SNAP recipients can spend their benefits online with various popular retailers.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps, provides monthly benefits to low- and no-income households to assist with the cost of groceries. Administered by the federal government, the food benefit is paid by state and local authorities to Americans who would otherwise struggle to reach adequate nutrition levels with their regular income.
Benefits are loaded onto prepaid electronic benefit transfer cards, similar to a bank debit card or credit card, which recipients can use at stores nationwide or online. An online purchasing pilot launched in 2017 and expanded to all 50 U.S. states in 2023, so online shopping is now available to SNAP recipients nationwide.
"SNAP online is currently available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. There are only two U.S. territories (Guam and Virgin Islands) that have yet to implement online purchasing," a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Agriculture told Newsweek.
According to the USDA's website, the following major retailers accept SNAP payments for online grocery orders:
- Aldi
- Amazon
- Costco
- Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA)
- Hy-Vee
- Jewel-Osco
- New Pioneer Food Co-op
- Ramsey's Market
- Sam's Club Scan and Go
- Target
- Walgreens
- Walmart
- Whole Foods
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State by state, retailers that accept online EBT payments may vary. For example, Newsweek reported in February that Thrive Market, an online-only store, would begin accepting SNAP payment methods on its platform in the 48 contiguous states, but not in Alaska or Hawaii. For a full list of online retailers accepting SNAP benefits in your state, see the USDA's website.
While many of these retailers sell more than groceries, SNAP benefits may be spent only on eligible food and drink items, which include these:
- Breads and cereals
- Desserts
- Drinking water
- Dairy products
- Fruit and vegetables
- Meat, poultry and fish
- Nonalcoholic beverages
- Snack foods
- Spices, condiments and sweeteners
- Seeds and plants to grow food
When purchasing groceries using SNAP online, EBT cards cannot be used to pay for extra services, such as delivery or processing fees. If SNAP recipients prefer to shop in store, more than 250,000 retailers nationwide accept SNAP benefits, including major chains and independent shops.
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The amount of benefits an individual receives depends on their household size and income. A family of four, for example, may qualify for a maximum of $973 per month, although this figure may vary.
In recent years, the use of benefits for online shopping has surged, the USDA reported. Almost 3.7 million households that use SNAP benefits shopped online in April 2023, up from 35,000 households in March 2020.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Aliss Higham is a Newsweek reporter based in Glasgow, Scotland. Her focus is reporting on issues across the U.S., including ... Read more
