Quick Comparison

Grubhub+ and DoorDash DashPass offer nearly identical pricing and benefits. The major differentiator: Grubhub+ is free with Amazon Prime, making this comparison simple for the 180+ million Prime members.

Feature Grubhub+ DoorDash DashPass
Monthly cost $9.99 $9.99
Free with Prime Yes No
Annual option No $96/year
Free delivery minimum $12+ $12+
Reduced service fee Yes Yes
Cashback/rewards 5% back on pickup Member exclusives
US coverage Strong in urban Stronger overall

Bottom line: If you have Amazon Prime, use Grubhub+ (it’s free). If you don’t have Prime, DoorDash often has better restaurant selection outside major cities.


The Prime Factor: Grubhub’s Secret Advantage

Grubhub+ Free with Amazon Prime

Amazon includes Grubhub+ as a Prime benefit:

What You Get Details
Full Grubhub+ All standard benefits
Cost $0 (included with Prime)
Activation Link accounts in Prime benefits
Duration Continues with Prime membership
Value $120/year ($9.99 × 12)

How to Activate

  1. Go to Amazon Prime benefits
  2. Find “Grubhub+ membership”
  3. Link your Grubhub account
  4. Grubhub+ activates immediately

Impact on Comparison

Scenario Grubhub+ Cost DashPass Cost
With Prime $0 $9.99/month
Without Prime $9.99/month $9.99/month
Prime + DashPass $0 + $9.99 = $9.99

For Prime members, this isn’t a close comparison—Grubhub+ wins on price by being free.


Subscription Details

Grubhub+ Benefits

Benefit Details
Free delivery On $12+ orders from eligible restaurants
Reduced service fees Lower percentage
5% back on pickup Credit toward future orders
Member perks Exclusive deals and offers
Donation matching Community contribution

DashPass Benefits

Benefit Details
Free delivery On $12+ orders from eligible restaurants
Reduced service fees Lower percentage
Member exclusives Special deals and pricing
DashMart access Convenience store delivery
Annual option $96/year saves $24

Side-by-Side Subscription Comparison

Feature Grubhub+ DashPass
Monthly $9.99 $9.99
Annual option No $96/year
Student discount $5/month $4.99/month
Free trial 14 days 30 days
Prime bundle Free No
Chase bundle No Free with Sapphire Reserve

Delivery Fee Savings

Grubhub+ Fees

Fee Type Without Grubhub+ With Grubhub+
Delivery fee $0.99-7.99 $0 on $12+
Service fee 10-15% Reduced
Small order fee $2-3 under $12 Still applies
Priority delivery Extra Available

DashPass Fees

Fee Type Without DashPass With DashPass
Delivery fee $1.99-7.99 $0 on $12+
Service fee 10-15% Reduced
Small order fee $2 under $12 Still applies
Priority delivery Extra Available

Typical Order Savings

Order Size Grubhub+ Saves DashPass Saves
$12 order $3-5 $3-5
$20 order $4-6 $4-6
$30 order $4-7 $4-7
$50 order $5-8 $5-8

Savings are nearly identical between services.


Restaurant Selection Comparison

Grubhub Coverage

Metric Details
Restaurant partners 365,000+
Geographic strength Major metros, urban areas
Cities served 4,000+
Chain partnerships Strong (McDonald’s, Taco Bell, etc.)

DoorDash Coverage

Metric Details
Total merchants 600,000+ (including non-restaurant)
Geographic strength Nationwide, including rural
Cities served 7,000+
Chain partnerships Strong
Convenience stores Walgreens, CVS, 7-Eleven

Coverage Winner by Area

Area Type Better Selection
Major urban (NYC, Chicago, LA) Tie or Grubhub often
Suburban DoorDash often
Small cities DoorDash
Rural DoorDash
College towns Varies

General rule: DoorDash has broader reach; Grubhub is competitive in dense urban areas.


Order Minimums and Fees

Minimum Order Comparison

Threshold Grubhub+ DashPass
Free delivery minimum $12 $12
Small order fee $2-3 under min $2 under min
No minimum restaurants Some Some

Both services have identical $12 minimums for free delivery benefits.

Service Fee Comparison

Order Size Grubhub+ Service Fee DashPass Service Fee
$15 order ~$1.80 (reduced) ~$1.50 (reduced)
$25 order ~$2.75 (reduced) ~$2.50 (reduced)
$40 order ~$4.00 (reduced) ~$3.50 (reduced)

DashPass typically has slightly lower service fees, but the difference is marginal.


Additional Benefits

Grubhub+ Extras

Perk Details
5% back on pickup Credit for future orders
Donation matching Grubhub matches community donations
Perks program Rotating member deals
Elite status Based on order frequency

DashPass Extras

Perk Details
DashMart delivery Convenience store included
Member pricing Lower prices at some restaurants
Exclusive access New restaurant launches
Priority support Faster customer service

Unique Strengths

Feature Grubhub+ DashPass
Pickup rewards 5% back None
Convenience stores Limited Extensive (Walgreens, CVS)
Grocery add-on No DashMart
Credit card integration Prime (free) Chase (free)

Delivery Experience

Grubhub Delivery

Factor Details
Delivery times 30-50 minutes typical
Driver tracking Real-time GPS
Communication In-app chat
Driver pay model Base + tips
Reliability Good in urban areas

DoorDash Delivery

Factor Details
Delivery times 25-45 minutes typical
Driver tracking Real-time GPS
Communication In-app chat/call
Driver pay model Base + tips + peak pay
Reliability Good overall

Speed Comparison

Time of Day Grubhub DoorDash
Weekday lunch Similar Similar
Friday dinner Slightly slower Slightly faster (more drivers)
Late night Similar Often more availability
Weekend brunch Similar Similar

DoorDash often has more drivers available due to larger market share, potentially meaning faster delivery during peak times.


