{ "data": { "a": { "slug": "instacart", "name": "Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP", "vendor": "Maplebear Inc. (Instacart)", "vendorUrl": "https://docs.instacart.com/developer_platform_api.md", "kind": "http-api", "category": "shopping", "summary": "The Instacart Developer Platform API and its hosted MCP server turn a recipe or shopping list into an Instacart Marketplace page, where the person picks a store and checks out. It also finds nearby retailers by postal code.", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/instacart", "markdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/instacart.md", "slimMarkdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/instacart.min.md", "jsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/instacart.json", "license": "Proprietary service under the Instacart Developer Platform Terms and Conditions", "transports": [ "http" ], "remoteUrl": "https://mcp.instacart.com/mcp", "packages": [], "auth": "api-key", "authNotes": "A Bearer API key from the Instacart Developer Dashboard, separate for development and production, with read-only, read-write or admin permission levels. Access starts with an application on www.instacart.com. A production key stays pending until Instacart reviews a screen-recorded demo of the integration (https://docs.instacart.com/developer_platform_api/guide/concepts/launch_activities/approval_process.md). The MCP server takes the same key as a Bearer header.", "pricing": "free", "pricingNotes": "No fee for the API was found. Approved partners can join an affiliate programme on Impact.com that pays commission on attributed orders, with terms shared by email. The developer terms let Instacart add fees for previously free functions (https://docs.instacart.com/developer_platform_api/guide/terms_and_policies/developer_terms.md, checked 14 October 2026).", "priceSummary": "Free", "where": "hosted", "x402": { "level": "no", "evidence": "No x402, MPP or L402 in the Developer Platform docs, the MCP tool list or the developer terms (checked 14 October 2026).", "endpoints": [] }, "toolCount": 2, "popularity": { "githubStars": null, "npmWeekly": null, "pypiWeekly": null, "asOf": "2026-10-14" }, "docsUrl": "https://docs.instacart.com/developer_platform_api.md", "llmsTxt": "https://docs.instacart.com/llms.txt", "capabilities": [ "shopping.affiliate", "commerce.cart" ], "tags": [ "hosted", "mcp", "api-key", "llms-txt", "grocery", "affiliate", "approval-required" ], "lastRelease": "2026-06-18", "graded": true, "anchor": { "graded": true, "score": 48.3, "grade": "D", "agentReady": false, "rank": 877, "ranked": true, "rankOf": 1076, "categoryRank": 3, "methodology": "0.4", "run": "2026-10-01", "scores": { "ergonomics": 71, "maintenance": 20, "payments": 20, "reliability": 22, "schema": 80, "security": 61, "transparency": 51 }, "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "assessment": { "confidence": "medium", "date": "2026-10-14" }, "negative": 0, "verdict": "Two compact MCP tools and a small REST API with structured errors let an agent turn a list into an Instacart cart link. The agent cannot search products, see prices, place an order or follow one, and production keys need a demo review that Instacart puts at 30 to 40 days. No status page or published rate figure was found.", "bestFor": "Grocery list and recipe hand-off for meal planning and recipe agents in the US and Canada.", "strengths": [ "Hosted MCP server at https://mcp.instacart.com/mcp with two tools, create-recipe and create-shopping-list, each with typed JSON Schema inputs", "Errors return an HTTP code, an internal error code and a meta key naming the field, with per-endpoint error tables", "Separate development and production hosts and keys, with key rotation and revocation documented", "Line items accept UPCs, brand filters and health filters such as ORGANIC and GLUTEN_FREE for product matching", "Dated changelog on docs.instacart.com, with entries from 18 September 2025 to 18 June 2026" ], "weaknesses": [ "No product search, price, order, order status or return endpoint. The person picks the store and checks out on Instacart", "Production keys need a screen-recorded demo and review, and Instacart puts access request to production at about 30 to 40 days", "No status page and no rate limit figure, only a 429 with advice to retry later", "The MCP tool schema still uses quantity and unit, which the REST API deprecated on 18 March 2026", "www.instacart.com disallows our crawler in robots.txt, so the privacy policy and application page were not read" ], "agentNotes": [ "Connect to https://mcp.instacart.com/mcp over Streamable HTTP with