Step-by-step
How to become an Instacart Shopper with code BEAN85579C
Short version: Head to the official Instacart Shoppers site and start your application. Punch in referral code while you sign up. Pick Full-Service if you want to shop and deliver (you'll need a car) or In-Store if you'd rather just shop and skip the driving. Verify your ID, pass the background check, and you're in. After that, finish however many batches your city's promotion asks for inside the time window and the new-shopper bonus lands. The amount, the batch target and the deadline all shift depending on where you live and change over time, so check the exact offer in the Instacart Shopper app.
Signing up is mostly an online thing. Most people knock out the application in one sitting. The wait comes from the background check, which is out of your hands once you submit. What follows is the whole route, from a blank form to your first paid batch and the bonus. Quick note before we go: this is an independent guide. We're not Instacart, and Instacart is the one that decides who qualifies, when things happen, and what gets paid.
The 7 steps, start to finish
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Start your application
Open the official sign-up page at shoppers.instacart.com. Phone or laptop, either works. You'll set up an account with your email and phone number, then confirm which area you want to shop in. Keep a working smartphone nearby. The Instacart Shopper app is where you'll grab and finish every batch, so you can't really do this job without one.
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Enter referral code BEAN85579C
Somewhere in the sign-up flow you'll see a field marked "Referral code" or "Invite code." Type in there. That's what ties your account to the new-shopper offer for your market. Don't panic if the field isn't on the very first screen. Sometimes it shows up a step later, or hides under a "Have a code?" link. Just make sure it's in before you finish, because you usually can't tack it on once you're approved.
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Choose Full-Service or In-Store
Go with whichever role actually fits your life. Full-Service Shoppers shop the order and then drive it to the customer, so you'll need a reliable car and a valid driver's licence. In-Store Shoppers stay inside a partner store, shopping and staging orders, and never touch a steering wheel. Full-Service gives you more say over your hours. In-Store is the pick if you don't have a car. Want the deeper breakdown? It's on our requirements page.
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Verify your identity
Upload a valid government photo ID and fill in the personal details Instacart uses to run its checks. You'll also link a bank account or debit card so your pay has somewhere to go. One small thing that saves a lot of headaches: make sure the name on your ID matches the name on your application exactly. Mismatches drag things out.
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Pass the background check
Instacart runs your background check through Checkr, a third-party outfit. This is the slow part. Figure roughly 3 to 10 business days, though it swings based on where you live and how fast local records clear. You'll get a heads-up in the app and by email once it's done. There's nothing to do but sit tight. Whatever you do, don't start a fresh application, since that can bump you back to the end of the line.
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Get approved and set up
Once you clear, your account goes live in the Shopper app. Full-Service Shoppers usually get a prepaid payment card, and that's the card you swipe at checkout to pay for the customer's groceries. Spend a few minutes poking around before your first shift. Set your availability. See how batches pop up and what the offers look like. It's a lot smoother when the first real batch isn't also your first time in the app.
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Complete your first batches and claim the bonus
Now you start accepting batches. Most new-shopper bonuses ask you to finish a set number inside a set window. A common one is 30 batches in your first 30 days, but yours might read differently. Hit the target and the bonus gets added to your earnings on Instacart's schedule. The count, the dollar figure and the deadline all depend on your market, so trust what your Shopper app says over anything else. Our bonus terms page walks through how these deals usually shake out.
Before you finish sign-up: take one more look and confirm BEAN85579C is sitting in the referral field. It's the easiest step to blow past, and once your account is approved you generally can't add it back.
What you'll need on hand
- A smartphone new enough to run the Instacart Shopper app
- Proof you're 18 or older (or the age of majority in your province or state)
- A valid government-issued photo ID
- A bank account or debit card for payouts
- Enough muscle to lift around 50 lbs. Picture a Sam's Club batch with two cases of water, a bag of potatoes, and a case of canned goods. That's the reason for the rule.
- For Full-Service: a reliable car and a driver's licence
- Referral code BEAN85579C ready to paste at sign-up
| Feature | Full-Service | In-Store |
|---|---|---|
| What you do | Shop and deliver orders | Shop and stage orders in-store |
| Vehicle needed | Yes | No |
| Schedule | Flexible, batch-based | Often scheduled shifts |
| Tips | Yes, you keep 100% | Typically not a tipped role |
| Good for | Drivers wanting flexible hours | People without a car |
What happens after you hit submit
Signing up is the easy part. Here's the stretch between finishing your application and getting paid, so nothing catches you off guard.
Approval. Once your ID clears and the background check comes back, your account flips to active. Some markets are quick. Others sit you on a waitlist until a spot frees up. You'll get an email either way, so you don't have to refresh the app all day.
Your first batch. The first one is nerve-wracking, and that's normal. You accept an order, drive to the store, shop the list, and message the customer about any swaps. Then you check out with the Instacart payment card and, for Full-Service, drive it to the door. Go slow the first few times. Speed comes on its own.
Getting paid. Pay lands weekly, and most markets let you cash out sooner for a small fee. Your batch pay and 100% of the tip are yours. If you signed up with code BEAN85579C and hit the bonus target, that amount shows up on top of your normal pay, usually in a following cycle.
None of this needs to be perfect on day one. Your rating forgives your lowest scores, so a shaky first week won't follow you around.
If something goes sideways mid-batch, say an item is out of stock or the customer won't answer, use the in-app chat and support. You're not expected to solve everything on your own, and reaching out beats guessing and hurting your rating over it.
Ready to start?
Kick off your application and drop in code BEAN85579C when it asks.
Start sign-up →How-it-works FAQ
Where do I enter the referral code BEAN85579C?
During the online sign-up, watch for a field called "Referral code," "Invite code," or a "Have a code?" link. Type BEAN85579C there. Not on the first screen? Keep going, because it often turns up a step or two in. Add it before you wrap up. Once you're approved it's usually too late.
How long does approval take?
The application takes most people under an hour. The background check is what sets the pace, and that runs about 3 to 10 business days depending on your area and how fast your records clear. You'll hear back in the app and by email when it's finished.
Do I need a car to become a Shopper?
Only for Full-Service, since that role includes delivery. In-Store is shop-only and needs no car, so it's a solid option if you don't drive.
How do I actually get the bonus?
Once you're approved, finish the number of batches your market's promotion calls for inside its window. Often that's something like 30 batches in 30 days, but yours could differ. The bonus then hits your earnings on Instacart's schedule. Targets and amounts move around by market, so check the current offer in your Shopper app.
Is this the official Instacart site?
No. Shopper Bonus Guide is an independent, affiliate-supported guide. The real application lives at shoppers.instacart.com, and Instacart is the one that decides eligibility, bonus amounts and payment.