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Costco Membership plans compared

The yearly membership card you need to shop at Costco warehouses and on costco.com. Costco Membership currently sells 2 plans in the US, from $5.42 a month. Here is what each one includes and who it suits.

Which Costco Membership plan is right for you?

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Current Costco Membership plans and prices

Verified September 21, 2026 from Costco Membership's official pages. Prices are before tax and can change.

Gold Star Membership

$5.42 a month

or $65 a year

Best for: Anyone who shops at Costco occasionally – under roughly $3,250 of spending a year, this is the cheaper choice.

  • Money back at the end of the year0%
  • Getting in before the doors open to everyone elseNot included
  • Cards for other people in your home2

Executive Membership

$10.83 a month

or $130 a year

Best for: Regular Costco shoppers – once you spend more than about $3,250 a year, the 2% back more than covers the extra $65.

  • Money back at the end of the year2%
  • Getting in before the doors open to everyone elseNot verified
  • Cards for other people in your home2

Some details of this plan could not be verified from official pages.

What actually differs between the plans

Only 2 things change as you move up the Costco Membership plans: money back at the end of the year, getting in before the doors open to everyone else. Everything else is the same on every plan, so those are the only questions worth asking yourself.

Differences between Costco Membership plans
PlanPriceMoney back at the end of the yearGetting in before the doors open to everyone else
Gold Star Membership$5.42/mo0%Not included
Executive Membership$10.83/mo2%Not verified

Head-to-head comparisons

Common questions about Costco Membership plans

Which membership is right for me?

It comes down to how much you spend. The Executive card costs $65 more but pays back 2% of what you spend at Costco. So if you spend more than about $3,250 a year – roughly $270 a month – the Executive card pays for itself. Below that, stick with Gold Star.

How do I get the 2% back?

Costco posts you a certificate once a year, usually with your renewal notice. You take it into the warehouse and it comes off your bill, or you can ask for it in cash at the membership desk. It is capped at $1,250 a year and it never expires.

Can I change my mind?

Yes. Costco will refund the whole membership fee at any time if you are not satisfied, and if you upgrade to Executive and your 2% reward does not cover the extra $65, Costco will refund the difference. So there is little risk in trying the Executive card for a year.

Can my wife or husband use my card?

They need their own card, but one extra card for another adult at your address is included in the fee at no extra charge. Take them to the membership desk with proof that they live with you and they will be issued a card on the spot.

Where this information comes from

Included as the catalogue's example of the 'other' category - a shop membership rather than a media or software subscription. Both memberships are sold by the year only; there is no monthly option. Current US fees: Gold Star $65, Executive $130, both effective 1 September 2024 per Costco's own investor news release, which also confirms the Executive 2% reward cap rising from $1,000 to $1,250. Costco Business memberships ($65) exist but are aimed at businesses buying for resale and are excluded from this consumer catalogue. IMPORTANT DATA-QUALITY NOTE: Costco's customer service site (customerservice.costco.com) blocks automated reading, and two Costco pages disagree with each other - costco.com/executive-rewards.html was still quoting the pre-2024 figures ($55 upgrade, $110 renewal, $750 cap) at the time of checking, while costco.com/my-life-executive-membership-benefits.html and the investor release give $65, $130 and $1,250. The newer figures are recorded. The extra early-morning shopping hours for Executive members could not be confirmed from any page that would load, so that feature is blank rather than guessed.

BetterTier is not affiliated with Costco Membership. Plan names are used only to identify the plans being compared.

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