Google Express - Shopping done fast for Android

Google Express for Android takes the convenience of shopping on the Google Express website and brings it to your smartphone and tablet.

Pros

Available nationally: Google Express is available in most U.S. states and Washington, D.C., but not in Alaska and Hawaii or in unincorporated territories such Puerto Rico, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa.

All your favorite stores: Unlike competing apps that offer only hyperlocal or national stores to shop, Google Express delivers the best of both worlds. On the app, you can shop stores like 1-800-Flowers, Bed Bath & Beyond, Costco, Fry's Electronics, Google Store, Guitar Center, The Home Depot, Kohl's, L'Occitane, Overstock, Payless, PetSmart, Pier 1, Smart & Final, Sur La Table, Target, Ulta Beauty, The Vitamin Shoppe, Walgreens, Walmart, Wayfair, and Whole Foods Market.

Curated sections: From the top carousel of timely collections -- sunblock and bug spray for summer, for example -- to the Shop by department, On sale, Featured stores, Rollbacks from Walmart, Best Sellers, Grocery, Household Supplies, Home & Garden, Health & Beauty, Electronics, Baby & Kids, and Sports & Outdoors sections, it's easy to get where you need to go in the app.

Quick search: Just tap the top search bar, and enter a keyword search for an item or store, and the app will pull it up. The more specific you can be, the better.

Google Assistant integration: If you don't feel like typing, you can also shop by voice, with help from Google's Google Assistant. Just open the search field and then tap the microphone and speak your search. In our tests, the app understood us most of the time.

Filters: Tap on any category or search for any product and you can narrow your results. Tap any of the existing filters or the Filter button to filter by store, category, or delivery dates. You can also tap the Sort by button under Filters to sort by Relevance, Price: low to high, or Price: high to low.

Robust item info: When you come across a product as a featured item or in search results, you'll see its Google customer star rating, price, vendor, and expected delivery date. When you tap any item, you'll see things like more photos, a product description, product features, and product details, as well as reviews. You'll also see alternative products and what other customers bought along with it.

Free delivery: Getting your orders of $25 to 35 or more in one to three days for free without a membership is no pipe dream. It's a reality on Google Express.

Returns accepted within 30 days: If you're unhappy with anything you've ordered, you can email, call, and live chat with customer service and return it for free.

Incredible transparency: We were blown away when Google Express told us that Costco item prices within the app may be pricier than when purchased in-store. Info like this was not made readily apparent in several of the competing apps we tested, because, really, who wants to pay more? Therefore, we really appreciated Google Express's openness about store pricing.

SEE: Best 2018 Grocery Shopping Apps for Easy Home Delivery

Cons

No fresh groceries: If you're looking for perishables like milk, eggs, cheese, and produce, you won't find them on Google Express. There are, however, shelf-stable milk boxes, vegan egg replacers, Velveeta, and applesauce if you're desperate.

Busy homepage: With apps, based on websites, we expect more streamlined experiences than over their online counterparts. Unfortunately, the Google Express homepage in the app just recreates the too-extensive website experience on your phone, making it hard to browse.

Bottom Line

With its extensive product selection, excellent search features, free delivery as long as store order minimums are met, and great return policy, Google Express is definitely worth a look. But if you're looking for fresh groceries, you're better off shopping with Instacart, Amazon Prime Now, or Walmart Grocery.