Introducing Instacart Developer Platform
Instacart Developer Platform (IDP) lets developers build rich end-to-end user journeys in meal planning, shoppable recipes, health, and more powered by Instacart’s marketplace and real world logistics. The IDP API provides access to item availability and inventory data for products sold by retailers in communities across the country - our Catalog is a comprehensive and detailed view of what’s on a North American retailer’s shelf at any given time.
“IDP turns discovery-centric apps into full service experiences that can also deliver tangible goods.” - Daniel Danker, Chief Product Officer
IDP helps developers bring the next generation of food revolutions to market without worrying about real world fulfillment and logistics. Plus, it can help developers access new monetization avenues to ensure maximum returns.
Why Instacart’s Developer Platform?
Gain access to the leading grocery catalog in North America
Catalog of over 1.4B items available
1,500 banner retailers
85,000 store locations
Processing over 3B updates per day
Build an end to end journey for your customers
Last mile delivery for the products on a retailer’s shelf into customer hands
Utilize Instacart’s ~600,000 Shoppers
Pick, Pack, and Deliver a retail order anywhere in the United States and Canada
Make money from grocery orders
Integrate Affiliate Links
Earn Commissions
Manage your account & access customized reports
Launch partners
New York Times Cooking
New York Times Cooking makes everyday cooking simple with recipes created by, tested and perfected by experienced and trusted editors and recipe creators, and rated highly by a community of engaged home cooks. This integration will allow New York Times Cooking users to shop recipe ingredients via Instacart, making it faster and easier to get a delicious dinner on the table.
Weight Watchers
With the trusted authority in evidenced-based, comprehensive, weight health programs and solutions, WeightWatchers members will now be able to connect their “What to Eat” app feature within the WeightWatchers app, to Instacart, making it easy to add ingredients needed for WeightWatchers recipes to their Instacart cart, and have them delivered right to their door.
GE Appliances
With the integration of Instacart into GE Appliances' Flavorly™ AI, recipes will extend beyond the ingredients consumers have available in their kitchens. Instacart ordering and same-day delivery will also be available for recipes on the LCD touchscreen of select GE Profile™, CAFÉ™ and Monogram™ wall ovens and ranges.
Resources
What type of developers are you working with?
At launch, we’re working with developers spanning meal planning apps; personalized nutrition, food as medicine, and weight management; cooking apps and creator platforms, publishers and bloggers; other health, wellness and fitness; entertainment and travel
What is live today (IDP Public API), and what additional capabilities are forthcoming (IDP Partner API)?
IDP Public API allows developers to send users to Instacart to complete their shopping journeys. While developers can send parameters to Instacart, they can only receive a URL back to share with their users. Developers using IDP Public API cannot access retailer catalog, pricing, user, or order data.
IDP Partner API allows developers to build in-app, Instacart-powered shopping journeys. Due to the greater complexity of this implementation, IDP Partner API applicants will be subject to individual review and approval.
If a developer uses IDP Public API now, will that prevent them from using IDP Partner API later?
No– developers will be able to use both APIs at the same time. For the IDP Partner API, we will require the developer to complete a partnership agreement to ensure their use cases comply with our retailer policies.
Will Instacart be offering revenue sharing to third-party developers for any Instacart orders placed via IDP on third-party apps?
Yes– Approved developers will be able to sign up as Affiliate Partners and receive commissions for conversion events (e.g. orders completed on Instacart and originating from partner apps and websites, or new user sign-ups).
What kinds of data will Instacart be sharing with third-party developer partners?
Developers using IDP Public API cannot access Instacart data but will receive a link to an Instacart-hosted landing page that provides ingredient and product matching and where users can continue to checkout. IDP Partner API will give the opportunity to developers, subject to Instacart review, to access elements that may include rich real-time product search, product availability, and retailer location finder.
Where can I sign up?
On the IDP Webpage HERE.
Will any developer be admitted, or is there a review process?
For launch, which currently offers IDP Public API, we will review all applicants. Later this year, we will allow any developer to access the Public API via self-service tools. Due to the greater complexity of the planned IDP Partner API, IDP Partner API applicants will be subject to individual review and approval.
What criteria must be met to be accepted into the program?
Partners must be 18 or older and a registered business or resident of the US or Canada. Developers will be required to provide information about themselves or their company, such as contact details, business information, and sometimes a brief overview of your development experience or projects. Developers will need to specify the intended use case or purpose for accessing Instacart APIs or participating in their developer programs, especially for IDP Partner APIs. In addition, developers will need to agree to the terms and conditions of the IDP program, including adhering to the API usage policies, data protection guidelines, and other legal requirements. In addition, developers will need to maintain compliance with the platform rules by agreeing to comply with any specific rules or guidelines set by the platform, such as security measures, data privacy regulations, and restrictions on certain types of content or activities.