Sam’s Club vs. Costco: What Each Membership Costs Now and What You Get
If you’ve ever walked into a warehouse club for “just a few things” and walked out with a 36-pack of paper towels, enough cheese to cater a wedding, and a suspiciously cheap 75-inch TV, you already understand the appeal of Sam’s Club and Costco.
But before you start buying peanut butter by the gallon, one important question remains: Which membership gives you the better deal?
In 2026, Sam’s Club and Costco are still close competitors, but they’re not identical. Sam’s Club currently charges $60 per year for Club membership and $120 for Plus, while Costco charges $65 for Gold Star or Business membership and $130 for Executive.
That $5 to $10 price difference probably won’t decide things by itself. The real question is what you get for your money.
Sam’s Club wins on convenience
For shoppers who hate standing in checkout lines, Sam’s Club has one particularly attractive feature: Scan & Go.
You scan items with the Sam’s Club app as you shop, pay through your phone, and head toward the exit. No need to unload a cart onto a conveyor belt. No wondering why the person ahead of you has three carts and 87 coupons.
Even the basic $60 Club membership includes Scan & Go, member fuel pricing, Instant Savings, and curbside pickup for eligible orders.
Sam’s Club Plus adds even more convenience. It includes free shipping on eligible online orders over $50 and free standard Delivery from Club on eligible orders of $50 or more. Orders under $50 normally carry an $8 delivery fee, while Express Delivery costs extra.
So if you regularly order groceries or household supplies instead of making a warehouse trip, Plus can become valuable surprisingly quickly.
Costco also offers same-day delivery, largely through Instacart, but it doesn’t provide the same broad free-shipping perk. Executive members do receive a $10 monthly credit on one qualifying same-day order of at least $150, but that’s quite different from unlimited free delivery.
Related: 7 Items You Should Never Buy at the Grocery Store
Costco Executive has the bigger rewards ceiling
Both premium memberships offer a 2% reward on qualifying purchases, but the numbers work a little differently.
Sam’s Club Plus costs $60 more than the standard Club membership. To earn that extra $60 back through its 2% Sam’s Cash reward alone, you’d need to spend about $3,000 per year on qualifying purchases.
Costco Executive costs $65 more than Gold Star. At 2%, the point where the reward covers the upgrade cost is about $3,250 per year.
That works out to roughly $250 to $271 per month in qualifying spending.
For many families, that isn’t difficult.
The difference gets bigger if you spend a lot. Sam’s Club Plus caps its membership reward at $500 per year, while Costco Executive can earn up to $1,250.
So a household or business spending heavily at the warehouse may get significantly more upside from Costco Executive.
There is fine print, though. Neither program gives you 2% back on absolutely everything. Costco also limits Executive reward eligibility to qualifying purchases made by the primary member and active primary Household Cardholder.
What about gas?
This is where people often mix up membership perks and credit card perks.
Both clubs offer member fuel access or pricing where fuel stations are available, but no verified nationwide rule shows that one membership automatically gives you cheaper gas everywhere.
The branded credit cards, however, can make a difference.
The Sam’s Club Mastercard advertises 5% Sam’s Cash on eligible gas purchases, subject to its annual fuel spending limit. Costco’s Anywhere Visa offers 5% cash back at Costco gas and 4% on other eligible gas and EV charging, subject to its combined category cap.
Important: those are credit card benefits, not automatic membership rewards.
So don’t choose a warehouse membership based on the 5% gas figure unless you also plan to use the associated credit card.
Costco may be better for travelers
Costco has another advantage: reach.
As of September 24, 2026, Costco reported 647 warehouses in the United States and Puerto Rico and 939 worldwide. Sam’s Club reported more than 600 U.S. and Puerto Rico clubs in recent 2026 figures.
Costco also has Costco Travel, which can be useful for vacations, hotels, rental cars, and other bookings. Qualifying Costco Travel spending can count toward the Executive 2% reward.
If you travel frequently, or simply move around enough that having warehouses in more places matters, Costco has a meaningful edge.
Sam’s Club may be better for online shoppers and busy families
If your main priority is convenience, Sam’s Club is difficult to ignore.
Imagine a typical household that buys groceries, diapers, cleaning supplies, pet food, and other bulk essentials. If that household frequently uses curbside pickup, orders deliveries of $50 or more, or shops online, Sam’s Club Plus could save time and money.
You don’t have to wander through a warehouse debating whether you really need a kayak.
You can just order your cereal and leave.
Costco’s shopping experience is excellent for people who actually enjoy browsing warehouses, but Sam’s Club currently offers the stronger package for shoppers who want to minimize the physical shopping part.
So, which one should you choose?
For most shoppers, the answer comes down to how you shop.
Choose Sam’s Club Club if you want the cheaper basic membership, Scan & Go, and convenient curbside pickup.
Choose Sam’s Club Plus if you regularly use shipping or local delivery and expect to spend at least around $3,000 per year on qualifying purchases.
Choose Costco Gold Star if you like Costco’s product selection, services, travel benefits, or simply have a more convenient Costco location nearby.
Choose Costco Executive if you spend enough to benefit from the 2% reward, especially if your annual qualifying spending is comfortably above the roughly $3,250 point needed to cover the upgrade cost.
Ultimately, the best warehouse club isn’t necessarily the one with the lowest membership fee.
It’s the one you’ll actually use.
Because saving $5 on annual dues doesn’t mean much if the nearest warehouse is 40 minutes away, you hate shopping there, or your “money saving” membership somehow keeps convincing you to come home with a six-person inflatable hot tub.
