Zepto vs Instamart Ads: Where Should Your Next ₹1 Lakh Go?
Last updated: March 2026
The ₹1 lakh question
You have ₹1 lakh to spend on Q-commerce ads this month. Zepto or Instamart? Both platforms are growing fast, both have self-serve ad consoles, and both will happily take your money. The question is which one gives you more back.
The answer depends on your category, your city mix, and what stage your brand is at. Here's the full breakdown.
Head-to-head comparison
| Dimension | Zepto Ads | Instamart Ads |
|---|---|---|
| Avg CPC (FMCG) | ₹8–14 | ₹6–11 |
| Avg CPC (Snacks/Beverages) | ₹10–18 | ₹8–15 |
| ROAS benchmark (snacks) | 4–7x | 3–6x |
| ROAS benchmark (grocery staples) | 2.5–4x | 3.5–6x |
| Primary audience | 22–35, urban, impulse buyers | 25–40, family households |
| Top cities | Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad | Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune |
| Ad formats | Sponsored Products, Banner, Search | Sponsored Listings, Brand Banners |
| Minimum daily budget | ₹500 | ₹300 |
| Campaign dashboard | Real-time, self-serve | 24h delay on some metrics |
| Category strength | Snacks, beverages, personal care | Grocery, dairy, home care |
| Impression share data | Available in console | Limited availability |
| Quality score visibility | Moderate | Limited |
Audience demographics
Zepto's user base skews younger and more urban. The median Zepto customer is 26–32 years old, ordering for themselves or a small household, often late at night or during work-from-home lunch hours. This makes Zepto a natural fit for impulse categories: snacks, energy drinks, instant noodles, personal care.
Instamart attracts a broader demographic — the 28–40 range with family households placing larger, more planned orders. Average basket size on Instamart is 15–20% higher than Zepto. This makes Instamart stronger for grocery staples, cooking ingredients, and home care products where repeat purchase patterns matter.
For audience targeting purposes: Zepto's audience converts faster on novelty and snack products; Instamart's audience converts better on trusted staples and value packs.
CPC ranges by category
CPCs on both platforms fluctuate heavily by time of day, day of week, and competitive density. Broad benchmarks for 2026:
| Category | Zepto CPC | Instamart CPC | CPC Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snacks & beverages | ₹10–18 | ₹8–15 | Zepto 20–25% higher |
| Personal care | ₹12–20 | ₹9–16 | Zepto 25–30% higher |
| Grocery staples | ₹6–10 | ₹5–9 | Zepto 15–20% higher |
| Health & nutrition | ₹15–25 | ₹12–20 | Zepto 20–25% higher |
| Dairy & fresh | ₹5–9 | ₹4–8 | Zepto 15–20% higher |
| Home care | ₹8–14 | ₹7–12 | Zepto 10–15% higher |
Zepto CPCs run 15–25% higher on average, but this is partly offset by higher conversion rates for impulse categories. Don't compare raw CPC — compare cost per acquisition in your specific category.
ROAS benchmarks
Based on aggregated campaign data across brands in 2025–2026:
| Category | Zepto ROAS | Instamart ROAS | Better Platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snacks & impulse | 4–7x | 3–5x | Zepto |
| Beverages | 4–6x | 3–5x | Zepto |
| Personal care | 3–5x | 3–4.5x | Slight Zepto edge |
| Grocery/staples | 2–3.5x | 3.5–6x | Instamart |
| Dairy & fresh | 2.5–4x | 3–5x | Instamart |
| Home care | 2.5–4x | 3–5x | Instamart |
The pattern is consistent: Zepto wins on impulse categories, Instamart wins on planned grocery. If your product sits on someone's weekly shopping list, Instamart is likely your stronger platform. If it's an "add to cart while browsing" product, Zepto delivers better returns.
Keyword match type performance differences
How match types perform differently across the two platforms:
- Exact match — performs similarly on both platforms. Essential for brand defense on both.
- Phrase match — more predictable on Instamart due to longer search queries (3–4 words vs Zepto's 2–3 words). See our Instamart keyword match types guide.
- Broad match — riskier on Zepto because shorter search queries mean broader matching. Use tight CPA caps on Zepto broad match. On Instamart, broad match can be profitable earlier due to lower competitive density.
Ad format options
Zepto offers Sponsored Products (appearing in search results and category pages), Banner Ads (homepage and category banners), and Search Takeover formats for high-visibility placements. Their dashboard provides near real-time data and allows keyword-level bid management adjustments.
Instamart offers Sponsored Listings, Brand Banners, and Promoted collections. Reporting on Instamart has a 24-hour delay for some metrics, which makes automated bid management harder — you're always optimizing against yesterday's data. For tips on working around this, see our Instamart campaign structure guide.
