Deliveroo vs Just Eat vs Uber Eats: UK delivery apps compared

(Pocket-lint) - Home delivery of meals, whether it's a pizza, takeaway, sandwich or anything else under the sun, has become perfectly normal in the UK after just a few short years.

It's actually quite difficult to imagine a time before delivery apps became widely available, but they're here now and we're thankful for it. That said, there are three really big options in the UK and you can't decide which to actually go for. Here we walk you through Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats to let you know what's different in each.

Deliveroo

Deliveroo

Deliveroo is the biggest name in delivery for a reason - it was one of the very first services to really take off and certainly offers the slickest experience for users.

Getting started is easy - you just download the app to your phone, then enter a few details to create an account and tell it where you are. You can then see what kind of food you can get in your area, each with its own rating, menu and information on how far away it is and when you can expect the food to arrive when you order.

The choice of takeaways is huge, and big brands like KFC and McDonald's are also on board, so you probably won't run out of choices, especially if you're in a city.

Once you've chosen there's a small service charge and a delivery fee, although you can opt to pay £3.99 each month to waive the delivery fee over a minimum amount - the math of whether it's worth it depends depends on how often you order and in what quantities!

Just eat

Just eat

Just Eat is another major player in the delivery space and actually has a lot more options on its books than Deliveroo since it's been on the scene a bit longer. However, the app isn't quite as sophisticated as Deliveroo's, specifically lacking the ability to see where your order or your delivery person actually is to get a sense of how imminent it is.

However, with many restaurants taking advantage of the app's ability to waive delivery fees or offer discounts, you can often find really affordable and discounted prices at Just Eat that can't be found anywhere else.

In our experience, it's also fairly common for smaller, independent restaurants to be on Just Eat but not yet on Deliveroo, which can make it a great way to find local favorites without leaving home.

Uber eats

Uber eats

Finally, we come to Uber Eats, an Uber pivot that surprised many people when it was announced but makes sense considering the logistics of routing drivers are pretty similar, regardless of whether they're groceries or transport people.

It's a separate app in the UK for ride-sharing, which isn't the case in the US, and has a fairly nifty interface that lets you quickly and easily filter restaurants by food type and proximity, both of which can be very handy.

It's not always the cheapest place to find groceries, but perhaps because it doesn't yet have a large share of the market, Uber Eats often runs promotions to give you free credit or discounts to help reduce costs. So it's always worth checking out the app to see what's available in your area.

It's perhaps worth noting that Uber Eats doesn't have such a widespread network either. So unless you live in a town or city, you may not have options!

Conclusion – which app is the best?

When it comes to which app is the best overall, we have to be a little noncommittal. That's because the key variable behind which you get the most mileage is probably where the best local restaurants have signed up.

If everything were exactly the same on this front, we think Deliveroo would be the top dog, based on its app's slick user interface and features like the ability to track your driver's journey. However, it really depends on how good (and inexpensive) the food is in your area - if the apps even have options in your area. The only way to find out for yourself is to download and try them!

Writing from Max Freeman-Mills.

By: Deliveroo vs Just Eat vs Uber Eats: UK delivery apps compared