Which is better for ads — Blinkit or Instamart?

Neither is universally better. Blinkit has higher purchase intent in metros for impulse categories (snacks, beverages). Instamart has stronger reach in Tier-2 cities and performs better for planned grocery purchases. Test both with the same budget for 30 days to find your winner.

What is the average ROAS on Blinkit vs Instamart?

Average ROAS on Blinkit ranges from 3-8x depending on category, while Instamart averages 2.5-7x. However, Instamart's lower commissions in some categories can make it more profitable despite lower top-line ROAS.

Are CPCs higher on Blinkit or Instamart?

Blinkit CPCs are 15-25% higher across most categories and cities. For snacks in Delhi NCR, expect ₹10-16 on Blinkit vs ₹8-12 on Instamart. The gap narrows in South Indian cities where Instamart has higher impression share.

How should I split budget between Blinkit and Instamart?

Start with a 50/50 split for 30 days, then shift toward the platform delivering better true ROAS (after commissions). Most brands settle at 60/40 or 70/30 — favouring Blinkit for snacks/beverages in North India, and Instamart for grocery/home care in South India.

Does Instamart have better ad targeting than Blinkit?

Blinkit has more mature keyword targeting and better search term reports. Instamart provides superior geographic performance data at the city level. For keyword optimization, Blinkit's tools are currently ahead; for city-level budget allocation, Instamart gives better insights.

Which platform has higher commission rates?

Blinkit commissions are typically 2-5% higher than Instamart in grocery and home care categories. This means a 4x ROAS on Blinkit with 25% commission can be less profitable than a 3.5x ROAS on Instamart with 18% commission. Always calculate ACOS (advertising cost of sales) to compare true profitability.

Can I run the same campaigns on both Blinkit and Instamart?

You can start with similar campaign structures, but you should build separate keyword lists for each platform — search behaviour differs significantly. Dayparting patterns also differ: Blinkit has stronger late-night volume, while Instamart peaks during daytime grocery planning hours.

Blinkit vs Instamart Ads: Which Platform Gives Better ROAS?

Last updated: March 2026

Two platforms, very different strengths

Blinkit and Instamart are the two largest Q-commerce ad platforms in India. Both offer keyword-based advertising with CPC pricing. But the similarities end there. Their user bases, geographic strengths, and category performance differ significantly — and choosing the right platform (or the right split) can mean the difference between 3x and 8x ROAS.

Category-level ROAS comparison

Category	Blinkit avg ROAS	Instamart avg ROAS	CPC range (Blinkit)	CPC range (Instamart)	Winner
Snacks & Namkeen	6-8x	4-6x	₹6-12	₹5-10	Blinkit
Beverages	5-8x	4-6x	₹7-14	₹6-11	Blinkit
Grocery & Staples	4-6x	5-7x	₹4-8	₹3-7	Instamart
Home Care	3-5x	5-7x	₹5-10	₹4-8	Instamart
Personal Care	4-6x	4-6x	₹5-12	₹5-10	Tie
Dairy & Fresh	5-7x	5-7x	₹3-6	₹3-6	Tie
Health & Nutrition	3-5x	3-5x	₹10-20	₹8-16	Tie

These ranges are based on aggregated performance data across hundreds of brands in FY2026. Individual results vary based on product, pricing, and creative quality.

Platform strengths breakdown

Blinkit

Geographic dominance: Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune. Over 60% of order volume is concentrated in these four metros.

User behavior: Higher impulse purchase tendency. Shoppers browse more categories per session. Average time-to-purchase after opening the app is shorter, which means ad-to-conversion windows are tighter.

Ad platform maturity: More developed keyword match type targeting, better search term reporting, wider match type support. Blinkit's ad platform has had more iteration and provides richer data for optimization.

Impression share data: Blinkit provides more granular impression share metrics, making it easier to understand your competitive position within a category.

Best for: Impulse categories (snacks, beverages, quick meals), metro-focused brands, brands with strong search demand for their category.

Instamart

Geographic strength: Stronger presence in South India — Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Coimbatore — plus good coverage in metros. More balanced geographic distribution than Blinkit.

User behavior: Larger average basket sizes. Shoppers tend to plan purchases more, adding multiple items per order. This means higher average order value from ad-driven customers.

Commission advantage: Instamart's commission rates are lower in several categories (grocery, home care), which means a lower headline ROAS on Instamart can still be more profitable than a higher ROAS on Blinkit once commissions are factored in. Tracking true ACOS (advertising cost of sales) across platforms reveals this hidden profitability gap.

