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Costco Membership Deal: Pay $65, Get $45 Back, and Earn Kudos Boost on Top
September 27, 2026
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Who doesn't want a Costco membership? Free samples, the rotisserie chicken, and a $1.50 hot dog combo that's basically a national treasure.
Right now, getting in the door costs a lot less. New members get a $45 Digital Costco Shop Card with a Gold Star or Executive membership, so a $65 Gold Star membership works out to just $20 for the year.
The offer runs through December 20, 2026, right as holiday shopping peaks. And if you buy through Groupon with Kudos, you also earn Kudos Boost on the purchase.
What Is the Costco $45 Shop Card Deal?
Costco is giving new members a $45 Digital Costco Shop Card when they buy a one-year membership. The promotion works with both membership tiers:
- Gold Star membership: $65 per year
- Executive membership: $130 per year
You pay the regular membership price. The $45 Shop Card arrives by email after you sign up, and you can spend it in Costco warehouses or on Costco.com.
The deal is available directly from Costco and through Groupon. Groupon is the route that lets you earn Kudos Boost.
How Much Does a Costco Membership Cost With This Deal?
With the $45 Shop Card, a Gold Star membership effectively costs $20 for your first year. An Executive membership effectively costs $85.
- Gold Star: $65 fee minus the $45 Shop Card = $20 effective first-year cost
- Executive: $130 fee minus the $45 Shop Card = $85 effective first-year cost
Calculation formulated by Kudos, based on the annual membership fee minus the $45 Digital Costco Shop Card value. Does not include Kudos Boost, taxes, or Executive membership rewards.
The $20 figure assumes you spend the full Shop Card at Costco, which is easy to do on a single grocery run. The Boost you earn through Groupon lowers your net cost a little further.
Kudos Tip: Kudos Premium and Lifetime members get 100% of the commission as Boost, compared with 80% for free members. If you're buying a Costco membership and doing your holiday shopping through Kudos, that extra 20% adds up. Check joinkudos.com for current Premium pricing.
Who Qualifies for the Costco New Member Offer?
The Shop Card is for new members only. You qualify if you have not held a Primary, Household, or Affiliate Costco membership in the past 18 months.
If you were added to someone else's membership as a Household cardholder within that window, you don't count as new. Check before you buy so you aren't surprised when the Shop Card doesn't arrive.
Do You Have to Set Up Auto-Renew?
Yes. To get the $45 Shop Card, you must enroll in auto-renewal with a Visa card at checkout. If you don't want the membership to renew next year, set a calendar reminder to turn off auto-renew before your renewal date.
What Else Should You Know?
- The offer ends December 20, 2026.
- The Shop Card is delivered by email after you join, not at checkout.
- Expect a limit of one membership and one Shop Card per household.
What Is Kudos Boost and How Does It Work?
Kudos Boost is cashback you earn when you shop at partner stores through Kudos. When you buy through a Kudos link or the Kudos browser extension, the store pays Kudos a commission, and Kudos passes that commission back to you as Boost.
- What it's worth: every 100 Boost equals $1.
- How much you keep: free Kudos members get 80% of the commission as Boost. Kudos Premium and Lifetime members get 100%.
- How to cash out: redeem your Boost for PayPal cash or Amazon gift cards.
Boost is separate from your credit card rewards. You still earn your card's usual points, miles, or cash back on the same purchase, so Boost is extra value on top.
Kudos Premium pricing changes from time to time, so check joinkudos.com for the current price.
How to Earn Kudos Boost on Your Costco Membership
Buying your membership through Groupon lets you stack Kudos Boost on top of the $45 Shop Card. Here's how:
- Get Kudos. Download the Kudos app or add the free browser extension at joinkudos.com.
- Shop through Kudos. Go to Groupon through Kudos and open the Costco membership deal. Check the Kudos extension for Groupon's current Boost rate.
- Pick your membership. Choose Gold Star or Executive.
- Enroll in auto-renew with a Visa. This step is required for the Shop Card.
- Watch your inbox. Costco emails your membership details, then sends the $45 Digital Costco Shop Card. Your Boost shows up in Kudos once Groupon confirms the purchase.
How much Boost you earn depends on your Kudos plan. Kudos Premium and Lifetime members get 100% of the commission Kudos earns from Groupon as Boost, and free members get 80%. On the same Costco membership, a Premium member earns a quarter more Boost than a free member.
Ready to stack your savings? Shop the Costco deal on Groupon with Kudos and earn Boost on your new membership.
