Marketplace Guide
Amazon vs Flipkart vs Blinkit
vs Zepto vs Instamart
Every number a D2C founder needs before signing up — registration fees, commissions, settlement cycles, ad minimums and the gross margin each platform actually demands.
Amazon
Flipkart
Blinkit
Zepto
InstamartAt a glance
Overall D2C suitability
Amazon
5/5
Always start here
- 15–40% total cost
- 1–7 day delivery
- 30–40% margin needed
Flipkart
4/5
List alongside Amazon
- 15–30% total cost
- 1–5 day delivery
- 30–40% margin needed
Blinkit
3/5
Only if margins allow
- 20–35% total cost
- 10–30 min delivery
- 65%+ margin needed
Zepto
3/5
Premium products only
- 18–30% total cost
- 10–30 min delivery
- 60%+ margin needed
Instamart
3/5
FMCG and food only
- 20–35% total cost
- 10–30 min delivery
- 60%+ margin needed
Show platforms
1
Onboarding
What it costs and takes to get listed on each marketplace.
| Data point | Amazon | Flipkart | Blinkit | Zepto | Instamart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registration fee | Free | Free | ₹25,000 per SKU per state (returned as ad wallet credits, 12-month expiry) | ₹5–6 lakh bundled package (includes ad slots and visibility) | Free |
| Onboarding time | 2–7 days | 3–7 days | 2–4 weeks | 2–4 weeks | 2–4 weeks |
| Entry ease | Open to all sellers | Open to all sellers | Selective — prefers established brands with retail presence or D2C track record | Selective — D2C and FMCG brands only | Moderate — most brands eligible |
| D2C brand eligible | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Key documents required | GST, PAN, bank account | GST, PAN, bank account | GST, FSSAI license, brand trademark, product catalogue | GST, FSSAI license, brand trademark, product catalogue | GST, FSSAI license, product catalogue |
| Trademark required | No | No | Strongly preferred — materially speeds up category manager approval | Recommended | No |
2
Fees
Every deduction between the customer's payment and your settlement.
| Data point | Amazon | Flipkart | Blinkit | Zepto | Instamart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commission / referral feeUpdated 2026 | 0% for products under ₹1,000 across 1,800+ categories (effective March 2026). 4–9.5% above ₹1,000 depending on category. | 0% for ALL fashion products at any price (effective July 2026). 0% for other categories under ₹1,000 (effective November 2025). 5–25% for other categories above ₹1,000. | 15–25% by category | 15–22% by category | 15–25% by category |
| Fixed / closing fee | ₹20 under ₹300. ₹26 for ₹300–₹500. Varies above ₹500. | ₹8–₹35 per order by price slab and seller tier. Higher tier = lower fixed fee. | Dark store stocking fee per SKU per city | Bundled in onboarding package | Minimum weekly purchase order ₹2,000–₹5,000 — no sale guarantee |
| Collection / payment processing fee | Varies by fulfilment method | ~2% prepaid, ~2–3% COD | ~1.5–2% | ~1.5–2% | ~1.5–2% |
| GST on platform fees | 18% on all fees | 18% on all fees | 18% on all fees | 18% on all fees | 18% on all fees |
| Shipping / logistics fee | Easy Ship from ₹29. FBA includes storage + pick and pack. Self-ship also available. | Local and zonal shipping free for most products under 500g (from November 2025). Weight and zone based above that. | Brand ships bulk to dark stores. Platform handles last-mile. | Brand ships bulk to dark stores. Platform handles last-mile. | Brand ships bulk to dark stores. Platform handles last-mile. |
| Total estimated platform cost per order | 15–40% | 15–30% | 20–35% | 18–30% | 20–35% |
| Settlement / payment cycle | 7 days post delivery | 7–15 days post delivery | Weekly | Weekly | Weekly |
3
Operations
Reach, fulfilment and the data you get back.
