Instacart 9.31.1 Update Sparks 0.7-Star Rating Boost in August 2026, Tied to Backend Fixes

The iOS update to version 9.31.1 lacked a specific public changelog. A subsequent Android release (v9.31.3) offered a generic note about fixing 'underlying issues to give you the most seamless experience possible.'

However, technical documentation for retail partners, dated August 25, confirms significant platform-level changes. These included a redesign of the partner portal for managing orders and an update to the Storefront Pro mobile app technology, intended to accelerate future feature delivery.

The app update was released one day after Instacart and Kroger announced a major expansion of their partnership on August 24, 2026.^[2] This new agreement enables combined grocery and prescription delivery from nearly all Kroger-owned stores. The timing suggests the app's stability improvements were coordinated to support this high-profile service expansion. In the same period, Instacart also announced partnerships with Petsense and with Costco for custom cake delivery, showing a broad pushGlossaryPush NotificationA message delivered to a user's device from your app's server — the single biggest re-engagement lever in mobile, when done well, and a fast path to uninstall when d... into new retail categories.

User sentiment shifted markedly after the update, with the average rating for reviews of v9.31.1 climbing to 3.66 stars, from 2.96 for v9.31.0. Reviews for the prior version, 9.31.0, frequently cited late deliveries, with one user stating, 'The announced delivery time is NEVER the actual delivery time.'

Following the v9.31.1 release, a new theme of 'Improved customer service' emerged. A 5-star reviewer on v9.31.1 noted, 'When I have had questions or concerns regarding my order. Customer Service has always been accommodating.' This is a direct contrast to pre-update complaints about it being 'hard to get help or any help at all.'

Despite the overall positive trend, the update did not resolve all core issues. A 4-star review on version 9.31.1 from a visually impaired user stated, 'The Accessibility on the Instacart app needs work,' describing how the screen focus gets stuck when using VoiceOver on an iPhone.^[3] This is consistent with long-standing problems for the platform, which has previously faced allegations of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) due to access barriers.

The positive reception for version 9.31.1 appears driven by platform stability rather than new features. For a service that attracted over 415,000 downloads in the last month on iOS, reliability is critical. The rating improvement suggests that Instacart's focus on backend enhancements, timed with its strategic expansion with partners like Kroger, is an effective strategy. However, the persistence of accessibility complaints remains a significant risk that the company must address to avoid alienating users and facing further legal challenges. These figures compare the 52 US App Store reviews tagged with v9.31.0 against the 74 tagged with v9.31.1, measured on 2026-08-31.