Yes, you can use SNAP to buy groceries online. USDA’s SNAP online purchasing program now covers all 50 states and Washington, D.C.; only Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands haven’t started. You add your EBT card as a payment method at an approved store, enter your PIN at checkout, and SNAP pays for eligible food. The one catch: SNAP can’t pay delivery fees, service fees or tips, so you need a second way to pay for those, or you choose free pickup.
Stores that take EBT online
USDA doesn’t publish one simple national list for shoppers, and stores join over time. USDA’s own advice is to check the retailer’s website to see if it delivers to you. These are widely used options as of September 2026:
| Store or service | How EBT works | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon (including Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market) | Add EBT card in your account | One of the original USDA pilot retailers. Amazon’s SNAP page says it accepts SNAP EBT in all states except Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana and Montana |
| Walmart | Pickup or delivery | Original pilot retailer; pickup is often free |
| Aldi | Through Instacart | Aldi’s own site says EBT can’t be used on ALDI.us; Instacart lists Aldi as an EBT store |
| Kroger and its brands | Pickup or delivery | Availability varies by store |
| Albertsons and Safeway | Pickup or delivery | Safeway was an original pilot retailer |
| Target | Through Shipt delivery | Delivery charges need another payment |
| Instacart | Many local grocery chains | Store must accept EBT. Instacart says EBT works in all states except Alaska, Louisiana and Montana |
| DoorDash and Uber Eats | Grocery orders only | Not restaurant meals |
| Costco and Sam’s Club | In-store only | Not online, based on current reports |
Other original pilot retailers named by USDA include Hy-Vee, ShopRite and FreshDirect. Retailer lists outside USDA’s original pilot come from nonprofit and store sources, and they change. Before you build a cart, look for “EBT” or “SNAP” under the store’s payment options.
SNAP online purchasing: how to pay
- Create an account with the store or app.
- Add your EBT card under payment methods. Some stores ask for your PIN when you add it, most at checkout.
- Shop. Most sites tag which items are SNAP-eligible.
- At checkout, choose how much to put on SNAP and enter your PIN on the secure screen.
- Pay fees, tips and non-food items with a debit card, credit card, prepaid card or, in some stores, your EBT cash balance.
Your card is charged the actual amount after the order is packed. If an item is out of stock or weighs less, the charge drops.
Store-by-store steps
Each big retailer does SNAP online purchasing a little differently. These steps come from each company’s own SNAP pages as of September 2026. Screens change, so if a button has moved, search the store’s help center for “EBT.”
Amazon, Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods
- Go to Amazon’s SNAP EBT page and sign in, or create a free account.
- Add your SNAP EBT card by entering the card information.
- Shop for items marked SNAP EBT eligible. That includes fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, dairy, bread, cereal, pantry staples, snacks, seeds and non-alcoholic drinks.
- At checkout, pick your EBT card. Amazon then asks for your PIN.
- Pay the rest with another card. Amazon says delivery fees, tips and items sold by third-party sellers need another form of payment.
That third point trips people up. A box of cereal from an outside seller on Amazon can’t go on SNAP, even if the same cereal sold by Amazon can.
Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods fees, per Amazon’s SNAP guide (last updated December 2025):
| Order | Amazon Fresh | Whole Foods Market |
|---|---|---|
| Pickup | Free | Free, any order size |
| Delivery, order over $100 | No service fee | $9.95 with Prime or Prime Access; $13.95 without |
| Delivery, $50 to $100 | $6.95 service fee | Same as above |
| Delivery, under $50 | $9.95 service fee | Same as above |
Walmart
- Go to walmart.com/snap, or open the Walmart app.
- Sign in or create a free Walmart account.
- Add your SNAP EBT card to your Walmart wallet.
- Shop with the “SNAP eligible” filter under “Benefit Programs,” or look for the “SNAP EBT eligible” badge on items. In a store, you can scan a barcode with the app to check.
- Pick pickup or delivery, then enter your PIN at checkout.
Walmart says your EBT card only covers SNAP-eligible foods. Non-food items, hot or prepared food, alcohol and tobacco need another payment.
Instacart (including Aldi)
- Open Instacart and go to Account Settings.
- Add your EBT SNAP card as a payment method.
- Add a debit or credit card too. Instacart requires one to cover fees, bottle deposits, taxes, tips and items that aren’t SNAP-eligible.
