Zepto vs Blinkit: Where should you spend your next ₹1 Lakh?
Last updated: March 2026
You have ₹1 Lakh to spend on Q-com ads this month. Two platforms are fighting for it. Here's how to decide.
The data
We analyzed 200+ campaigns across Zepto and Blinkit in FMCG, personal care, and snacks categories. Here's what we found:
| Metric | Zepto | Blinkit |
|---|---|---|
| Average CPA (FMCG) | ₹42 | ₹58 |
| Average CPA (Snacks) | ₹31 | ₹27 |
| Average CPA (Personal Care) | ₹38 | ₹44 |
| Average CPA (D2C Premium) | ₹52 | ₹68 |
| Average ROAS | 3.1x | 2.6x |
| Click-through rate | 2.8% | 3.4% |
| Avg. basket size | ₹380 | ₹420 |
| Avg. CPC (generic keywords) | ₹8–₹18 | ₹10–₹25 |
Note: these are platform ROAS numbers, not True ROAS. Both platforms have different commission structures that affect profitability differently — see our breakdown on why platform ROAS can be misleading.
What this means by category
If you sell FMCG staples (rice, oil, atta): Zepto wins on CPA. Their user base skews toward repeat buyers of essentials. Your cost per acquisition is 28% lower. The trade-off: Zepto's CPC for staples is volatile, spiking during morning peak hours. You need dayparting to keep costs in check — see our dark hours guide for peak windows by platform.
If you sell snacks or impulse categories: Blinkit edges ahead. Higher CTR and slightly lower CPA suggest their users browse more and discover new products. Blinkit's more mature ad platform also gives you better keyword match type controls.
If you care about basket size: Blinkit users spend more per order (₹420 vs ₹380). If your ad strategy depends on upsells or bundles, this 10% difference compounds — a ₹40 higher basket means more revenue per ad-driven visit, which directly improves your True ROAS.
If you sell premium D2C products (protein snacks, gourmet items, health foods): Consider starting on Zepto. Lower competition in niche categories means CPCs of ₹12–₹20 vs. ₹25–₹40 on Blinkit for the same keywords. Your ACOS will be significantly better during the first 2–3 months while you build velocity.
If you sell personal care: Zepto has a 14% CPA advantage (₹38 vs ₹44). Zepto's younger urban demographic over-indexes on personal care discovery — they're browsing categories, not just searching. This makes browse placements on Zepto particularly effective for personal care launches.
CPC comparison by category
Knowing category-level CPCs helps you forecast budget needs before committing:
| Category | Zepto CPC (generic) | Blinkit CPC (generic) | CPC Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staples (atta, rice, oil) | ₹5–₹12 | ₹8–₹16 | Zepto 25-35% cheaper |
| Snacks & Chips | ₹8–₹14 | ₹6–₹12 | Blinkit 15-20% cheaper |
| Beverages | ₹9–₹16 | ₹10–₹18 | Similar |
| Personal Care | ₹7–₹13 | ₹10–₹20 | Zepto 30-40% cheaper |
| Health & Nutrition | ₹12–₹20 | ₹18–₹35 | Zepto 35-45% cheaper |
| Home Care | ₹5–₹9 | ₹6–₹11 | Similar |
Health & Nutrition shows the largest CPC gap because Blinkit has attracted aggressive D2C brands with high LTV willing to bid above immediate ROAS targets. If you're a new entrant in health foods, Zepto gives you 2-3 months of cheaper inventory to build conversion history before scaling.
City-level nuances
Platform strength varies by geography:
| City | Zepto Strength | Blinkit Strength | Recommended Split |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mumbai | Strong across categories | Strong, especially snacks | 50/50, test both |
| Bangalore | Very strong (Zepto heartland) | Growing but lower density | 70/30 Zepto |
| Delhi NCR | Moderate | Very strong (Blinkit heartland) | 30/70 Blinkit |
| Hyderabad | Growing | Moderate | 60/40 Zepto |
| Pune | Strong | Strong | 50/50, test both |
| Chennai | Strong | Weak | 80/20 Zepto |
| Kolkata | Weak | Moderate | 30/70 Blinkit |
If your brand is concentrated in South India, Zepto may deliver better impression share. If you're strongest in North India, Blinkit likely has more volume. The city-level data matters more than national averages — a brand that's 70/30 on Blinkit nationally might be better off 70/30 on Zepto in Bangalore specifically.
Peak hours differ by platform
Budget allocation isn't just about which platform — it's about when on each platform. Zepto indexes higher for the lunch window (12-2pm), while Blinkit dominates late evening. Allocating budget without accounting for these timing differences leaves money on the table. For detailed time-of-day strategy, see our Q-commerce dark hours analysis.
A practical allocation framework
Don't pick one. Here's how to split your ₹1 Lakh:
Step 1: Initial split (Week 1–2)
Split 50/50 across both platforms with identical keyword sets and daily budget pacing. Use exact match on your top 10 keywords to get clean comparison data — broad match introduces too much noise for a fair test.
Step 2: Week 2 review
Compare CPA and ROAS by category on each platform. Don't just look at blended numbers — break it down by:
- Category (your staples keywords vs. your snacks keywords)
- City (if you run in multiple cities)
- Time of day (morning vs. evening ROAS)
Step 3: Reallocate (Week 3–4)
Shift to 60/40 or 70/30 favoring the better performer for your category. Move budget at the keyword tier level — you might find Zepto wins for your staples keywords but Blinkit wins for your snacks keywords. That's fine. Split by category, not just by platform.
Step 4: Monthly reassessment
Reassess — platform dynamics shift as competitor spend changes seasonally. Run this cycle monthly. Brands that reallocate monthly outperform brands that set-and-forget by 1.2-1.8x on blended ROAS.
The brands that win aren't the ones on the "right" platform. They're the ones that know their numbers on every platform and reallocate fast. If you're also spending on Instamart, the same split-test logic applies — see our Blinkit vs Zepto ads and ad budget allocation guides for three-platform frameworks.
Avoiding common mistakes when splitting spend
- Don't use the same bids on both platforms. Zepto and Blinkit have different auction dynamics. A ₹15 CPC bid that wins position 1 on Zepto may only get position 3 on Blinkit. Set bid management strategies independently.
- Don't ignore the quality score factor. Blinkit's algorithm weighs relevance more heavily. A lower bid with better product-keyword relevance can outperform a higher bid on Blinkit.
- Don't forget commission differences. Blinkit commissions are typically 12-20%, Zepto 10-18%. The same platform ROAS on both platforms means different True ROAS.
How Ladya helps
Ladya runs this analysis automatically — across all your platforms, every day. No spreadsheets. No guessing. Just data-backed allocation recommendations that minimize ad waste and maximize True ROAS. She adjusts your cross-platform budget split based on real-time CPA data, not last month's averages.
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