Sam’s Club vs. Costco (2026)

The $5 annual price gap between these two clubs is no longer the story — the real differences are the ones that compound over years of membership. Here is what the comparison data actually shows, updated with the most recent changes at both clubs.

• 1
  Which club has the lower membership fee after Sam’s Club’s May 2026 increase? Sam’s Club — still cheaper, but just barely now.

  Sam’s Club raised its basic Club membership from $50 to $60 on May 1 — its first price increase since 2022. That puts Sam’s Club’s entry tier just $5 below Costco’s Gold Star ($65), and its Plus tier $10 below Costco’s Executive ($130 vs $120). The price gap has narrowed significantly. But here is what didn’t change: Sam’s Club’s senior discount for adults 50 and older remains active, bringing first-year membership down to approximately $20 for new members. No gap at any price point can match that — Costco charges every member the same $65 regardless of age.
• 2
  Does Sam’s Club offer a senior discount now? Does Costco? Sam’s Club: Yes — approximately $20 for first year, age 50+. Costco: No senior discount at any price.

  Sam’s Club’s verified senior discount brings the first-year Club membership to around $20 for new members age 50 or older — saving $40 off the standard $60 rate. The discount also applies to veterans, active military, first responders, teachers, and healthcare workers through ID.me verification. To be clear about Costco: there is no senior discount, no AARP deal, and no income-based pricing — any page claiming otherwise is either outdated or a scam. Costco charges every member the same flat annual fee regardless of age, income, or circumstance. For a new senior joining for the first time, the Sam’s Club senior discount is the single largest first-year financial advantage either club offers.
• 3
  Which club accepts more types of credit cards in-store? Sam’s Club by a large margin — all major cards accepted. Costco accepts Visa only for credit.

  Sam’s Club accepts Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, and Sam’s Club credit cards in-store and at gas pumps — no restrictions. Costco accepts only Visa credit cards in-store and at the gas pump; Mastercard is accepted only on Costco.com; Discover and American Express are not accepted anywhere at Costco. For seniors whose primary card is Discover, Mastercard, or American Express — common among people who signed up for rewards cards years ago — this is a practical issue that comes up at every single Costco visit. Sam’s Club requires no workaround regardless of which major card you carry.
• 4
  Has Sam’s Club’s checkout advantage over Costco changed? Sam’s Club still leads, but Costco is trying to catch up — and struggling.

  Sam’s Club’s Scan & Go mobile checkout — which lets members scan items as they shop, pay through the app, and skip checkout entirely — now accounts for more than 50% of all in-store transactions at Sam’s Club. Its Grapevine, Texas location operates with no traditional checkout lanes at all. Costco is testing scan-and-go at 27 locations, but its version is more limited: a Costco employee still has to pre-scan your purchases before you reach the payment station. The American Customer Satisfaction Index ranked Sam’s Club above Costco for the first time ever in 2025, largely driven by the checkout experience. For seniors with mobility limitations or joint pain, avoiding long checkout lines is a real quality-of-life difference — and Sam’s Club still wins that clearly.
• 5
  Which club has better prices on hearing aids — the single biggest health expense for many seniors? Costco — and it’s not close. Costco is now the largest hearing aid retailer in the United States.

  Costco’s hearing aid centers now account for roughly 16% of the entire U.S. retail hearing aid market — a level of volume that gives it purchasing leverage no independent audiologist can match. Prescription hearing aids at Costco run approximately $1,500 to $1,700 per pair, compared to $3,500 to $8,000 at a traditional clinic. That difference of $2,000 to $6,000 on a single purchase can pay for a decade of Costco memberships. The follow-up care — cleanings, adjustments, and fittings — is included at no additional charge. Medicare does not cover hearing aids for most people. If hearing loss is a current or near-future reality, Costco membership justifies itself on hearing care alone.
• 6
  Which premium membership earns more cash back — Sam’s Club Plus or Costco Executive? Costco Executive still earns more — $1,250 cap vs. Sam’s Club’s new $750 cap.

  Sam’s Club raised the Sam’s Cash reward cap from $500 to $750 per year when it increased its membership fee — a meaningful improvement. But Costco’s Executive Membership cap remains $1,250 per year. Both pay the same 2% rate on qualifying purchases. The break-even: at $37,500 per year in Costco spending, you hit the $1,250 cap; at Sam’s Club, you hit the $750 cap at $37,500 per year too (you’d be capped much sooner). For very heavy shoppers — those spending $3,000 or more per month — Costco’s higher cap produces more annual cash back. For moderate shoppers spending $200 to $400 per month, both caps are well above what they’d realistically earn, so the cap difference is largely theoretical. Sam’s Cash is paid monthly (more flexible); Costco issues one annual certificate in February redeemable only in a physical warehouse (less flexible).
• 7
  Which club has better gas and which is better for drivers who want Top Tier fuel? Both save 5–25 cents per gallon versus local stations. Costco fuel is Top Tier certified; Sam’s Club fuel is not.

  Gas savings at both clubs are real and often pay for a significant portion of the annual membership fee for regular drivers. Both typically come in 5 to 25 cents per gallon below local station prices. The meaningful quality difference: Costco sells Top Tier certified gasoline — a higher-detergent standard recommended by major automakers including GM, BMW, Toyota, and Honda for protecting fuel injectors and engine deposits. Sam’s Club meets standard EPA requirements but is not Top Tier certified. For seniors with newer vehicles or those who drive regularly, this is a documented quality advantage that Costco holds. Sam’s Club gas stations accept all payment cards at the pump; Costco requires a Visa card.
• 8
  Can I belong to both clubs at once — and is that the smartest move? Yes — and the combined cost of two basic memberships is still less than Costco Executive alone.

  At $60 (Sam’s Club) + $65 (Costco) = $125 per year combined for basic tiers, holding both memberships costs less than a single Costco Executive Membership at $130 per year. For seniors who live near both clubs, the strategy that experienced warehouse shoppers use most often is to use Sam’s Club for packaged staples and brands where instant savings deals make it cheaper — and Costco for organic produce, Kirkland Signature quality items, hearing aids, and travel deals. Both memberships carry a 100% satisfaction guarantee, so there’s no financial risk to trying both and deciding which is worth keeping after a year of actual use.

Both clubs offer a 100% money-back guarantee on membership. If you are not satisfied at any point during the year, you receive a full refund — no forms, no questions, no hassle.