, and delivers them to your door.

Occasionally, prices on honestbee might be different from in-store prices, but go to the Stores page and look at the labels below store logos to see which have the same prices in store.

It’s worth noting that honestbee has the lowest free delivery threshold at just S$30, and offers same-day delivery. This makes it a great alternative if you prefer to get your goods from FairPrice, Cold Storage, and Sheng Siong, but aren’t happy with their delivery costs.

Delivery Charge: S$10 for orders below S$30, and S$2 for delivery during peak time slots

Minimum Order for Free Delivery: S$30

Singsaver.com.sg, Singapore’s go-to personal finance comparison platform, guides consumers on the best money habits with its credit card comparison tool and allows real-time personal loans product comparison.