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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →To get the most value from Costco, compare your likely savings and useful services with the membership fee—and count only purchases that qualify for Executive’s 2% reward. At the prices Costco Customer Service published on March 16, 2026, Executive costs $65 more per year than Gold Star. That added fee equals a $65 reward after about $3,250 in qualifying annual purchases made after upgrading. It is a break-even estimate, not a guarantee of savings.
Start by deciding whether Executive fits your spending
Costco’s March 16, 2026 customer-service answer lists Gold Star at $65 per year and says Executive costs an additional $65 per year. Executive members can earn an annual 2% reward on qualifying purchases, subject to Costco’s rules and a maximum reward of $1,250 in a 12-month period. Check the current price at Costco’s membership checkout before joining or upgrading: Costco’s pages have also displayed different prices at different times.
Using the cited $65 upgrade fee and 2% rate, the arithmetic is $65 ÷ 0.02 = $3,250 in qualifying spending. That is the amount needed for the reward to equal the added fee, before accounting for refunds or other reward rules. It assumes you hold Executive before making the purchases, and spend in eligible categories. Your own result may be lower or higher.
| Choice | Annual cost in Costco Customer Service’s March 16, 2026 answer | What to weigh |
|---|---|---|
| Gold Star | $65 | Base membership cost; no Executive 2% reward. |
| Executive | $130 total: $65 Gold Star plus a $65 upgrade | Potential 2% reward on qualifying purchases after upgrading, plus any Executive benefits you will actually use. |
These prices are tied to the dated customer-service answer, not a promise of today’s checkout price. Costco’s Join Costco page says upgrade fees can be prorated for the remaining membership period. If you upgrade partway through your year, use the amount Costco quotes for your remaining term when estimating your break-even point.
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#1 Best Overall
- Gift Cards are shipped active and ready for use.
- This card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Funds do not expire. If available funds remain on your card after the valid thru date has passed, please call customer service for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout. No fees after purchase.
- To access your card information safely, type the complete website address shown on your Gift Card (MyGift.GiftCardMall.com) directly into your browser's address bar. Don't use search engines or shortened versions of the website address, as these may lead you to fake or fraudulent sites. Do not provide any Gift Card details (example: Card Number) to someone you do not know or trust. If you believe you've reached an illegitimate website, contact cardholder service at 1-888-524-1283. Be cautious of phishing sites, there are a variety of scams in which fraudsters try to trick others into paying with gift cards.
- To report your Lost or Stolen Physical Visa Card, call Customer Service 24/7 at 1 (888) 524-1283 to cancel your Gift Card as soon as you can. You will be asked to provide the Gift Card number and other identifying information.
- Use your Visa Gift Card in the U.S. everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted, including online.
Calculate qualifying spending, not total Costco spending
Base the estimate on eligible purchases by the primary member and active primary household cardholder. Purchases made before the upgrade do not count. Costco excludes gasoline and food court purchases from the U.S. Executive reward, and its rules also identify other state-specific and transaction-specific exclusions. Read the current Executive Reward terms and exclusions rather than treating your warehouse receipt total as eligible spend.
- Estimate a year of spending. Use the purchases you expect to make after upgrading, not a particularly large past month or a one-time stock-up.
- Remove ineligible purchases. Separate gasoline, food court spending, refunds, and any other excluded transactions listed in Costco’s terms.
- Check whose purchases count. Include only qualifying purchases by the primary and active primary household cardholder.
- Apply the rate. Multiply the remaining eligible spend by 0.02, subject to Costco’s reward rules and the $1,250 cap per 12-month period.
- Compare with the actual upgrade fee. If the estimated reward is below the fee, decide whether other Executive benefits you would use make up the difference for you.
For example, $4,000 in qualifying purchases after upgrading would produce a simple estimate of $80 at 2%, before refunds and other adjustments. This is a calculation, not a promise of the final reward.
Rank #2
- Gift Cards are shipped active and ready for use.
- This card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Funds do not expire. If available funds remain on your card after the valid thru date has passed, please call customer service for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout. No fees after purchase.
- To access your card information safely, type the complete website address shown on your Gift Card (MyGift.GiftCardMall.com) directly into your browser's address bar. Don't use search engines or shortened versions of the website address, as these may lead you to fake or fraudulent sites. Do not provide any Gift Card details (example: Card Number) to someone you do not know or trust. If you believe you've reached an illegitimate website, contact cardholder service at 1-888-524-1283. Be cautious of phishing sites, there are a variety of scams in which fraudsters try to trick others into paying with gift cards.
- To report your Lost or Stolen Physical Visa Card, call Customer Service 24/7 at 1 (888) 524-1283 to cancel your Gift Card as soon as you can. You will be asked to provide the Gift Card number and other identifying information.
- Use your Visa Gift Card in the U.S. everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted, including online.
Keep tempting but excluded spending out of the reward estimate
Gasoline
U.S. gasoline purchases do not earn the Executive 2% reward. Costco advertises member-only gasoline pricing, which may have separate value if the station is convenient and its price compares favorably with your alternatives. Treat that as a separate comparison, not as reward-eligible spending.
Food court
Food court purchases are excluded from the U.S. Executive reward. Leave them out of the 2% calculation.
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- Amazon.com Gift Cards never expire and carry no fees.
- Multiple gift card designs and denominations to choose from.