Authorization: Bearer and an Instacart Developer Platform key. Test against https://mcp.dev.instacart.tools/mcp with a development key", "Give the person the returned products_link_url to choose a store and check out. No call places or tracks an order", "Cache each generated link and create a new one only when the list changes, as the docs advise", "Send line_item_measurements rather than quantity and unit on the REST shopping list endpoint, since those fields are deprecated", "Do not show priced items from more than one retailer on one screen or move items between retailer baskets. The developer terms forbid both" ], "metrics": { "kind": "remote", "measured": false }, "reviewCount": 0, "avgRating": 0, "history": [ { "basis": "public evidence", "confidence": "medium", "grade": "D", "methodology": "0.4", "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "run": "2026-10-01", "runLabel": "October 2026 research run", "score": 48.3 } ], "editorialScores": { "ergonomics": 71, "maintenance": 20, "payments": 20, "reliability": 22, "schema": 80, "security": 61, "transparency": 28 }, "provenanceScore": 74 }, "connect": { "http": "curl --request POST --url 'https://connect.dev.instacart.tools/idp/v1/products/products_link' --header 'Authorization: Bearer \u003cAPI-key\u003e' --header 'Content-Type: application/json' --data '{\"title\":\"Groceries\",\"line_items\":[{\"name\":\"eggs\"}]}'", "config": { "mcpServers": { "instacart": { "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer \u003cAPI-key\u003e" }, "type": "http", "url": "https://mcp.instacart.com/mcp" } } } }, "letme": { "capability": "https://letme.dev/shopping.affiliate", "tool": "https://letme.dev/instacart" }, "area": "everyday", "provenance": { "legalEntity": "Maplebear Inc. dba Instacart", "domain": "instacart.com", "domainRegistered": "1996-10-31", "endpointOnVendorDomain": true, "terms": "https://docs.instacart.com/developer_platform_api/guide/terms_and_policies/developer_terms.md", "privacy": "https://www.instacart.com/company/privacy", "statusPage": "", "changelog": "https://docs.instacart.com/developer_platform_api/api/changelog.md", "securityTxt": "unknown", "checked": "2026-10-14", "notes": [ "The developer terms, last updated 3 July 2024, are entered into by Maplebear Inc. dba Instacart and name the privacy policy at https://www.instacart.com/company/privacy.", "www.instacart.com robots.txt disallows every path for agents it does not name, including ours, so the privacy policy and security.txt on that host were not read.", "docs.instacart.com/.well-known/security.txt returned 404. status.instacart.com did not answer and no other status page was found.", "RDAP gives instacart.com a registration date of 31 October 1996." ], "score": 74 }, "pageJsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/instacart.json", "live": { "slug": "instacart", "probe": { "target": "https://mcp.instacart.com/mcp", "method": "get", "lastAt": "2026-10-14T09:41:54.373790409Z", "lastOk": true, "lastStatus": 404, "lastMs": 345, "authRequired": false, "uptime24h": 100, "uptime30d": 100, "p50ms24h": 342, "p95ms24h": 489, "samples24h": 17, "samples30d": 17, "days": [ { "date": "2026-10-14", "probes": 17, "ok": 17 } ] }, "updatedAt": "2026-10-14T09:41:54.373790409Z" } }, "answer": "Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP scores 48.3 (D) on agent readiness against Walmart Affiliate Marketing API's 38.6 (E), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. Walmart Affiliate Marketing API leads on reliability and payments \u0026 pricing.", "b": { "slug": "walmart-affiliate-api", "name": "Walmart Affiliate Marketing API", "vendor": "Wal-Mart.com USA, LLC (Walmart Inc.)", "vendorUrl": "https://walmart.io/docs/affiliates/v1/introduction", "kind": "http-api", "category": "shopping", "summary": "Walmart's read-only catalogue API for affiliates, documented on the Walmart I/O portal. It searches Walmart.com products and returns item details, reviews, taxonomy, trending items, recommendations and nearby stores, with affiliate links tracked through Impact. It cannot place orders.", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/walmart-affiliate-api", "markdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/walmart-affiliate-api.md", "slimMarkdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/walmart-affiliate-api.min.md", "jsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/walmart-affiliate-api.json", "license": "Proprietary service under the Walmart I/O API Terms of Use (last updated 30 September 2020)", "transports": [ "http" ], "remoteUrl": "https://developer.api.walmart.com/api-proxy/service/affil/product/v2", "packages": [], "auth": "api-key", "authNotes": "Each