Sneha, a 37-year-old IT professional, juggled between multiple quick commerce apps before ordering groceries or household essentials. Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy Instamart, Big Basket and others—each had different prices, discounts, and delivery times, making it a tedious task to find the best deal. “I used to spend at least five minutes checking prices before ordering,” she says. “Sometimes, I’d realise I had overpaid for something just because I didn’t compare properly.”
Now, that hassle is gone. Instead of manually switching between apps, Sneha simply opens a price comparison app that instantly shows her the best prices across all platforms for the product she wants. “It’s so much easier now,” she adds. “I save time, and I know I’m getting the best deal.”
Apps like ShopSwiftly and Quick Compare aggregate real-time prices from multiple quick commerce platforms and users can search for a product and instantly see where it’s cheapest, along with delivery time estimates.
Speed and pricing
“Price comparison apps have been around for over 16 years. But now, their entry into quick commerce is gaining significant attention. The first major factor driving this shift is speed, followed by reliability and returnability. Over time, as these factors become pari passu across platforms, price will emerge as the key differentiator in the quick commerce space. However, it’s important to remember—this is quick commerce, not price commerce or cost commerce,” noted Harish Bijoor, Business & Brand-strategy expert.
Consumers tend to float from one app to another, and it will probably be happening with quick commerce too, noted Ambi Parameswaran, branding veteran.
“Getting loyalty is going to be more and more difficult and these comparison sites will add to the grief. Chances are they will be acquired by one of the bigger players,” added Parameswaran.
Financial consciousness
As consumers increasingly seek both savings and convenience, price comparison apps are poised to become essential tools in the quick commerce ecosystem. Just as they transformed e-commerce, travel, and ride-hailing, these platforms could soon play a pivotal role in how people shop for everyday essentials.
Industry experts predict that price comparison apps will evolve beyond basic cost comparisons, offering features like AI-driven price predictions, personalised deal alerts, and subscription-based premium services. “As quick commerce grows, consumers will expect more than just speed—they’ll want the best value for their money,” said an industry analyst. The rise of such tools could also pressure quick commerce platforms to standardise pricing, ensuring that users don’t overpay based on location-based surges or stock variations.
While quick commerce thrives on instant deliveries, price comparison apps are adding a layer of financial consciousness to the mix. As these apps continue to gain traction, they could force platforms to rethink pricing strategies, ultimately making quick commerce not just fast, but also fair and cost-effective for consumers.
