Deliveroo vs Just Eat vs Uber Eats: UK delivery apps

(Pocket-lint) – Getting meals delivered to your home, whether it’s a pizza, takeaway, sandwich or anything else under sun, has become an absolutely normal thing in the UK after just a few years.

It’s actually quite difficult to imagine a time before the widespread availability of delivery apps, but they’re here now and we’re thankful for it. That said, there are three really big options in the UK, and you might be stuck deciding which to actually go for. Here we’ll run you through Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats, to let you know what’s different about each. 

Deliveroo

Deliveroo is the biggest name in delivery for a reason – it was one of the very first services that really took off, and certainly has the slickest experience to offer up to users.

It’s simple to get started – you just download the app to your phone, then put in some details to create an account and let it know where you’re located. You’ll then be able to see what sort of food you can get from your area, each with its own rating, menu and information about how far away it is, and when you can expect the food to arrive if you do order. 

The range of takeaways available is huge, and big brands like KFC and McDonald’s are also on board, so you’re unlikely to be short of places to choose from, especially if you’re in a city. 

Once you’ve picked, there’s a small service fee and a delivery charge, although you can opt to pay £3.99 each month to waive the delivery fee over a minimum amount – the maths on that being worth it will depend on how often you order and in what quantities!

Just Eat

Just Eat is another major player in the delivery space, and actually has far more options on its books than Deliveroo, having been on the scene a bit longer. The app isn’t quite as slick as Deliveroo’s, though, in particular lacking the ability to see where your order or delivery person actually is to get a sense of how imminent it is. 

However, because many restaurants take advantage of the app’s ability to waive delivery charges or hold discounts, you can often find really affordable and knocked-down prices on Just Eat that wouldn’t be matched elsewhere. 

It’s also fairly common for smaller, independent eateries to be on Just Eat but not Deliveroo yet, in our experience, which can make it a good way to find local favourites without leaving home. 

Uber Eats

Finally, we come to Uber Eats, a pivot from Uber that took many people by surprise when it was announced but makes sense when you think about the logistics of routing drivers around being fairly similar whether they’re ferrying food or people.

It’s a separate app in the UK to the ride-sharing service, which isn’t true in the US, and has a fairly slick UI that lets you quickly and easily filter restaurants by type of food and proximity, both of which can be very handy. 

It’s not always the cheapest place to find food but, perhaps because it’s not got a huge market slice yet, Uber Eats does often run promotions to give you free credit or discounts, helping to cut costs, so it’s always well worth checking out the app to see what’s available near you. 

It’s possibly worth noting that Uber Eats doesn’t have quite as widespread a network, either, so if you don’t live in a town or city you might find it short of options!

Verdict – which app is best?

When it comes to which app is best overall, we’re going to have to be a little non-committal. That’s because the key variable behind which you’ll get the most mileage from is likely to be the one that has the best local eateries signed up.

If everything were totally equal on that front, we think Deliveroo would be the top dog based on its app’s slick UI and features like being able to track your rider’s journey. However, what it really comes down to is how good (and fairly priced) the food in your area is – if the apps even have any options near you. The only way to find that out for yourself is to download them and have a go!

Writing by Max Freeman-Mills.