Instacart explores a sale after talks with DoorDash, Uber

Instacart is exploring a sale of the company and has held early talks with DoorDash and Uber, according to reports on Friday, October 23, 2026. Its shares jumped 9.2% that day to close at $56.44. A deal would combine two of the largest U.S. delivery platforms, so antitrust review would decide whether it can happen at all.

The Information broke the story, citing people familiar with the matter. Bloomberg and Reuters followed the same day. An Instacart spokesperson declined to comment, according to TechCrunch.

What the reports say

According to The Information, Instacart has hired an investment bank to weigh its options. It has had preliminary conversations with potential buyers, including Uber and DoorDash. The talks are early and ongoing, and there is no assurance of a deal.

The reports differ on Uber. TechCrunch says Bloomberg reported that Instacart also spoke with Uber, but that Uber has since left those talks. Bloomberg described the discussions as "early discussions that might not result in a sale," TechCrunch notes.

Report	What it says
The Information	Instacart hired a bank; early talks with Uber and DoorDash
Bloomberg, via TechCrunch	Talks with Uber happened, but Uber reportedly walked away
Reuters	Instacart declined to comment; Uber and DoorDash did not respond

How the market reacted

The market moved within hours. According to Bloomberg's report, Instacart rose 9.2% to $56.44. Uber fell 3.4% and DoorDash fell 3.5%.

The two outlets give different figures for Instacart's size. Reuters put its market value at about $12 billion at Thursday's close, before the jump. TechCrunch puts it at more than $13 billion. TechCrunch adds that the stock was up 25% this year.

Reuters also did the takeover math. Buyers of public tech companies typically pay a premium of 30% to 40%. At that range, Instacart would be valued at roughly $16 billion to $17 billion. That is an estimate, not an offer.

Why antitrust is the hurdle

This is not the first time these companies have talked. According to Reuters, DoorDash held talks to buy Instacart in 2021, when it was valued at $40 billion to $50 billion. Those talks fell apart over concerns that regulators under the Biden administration would not approve the deal.

The same problem applies now. Reuters says either deal could draw antitrust scrutiny because it would combine two of the largest U.S. food delivery platforms. Uber also agreed in July to buy Germany's Delivery Hero for nearly $15 billion, Reuters reports.

Instacart's squeeze

Analysts see pressure on Instacart from its own partners. "Instacart risks getting squeezed between retailers building their own digital channels," Zak Stambor of Emarketer told Reuters. Grocers that build their own apps and delivery need Instacart less.

Stambor also saw an upside in a sale. "For Instacart, a deal could provide the resources and reach to compete more effectively," he said. Reuters notes that Instacart cut the free-delivery minimum for its Instacart+ members to $10 last year, one sign of the price fight.

What this means for developers

For now, nothing changes for teams that build on Instacart or sell through it. No deal exists, and any deal would face a long antitrust review. Plan on today's contracts and integrations staying in place for months, not weeks.

Retailers and brands that rely on Instacart for online orders should map their exposure now. List every feature that depends on it: ordering, delivery, ads, pickup. If Instacart ends up inside DoorDash or Uber, those terms could be renegotiated by a rival platform.

If you build ordering or delivery software, watch who buys and how regulators respond. A combined company would control more of the delivery market, which tends to mean fewer alternatives and less room to negotiate fees. A blocked deal keeps three separate platforms competing for partners.

Watch DoorDash most closely. Bloomberg reports that Uber has already left the talks, which would leave DoorDash as the likeliest buyer. The 2021 talks show the same regulatory risk applies to it.