10 Things Sam's Club Does Better Than Costco

Whether you're trying to decide which club membership is best for you or are just interested in the differences, there are several categories where Sam's Club wins against Costco. Granted, Costco has a lot of membership perks beyond its discounted food and gas prices, which might lure you into the store. While Costco is a better choice in some categories, sometimes it's the little things that add up to make Sam's Club the best choice for many people, which is why both clubs can thrive side by side in most cities. So, the real question is which one works best for how you use your club membership?

There are certainly a few annoyances at Costco, like its shorter hours and self-checkout hassles, which can overshadow some of its more favorable attributes, such as its organic food choices and plethora of hidden membership perks. However, you'll find better prices on many things at Sam's Club and perks Costco just doesn't have (especially with a Plus membership), which can tip the scales in its favor. We've taken an in-depth look at what each club has to offer and found that these 10 points are where Sam's Club shines above Costco.

Sam's Club offers a better membership deal, whether you're getting one or several for personal or business use. This is true at every membership level, be it the basic or upgraded version. Here's the breakdown.

The price of the regular membership at Sam's is $15 cheaper than at Costco ($50 vs. $65). If you choose the next level of membership (Plus at Sam's or Executive at Costco), it's $20 cheaper at Sam's ($110 vs. $130). If it's your first time getting a Sam's Club membership, you'll find discounts unavailable to first-time Costco members. These include a variety of coupons as well as 60% off discounts for basic memberships and $50 off for Plus if you fall within several categories, such as being a military personnel, teacher, student, 50 years+, college alum, public benefits receiver, first responder, or government employee.

Adding extra memberships is also cheaper at Sam's. You get one complimentary extra membership at Sam's and Costco. However, it's cheaper to add on extra memberships at Sam's Club, since you pay $20 more per card for extras at Costco ($45 vs. $65).

There are certainly reasons to do your grocery shopping at Costco instead of Sam's Club. A good example is the store's Kirkland Signature brand organic items, which rival alternatives at Whole Foods, but you'll end up spending more on groceries. So, if you're choosing your membership based on grocery prices rather than other potential membership perks, Sam's Club is probably going to be your top choice.

Those who shop at these two clubs tend to find that, if they purchase the same items at both stores, they spend less at Sam's. For most categories of grocery items, Sam's often wins with better prices. Sometimes, the difference is a dollar or less for essentials like eggs, milk, and toilet paper. But some items are significant, like finding filet mignon for about $4.50 cheaper per pound at Sam's. Which one has the best meat department is up for debate since the quality can sometimes be higher at Costco, even though the prices are usually better at Sam's. But, honestly, practically all the steaks at Sam's are excellent. So, it's not like you're getting bad food for less.

Over time, all those savings add up. A price comparison over at Saving Your Tail showed a savings of $1,346 per year for an average family of four when shopping at Sam's versus Costco. We bet your family can think of something to do with that much extra money.

While Costco is piloting a scan-and-go checkout system in a few locations, Sam's Club has had the option for years. This feature turns your phone into a self-checkout and payment system, allowing you to bypass traditional checkout lines. Sam's Club first offered a Scan & Go app in 2016. 

Since 2018, it's been integrated into the Sam's Club app and has seen millions of downloads as people have become more comfortable with the option. It's working out so well that the club announced in 2025 that it plans to eliminate self-checkout in favor of Scan & Go at all its locations. Not only does it help you check out from your cart and allow you to go out the door through the fast lane, but there are other advantages to the Sam's Club Scan & Go app. For one thing, if you scan items before putting them in your cart, you can see a running total, making it easier to stay on budget.

Additionally, if you use the app to pay, you can take advantage of all the yellow sales signs in the store. Moreover, if you get the munchies while shopping, you can order food from the café to be ready when you're done getting groceries. You can even use it to pay for gas. So, you could technically leave your cash and credit card at home if you'd like, if Sam's is your only destination while out and about.

If you're the type of person who likes to get your groceries via curbside pickup, the only one of the two chains that offers it is Sam's Club. Even if you only utilize this option occasionally, it's still helpful when you don't want to drag everyone inside, aren't feeling well, are tired, or for a multitude of other reasons. So, having this option can be a deciding factor for many when picking a club.

There are a few restrictions for Sam's curbside pickup if you're a regular club member, though. As a basic member, you can't do pickup until 10:00 a.m. or after, but Plus members can get their groceries curbside as early as 7:00 a.m. (except Sundays, when early pickup starts at 8:00 a.m.). However, curbside pickup is free for all member levels, with no restrictions on order size.

For a long time, Costco didn't even have in-store pickup, let alone curbside pickup. However, in 2021, it began installing pickup lockers inside the store in some locations. That experiment, in 2023, led some locations to allow people to shop online and pick up the items in the store, which seems to be a more widespread offering now. Granted, it's not the same as curbside pickup, and eligible items are often technology and jewelry. However, it's better than nothing.

Sam's Club has the most payment options between the two clubs. However, it's the limited credit card options at Costco that can be the deciding factor when choosing. Let's look a little more closely at what you can and can't use for payment at each store. Both take cash, checks, most pin-based debit cards, and EBT cards, including SNAP. Sam's takes Healthy Benefits+. Meanwhile, Costco accepts traveler's checks, InComm cards, and Optum MedFlex cards. Interestingly enough, Costco is also the only option that takes mobile phone payments through Apple, Google, and Samsung Pay apps.