request is signed. The developer creates an application on walmart.io, uploads an RSA public key and receives a consumer ID with a key version. Calls carry WM_CONSUMER.ID, WM_CONSUMER.INTIMESTAMP, WM_SEC.KEY_VERSION and WM_SEC.AUTH_SIGNATURE, a signature made with the private key that expires after 180 seconds. Sandbox and production consumer IDs are separate. Affiliate links use an Impact Radius publisher ID.", "pricing": "free", "pricingNotes": "No fee for the API was found. It is free to approved affiliates, who earn commission on referred sales. The API terms cap use at 5,000 calls a day, with higher limits on request. The 2020 terms quote 4 per cent commission, or 1 per cent on electronics, video games, films, music, books and photo goods (checked 14 October 2026).", "priceSummary": "Free", "where": "hosted", "x402": { "level": "no", "evidence": "No x402, MPP or L402 in the Walmart I/O portal code, the affiliate API terms or the request headers it documents (checked 14 October 2026).", "endpoints": [] }, "toolCount": null, "popularity": { "githubStars": null, "npmWeekly": null, "pypiWeekly": null, "asOf": "2026-10-14" }, "docsUrl": "https://walmart.io/docs/affiliates/v1/introduction", "capabilities": [ "shopping.search", "shopping.prices", "shopping.affiliate" ], "tags": [ "hosted", "official", "affiliate", "read-only", "no-checkout", "signed-requests" ], "graded": true, "anchor": { "graded": true, "score": 38.6, "grade": "E", "agentReady": false, "rank": 995, "ranked": true, "rankOf": 1076, "categoryRank": 5, "methodology": "0.4", "run": "2026-10-01", "scores": { "ergonomics": 57, "maintenance": 5, "payments": 25, "reliability": 33, "schema": 27, "security": 58, "transparency": 53 }, "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "assessment": { "confidence": "low", "date": "2026-10-14" }, "negative": 0, "verdict": "Live, free catalogue search and product lookup for approved Walmart affiliates, signed with an RSA key and capped at 5,000 calls a day. It cannot place or follow orders, and the Checkout API needs separate approval. The documentation renders only in a browser, and the API terms date from 2020 and still name a previous affiliate network.", "bestFor": "Product search and affiliate links for an agent recommending Walmart products and handing the purchase to the person.", "strengths": [ "Read-only search, lookup by item ID or UPC, reviews, taxonomy, trending items and store lookup in one API", "Request signing with an RSA private key that is never sent, and signatures that expire after 180 seconds", "Separate sandbox and production consumer IDs", "The daily limit of 5,000 calls is stated, with a route to ask for more" ], "weaknesses": [ "No order, cart, order status or return operation in the affiliate API", "The documentation is rendered by browser script, with no OpenAPI, llms.txt or Markdown", "The API terms were last updated on 30 September 2020 and name Rakuten LinkShare, not Impact", "No status page, changelog or official SDK was found", "The walmart.com Terms of Use answered with a bot check, so rules for automated buyers on the store were not read" ], "agentNotes": [ "Generate a fresh WM_SEC.AUTH_SIGNATURE for each call, because a signature older than 180 seconds is rejected", "Keep below 5,000 calls a day per application", "Pass the Impact publisher ID so returned links earn commission", "Hand purchases to the person through the returned product link, since the affiliate API cannot check out" ], "metrics": { "kind": "remote", "measured": false }, "reviewCount": 0, "avgRating": 0, "history": [ { "basis": "public evidence", "confidence": "low", "grade": "E", "methodology": "0.4", "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "run": "2026-10-01", "runLabel": "October 2026 research run", "score": 38.6 } ], "editorialScores": { "ergonomics": 57, "maintenance": 5, "payments": 25, "reliability": 33, "schema": 27, "security": 58, "transparency": 34 }, "provenanceScore": 71 }, "letme": { "capability": "https://letme.dev/shopping.search", "tool": "https://letme.dev/walmart-affiliate-api" }, "area": "everyday", "provenance": { "legalEntity": "Wal-Mart.com USA, LLC", "domain": "walmart.com", "domainRegistered": "1995-02-23", "endpointOnVendorDomain": true, "terms": "https://www.walmart.com/help/article/walmart-com-terms-of-use/3b75080af40340d6bbd596f116fae5a0", "privacy": "https://corporate.walmart.com/privacy-security/walmart-privacy-notice", "statusPage": "", "changelog": "", "securityTxt": "valid", "checked": "2026-10-14", "notes": [ "The API endpoint is developer.api.walmart.com and the documentation is