What Are the Best Credit Cards to Use at Costco?
U.S. Costco warehouses only take Visa credit cards, so your best Costco card has to be a Visa. Two stand out.
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi is made for Costco members, and it doubles as your membership card. There's no annual fee with a paid Costco membership. Here's what it earns:
- 5% cash back on gas at Costco and 4% on other eligible gas and EV charging, on the first $7,000 in combined spend per year, then 1%
- 3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel, including Costco Travel
- 2% cash back on all other purchases from Costco and Costco.com
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
The catch: your cash back arrives once a year as a reward certificate after your February statement closes, and you redeem it at a U.S. Costco warehouse. You also need an active Costco membership to apply, so this is a card to get after you join. Our full Costco Anywhere Visa review has more detail.
[[ SINGLE_CARD * {"id": "751", "isExpanded": "false", "bestForCategoryId": "15", "bestForText": "Costco Members", "headerHint": "UP TO 5% ON COSTCO GAS"} ]]
Fidelity® Rewards Visa Signature® Card
If you'd rather not wait a year for your rewards, the Fidelity® Rewards Visa Signature® Card earns unlimited 2% cash back when you deposit your rewards into an eligible Fidelity account, with no annual fee. That matches the Costco card's rate on Costco purchases and beats its 1% on everyday spending outside its bonus categories.
The trade-off is that you need a Fidelity account to get the full 2%, and you give up the Costco card's higher rates on gas and dining.
[[ SINGLE_CARD * {"id": "887", "isExpanded": "false", "bestForCategoryId": "15", "bestForText": "Flat 2% at Costco and Beyond", "headerHint": "UNLIMITED 2% CASH BACK"} ]]
Does Your Card Earn Rewards on the Membership Itself?
Probably not at its Costco rate. A membership bought on Groupon usually codes as a Groupon purchase, not a Costco purchase, so expect your card's base rate on this transaction. The bonus rates above apply to your Costco runs after you join.
Kudos tip: Add your cards to Kudos and it tells you which one to use at each checkout, including Costco. Want to compare more Visa options? Browse the Kudos Explore tool.
Gold Star vs. Executive: Which Costco Membership Should You Get?
Pick Gold Star if you want the cheapest entry point, and Executive if you'll spend more than about $3,250 a year at Costco. The $45 Shop Card applies to both, so the deal itself doesn't tip the decision.
Executive members earn an annual 2% Reward, up to $1,250, on qualified Costco, Costco.com, and Costco Travel purchases, according to Costco. Executive costs $65 more than Gold Star, so you need about $3,250 in qualifying annual spend for the 2% Reward to cover the difference.
Calculation formulated by Kudos, based on the $65 fee difference divided by the 2% Executive Reward rate.
If you're unsure, start with Gold Star at an effective $20. You can upgrade to Executive later at any Costco membership counter.
How Kudos Helps You Save More at Costco
The membership is a one-time purchase, but Costco runs are a habit. Kudos helps you get more from both:
- Boost on partner stores: earn Boost when you shop at Kudos partner stores, including Groupon. Premium and Lifetime members keep 100% of the commission as Boost, and free members keep 80%.
- The right card at checkout: add your cards to Kudos and it recommends the best one for each purchase, so you know which Visa to use at the warehouse.
- Benefits tracking: Kudos Premium tracks your card credits and benefits so you don't leave money on the table.
New to Kudos? Sign up for free and start earning Boost before you buy your Costco membership.
Frequently Asked Questions
When Does the Costco $45 Shop Card Offer End?
The offer is valid through December 20, 2026.
Can Existing Costco Members Get the $45 Shop Card?
No. You must be a new member with no Primary, Household, or Affiliate membership in the past 18 months.
Can I Cancel Auto-Renew After I Get the Shop Card?
You must enroll in auto-renew with a Visa at checkout to qualify. Review Costco's membership terms for how and when you can change your renewal settings afterward.
Is the Costco Deal Better on Groupon?
The Shop Card is the same $45 either way. Buying through Groupon with Kudos adds Kudos Boost on top, which you can redeem for PayPal cash or Amazon gift cards.
How Much Is 100 Kudos Boost Worth?
100 Boost equals $1. Free Kudos members keep 80% of the commission Kudos earns as Boost, and Kudos Premium and Lifetime members keep 100%.
Does the $45 Shop Card Work on Costco.com?
Yes. You can use the Digital Costco Shop Card at Costco warehouses and on Costco.com.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are those of Kudos alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
