One of the most common questions among shoppers is: what credit cards does Costco accept?
If you want to become a Costco member, you should know that the store doesn’t accept just any old credit card. In fact, there’s only one card that will get you through the door — Visa.
But worry not. Even if you don’t have a Visa card, you can still shop at Costco. Here’s how.
Costco Payment Methods
Costco is a membership-only warehouse club that provides a wide variety of merchandise, from groceries to electronics. And in order to shop at Costco, you must have a Costco membership.
As it turns out, not all credit cards are accepted at Costco. Warehouses and Costco gas stations only accept Visa credit cards, debit/ATM, cash, checks, EBT, and Costco Shop Cards.
Meaning, if you have a Mastercard, Discover Card, or American Express, you will not be able to use it at Costco’s brick-and-mortar stores. Moreover, if you’re using a debit card, it has to be a Visa card.
That said, there are some exceptions when it comes to online shopping via Costco.com and Costco app.
What Type of Credit Cards Does Costco Accept
When it comes to shopping at Costco, you can use one of the following payment methods.
Cards That Costco Warehouses Accept
- Most PIN-based Debit/ATM Cards
- The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
- Costco Shop Cards
- All Visa Cards
- Business checks from current Costco Business Members
- Personal checks from current Costco Members
- Cash
- EBT cards
- Mobile Payment (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay)
- Traveler’s checks
Cards That Costco Gas Stations Accept
- All Visa Cards
- The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
- Most PIN-based Debit/ATM Cards
- Costco Shop Cards
Cards That Costco.com Accepts
- The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
- MasterCard
- All Visa Cards
- Most PIN-based Debit/ATM Cards
- Costco Shop Cards
- Discover Cards (Including JCB and Diners Club)
Does Costco Accept MasterCard?
Yes, you can use your MasterCard, but only for online shopping at Costco.com or via Costco app. Costco.com accepts all types of Visa cards, MasterCard, Discover Cards (JCB and Diners Club), PIN-based debit/ATM cards, and Costco Shop Cards.
However, the same can’t be said about Costco warehouses and gas stations. They accept only Visa cards.
Does Costco Accept American Express?
Not any longer. You can’t use your American Express card to shop at Costco’s brick-and-mortar locations or online. In the past, Amex-issued cards were the only paying option at Costco.
Still, that changed in 2016 because the two parties could not agree on a contract extension. This was when Visa became Costco’s exclusive credit card network.
Does Costco Accept Discover Cards?
While you can use your Discover card (including JCB and Diners Club) for online purchases via Costco.com and Costco app, you can’t use it to shop at Costco’s warehouses and gas stations. Again, Costco warehouses and gas stations take only Visa credit cards.
Costco and Visa Credit Cards
Does Costco take Visa credit cards? At this time, Costco accepts all types of Visa credit cards. This includes both personal and business Visa cards. Moreover, you can use Visa to shop at Costco warehouses, gas stations, and online (at Costco.com).
If you’re a Costco member, you can also use your Visa card to pay for your membership fees. You’ll also earn rewards on those purchases, which you can use for future shopping at Costco.
For example, if you use the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi or the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi, you can get 4% off on gas for the first $7,000 per year. Likewise, you can get 3% off on restaurants and travel, and 2% off on all purchases at Costco and Costco.com.
Does Costco Accept Visa Gift Cards?
Yes, Costco does accept Visa gift cards as a form of payment. In fact, you can use your Visa gift card to shop at Costco, both in-store (at warehouses and gas stations) and online (via Costco.com).
In addition to that, you can also use a Discover or a MasterCard gift card. Note, though, that you’ll be limited to online shopping only. On the other hand, if you own an American Express gift card, you won’t be able to use it at all.
Unfortunately, there are no Visa gift cards for sale at Costco itself. Customers can buy Visa Gift cards at Kroger, CVS, or Walmart.
Why Does Costco Only Take Visa Cards?
There are a few reasons. First of all, Visa is one of the largest credit card companies in the world and has had a long-standing relationship with Costco. In 2016, Visa became Costco’s exclusive credit card network.
Secondly, only accepting one type of credit card makes things simpler for both customers and employees. And lastly, it saves Costco money on processing fees.
In fact, in exchange for accepting Visa cards only, Costco’s warehouse club pays lower merchant fees (less than 0.4%). This way, they can keep their prices low.
Bonus: Cash Options
Does Costco take cash? Yes, as a Costco member, besides using your Visa card, you can also purchase things using the almighty dollar. However, this rule only applies to Costco warehouses.
In other words, you can’t use cash to buy things from Costco gas stations and car washes. As previously mentioned, they only accept Visa cards, Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi, most PIN-based debit/ATM cards, and Costco Shop Cards.
Conclusion
So, what types of credit cards does Costco accept? All types of Visa cards, given that Visa is Costco’s exclusive credit card network.
However, if you’re looking to shop online or through the Costco app, besides Visa, you can also use your MasterCard, Discover, debit/ATM, or even a Costco Shop Card. Just avoid using American Express cards — they won’t work at Costco at all!
FAQs
Does Costco accept debit cards too?
Yes, Costco accepts debit cards that have a personal identification number (PIN) but only if they are Visa debit cards. You can use your Visa debit card to shop at Costco’s warehouses and gas stations, as well as Costco.com and Costco app.
What types of payments are accepted at Costco?
All types of Visa cards, cash, personal and business checks, most PIN-based debit/ATM cards, EBT cards, and Costco Shop Cards are accepted as forms of payment at Costco warehouses.
Regarding Costco gas stations, you can use: Visa cards, Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi, PIN-based debit/ATM cards, and Costco Shop Cards.
MasterCard and Discover are not accepted at Costco warehouses, but you can use them for online purchases made at Costco.com or Costco app.
Can you use a Visa or MasterCard at Costco?
While you can use your Visa card to purchase things from Costco, both in-store and online, if you have a MasterCard, you can only use it to buy things from Costco.com. MasterCard is not accepted as a payment method at Costco warehouses and gas stations.
Why does Costco not accept Mastercard?
Costco has decided not to accept Mastercard as a form of payment because they have an exclusive deal with Visa.
Hence, you can use any Visa card to shop at Costco. Still, you won’t be able to use other types of credit cards (such as MasterCard, Discover, or American Express) for in-store purchases at warehouses and gas stations.
Nevertheless, Costco members can still use their MasterCard for online shopping at Costco.com.
So, what credit cards does Costco accept for online shopping? MasterCard, Discover Cards (Including JCB and Diners Club), PIN-based debit/ATM cards, and Costco Shop Cards.
