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Sam’s Club has the lower listed annual fee in the United States: its Club membership is $5 less than Costco Gold Star, while Plus is $10 less than Costco Executive. That price difference alone does not identify the better value. Your likely eligible spending, delivery habits, fuel use, local warehouse distance, product preferences, and use of premium services matter more than a $5–$10 gap.
There is also no current official, apples-to-apples basket study proving that either warehouse is universally cheaper. Merchandise prices change by region, package size, promotion, and date. The practical answer is to compare the membership benefits you will actually use, then verify prices and availability at your local clubs.
At a glance: annual fees and core benefits
The following are listed U.S. prices. Promotional first-year offers may be lower than these figures; renewal pricing can be different, so treat an advertised introductory rate as temporary unless the terms say otherwise.
| Membership | Listed annual fee | Included benefits highlighted by the clubs |
|---|---|---|
| Costco Gold Star | $65 | Free Household Card and worldwide warehouse validity |
| Costco Executive | $130 | Gold Star benefits, 2% reward on eligible Costco and Costco Travel purchases (up to $1,250), and additional service benefits |
| Sam’s Club Club | $60 | Instant savings, member fuel prices, satisfaction guarantee, Scan & Go, two cards, and free curbside pickup |
| Sam’s Club Plus | $120 | Club benefits, 2% Sam’s Cash, free shipping over $50, free delivery from club over $50, early shopping hours, and additional pharmacy, optical, and tire/battery-center savings |
On the listed prices, Sam’s Club is cheaper by $5 at the entry level and by $10 at the premium level. Those differences are small enough that one qualifying delivery, fuel purchase pattern, or reward can outweigh them.
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What Costco membership includes
Gold Star: the basic Costco option
Gold Star costs $65 per year and includes a free Household Card. The membership is valid at Costco warehouses worldwide, which can matter if you travel or live near a border. It is the straightforward choice when you primarily want warehouse access and Costco’s merchandise mix without paying for a premium reward.
Executive: a paid upgrade tied to eligible spending
Executive costs $130 per year and includes the underlying Gold Star membership. Its headline benefit is a 2% reward on eligible Costco and Costco Travel purchases, with the reward capped at $1,250. “Eligible” is important: the percentage does not automatically apply to every dollar you spend, and the membership terms determine which purchases count.
Costco also lists additional service benefits for Executive members. These include early shopping hours and a $10 monthly credit on eligible Same-Day orders of $150 or more, powered by Instacart. The credit requires a linked account and a qualifying order; it is not a general monthly cash rebate and cannot be assumed to apply to smaller orders.
Costco services and guarantees
Costco highlights travel and service savings for members. Its tire program lists installation, a road-hazard warranty, rotation and balancing, inflation checks, flat repairs, and nitrogen inflation on qualifying purchases. Eligibility and exact terms depend on the purchase and service conditions.
Costco says its double guarantee applies to all membership levels. Its customer-service wording is: “That means we guarantee both your membership and our products with a refund†, if they don’t meet your satisfaction.” The same statement notes that limitations apply, so read the current guarantee terms before relying on a specific return outcome.
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What Sam’s Club membership includes
Club: the lower-priced entry tier
Sam’s Club Club costs $60 per year. The tier lists instant savings, member fuel prices, a satisfaction guarantee, Scan & Go mobile checkout, two cards, and free curbside pickup. These features favor shoppers who want to avoid checkout lines, collect orders at the club, or use warehouse fuel regularly.
Plus: rewards and online-order advantages
Plus costs $120 per year and adds 2% Sam’s Cash. As with Costco’s reward, the useful question is not simply whether the rate is 2%; it is whether your purchases qualify and whether you will actually use the accumulated value.
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Sam’s Club guarantee
Sam’s Club lists a 100% satisfaction guarantee for both Club and Plus. Specific exclusions or procedures can apply, so check the current terms for the product or service involved.
Does the premium membership pay for itself?
The upgrade calculation is simple, but the inputs require care. Divide the extra annual fee by the reward rate to find the eligible spending needed to break even from rewards alone. Then subtract any value you can realistically obtain from delivery credits or service benefits. Do not count a perk you are unlikely to use.