- Pick a store that takes EBT. Instacart lists Aldi, Food Lion, Save Mart, FoodMaxx, Lucky Supermarkets and Price Chopper, among others.
- At checkout, set how much goes on your EBT card.
About Aldi: Aldi’s own SNAP page says SNAP/EBT isn’t available to use online on its site, only in store. Instacart, though, lists Aldi among its EBT stores. If you want Aldi delivery or pickup with SNAP, order through Instacart and confirm the EBT option shows at checkout before you place the order.
Discounted memberships for EBT users
Two large retailers sell cheaper memberships to people on SNAP. They’re optional. Only sign up if the savings on fees beat the monthly cost.
| Membership | Price for SNAP households | What it does | Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Access | $6.99 a month | Prime benefits, including lower Whole Foods delivery fees | Reverify every 12 months |
| Walmart+ Assist | $6.47 a month or $49 a year, plus tax | Half-price Walmart+, with free pickup and delivery on qualifying orders | Checked every year |
Both also accept other programs, like Medicaid, SSI and WIC. Walmart verifies through a company called SheerID, which may ask for documents.
Instacart has also run promotions for EBT shoppers, such as no delivery or pickup fees on the first three EBT orders of $35 or more. Promotions change, so check the terms in the app.
What SNAP covers online, and what it doesn’t
| SNAP pays for | SNAP doesn’t pay for |
|---|---|
| The same foods you can buy in the store: produce, meat, dairy, bread, cereal, snacks, seeds and plants that grow food | Delivery fees, service fees, bag fees, tips |
| Hot prepared food, alcohol, vitamins, household goods | |
| Items restricted in your state, like soda or candy in states with waivers |
Several states now block soda, candy or energy drinks with SNAP; see the SNAP soda and candy ban states list. Online orders are expected to follow the same state restrictions as in-store purchases.
Pickup vs. delivery
If you have no other card, pickup is usually the best choice. Many stores offer free pickup on orders over a set amount, and nothing on a pickup order has to be paid outside SNAP if everything in the cart is eligible. Delivery almost always adds a fee.
Here’s what that can look like with Amazon Fresh’s posted fees. A $60 cart of eligible food picked up costs $60, all on SNAP. The same cart delivered adds a $6.95 service fee plus any tip, and those must go on another card. Instacart is stricter: it asks for a backup card on every order.
Tips that save money and trouble
- Compare the online price with the shelf price. Some delivery apps mark up items.
- Place the order a day or two after your deposit day, not at midnight, so your balance has loaded; see the EBT deposit schedule.
- Split carts: put all eligible food on SNAP and only the fees on another card.
- Only enter your PIN on the store’s checkout page. No real store will email or text you asking for it.
- If you use your card online, keep watching your balance; see how to check your EBT balance.
- If your EBT app lets you block online purchases, you’ll need to unlock the card before you check out.
Who gets the most from it
Online SNAP helps most if you live far from a full grocery store, don’t have a car, or have a health condition that makes shopping hard. Older adults and people with disabilities who use SNAP can see other help in SNAP for seniors and SNAP for people with disabilities. In some states, those groups can also use SNAP at restaurants; see the Restaurant Meals Program.
Shopping online takes a working phone or internet connection. If that’s a problem, SNAP also qualifies you for Lifeline, which cuts the cost of phone or internet service. Companies that offer a phone with it are listed in free phones from Lifeline providers. Be wary of sites promising “free phones online” or free iPhones with no program behind them.
Quick answers
Can I use Summer EBT (SUN Bucks) online? It depends on how your state issues it. If it’s loaded on a regular EBT card, it usually works wherever EBT is accepted, including online; see Summer EBT.
Can I use my card from another state online? Yes. EBT cards work across states.
Why was my card declined online? Common reasons are a wrong PIN, not enough balance, or a fee added to the SNAP part of the order. Try moving the fees to another card.
Is there a minimum order? It depends on the store. Minimums usually apply to free delivery or pickup, not to using EBT.
Why can’t I use EBT online in my state on some sites? Some retailers leave out certain states. As of September 2026, Amazon doesn’t take SNAP in Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana or Montana, and Instacart doesn’t in Alaska, Louisiana or Montana. Try another store on your state’s list.
Not on SNAP yet? See how to apply for SNAP and what EBT is.
More SNAP help by topic: SNAP and EBT guides.