When it comes to credit cards, both take Visa, but only Sam's accepts American Express, MasterCard, and Discover. So, if you've got a Visa credit card, you're golden at Costco, but if you want to pay with most other credit cards, you're out of luck. As such, you won't be earning points on your favorite card unless it's a Visa. Of course, that's probably because the company would prefer for you to pay with its Costco Anywhere Visa Card. There are a handful of payment options where Costco also accepts MasterCards, like for health savings or flexible spending accounts at the Costco pharmacy and other health services, as well as for Filtered Spend accounts. However, your credit card options are limited otherwise.

Buying in bulk has its advantages when items are individually packaged and not as quickly perishable. However, when it comes to freshly baked goods that expire quickly, you might prefer smaller packages so you don't waste food and money when you're unable to consume everything. If that's the case, you're better off buying baked goods from Sam's a lot of the time.

Let's look at a few examples. If you want blueberry muffins, you'll have to buy an 8-pack at Costco, whereas Sam's has a 6-pack. While you may be able to get a tray of 15 fresh specialty cookies from Sam's bakery, the smallest we found at Costco was a 24-pack. If you're looking for something less sweet and opt for bagels, you can get a half-dozen bag at Sam's. However, your only choice at Costco is to buy two bags at once, which is a full dozen. So, if large quantities are what you need, even for fresh bakery items, Costco is a good option. However, if you don't have a lot of people to feed and don't like the idea of freezing your bulk-baked goods, then Sam's Club may be the better option for you.

Even if you opt for self-checkout rather than using the Scan & Go option in the app, Sam's Club still provides a more pleasant experience. The exit process is what really sets the two apart, but there are some other differences, too. Many Sam's Clubs now have quick-exit arches that scan your cart before you reach the door to ensure that you've paid for everything. Once the employees at the door clear you, you're ready to walk right out. 

While it can be embarrassing if you accidentally miss something during the self-checkout or Scan & Go process, you won't be treated like a criminal because it's a common mishap. Even if your location doesn't have arches yet, our experience is that the employees at the door tend to only scan a handful of items to ensure you've paid for them rather than the entire cart.

Meanwhile, over at Costco, people on social media have reported not being allowed to use hand scanners on large bulk items in self-checkout before putting them on the scale to weigh them. Hand scanners are supposed to be for employees only. Customers also report having their purchases scrutinized both at the self-checkout and then again at the door. Everything is rescanned and signed off on to ensure customers aren't trying to make a dash for it with unpurchased items.

While there are car washes available at some Costcos, they're never free like they are for some Sam's Club members. So, if you've wondered why there's such a long queue for the simple car washes at Sam's, it's because many of the people in line are waiting for a free one after filling up with gas.

Keep in mind that the free car wash is only available to Plus members and offered at a handful of locations — some do not even give the service to Plus members. So, you'll want to check your local fuel center listing online to see if the service is available. If yours has it, and you're a Plus member, you simply need to scan your membership card in lieu of payment. However, some people on social media report that their location uses RFID tags instead.

It's been our experience that there's only one free wash per day per membership. So, if your family has multiple cards, you might want to let the other cardholders on your account know when you're going to the car wash, so they don't get stuck paying for theirs. It's all about creating an efficient system to enjoy this perk.

If you're an early bird or like to do your grocery shopping after school drop-off, your best bet is Sam's Club. However, you must have the right membership type for this option. Sam's Club opens for everyone at 9:00 a.m. However, Plus members can shop a full hour before the club opens for other shoppers. So, if you're out and about as early as 8:00 a.m., you're welcome to shop if you have Plus. Plus members can actually shop two hours before the regular opening time if they're willing to do curbside pickup rather than in-store shopping, with the former starting at 7:00 a.m., versus 9:00 a.m. for regular club members. It also shuts down operations every evening at 8:00 p.m., which is much later than Costco's closing hours on weekends.

Meanwhile, over at Costco, the earliest time anyone can shop is at 9:00 a.m. However, this is just for the higher-tier members who have Executive-level membership. If you have the lowest tier membership (Gold Star) or a business membership, you generally have to wait until 10:00 a.m. to shop. However, your location might have a 9:30 a.m. opening time on Saturdays. For many, such a late opening time is far from convenient. While you might find Costco open a little longer than Sam's, Monday through Friday (we've found places where it's open until 8:30 p.m.), it tends to close early on the weekends. As such, you'll have to get your shopping done as early as 7:00 p.m. on Saturdays and 6:00 p.m. on Sundays.

Finally, one more thing Sam's Club does better than Costco is having cheaper gas prices. So, if part of the reason you're thinking of joining one club or the other relates to getting lower gas prices, then Sam's Club is likely to win a few points with you in this category.

Netizens who have both clubs in their city, as well as those who have compared gas prices in various cities and states, have found that the average savings per gallon tends to be higher at Sam's Club than at other gas stations. The savings amount might just be a few pennies. However, those extra pennies can add up over the course of the year, which can be especially helpful if you're on a tight budget, do a lot of driving, or drive a gas guzzler.

If you're the kind of person who will drive out of their way for a few pennies in savings when it comes to gas prices, you're going to want to check out which of the two clubs has the best gas deals in your area. While Sam's is cheapest on average, you still might find that Costco is cheaper in your city.