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| Upgrade | Extra annual fee | Reward rate | Eligible spend needed to offset the upgrade from rewards alone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Costco Gold Star to Executive | $65 | 2% on eligible Costco and Costco Travel purchases | $3,250 ($65 ÷ 0.02) |
| Sam’s Club Club to Plus | $60 | 2% Sam’s Cash | $3,000 ($60 ÷ 0.02), assuming the purchases qualify |
How to evaluate Costco Executive
If you can identify at least $3,250 in eligible Costco or Costco Travel spending during the membership year, the 2% reward mathematically covers the $65 upgrade. Spending below that level does not automatically make Executive a bad deal: a qualifying Same-Day credit or a service benefit may provide additional value. Conversely, spending above that level does not guarantee a profit if some of your purchases are excluded from the reward calculation or if you would have made those purchases elsewhere at a lower total cost.
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The $1,250 reward ceiling also matters for very high spenders. Once the maximum is reached, additional eligible purchases do not create additional Executive reward under that cap. Review the current membership terms for exclusions, timing, and reward issuance before upgrading.
How to evaluate Sam’s Plus
Sam’s Plus needs about $3,000 in qualifying annual spend to offset its $60 upgrade through 2% Sam’s Cash alone. That is a lower break-even spend than Costco Executive because the upgrade costs $5 less, not because the reward rate is higher.
Shipping and delivery can change the result. A Plus member who repeatedly places orders above $50 may avoid charges that a Club member would pay, while a household that shops almost entirely in person may receive little value from those benefits. Early shopping hours and pharmacy, optical, or tire/battery savings are additional reasons to choose Plus, but only if those services fit your routine.
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Which club is cheaper for groceries and household goods?
No current official comparison establishes a universal grocery-price winner between Costco and Sam’s Club. A warehouse can be cheaper on one item and more expensive on another, and apparent differences may disappear when package sizes, unit prices, promotions, taxes, or shipping are accounted for.
Use unit pricing, not shelf-ticket impressions
Compare the same brand or an equivalent product by weight, volume, count, or another meaningful unit. A larger package is not automatically a lower-cost package if part of it expires before your household can use it. Include delivery charges, fuel used to reach the club, and the cost of membership when you calculate a household’s total.
Build a local basket
For a useful comparison, record the warehouse location, date, exact product description, package size, advertised price, and unit price. Repeat the check for the products you actually buy rather than relying on a national list. Note whether a price is a one-time promotion, a member-only instant saving, or the regular listed price.
Do not present a basket from one city or one date as proof that the other chain is always more expensive. Regional assortment, warehouse inventory, and promotion calendars can produce a different result for another household.
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| Need | Costco | Sam’s Club |
|---|---|---|
| In-club checkout | Standard warehouse shopping; Executive members may have listed early shopping hours | Scan & Go is listed with Club; Plus includes early shopping hours |
| Curbside pickup | Not identified as a base-tier benefit in the listed comparison | Free curbside pickup is listed with Club |
| Same-day delivery | Executive: $10 monthly credit on eligible Same-Day orders of $150 or more, with a linked account | Plus: free delivery from club on orders over $50 |
| Shipping | No equivalent blanket shipping threshold is stated in the listed Costco benefits | Plus: free shipping on orders over $50 |
These thresholds should shape your decision. Someone ordering a $60 item online may meet Sam’s Plus’s delivery or shipping threshold, while someone ordering several smaller Costco Same-Day orders may not meet the $150 requirement for the Executive credit. Availability can also vary by location and service area.
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Fuel, travel, tires, and other services
When Costco’s services are the deciding factor
Costco’s listed advantages include worldwide warehouse validity, travel and service savings, and a detailed tire-service package on qualifying purchases. A household that buys tires at Costco, uses its travel services, or values the published installation and maintenance benefits may find those services more important than the membership-fee difference.
When Sam’s Club’s services are the deciding factor
Sam’s Club emphasizes member fuel prices at the Club tier and additional pharmacy, optical, and tire/battery-center savings at Plus. If your household already uses those departments, the savings may contribute to the upgrade decision. Estimate value from your own expected visits rather than assuming every listed service will be used.