on walmart.io, registered 2012-05-22.", "The Walmart I/O API Terms of Use (last updated 30 September 2020) are shown inside the portal with no page of their own. The walmart.com Terms of Use answered with a bot check and were not read.", "The privacy notice was updated 20 August 2026 and names Wal-Mart.com USA, LLC, 850 Cherry Ave., San Bruno, CA as controller for the Canada and Mexico sections. The affiliate terms give the same San Bruno address.", "www.walmart.com/.well-known/security.txt points to the responsible disclosure policy and has no Expires field.", "RDAP for walmart.com gives a registration date of 1995-02-23." ], "score": 71 }, "pageJsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/walmart-affiliate-api.json", "live": { "slug": "walmart-affiliate-api", "probe": { "target": "https://developer.api.walmart.com/api-proxy/service/affil/product/v2", "method": "get", "lastAt": "2026-10-14T09:42:13.477046586Z", "lastOk": true, "lastStatus": 403, "lastMs": 538, "lastNote": "asks for credentials", "authRequired": true, "uptime24h": 100, "uptime30d": 100, "p50ms24h": 492, "p95ms24h": 783, "samples24h": 17, "samples30d": 17, "days": [ { "date": "2026-10-14", "probes": 17, "ok": 17 } ] }, "updatedAt": "2026-10-14T09:42:13.477046586Z" } }, "facts": [ { "a": "HTTP API", "b": "HTTP API", "name": "Kind" }, { "a": "Maplebear Inc. (Instacart)", "b": "Wal-Mart.com USA, LLC (Walmart Inc.)", "name": "Vendor" }, { "a": "https://mcp.instacart.com/mcp", "b": "https://developer.api.walmart.com/api-proxy/service/affil/product/v2", "name": "Hosted endpoint" }, { "a": "HTTP", "b": "HTTP", "name": "Transports" }, { "a": "API key", "b": "API key", "name": "Auth" }, { "a": "Free", "b": "Free", "name": "Pricing" }, { "a": "no", "b": "no", "name": "x402" }, { "a": "Proprietary service under the Instacart Developer Platform Terms and Conditions", "b": "Proprietary service under the Walmart I/O API Terms of Use (last updated 30 September 2020)", "name": "Licence" }, { "a": "2", "b": "none", "name": "Tools exposed" }, { "a": "no", "b": "yes", "name": "Read-only variant documented" }, { "a": "yes", "b": "no", "name": "llms.txt" }, { "a": "2026-06-18", "b": "none", "name": "Last release" }, { "a": "couldn't be read", "b": "2026-09-09", "name": "Terms last updated" }, { "a": "couldn't be read", "b": "2026-08-20", "name": "Privacy policy last updated" }, { "a": "couldn't be read", "b": "yes", "name": "Customer content may train models" }, { "a": "couldn't be read", "b": "yes", "name": "Terms restrict automated access" }, { "a": "couldn't be read", "b": "not found in the text", "name": "Terms restrict benchmarking" }, { "a": "couldn't be read", "b": "yes", "name": "Terms or service can change without notice" }, { "a": "couldn't be read", "b": "yes", "name": "Arbitration or class-action waiver" } ], "faq": [ { "answer": "Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP scores 48.3 (D) on agent readiness against Walmart Affiliate Marketing API's 38.6 (E), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. Walmart Affiliate Marketing API leads on reliability and payments \u0026 pricing.", "question": "Which is better for AI agents, Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP or Walmart Affiliate Marketing API?" }, { "answer": "Both need an API key.", "question": "Do Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP and Walmart Affiliate Marketing API need an API key?" }, { "answer": "Yes. Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP has a hosted endpoint at https://mcp.instacart.com/mcp and Walmart Affiliate Marketing API at https://developer.api.walmart.com/api-proxy/service/affil/product/v2.", "question": "Can an agent call Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP and Walmart Affiliate Marketing API without installing anything?" } ], "goodFor": [ { "aheadOn": [ "Schema \u0026 documentation, 80 against 27", "Agent ergonomics, 71 against 57", "Maintenance \u0026 community, 20 against 5" ], "also": null, "goodFor": "Grocery list and recipe hand-off for meal planning and recipe agents in the US and Canada.", "slug": "instacart", "watchFor": "No product search, price, order, order status or return endpoint. The person picks the store and checks out on Instacart" }, { "aheadOn": [ "Reliability, 33 against 22", "Payments \u0026 pricing, 25 against 20" ], "also": null, "goodFor": "Product search and affiliate links for an agent recommending Walmart products and handing the purchase to the person.", "slug": "walmart-affiliate-api", "watchFor": "No order, cart, order status or return operation in the affiliate API" } ], "job": { "capability": "shopping.affiliate", "name": "Affiliate