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The Kitchn compared Costco and Sam’s Club across membership fees, returns, credit-card rewards, store brands, prices and food courts. Its findings are a consumer comparison based on the writer’s research and experience, not a controlled price study; costs and policies can change.
The Kitchn has published a comparison of Costco and Sam’s Club, examining membership fees, return policies, co-branded credit cards, store brands, prices and food courts to help shoppers weigh the two warehouse retailers. The report finds that Costco’s annual fees are slightly higher, while Sam’s Club offers a lower-cost basic membership; the article’s category conclusions reflect its writer’s research and experience, rather than a controlled, store-wide price test.
According to The Kitchn, Costco’s Gold Star membership costs $65 a year, compared with $60 for Sam’s Club’s Club tier. The higher tiers are listed at $130 for Costco Executive and $120 for Sam’s Club Plus. Costco Executive members can earn a 2% annual reward, capped at $1,250, while Sam’s Plus members can earn 2% in Sam’s Cash, capped at $750. The article notes that Sam’s Club periodically discounts first-year memberships, and that Sam’s Cash is redeemable at Sam’s Club rather than being general-purpose cash.
The report says both retailers offer a satisfaction guarantee on memberships and merchandise. It describes Costco returns as generally easy to make with a membership card, while noting exceptions and a 90-day return window for major appliances and certain other categories. Sam’s Club typically prefers a receipt and reserves the right to limit returns; some items, including electronics and cell phones, have restricted return windows. The Kitchn’s writer gives Costco the edge for the simplicity of its return process, while stressing that both stores have limits.
Both retailers offer branded credit cards with rewards, but the programs work differently. The report lists Costco card rewards on eligible fuel, travel, restaurants and purchases, and says Sam’s Club cardholders can earn on fuel and dining, with different Sam’s Cash rates for Club and Plus members on in-store purchases. The article also compares Kirkland Signature and Member’s Mark, as well as prices and food courts. Its supplied text does not provide a full basket of matched product prices or detailed food-court findings, so those categories cannot be reduced to a verified numerical winner here.
How Fees and Returns Shape Value
The comparison matters because a warehouse membership is an annual commitment, and its value depends on more than the shelf price of a single item. A $5 difference between basic annual fees may matter to occasional shoppers, while people who buy frequently may care more about reward limits, return convenience, store locations and whether bulk packages fit their household.
Reward figures should not be treated as guaranteed savings: members must qualify through eligible spending, and Sam’s Cash has a retailer-specific redemption limit. Likewise, a return policy’s broad promise does not remove category exceptions. Shoppers comparing the clubs should check the current terms and calculate likely spending against the annual fee before choosing.
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Two Membership Tiers, Different Rewards
The Kitchn’s writer says she has been a Costco member for 14 years and previously held Sam’s Club membership intermittently. For the comparison, she says she researched both retailers online, reviewed their websites and apps, and spoke with friends. That background gives the report a mix of personal experience and desk research, but it is not a formal audit of every warehouse or product.
The article describes two membership levels at each retailer and says both provide two complimentary household cards. It also notes differences in joining: Sam’s Club members can use a virtual membership card after signing up online, while Costco members need a photograph taken to complete their card. The report says Sam’s Club offers a free guest option for online shopping with a 10% surcharge on purchases, but not free in-person shopping or pickup.
“All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.”
— The Kitchn
Price Tests and Policy Limits
The supplied report text does not show the full price comparison, the specific products or locations used, or a matched shopping basket. It also cuts off during its discussion of store brands, before giving complete findings on product availability and the food courts. As a result, the available material does not establish which retailer is cheaper overall or which food court offers better value.
Fees, reward terms and return rules may change, and exceptions depend on product type and purchase details. The article’s prices were accurate when it was published, but the source excerpt does not provide a publication date. Readers should confirm current membership rates, card terms and return windows directly with each retailer.
Check Current Terms Before Joining
No follow-up event is identified in the report. Shoppers can compare the retailers using their expected annual spending, nearby warehouse access and the products they actually buy, then verify current fees and policy exceptions on Costco’s and Sam’s Club’s websites. A meaningful price comparison would require checking the same product sizes and brands at both retailers, including any online or location-specific differences.
Key Questions
Which basic membership costs less?
The Kitchn lists Sam’s Club Club membership at $60 per year and Costco Gold Star at $65 per year. Promotional offers and current fees may differ.
Which retailer has the higher top-tier reward cap?
The report lists Costco Executive’s 2% annual reward with a $1,250 cap, compared with Sam’s Club Plus’s 2% Sam’s Cash reward capped at $750. Eligibility and redemption terms apply.
Are Costco and Sam’s Club returns unlimited?
No. The Kitchn describes broad satisfaction guarantees at both stores, but lists exclusions and time limits, including restricted windows for some electronics and a 90-day Costco window for major appliances.
Does the comparison prove one store is cheaper overall?
No. The available source material does not include a complete matched-basket price test, so it does not establish an overall lower-cost retailer.
Can Sam’s Club rewards be used anywhere?
The report says Sam’s Cash can be spent at Sam’s Club. Costco and Sam’s Club credit-card rewards have separate terms, so cardholders should check each issuer’s current rules.
Source: thekitchn.com
