Compare Food Delivery Services
Offers Snapshot
Food Delivery App | Free Delivery Subscription |
Careem | Costs AED 19 with Careem+ for orders over AED 30, also gives access to other discounts. |
Deliveroo | Costs AED 19 and AED 29 for Deliveroo Plus Silver and Gold, offering free delivery for orders over AED 60 and AED 30 respectively. |
Noon | Costs AED 143.88 if paid annually or AED 24.99 month monthly for Noon One. Free delivery for food orders over AED 30, includes free delivery for other Noon services. |
Talabat | Costs AED 228 if paid annually or AED 29 monthly for Talabat Pro. Free delivery for orders over AED 30. |
Food Delivery Details
There are four main providers of food delivery services in the UAE: Careem, Deliveroo, Noon and Talabat. While most offer a similar service, each come with its own perks, which you should take into consideration when deciding which subscription works best for you.
Aside from the fee structure, there are restaurants that exclusively work with specific food delivery apps. Restaurants sometimes have offers exclusively on one app and not on the others, so it's a good idea to check all apps for offers. Bank offers also tend to be tied with a specific app.
Here are the main details you should consider when applying, in alphabetical order.
Careem+:
Out of all delivery subscriptions, Careem+ is the most balanced one, combining affordability and flexibility. It costs AED 19, paid monthly and can be cancelled at any time. The other notable benefits of Careem+ are:
- 10% cashback in from of Careem Pay credit, on all rides including Hala, up to AED 10 (up to AED 7 for Hala rides), 10 times per month.
- Careem DineOut offers for eating in restaurants.
- 10% off on a number of home services provided by JustLife, including AC servicing, Packers&Movers, IV Therapy and Lab Tests, Salon&Spa, pest control and furniture cleaning.
- 30% off on Careem Bike Pass (from AED 13.30 for a single pass to AED 139.30 for one year pass, after discount). See app for other plans.
- 10% off up to AED 10 per order on laundry, provided by Washmen.
- Better exchange rate for in international money transfer.
Free Careem+ Membership:
Banks such as HSBC, FAB and Wio have offered complimentary Careem+ membership for a limited period of time.
Pro Tip: If you receive a complimentary Plus membership through a bank, the membership benefits are only available when you use that bank’s card for payments.
Free membership for 90 days is also available through Fazaa, using promo code FAZAACPLUS.
Deliveroo Plus:
Offers a multi-tear membership structure, where you can choose how much you want to pay based you your needs. Silver tier membership costs AED 19 per month, you get:
- Free delivery on orders over AED 60.
- Exclusive offers and rewards.
The Gold Tier costs AED 29 per month, you get:
- Free delivery for orders over AED 30.
- AED 20 credit back if your order is delayed by over 15 minutes.
- Exclusive offers and rewards.
Free Deliveroo Plus Membership:
You can get free Deliveroo Plus Silver membership for one year if you are an Amazon Prime member. Simply link your accounts and you're good to go.
Noon One:
It is the most affordable food delivery subscription, costs AED 11.99 per month if billed annually (AED 143.88 per year), or AED 24.99 billed monthly. It offers:
- Free delivery on food orders over AED 30
- Free same day delivery on Noon Express orders over AED 100 and free next day delivery on orders over AED 50
- Free delivery on NowNow orders over AED 50
- Free delivery on Noon Minutes for orders above AED 25
Free Noon One Membership:
There are a number of ways you can get Noon One:
- Sign up with an ADIB card for 6-months for free.
- Apply for the no annual fee ENBD Noon One credit card to get Noon One free for 12 months and 50% off on the annual rate thereafter. That's just under AED 6 per month, which is an exceptional deal.
Bonus Offer:
Get OSN+ Standard Plan with Ads bundled with Noon One for AED 29.99, which is a good deal if you're happy with watching ads. Click here for bundle details.
Talabat Pro:
It costs AED 228 per year when billed annually (that's AED 19 per month). Or, AED 29 per month. Upgrade your membership to a Family plan of up to 4 members, for AED 348 per year. Talabat Pro offers:
- Free delivery on food orders over AED 30
- Free delivery on groceries over AED 50
- Free delivery on Pharmacy orders over AED 50
- Discount voucher in case of late delivery
- Get 10% off on Bolt rides up to AED 15, up to 10 rides every month (offer not applicable to Taxi rides).
- Access to Talabat Dine Out deals.
Free Talabat Pro Membership:
You can get Talabat Pro for free by signing up for ADCB Talabat card - a no annual fee credit card. your subscription will remain active for as long as you have the card.
Note that Pro membership through ADCB increases the minimum order requirement to AED 50 for food and AED 100 for groceries.
My Take
Before committing to a food delivery subscription, especially an annual plan, there are a few key things to consider:
- Check coverage: Make sure the service delivers to the places you frequent. You might be surprised how many popular neighborhoods aren't covered by major platforms.
- Test the service: Try a few deliveries first. Some companies rely on bikes in certain areas, which can affect reliability.
- Look for your go-to spots: Confirm that your favorite restaurants are available on the app.
Once you've done those checks, your decision will likely come down to budget and usage habits. Here's a breakdown:
- Careem: Ideal if you use ride-share apps often or prefer to avoid long-term commitments.
- Talabat: The most cost-effective option if you understand the terms of the Talabat ADCB Card and meet the minimum spend.
- Noon: Offers the best value without needing a credit card. If you have ENBD’s Noon One card, it’s an even better deal.
- Deliveroo: A smart pick for Amazon Prime members, thanks to the bundled first-year subscription. After that, decide based on whether the platform's exclusive restaurants are worth the renewal cost.