product APIs" }, "others": [ { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-creators-api-vs-walmart-affiliate-api.json", "title": "Amazon Creators API vs Walmart Affiliate Marketing API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-creators-api-vs-walmart-affiliate-api" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/best-buy-vs-walmart-affiliate-api.json", "title": "Best Buy Developer API vs Walmart Affiliate Marketing API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/best-buy-vs-walmart-affiliate-api" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/etsy-vs-walmart-affiliate-api.json", "title": "Etsy Open API v3 vs Walmart Affiliate Marketing API", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/etsy-vs-walmart-affiliate-api" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-creators-api-vs-instacart.json", "title": "Amazon Creators API vs Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-creators-api-vs-instacart" } ], "scores": [ { "by": 11, "edge": "walmart-affiliate-api", "instacart": 22, "key": "reliability", "name": "Reliability", "walmart-affiliate-api": 33, "weight": 16 }, { "key": "performance", "name": "Performance", "pending": true, "weight": 10 }, { "by": 53, "edge": "instacart", "instacart": 80, "key": "schema", "name": "Schema \u0026 documentation", "walmart-affiliate-api": 27, "weight": 13 }, { "by": 14, "edge": "instacart", "instacart": 71, "key": "ergonomics", "name": "Agent ergonomics", "walmart-affiliate-api": 57, "weight": 13 }, { "by": 3, "edge": "instacart", "instacart": 61, "key": "security", "name": "Security \u0026 auth", "walmart-affiliate-api": 58, "weight": 14 }, { "by": 5, "edge": "walmart-affiliate-api", "instacart": 20, "key": "payments", "name": "Payments \u0026 pricing", "walmart-affiliate-api": 25, "weight": 10 }, { "key": "tasks", "name": "Task success", "pending": true, "weight": 10 }, { "by": 15, "edge": "instacart", "instacart": 20, "key": "maintenance", "name": "Maintenance \u0026 community", "walmart-affiliate-api": 5, "weight": 7 }, { "by": 2, "edge": "walmart-affiliate-api", "instacart": 51, "key": "transparency", "name": "Transparency \u0026 trust", "walmart-affiliate-api": 53, "weight": 7 } ], "summary": "Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP scores 48.3 (D) on agent readiness against Walmart Affiliate Marketing API's 38.6 (E), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. Walmart Affiliate Marketing API leads on reliability and payments \u0026 pricing. Both do affiliate product apis.", "verdicts": { "instacart": "Two compact MCP tools and a small REST API with structured errors let an agent turn a list into an Instacart cart link. The agent cannot search products, see prices, place an order or follow one, and production keys need a demo review that Instacart puts at 30 to 40 days. No status page or published rate figure was found.", "walmart-affiliate-api": "Live, free catalogue search and product lookup for approved Walmart affiliates, signed with an RSA key and capped at 5,000 calls a day. It cannot place or follow orders, and the Checkout API needs separate approval. The documentation renders only in a browser, and the API terms date from 2020 and still name a previous affiliate network." } }, "kind": "anchor.page", "links": { "api": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json", "html": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/instacart-vs-walmart-affiliate-api", "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/instacart-vs-walmart-affiliate-api.json", "llms": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt", "markdown": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/instacart-vs-walmart-affiliate-api.md", "slim": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/instacart-vs-walmart-affiliate-api.min.md" }, "markdown": "Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP scores 48.3 (D) on agent readiness against Walmart Affiliate Marketing API's 38.6 (E), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. Walmart Affiliate Marketing API leads on reliability and payments \u0026 pricing. Both do affiliate product apis.\n\n- Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP: grade D, 48.3/100, rank #877 of 1076. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/instacart.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/instacart.json\n- Walmart Affiliate Marketing API: grade E, 38.6/100, rank #995 of 1076. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/walmart-affiliate-api.