Where you can use EBT online
SNAP online purchasing is now nationwide at the big retailers: Amazon, Walmart, Target, Aldi, Kroger, Albertsons/Safeway, ShopRite, Hy-Vee, and many regional chains, plus Instacart (which carries dozens of stores). The exact list depends on your state and ZIP code.
How to add your card
In the retailer's app or website, go to your account or payment settings and add your EBT card number and PIN. The site will then show which items are SNAP-eligible as you shop and let you split payment — SNAP for eligible food, another card for everything else.
What EBT can and can't pay for online
The same rules as in store apply: EBT covers eligible groceries only — not hot/prepared foods, alcohol, or household items, and not delivery fees, tips, or service charges. You'll need a second payment method for those. Not sure about an item? Use the can-I-buy-with-EBT lookup.
Avoiding the fees
Delivery fees can eat into a tight budget. Many retailers waive delivery on your first few EBT orders, and Amazon and Walmart offer half-price memberships to EBT cardholders (Prime Access, Walmart+ Assist) — see the EBT discounts hub. Or choose free store pickup instead of delivery.
A few things that trip people up
Two snags are worth knowing. First, your EBT card pays for eligible food only — so at checkout you'll often need a second card on file for the delivery fee, tip, tax, and any non-food items, or the order won't go through. Second, the participating-store list is set by your state and ZIP code, so a chain that takes EBT online one town over may not yet near you. If a retailer isn't listed, try a pickup order instead of delivery, or check back — USDA keeps adding stores. And remember the produce-match programs (Double Up) usually work in person, not online.
General guidance, not a determination — rules vary by state and change over time. Confirm with your state SNAP office.
Sources
- USDA FNS — SNAP online purchasing (participating retailers by state)
- 7 CFR § 271.2 — eligible foods (same rules online and in store; delivery fees not SNAP-payable)
Lost benefits or worried about losing them? Run the 5-question lost-benefits triage — appeal timing, emergency food, and alternative programs in one walkthrough.