Choose the right tier for your shopping pattern
Choose Sam’s Club Club when
- You want the lowest listed annual fee.
- Your preferred warehouse is closer or has the products and fuel access you need.
- You will use Scan & Go, free curbside pickup, instant savings, or member fuel prices.
- You do not expect enough qualifying spend or online orders to justify Plus.
Choose Costco Gold Star when
- Costco’s location, product mix, or household preference is the better fit.
- You want the free Household Card and worldwide warehouse validity.
- You do not expect to reach the Executive reward break-even spend.
- You prefer Costco’s guarantee or listed service and travel benefits without paying for Executive.
Choose Costco Executive when
- You can plausibly reach $3,250 in eligible Costco and Costco Travel purchases.
- You will place eligible Same-Day orders of at least $150 often enough to use the monthly credit.
- Early shopping hours or Costco’s travel, tire, and other service benefits matter to you.
- You understand the reward’s eligibility rules and $1,250 cap.
Choose Sam’s Club Plus when
- You can plausibly reach $3,000 in qualifying annual spend for 2% Sam’s Cash.
- You routinely place online orders over $50 and would use free shipping or club delivery.
- Early shopping hours or pharmacy, optical, and tire/battery savings fit your needs.
- Your local Sam’s Club offers the access and assortment your household wants.
A practical decision process
- Write down your real shopping pattern. Estimate annual warehouse spending, the share bought online, typical order sizes, fuel use, and any planned travel, tire, optical, or pharmacy purchases.
- Check the local warehouses. Compare driving distance, opening hours, fuel availability, pickup and delivery coverage, and the products you routinely buy. A longer drive can erase a small membership-fee saving.
- Separate eligible from ineligible reward spending. Use the current Costco and Sam’s Club terms to determine which purchases count toward each 2% program. Do not assume that every transaction qualifies.
- Run both break-even calculations. Compare your eligible-spend estimate with $3,250 for Costco Executive and $3,000 for Sam’s Plus. Add only delivery or service value you can realistically use.
- Price a representative local basket. Record unit prices, package sizes, promotions, and dates at both clubs. Include delivery, fuel, and waste from oversized packages where relevant.
- Verify the renewal price. Promotional first-year offers can be lower than the listed annual fee. Set your comparison around the renewal amount you expect to pay, not only the introductory offer.
- Choose the lowest total-cost fit, not merely the lowest fee. A $5 or $10 annual difference is insignificant if one club saves you repeated delivery charges, provides needed fuel access, or prevents long extra trips.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating a 2% rate as automatic profit. The upgrade fee must be recovered from eligible spending, and exclusions or caps can reduce the reward.
- Counting every advertised delivery benefit. Costco’s credit requires an eligible $150-or-more Same-Day order and a linked account; Sam’s Plus shipping and club delivery require orders over $50.
- Comparing package prices instead of unit prices. Warehouse packs can differ in weight, count, or usable quantity.
- Using a promotional fee as the long-term price. Confirm the offer date and renewal terms.
- Ignoring geography. Fuel prices, merchandise, services, and delivery availability vary by location.
- Assuming a guarantee has no limitations. Both clubs publish satisfaction guarantees, but the applicable terms and exclusions still govern a claim.
Bottom-line recommendation
For the lowest listed annual fee and features such as Scan & Go, curbside pickup, and member fuel pricing, start with Sam’s Club Club. For Costco’s warehouse access, product mix, Household Card, and worldwide validity, Gold Star is the lower-cost way to join Costco.
Upgrade to Costco Executive only when eligible Costco or Costco Travel spending, qualifying Same-Day orders, or Costco services can reasonably justify the extra $65. Upgrade to Sam’s Plus when qualifying spend can cover the extra $60 and you will use its over-$50 shipping or delivery benefits, early hours, or department savings. Before enrolling, compare your local warehouses, order sizes, fuel prices, delivery coverage, and renewal fee; those practical variables are more decisive than the small headline price gap.