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/walmart-affiliate-api.json\n- Best shopping and order APIs for AI agents buying for a person: https://www.anchorterminal.com/best/shopping/index.md\n- All 8 shopping comparisons: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/shopping/index.md\n\n## Which one, for what\n\n### Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP (D)\n\nGood for: Grocery list and recipe hand-off for meal planning and recipe agents in the US and Canada.\n\nAhead on:\n- Schema \u0026 documentation, 80 against 27\n- Agent ergonomics, 71 against 57\n- Maintenance \u0026 community, 20 against 5\n\nWatch for: No product search, price, order, order status or return endpoint. The person picks the store and checks out on Instacart\n\n### Walmart Affiliate Marketing API (E)\n\nGood for: Product search and affiliate links for an agent recommending Walmart products and handing the purchase to the person.\n\nAhead on:\n- Reliability, 33 against 22\n- Payments \u0026 pricing, 25 against 20\n\nWatch for: No order, cart, order status or return operation in the affiliate API\n\n\n## Score by category\n\n| Category | Weight | Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP | Walmart Affiliate Marketing API | Edge |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 22 | 33 | Walmart Affiliate Marketing API +11 |\n| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |\n| Schema \u0026 documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 80 | 27 | Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP +53 |\n| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 71 | 57 | Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP +14 |\n| Security \u0026 auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 61 | 58 | Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP +3 |\n| Payments \u0026 pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 20 | 25 | Walmart Affiliate Marketing API +5 |\n| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |\n| Maintenance \u0026 community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 20 | 5 | Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP +15 |\n| Transparency \u0026 trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 51 | 53 | Walmart Affiliate Marketing API +2 |\n| Negative events | ≤15 | 0 | 0 | |\n| **Total** | | **48.3 · D** | **38.6 · E** | |\n\n## Facts side by side\n\n| Fact | Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP | Walmart Affiliate Marketing API |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Kind | HTTP API | HTTP API |\n| Vendor | Maplebear Inc. (Instacart) | Wal-Mart.com USA, LLC (Walmart Inc.) |\n| Hosted endpoint | `https://mcp.instacart.com/mcp` | `https://developer.api.walmart.com/api-proxy/service/affil/product/v2` |\n| Transports | HTTP | HTTP |\n| Auth | API key | API key |\n| Pricing | Free | Free |\n| x402 | no | no |\n| Licence | Proprietary service under the Instacart Developer Platform Terms and Conditions | Proprietary service under the Walmart I/O API Terms of Use (last updated 30 September 2020) |\n| Tools exposed | 2 | none |\n| Read-only variant documented | no | yes |\n| llms.txt | yes | no |\n| Last release | 2026-06-18 | none |\n| Terms last updated | couldn't be read | 2026-09-09 |\n| Privacy policy last updated | couldn't be read | 2026-08-20 |\n| Customer content may train models | couldn't be read | yes |\n| Terms restrict automated access | couldn't be read | yes |\n| Terms restrict benchmarking | couldn't be read | not found in the text |\n| Terms or service can change without notice | couldn't be read | yes |\n| Arbitration or class-action waiver | couldn't be read | yes |\n\n## Verdicts\n\n**Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP.** Two compact MCP tools and a small REST API with structured errors let an agent turn a list into an Instacart cart link. The agent cannot search products, see prices, place an order or follow one, and production keys need a demo review that Instacart puts at 30 to 40 days. No status page or published rate figure was found.\n\n**Walmart Affiliate Marketing API.** Live, free catalogue search and product lookup for approved Walmart affiliates, signed with an RSA key and capped at 5,000 calls a day. It cannot place or follow orders, and the Checkout API needs separate approval. The documentation renders only in a browser, and the API terms date from 2020 and still name a previous affiliate network.