It's 2018, and it seems like the food delivery apps out there are a dime a dozen. However, if you read between the lines and look at the features of each program, you may find some surprising differences that make each one useful in different situations.

Depending on your preferential eating habits, level of convenience, and ability to spend, one app may make better sense to use in one scenario versus another. To illustrate that, here's a look at a few of the different major delivery apps out there and the optimal time to get your grub through each.

UberEats

UberEats has a unique model for its delivery fee system: The closer you are to a particular location, the cheaper the delivery fee is. If you're within about a mile of a restaurant, you basically get free delivery and just pay for the food. It's perfect for those who are too busy to step out and get lunch.

The Ideal Usage: Use UberEats when you want food from nearby but are too swamped at work (or whatever else taking up your time) to go pick it up yourself.

GrubHub/Eat24/Seamless

Out of all of the apps on this list, Grubhub (who recently bought Eat24 and also owns Seamless) has the most extensive list of takeout options. It can be used for delivery, too, but if you want to skip the associated fees and have a massive online database of takeaway menus on hand, this app makes perfect sense.

The Ideal Usage: Use Grubhub when you're craving takeout and don't want to pay delivery fees. Or if you're like me and just want a massive collection of takeout menus to choose from.

Doordash

Doordash just recently added their own pickup option, but it's still a fledgling, so many restaurants haven't hopped on board yet. Still, Doordash's new DashPass and loads of "Try Me Free" delivery discounts make it a go-to app for the adventurous diner who would rather have someone else cook for them.

The Ideal Usage: Use Doordash if you get meals delivered to you all the time and want to be as diverse in your dinner options as possible.

Postmates

Postmates is so much more than a meal delivery app, because you can get groceries, sundries, and other items delivered to you on demand as well. You can also pay into a monthly program to get free delivery all the time, making it a clutch move for when you really need that pound of ground beef right now.

The Ideal Usage: Similar to Doordash's, but for all different kinds of items and for those who cook regularly as well.

Amazon Restaurants

To compare Amazon as a whole to all of these apps would be like comparing Superman to the rest of the Justice League, so we won't go there. In terms of the restaurant app, though, it doesn't offer much yet in terms of discount options, but has a ton of local eats available. If you prefer to have one program or website that you get everything from, aka the perfect Amazon user, this is great.

The Ideal Usage: If you already get literally everything on Amazon.

GoPuff

GoPuff is an app at the intersection of convenience store and delivery. It can get you basically anything you need from the mini-mart, but isn't meant to get entire meals from. Great if you have a sudden urge for bags of chips or some alcohol, however.

The Ideal Usage: When you need something from the convenience store ASAP.