| Data point | Amazon | Flipkart | Blinkit | Zepto | Instamart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market share | #1 marketplace in India by GMV | #2 marketplace in India by GMV | 44–46% of quick commerce market | 29–30% of quick commerce market | 23–25% of quick commerce market |
| City and coverage | Pan India | Pan India | 40+ cities, 1,816 dark stores (mid-2026) | 10–15 metro cities, 750+ dark stores | 30+ cities, 600+ dark stores |
| Delivery speed to customer | 1–7 days | 1–5 days | 10–30 minutes | 10–30 minutes | 10–30 minutes |
| Fulfilment model | FBA / Easy Ship / Self-ship — seller's choice | FBF / Self-ship — seller's choice | Bulk to dark store, platform delivers | Bulk to dark store, platform delivers | Bulk to dark store, platform delivers |
| Shelf life requirement at inwarding | Category dependent | Category dependent | Minimum 50% of total shelf life remaining | Minimum 60% for food, 50% for non-food | Minimum 50% of total shelf life remaining |
| Returns handling | FBA managed or seller managed | FBF managed or seller managed | Platform managed | Platform managed | Platform managed |
| Seller analytics | Strong — detailed Seller Central dashboard | Good — Seller Hub dashboard | Strong — real-time SKU and city level via Seller Hub | Basic — optional Atom analytics subscription at ₹30,000/month | Basic |
| API access for data | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Best product categories | All — especially electronics, fashion, home, beauty, books | All — especially value fashion, FMCG, home, mobiles | FMCG, personal care, snacks, grocery, baby care, pet care | Premium, Gen-Z focused, clean beauty, functional food and beverages | Grocery, snacks, beverages, meal-occasion products |
| Not suitable for | Very niche or ultra-low margin products | Super premium or luxury products | High-consideration products above ₹2,000 — customers don't impulse buy expensive items in 10 minutes | Mass-market commodity products | Non-food / non-FMCG products |
4
Advertising
Ad inventory, minimum spends and how measurable it is.
| Data point | Amazon | Flipkart | Blinkit | Zepto | Instamart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ad platform | Amazon Ads — self-serve, full API access | Flipkart Ads — self-serve, API access | Auction based — Blinkit Seller Hub. Search placement, category pages, homepage banners. | Bundled visibility slots + unique Swap and Save format (shows your product when a competitor's product is added to cart) | Listing visibility + ad wallet — managed by platform team |
| Minimum ad spend | No minimum | No minimum | ₹2–3 lakh per month minimum | Bundled in ₹5–6 lakh onboarding package | ₹8–10 lakh per quarter |
| Ad types available | Sponsored products, sponsored brands, sponsored display, video ads | Sponsored products, display ads, video ads | Search ads, category page ads, homepage banner ads | Swap and Save format, influencer bundles, visibility slots | Listing visibility, ad wallet credits |
| Attribution and ROAS visibility | Strong — campaign and keyword level | Good — campaign level | Strong — real-time SKU and city level attribution | Limited | Limited |
5
Suitability for D2C brands
Where a growing D2C brand should actually put its money.
| Data point | Amazon | Flipkart | Blinkit | Zepto | Instamart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum gross margin needed to be viable | 30–40% | 30–40% | 65%+ | 60%+ | 60%+ |
| Recommended for bootstrapped / early-stage brands | Yes — top priority first platform | Yes — strong second platform | No — high upfront listing cost | No — large bundled package required | Cautiously yes — no registration fee but weekly PO commitment |
| Should a new D2C brand start here | Yes — always start here | Yes — list alongside Amazon | Only after Amazon and Flipkart are stable and margins are above 65% | Only for premium brands with strong urban Gen-Z appeal | Good option for FMCG and food brands with no upfront fee barrier |
Data verified July 2026. Key recent updates — Amazon expanded zero referral fees to products under ₹1,000 across 1,800+ categories from March 2026. Flipkart extended zero commission to all fashion products at any price point from July 2026. Blinkit listing fee of ₹25,000 per SKU per state is refunded as ad wallet credits. All platform fees attract 18% GST on top. Verify current rates directly with each platform before onboarding any client.
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