\n\n## Before you call either\n\n### Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP\n\n1. Connect to https://mcp.instacart.com/mcp over Streamable HTTP with Authorization: Bearer and an Instacart Developer Platform key. Test against https://mcp.dev.instacart.tools/mcp with a development key\n2. Give the person the returned products_link_url to choose a store and check out. No call places or tracks an order\n3. Cache each generated link and create a new one only when the list changes, as the docs advise\n4. Send line_item_measurements rather than quantity and unit on the REST shopping list endpoint, since those fields are deprecated\n5. Do not show priced items from more than one retailer on one screen or move items between retailer baskets. The developer terms forbid both\n\n### Walmart Affiliate Marketing API\n\n1. Generate a fresh WM_SEC.AUTH_SIGNATURE for each call, because a signature older than 180 seconds is rejected\n2. Keep below 5,000 calls a day per application\n3. Pass the Impact publisher ID so returned links earn commission\n4. Hand purchases to the person through the returned product link, since the affiliate API cannot check out\n\n## Questions\n\n### Which is better for AI agents, Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP or Walmart Affiliate Marketing API?\n\nInstacart Developer Platform API + MCP scores 48.3 (D) on agent readiness against Walmart Affiliate Marketing API's 38.6 (E), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. Walmart Affiliate Marketing API leads on reliability and payments \u0026 pricing.\n\n### Do Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP and Walmart Affiliate Marketing API need an API key?\n\nBoth need an API key.\n\n### Can an agent call Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP and Walmart Affiliate Marketing API without installing anything?\n\nYes. Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP has a hosted endpoint at https://mcp.instacart.com/mcp and Walmart Affiliate Marketing API at https://developer.api.walmart.com/api-proxy/service/affil/product/v2.\n\n\n## For agents\n\n- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/instacart-vs-walmart-affiliate-api.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/instacart-vs-walmart-affiliate-api.min.md\n- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {\"a\": \"instacart\", \"b\": \"walmart-affiliate-api\"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare instacart walmart-affiliate-api`\n- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/instacart.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/walmart-affiliate-api.json\n\n## Other comparisons with Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP or Walmart Affiliate Marketing API\n\n- [Amazon Creators API vs Walmart Affiliate Marketing API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-creators-api-vs-walmart-affiliate-api.md)\n- [Best Buy Developer API vs Walmart Affiliate Marketing API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/best-buy-vs-walmart-affiliate-api.md)\n- [Etsy Open API v3 vs Walmart Affiliate Marketing API](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/etsy-vs-walmart-affiliate-api.md)\n- [Amazon Creators API vs Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/amazon-creators-api-vs-instacart.md)\n", "meta": { "attribution": "Anchor Terminal (https://www.anchorterminal.com)", "docs": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/docs/", "generatedAt": "2026-10-14", "license": "CC-BY-4.0", "method": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/benchmark/", "methodology": "0.4", "openapi": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/openapi.json", "preview": false, "run": "2026-10-01", "runLabel": "October 2026 research run" }, "page": { "breadcrumbs": [ { "name": "Home", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/" }, { "name": "Compare", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/" }, { "name": "Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP vs Walmart Affiliate Marketing API", "url": "" } ], "description": "Instacart Developer Platform scores 48.3 (D) to Walmart Affiliate Marketing's 38.6 (E) for affiliate product apis. Prices, MCP, x402, uptime and agent notes side by side.", "facts": [ "Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP D 48.3", "Walmart Affiliate Marketing API E 38.6", "scores" ], "h1": "Instacart Developer Platform API + MCP vs Walmart Affiliate Marketing API", "image": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/assets/og/compare-instacart-vs-walmart-affiliate-api.png", "path": "/compare/instacart-vs-walmart-affiliate-api", "published": "2026-10-01", "section": "tools", "title": "Instacart Developer Platform vs Walmart Affiliate Marketing (2026)", "toc": null, "updated": "2026-10-14", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/instacart-vs-walmart-affiliate-api" }, "tokens": { "markdown": 2150, "slim": 730 }, "version": 1 }