Best for: Planned purchase categories (grocery, home care, baby care), brands targeting South India, brands where basket size matters for profitability.

CPC benchmarks by category and city (2026)

Raw CPC comparisons are misleading without city-level context. Here's what brands are actually paying:

City	Blinkit CPC (Snacks)	Instamart CPC (Snacks)	Blinkit CPC (Grocery)	Instamart CPC (Grocery)
Delhi NCR	₹10-16	₹8-12	₹6-10	₹5-8
Mumbai	₹9-14	₹7-11	₹5-9	₹4-7
Bengaluru	₹8-13	₹6-10	₹5-8	₹4-7
Chennai	₹7-11	₹5-8	₹4-7	₹3-6
Hyderabad	₹8-12	₹6-9	₹5-8	₹4-6

Key pattern: Blinkit CPCs are 15-25% higher across metros, but the gap narrows in South Indian cities where Instamart has higher impression share.

Ad format differences

Both platforms offer sponsored search (keyword-targeted) ads. Key differences:

Blinkit offers more granular placement controls — you can target search results, category pages, and homepage banners separately
Instamart has simpler placement options but is expanding rapidly; its banner ad format launched in late 2025
Blinkit's search term reports are more detailed, making keyword match type optimization easier
Instamart provides better geographic performance data at the city level

For a deeper dive into Instamart's keyword strategies, see our Instamart keyword match types guide.

Bidding and budget strategy differences

Dayparting patterns

The two platforms have different peak hours:

Time Slot	Blinkit Order Volume	Instamart Order Volume
7-10am	High (breakfast/morning rush)	Medium
11am-2pm	Medium	Medium-High (lunch planning)
5-9pm	Very High (evening peak)	Very High (dinner prep)
9pm-12am	Medium-High	Low-Medium

Blinkit sees a stronger late-night tail (9pm-12am) — impulse snack orders. Instamart's volume drops earlier because planned grocery shoppers order during the day. Adjust your budget pacing accordingly.

Bid management approach

On Blinkit, the higher advertiser density means you're in a tighter auction. Aggressive bidding on generic category terms is expensive. Focus on:

Exact match brand defense at ₹3-6 CPC
Category exact match at floor CPC + 10-15%
Broad match only with strict CPA caps

On Instamart, lower competitive density means broad match can be profitable earlier. Many brands find automated bidding pays for itself faster on Instamart because the auction dynamics are less volatile.

The real cost comparison

Don't compare platforms on CPC alone. A ₹10 CPC on Blinkit might deliver a ₹200 order, while a ₹7 CPC on Instamart delivers a ₹350 order (larger basket). The Instamart click is more profitable despite both appearing similar on a CPC basis.

Calculate cost per order and true ROAS (after commissions) for each platform before making budget allocation decisions. Track your ACOS across both platforms to get the real picture.

Common mistakes in cross-platform campaigns

Using the same keyword list — search behaviour differs between platforms. Build separate keyword lists from each platform's autocomplete. See common keyword mistakes on Instamart.
Ignoring commission differences — a 4x ROAS on Blinkit with 25% commission may be less profitable than 3.5x ROAS on Instamart with 18% commission.
Not tracking CTR separately — Blinkit's higher impression volume can mask low CTR. Monitor click-through rate per platform independently.
Setting identical CPA targets — your CPA ceiling should differ by platform based on commission rates and average order values.
Ignoring quality score — Blinkit's auction weighs relevance more heavily. A high quality score on Blinkit reduces your effective CPC by 10-20%.

Verdict: it depends on your category

There is no universal winner. The right answer depends on three factors:

Your category — Snacks and beverages? Start with Blinkit. Grocery and home care? Start with Instamart. See our ad budget allocation guide for category-specific frameworks.
Your geography — North India metros? Blinkit. South India or Tier-2 cities? Instamart.
Your margin structure — Factor in commission differences. Instamart's lower commissions in some categories can flip the profitability equation.

The best approach: Run identical campaigns on both platforms for 30 days with equal budgets. Let the data tell you where to shift spend. Most brands end up with a 60/40 or 70/30 split favoring one platform — but which one depends entirely on their category and geography.

Ladya runs this comparison automatically, tracking true ROAS across platforms daily and rebalancing budget toward whichever platform is delivering the highest profit per rupee spent.

Get a free audit of your Blinkit and Instamart ad performance →