Credit Card and Partner Benefits

Grubhub+ Free Access

Source Benefit
Amazon Prime Free Grubhub+
Bank of America Occasional promotions
Lyft Pink Partnership offers

DashPass Free Access

Source Benefit
Chase Sapphire Reserve 1 year free
Chase Sapphire Preferred 3 months free
Capital One Promotional offers
Mastercard Various promotions

Best Credit Card Pairing

Your Credit Card Best Choice
No premium cards Grubhub+ (if Prime member)
Chase Sapphire Reserve DashPass (free)
Amazon Prime Card Grubhub+ (Prime includes it)
Amex Platinum Uber One (Uber credits)

Student Pricing

Grubhub+ Student

Feature Details
Cost $5/month
Verification Student ID or .edu email
All benefits Yes
Duration 4-year maximum

DashPass Student

Feature Details
Cost $4.99/month
Verification SheerID
All benefits Yes
Duration 4-year maximum

Student Recommendation

Situation Best Choice
Has Prime Student ($69/year) Grubhub+ (free with Prime)
No Prime DashPass ($4.99 slightly cheaper)

Prime Student includes Grubhub+, making it the better overall value for students.


Cost Analysis: Real Scenarios

Scenario 1: Prime Member, 4 Orders/Month

Factor Grubhub+ DashPass
Subscription $0 (Prime) $9.99
Delivery fees saved $16 $16
Service fee savings $6 $8
Net monthly savings $22 $14.01

Grubhub+ saves $8/month more because subscription is free.

Scenario 2: No Prime, 6 Orders/Month

Factor Grubhub+ DashPass
Subscription $9.99 $9.99
Delivery fees saved $24 $24
Service fee savings $9 $12
Net monthly savings $23.01 $26.01

Without Prime, DashPass saves slightly more due to lower service fees.

Scenario 3: Pickup-Focused User, 8 Orders/Month

Factor Grubhub+ DashPass
Subscription cost $0 (Prime) $9.99
Pickup rewards (5%) $8 back (on $160 orders) $0
Net monthly benefit $8 earned -$9.99

For pickup orders, Grubhub+ provides value while DashPass costs money.


When to Use Each Service

Best Uses for Grubhub+

Situation Why Grubhub+
Prime member It’s free
Urban dweller Strong restaurant selection
Pickup orders 5% back rewards
Chain restaurants Good partnerships

Best Uses for DashPass

Situation Why DashPass
Chase Sapphire holder Free with card
Suburban/rural Better coverage
Need convenience stores Walgreens, CVS, 7-Eleven
Lower service fees Slightly cheaper per order
No Prime Similar value to Grubhub+

Many Users Have Both

Strategy How It Works
Prime + free DashPass Grubhub+ free, DashPass via Chase card
Compare per order Check both apps for restaurant/price
Exclusive restaurants Some restaurants only on one platform

Platform Reliability and Issues

Common Grubhub Complaints

Issue Details
Driver availability Can be limited in some areas
Order accuracy Varies by restaurant
Customer service Mixed reviews
App issues Occasional bugs

Common DoorDash Complaints

Issue Details
Surge pricing Fees increase during busy times
Driver pay concerns Some driver quality issues
Customer service Generally responsive
Order accuracy Varies by restaurant

Customer Service Comparison

Factor Grubhub DoorDash
Refund ease Moderate Good
Response time Varies Generally good
Resolution Usually fair Usually fair
In-app support Available Available

Decision Matrix

Choose Grubhub+ If:

Factor Why It Matters
You have Prime Grubhub+ is literally free
You order pickup 5% back on pickup orders
You’re in a major city Strong urban coverage
You value simplicity No separate subscription

Choose DashPass If:

Factor Why It Matters
You have Chase Sapphire DashPass is free
Better local selection Check your address
You need convenience stores DashMart, Walgreens, etc.
You’re in suburbs/rural Better coverage
You don’t have Prime Similar value, more reach

Verdict

Category Winner
Price (with Prime) Grubhub+ (free vs $9.99)
Price (without Prime) Tie
Restaurant coverage DashPass (nationwide)
Urban coverage Tie or Grubhub
Convenience stores DashPass
Pickup rewards Grubhub+ (5% back)
Student value Grubhub+ (free with Prime Student)
Credit card integration Tie (different cards)

Our Recommendation

If you have Amazon Prime: Use Grubhub+. It’s free. That’s the entire analysis. DashPass costs $120/year; Grubhub+ costs $0 with Prime.

If you don’t have Prime but have Chase Sapphire Reserve: Use DashPass. It’s free with your card.

If you have neither Prime nor premium credit cards: Compare restaurant selection in your area. DoorDash typically has broader reach, but Grubhub may be competitive in major cities.

If you have Prime AND Chase Sapphire Reserve: Use both for free. Check both apps for each order—one may have better restaurant options, faster delivery, or current promotions.

The Real Answer for Most People

Prime members: Grubhub+ is free. Use it. Also get DashPass free if you have Chase Sapphire. Use whichever has the restaurant you want.

Non-Prime members: DoorDash probably has better selection in your area. But at $9.99/month, these services are nearly identical—pick based on local restaurant availability.


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