Costco, Sam’s Club or BJ’s: We Figured Out Which is Actually Cheapest

No one likes paying a ton for necessities like groceries. One way many people save money is through warehouse club stores. Buying certain grocery and household items in bulk could save you a ton of money. However, wholesale club memberships can be expensive. And how do you know which one gives you the most bang for your buck? They don’t always let you take a stroll through before you sign up — and besides, comparing all your options takes a lot of footwork. So, we did the warehouse club comparison for you.

5 Ways to Pay for a Warehouse Club Membership

Warehouse Club Comparison on Membership Prices

We put Costco, Sam’s Club and BJ’s head-to-head. We compared not just their membership fees, but the benefits and perks of their membership that can help you save money.

Membership Fees

The first factor is the annual membership fee you’ll pay before you can shop, and what it gets you.

For the purposes of this post, we’ll compare the rates of the base (aka, the cheapest) memberships, which basically just get you in the door. 

The clubs also offer higher tiered memberships with perks like cash-back rewards, but they’re all at least $100. At 2% cash back on select purchase, you’re looking at a $2,000 spend to break even — which isn’t cheap. However, it is probably doable over the course of a whole year if you’re making lots of your purchases at the warehouse. 

Still, let’s low-ball it for the purposes of this post.

• BJ’s costs $55 for a personal membership, and you get a free second card for someone in your household. 
• Costco is the priciest at $65, but like BJ’s, you do get a second member card for free. 
• Sam’s Club’s Savings Membership goes for just $50, the most affordable option of the bunch.

Now, let’s look at each store and see what they offer the average shopper and club member.

BJ’s

First of all, you should know BJ’s is currently running a limited time offer on membership fees. It’s offering a discounted price as low as $20. This offer is only good until Oct. 5, 2024, so act now if you like what BJ’s has to offer.

Basic Membership benefits

A basic BJ’s membership will get you access to 243 warehouses nationwide. Most stores are spread out across the East Coast, particularly in New York and Florida. BJ’s says it offers 25% savings on grocery prices, discounted prices at BJ’s Gas stations, same-day delivery and curbside pick up for all members.

It also offers a discounted rate of $25 for membership fees for the following groups: College students, first responders, veterans, teachers, government employees and medical professionals. This discount and special offer is identical across the board and available year round.

Additional Services

Every BJ’s Warehouse is also equipped with additional services available to all members without any additional costs. This includes a tire and car service center, optical center that can perform eye exams and fill eyeglass prescriptions, a travel service, installation services for home improvement services and an ongoing deal with AT&T for lower rates and up to $1,000 off on trade-ins for AT&T devices. 

Club+ Membership

On top of its basic membership services, BJ’s also offers an advanced plan for $110. The Club+ Card offers additional discounts on gas prices, 2% rewards on most in-store purchases, and no expiration date on rewards.

Costco

Costco doesn’t currently have a discounted price or limited time offer. In fact, the membership cost only recently became $65 and was the store’s first increase since 2017. It does, however, offer an up to $50 gift card for those who apply for the additional Visa Costco Anywhere card.

Basic Membership benefits

Costco operates more than 800 locations spread across the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, and many more countries and territories. It has comparable prices to BJ’s, though some items, especially name brands, are slightly cheaper at Costco. Additionally, it also offers discounted rates at its gas stations, same day delivery and curbside pick-up for all members.

While it does have special offers for the same service groups as BJ’s, including military veterans, college students and educators, it instead offers a one-time gift card of $20 for the standard membership and $40 for the executive membership plan.

Additional Services

Costco stores also offer a variety of additional services. In contrast to BJ’s, it has a full pharmacy service with home delivery options. Costco, likewise to BJ’s, also has a tire service center, optical care center and a travel service. The stores also are famous for their food courts, which continue to sell hot dogs for only $1.50.

Executive Membership

Costco’s advanced membership, the executive card, is available for $130 a year and includes a 2% reward on all purchases, up to $1,000 in savings a year. It also advertises additional discounts on all available services. 

Sam’s Club

Sam’s Club also has a special limited time offer for membership. Already the cheapest membership out of the three, it’s offering a 50% off discount on new memberships, as low as $25. This offer is valid until Oct. 31, 2024.

Basic Membership Benefits

By most estimates, Sam’s Club offers the lowest prices amongst the three main stores. Sam’s Club is a subsidiary of Walmart, so it should be no surprise its 600 locations are similarly spread out across the United States and Puerto Rico. Like its competitors, it offers free curbside pick up and same day delivery.

While it does have discounts available for service groups, the discounts are more varied. Military veterans, for example, receive a 60% discount on membership, down to as low as $20. Meanwhile, it offers college students a 45-day free trial membership.

Additional Services

Like Costco, Sam’s Club does offer an in-store pharmacy, as well as discounted gas stations, tire service, optical care and travel services, similar to both Costco and BJ’s. 

Sam’s Club advanced membership

The Plus Card is available for $110 annually. On top of the standard 2% Reward, the Plus membership also comes with free shipping on orders of $50 or more, 50% off tire installation, extra shopping hours at select locations and $0 prescription services. It also offers a $60 online gift card for T-Mobile.

The Final Verdict

BJ’s, Costco and Sam’s Club all offer unique saving opportunities for shoppers. Far and away, the overall cheapest option is Sam’s Club, which offers the cheapest membership fees, cheapest grocery prices and the most opportunities for additional savings with its advanced membership plan.

With that said, Costco, overall, has the most accessibility and arguably the widest available services and convenience. However, it remains the most expensive for membership fees. 

BJ’s, however, offers significant discounts for service members, and depending on where you live, could be the most convenient location over Costco or Sam’s Club. Either way, all three warehouse store chains are worth exploring if you want to cut down your grocery costs for you and your family. 

William Fewox has worked as a freelance writer since 2017, and his work is featured in literary magazines such as The Aquarian, The Navigator and The Historian. He has also self-published a handful of novels. He has worked as a Social Studies teacher and research assistant in local Florida museums and more recently has worked as an editor for a start-up publishing company. William holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Jacksonville University.

Jamie Cattanach, a former writer at The Penny Hoarder, contributed.