Dayparting differences
Peak ordering hours differ between platforms:
| Time Slot | Zepto Volume | Instamart Volume | Bid Strategy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7–10am | Medium | Medium-High | Favor Instamart |
| 11am–2pm | High (WFH lunch) | Medium | Favor Zepto |
| 5–9pm | Very High | Very High | Full bids on both |
| 9pm–12am | High (late-night snacks) | Low-Medium | Heavy Zepto, reduce Instamart |
Zepto's late-night volume is significantly higher than Instamart's — impulse snack and beverage orders from younger users. If your product is a late-night purchase, Zepto is the clear winner for that dayparting slot.
Winner by use case
New brands with limited budgets: Start with Instamart. Lower CPCs give you more impression share per rupee to test messaging and find your converting keywords. Once you've identified winners, expand to Zepto. See our first 30 days guide.
Established snack/beverage brands: Zepto first. The platform's impulse-buying audience and higher purchase intent converts better for brands where trial is the main objective.
Grocery and home care brands: Instamart is your primary platform. The household demographic and planned-purchase behaviour aligns with your category. Zepto is secondary.
Brands in South India: Instamart has stronger penetration in Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. Allocate 60–70% of your budget to Instamart for these geographies.
Brands in Mumbai/Delhi: Zepto has stronger market presence in Mumbai. Lead with Zepto there, supplement with Instamart. For Delhi, consider Blinkit as the primary platform with Zepto and Instamart as secondary.
Tracking true performance: beyond headline ROAS
Headline ROAS is misleading across platforms. You need to track:
- ACOS (advertising cost of sales) — includes platform commissions
- CPA (cost per acquisition) — your true customer acquisition cost
- CTR (click-through rate) — indicates ad relevance and quality score
- Ad waste — spend on non-converting keywords
A 5x ROAS on Zepto with 22% commission and a 4x ROAS on Instamart with 15% commission can result in Instamart being more profitable. Always calculate net margin per order after all platform fees.
The split budget approach
For most brands with ₹1 lakh to spend, the optimal allocation isn't 100% on one platform. Run a 60/40 or 70/30 split for the first month, measure ROAS and CPA by platform, then shift budget toward the winner. Q-commerce platforms have different competitive dynamics — a platform where you win cheaply is more valuable than one where everyone else is also bidding hard.
For a comprehensive framework on splitting budgets across all three major platforms, see our ad budget allocation guide.
Ladya's cross-platform dashboard lets you see Zepto and Instamart performance side-by-side, so you're always moving budget toward the platform delivering better returns — without logging into two separate consoles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for ads — Zepto or Instamart?▾
It depends on your category. Zepto performs better for snacks, beverages, and impulse buys with its 22–35 urban audience. Instamart performs better for grocery staples and home care with family households. Test both for 30 days and let ROAS data decide your allocation.
Are CPCs higher on Zepto or Instamart?▾
Zepto CPCs run 15–25% higher than Instamart across most categories, reflecting higher purchase intent for impulse products. For grocery staples, CPCs are closer — ₹6–10 on Zepto vs ₹5–9 on Instamart.
Should I run ads on both Zepto and Instamart?▾
Yes, for most brands. Start with a 60/40 split, measure ROAS by platform after 30 days, then shift budget toward the winner. The platforms have different audiences and different competitive dynamics — running both gives you more data and less concentration risk.
How do keyword match types perform differently on Zepto vs Instamart?▾
Zepto search queries average 2–3 words vs Instamart's 3–4 words, making broad match riskier on Zepto. Phrase match is more predictable on Instamart. Use strict CPA caps on Zepto broad match to avoid overspending on loosely matched queries.
Which platform is better for late-night advertising?▾
Zepto has significantly higher late-night order volume (9pm–12am), driven by impulse snack and beverage purchases from younger users. Instamart's volume drops sharply after 9pm. If your product is a late-night purchase, weight your Zepto budget toward evening and night hours.
Key Takeaways
- 1Zepto converts better for impulse categories; Instamart converts better for planned grocery purchases — match platform to purchase behaviour.
- 2Instamart has a 24-hour reporting delay on some metrics; Zepto's near real-time console makes optimization faster.
- 3South India brands should weight Instamart (60–70%); Delhi NCR brands should weight Blinkit and Zepto roughly equally.
- 4CPCs on Zepto are 15–25% higher than Instamart — but this is offset by higher conversion rates in impulse categories.
- 5New brands should start on Instamart for lower CPCs and volume, then expand to Zepto once winning keywords are identified.
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