Costco is America’s favorite warehouse club, boasting almost twice as many members as its next-biggest rival, Sam’s Club, despite its more expensive membership fees. Another important distinction between the retailers is the payment methods each one accepts. For instance, while you can use any major credit card to check out at Sam’s Club stores, Costco stores only accept a single credit card brand.
Here’s everything you need to know about what payment methods Costco accepts at its stores, food courts, gas stations, website, and mobile app.
Payment methods accepted at Costco stores & food courts
|
Accepted |
Not accepted |
|
Cash |
Mastercard credit cards |
|
Checks (including traveler’s checks) |
American Express credit cards |
|
Debit/ATM cards |
Discover credit cards |
|
Visa credit cards |
— |
|
Costco Shop Cards |
— |
|
EBT cards |
— |
|
Digital wallets like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, etc. (if the underlying payment method is a debit card or Visa credit card) |
— |
Payment methods accepted at Costco gas stations & car washes
|
Accepted |
Not accepted |
|
Debit/ATM cards |
Cash |
|
Visa credit cards |
Checks |
|
Costco Shop Cards |
Mastercard credit cards |
|
Digital wallets like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, etc. (if the underlying payment method is a debit card or Visa credit card) |
American Express credit cards |
|
— |
Discover credit cards |
|
— |
EBT cards |
Related: Costco vs. Sam’s Club: Memberships, prices & perks compared
Payment methods accepted at Costco.com and on the Costco app
|
Accepted |
Not accepted |
|
Debit/ATM cards |
Cash |
|
Visa credit cards |
Checks |
|
Mastercard credit cards |
American Express credit cards |
|
Costco Shop Cards |
Discover credit cards |
|
— |
EBT cards |
|
— |
Digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc. |
Does Costco accept EBT cards online? Yes and no
It’s important to note that while you cannot pay for SNAP-eligible items at Costco.com with an EBT card, you can use your EBT card to pay for eligible items for same-day delivery.
This is because Costco’s same-day delivery system is serviced by Instacart, which accepts EBT. You can access Costco’s same-day delivery portal and add your EBT card as a payment method at sameday.costco.com, in the Costco app, or through the Instacart app.
Related: How much is a Sam’s Club membership? Club vs. Plus explained