- Redeemable towards millions of items store-wide at Amazon.com or certain affiliated websites.
- Available for immediate delivery. Gift cards sent by email can be scheduled up to a year in advance.
- No returns and no refunds on Gift Cards.
Costco Travel
Costco says some direct Costco Travel purchases can qualify after travel is completed, and the member must have Executive status when the travel begins. Some charges and third-party travel are excluded. Confirm the specific booking and charge against Costco’s reward terms; do not assume the full cost of a trip earns 2%.
Costco Customer Service also says that, starting June 4, 2026, a Costco-exclusive 15% discount on activities, tours, and excursions booked through CostcoTravel.com is applied automatically at checkout through its Viator partnership. Those excursions do not count toward the Executive annual reward. This dated offer can change, so check the booking terms before relying on it.
Rank #4
- Gift Cards are shipped active and ready for use.
- This card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Funds do not expire. If available funds remain on your card after the valid thru date has passed, please call customer service for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout. No fees after purchase.
- To access your card information safely, type the complete website address shown on your Gift Card (MyGift.GiftCardMall.com) directly into your browser's address bar. Don't use search engines or shortened versions of the website address, as these may lead you to fake or fraudulent sites. Do not provide any Gift Card details (example: Card Number) to someone you do not know or trust. If you believe you've reached an illegitimate website, contact cardholder service at 1-888-524-1283. Be cautious of phishing sites, there are a variety of scams in which fraudsters try to trick others into paying with gift cards.
- To report your Lost or Stolen Physical Visa Card, call Customer Service 24/7 at 1 (888) 524-1283 to cancel your Gift Card as soon as you can. You will be asked to provide the Gift Card number and other identifying information.
- Use your Visa Gift Card in the U.S. everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted, including online.
Services and other transactions
Costco lists pharmacy, optical, tire, and other services among its membership offerings, but not every service charge or related transaction qualifies for the reward. Costco’s exclusions include some service fees and service-related charges. Check the exact purchase in the current exclusions list, and compare the local price and convenience with alternatives you would genuinely use.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Look for value you would use even without the reward
Executive is not automatically the best choice just because Costco offers many services. Make a separate list of benefits relevant to your household, then assign value only where you have checked availability and terms and would otherwise pay for the service.
Best Value
- Cards are shipped active and ready for use.
- This card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Funds do not expire. If available funds remain on your card after the valid thru date has passed, please call customer service for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout. No fees after purchase.
- Double check if the URL/website is genuine before entering card details online. Do not provide any gift card details (example: claim code) to someone you do not know or trust. There are a variety of scams in which fraudsters try to trick others into paying with gift cards.
- If you believe that your Card has been lost or stolen, notify Mastercard immediately by calling 1-833-791-7288. You will be asked to provide the Gift Card number and other identifying information.
- Use your Mastercard Gift Card in the U.S. everywhere Mastercard debit cards are accepted, including online. Your Amazon.com Balance cannot be used to purchase Mastercard gift cards.
- Gasoline: compare the member price with nearby alternatives, including the extra time or distance required to use the warehouse station.
- Pharmacy, optical, and tires: compare the actual item, service, and local availability with your usual provider. Do not assume every related charge earns the reward.
- Travel: compare the full itinerary, terms, and dates with other options. Costco promotes vacations, hotels, cruises, and rental cars; value depends on the booking that suits your trip.
- Delivery offers: a Costco comparison page has displayed a $10 monthly credit on an eligible SameDay.Costco.com order of $150 or more, powered by Instacart. The offer is not established as available to every account or location, so check your account and checkout before counting it.
Buying in bulk is useful only when your household will use what it buys. If you stock up on dry goods, airtight pantry containers may help keep quantities organized; that is a practical household choice, not a Costco endorsement or proof of savings.
Know when the reward accrues and how you can redeem it
The reward begins accruing on qualifying purchases made after you upgrade; earlier purchases are not retroactively included. Costco’s FAQ says the reward is issued approximately two months before renewal. Plan around that timing rather than expecting an immediate discount at checkout.
Costco says the reward can be redeemed toward most merchandise at U.S. warehouse front-end registers, but not at self-checkout. Its FAQ says that if you want to use the reward at Costco.com, you can use it at a warehouse to buy a Costco Shop Card. Check Costco’s current reward FAQ for any changes before redeeming.
Choose a membership using your own numbers
- Find the current fee. Use the price shown at Costco checkout; the $65 Gold Star and $65 upgrade figures above come from Costco Customer Service’s March 16, 2026 answer.
- Forecast qualifying spend after the upgrade. Exclude gasoline, food court, refunds, and other excluded transactions; limit the estimate to the eligible cardholders.
- Estimate the reward. Multiply eligible spend by 2%, keeping in mind the $1,250 maximum per 12-month period and the detailed reward rules.
- Add only verified personal value. Include a service, offer, or convenience benefit only if you will use it and have checked its current local terms and alternatives.
- Decide whether to upgrade now or later. Earlier purchases do not count, while Costco says it can prorate an upgrade fee for the remaining membership period. Compare the quoted prorated cost with the qualifying spend you still expect before renewal.
Costco Customer Service states: “We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee and will cancel and refund membership fees at any time if a member is dissatisfied.” This statement concerns membership fees; it does not establish a refund guarantee for merchandise or other products.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
