Does Costco offer free or discounted memberships? (2024)

FAQs

Does Costco offer free or discounted memberships? ›

Costco doesn't offer free or discounted memberships, but rest assured that the cost of membership can be recovered quickly thanks to massive price savings once you start shopping.

When you join as a new member online at costco.com and enroll in auto renewal of your annual membership, you'll receive a free $30 Digital Costco Shop Card.

When you pay $60 for an annual Costco membership on StackSocial, you'll receive a digital $40 Digital Costco Shop Card, which brings the total cost of your membership down to an impressive $20.

As of 2024, Costco does not offer a specific discount for seniors on either memberships or in-store purchases. The starting price of a Costco membership is $60 per year, paid in one lump sum. Costco discounts on hearing aids, gas, and general merchandise make a membership worth it for seniors.

Costco doesn't offer free or discounted memberships, but rest assured that the cost of membership can be recovered quickly thanks to massive price savings once you start shopping.

Costco does not offer free shopping passes. When you visit a Costco warehouse, you'll discover all the valuable savings we have to offer. As a nonmember, you may still purchase prescriptions from a Costco pharmacy with cash, debit, Costco Shop Cards or a Visa® card.

Costco membership is $60* a year. An Executive Membership is an additional $60* upgrade fee per year. Each includes a free Household Card. Please include sales tax in all applicable states.

Costco's membership fees are more expensive and the prices of basic products at Sam's Club are generally cheaper. Costco has more stores worldwide, but Sam's Club has more stores in the U.S.

The fee increase will be modest. Individual Gold Star, Business and Business add-on members in the United States and Canada will pay $5 more for an annual membership — $65, rather than the current rate of $60 per year.

Can I use someone else's Costco card? ›

The Costco membership card is non-transferable, but there are several ways to share the experience with family and friends. Anyone with a card can bring up to two guests to the Warehouse during each visit.

This means that once you've spent more than $3,000 in a single year, the $60 upgrade fee becomes worth it. If you're only looking to go to Costco once a year, then you should probably stick to the basic membership.

You normally need a paid membership to enter Costco. If you have a Costco Shop Card, you'll be allowed in regardless of your membership status -- note that a member will have to buy one for you. If you find you like Costco and can save money by shopping there, it could be worth getting a membership.

You can shop at Costco with a gift card even though you don't have a membership. Costco gift cards are known as Costco Shop Cards. They have no expiration date and are available in amounts from $25 to $2,000. Only members can buy Costco Shop Cards or add money to them, but anyone can use them as payment.

Membership Downgrades / Refunds Simply stop by the membership desk of your local Costco or give our Membership Department a call at 1-800-774-2678.

The entry-level cost of joining Costco is $60.00 per year. If paying the 5% surcharge on your purchases is less than $60, it would not make sense for you to join Costco just to avoid it. You'd be better off doing your online shopping as a non-member and paying the slightly higher prices.

Buy a Costco membership and get a $40 gift card, free.

But if your annual spend regularly tops $3,250, you're better off with the Executive Membership. Every additional dollar you spend after $3,250 will bring your annual fee further and further below $65 and end up saving you money in the long run.

Even if you get the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi or the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi, you will still have to pay a Costco membership fee every year. Costco Credit Card users do not receive discounts on membership fees, either.