Kudos has partnered with CardRatings and Red Ventures for our coverage of credit card products. Kudos, CardRatings, and Red Ventures may receive a commission from card issuers. Kudos may receive commission from card issuers. Some of the card offers that appear on Kudos are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. Kudos tries to include as many card companies and offers as we are aware of, including offers from issuers that don't pay us, but we may not cover all card companies or all available card offers. You don't have to use our links, but we're grateful when you do!
Best Credit Cards for Costco in 2026
July 1, 2025
.webp)
The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.
Editor's Picks
Best for most Costco members: The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi earns 5% on gas at Costco and 2% on Costco and Costco.com purchases, and it doubles as your membership card.
Best no-annual-fee pick for warehouse spending: The Venmo Credit Card earns 3% on your top eligible spending category each month, and its grocery category includes wholesale clubs like Costco.
Best flat-rate backup: The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card earns unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases, at Costco and everywhere else, with no annual fee.
One rule shapes every pick: Costco warehouses and gas stations only accept Visa credit cards. Mastercard credit cards work on Costco.com but not in the warehouse.
Top Cards
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
Read our full Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi review.
Why we picked it
- It earns 5% on gas at Costco and 4% on other eligible gas and EV charging, on up to $7,000 a year in combined purchases, then 1%. It also earns 3% at restaurants and on eligible travel, including Costco Travel, 2% on all other Costco and Costco.com purchases, and 1% on everything else.
- There is no annual fee with a paid Costco membership, no foreign transaction fees, and the card works as your membership ID at the warehouse entrance and register.
Venmo Credit Card
Why we picked it
- It automatically earns 3% cash back on your top eligible spending category each month, 2% on the next, and 1% on everything else. Venmo counts wholesale clubs in its grocery category, so heavy Costco months can earn 3%.
- It is a Visa, so it works in the warehouse, and it has no annual fee. If another category like dining outspends groceries in a given month, that category earns 3% instead.
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
[[ SINGLE_CARD * {"id": "2894", "isExpanded": "false", "bestForCategoryId": "15", "bestForText": "Simple Cash Back", "headerHint": "Unlimited 2% Cash Rewards"} ]]
Why we picked it
- It earns unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases with no categories to track, which matches the Costco card's 2% rate on warehouse purchases.
- Unlike the Costco card, it does not require a Costco membership and pays out rewards whenever you redeem them, not once a year.
Shopping on Costco.com? Kudos is free and shows which of your cards earns the most at checkout.
Other Options to Consider
U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Card
Choose wholesale clubs as your quarterly everyday category to earn 3% cash back on up to $1,500 in purchases each quarter, then 1.5%. You also pick two retailers each quarter to earn 6% on up to $1,500 in combined purchases, and earn 1.5% on everything else. You have to make your selections every quarter. The annual fee is $0 for the first year, then $95.
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card
It earns 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs and 3% in a category you choose, on the first $2,500 in combined choice category, grocery store, and wholesale club purchases each quarter, then 1%. New cardholders earn 6% in the choice category for the first year. There is no annual fee, and Bank of America rewards members can earn up to 75% more on their rewards.
Robinhood Gold Card
[[ SINGLE_CARD * {"id": "7646", "isExpanded": "false", "bestForCategoryId": "15", "bestForText": "Flat-Rate Rewards", "headerHint": "3% Cash Back Everywhere"} ]]
It earns 3% cash back on eligible purchases, including Costco, but you need a Robinhood Gold membership ($5 a month or $50 a year) to get and keep the card. New accounts opened on or after July 1, 2026 pay a 3% foreign transaction fee.
PayPal Debit Card
This is a debit card, not a credit card. It earns 5% back on up to $1,000 a month in one category you choose each month, such as groceries. Some cardholders report that Costco warehouse purchases earn the 5% when groceries is selected, but PayPal does not list wholesale clubs by name, so check your first purchase before relying on it. Debit cards also carry fewer protections than credit cards.
How to Choose a Credit Card for Costco
At Costco, the card network matters as much as the rewards rate. Start with a card Costco will actually accept, then compare how it treats warehouse purchases.
Key Factors
- Card network: Costco warehouses and gas stations accept Visa credit cards only. Costco.com also accepts Mastercard credit cards.
- How Costco is coded: Costco is a wholesale club, not a grocery store, for most issuers. A card that earns extra at grocery stores often earns only its base rate at Costco unless the issuer includes wholesale clubs.
- Gas versus warehouse: Costco gas stations are coded separately from the warehouse, so one card may earn more at the pump and another inside.
- Caps: Several of the best rates have quarterly or yearly spending caps, so check how much of your Costco spending they actually cover.
- Annual fee: Make sure the extra rewards cover any fee, including a required membership like Costco's or Robinhood Gold.
What to Watch Out For
Do not bring a Mastercard, American Express, or Discover credit card to the warehouse expecting it to work. And if you use the Costco card, plan around its once-a-year payout: see our guide to redeeming Costco credit card rewards.
Decision Flow
- If you buy gas at Costco often, the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi is hard to beat at the pump.
- If you want a higher rate inside the warehouse with no annual fee, look at the Venmo Credit Card.
- If you will pick categories every quarter, the U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Card can earn 3% on wholesale clubs plus 6% at two chosen retailers.
- If you want one simple card for everything, a flat-rate Visa like the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card earns 2% at Costco and everywhere else.
Maximize Your Return at Costco
- Stack the Executive 2% Reward: Executive Members earn an annual 2% Reward, up to $1,250, on qualified Costco, Costco.com, and Costco Travel purchases. It is separate from your card's rewards, so both apply to the same purchase.
- Split gas and warehouse spending: Use the card that earns the most at the pump for Costco gas, and the card that earns the most on wholesale clubs inside.
- Book trips through Costco Travel: The Costco card earns 3% on eligible travel, including Costco Travel, and Executive Members earn the 2% Reward on qualified Costco Travel purchases too.
- Watch your caps: Once a capped category maxes out for the quarter or year, switch to a flat-rate card for the rest.
Get More From Every Card With Kudos
Kudos is free and shows which of your cards earns the most at online checkout, including on Costco.com, so you know which card to use without checking each issuer's categories.
Other Things to Consider
A Costco membership costs $65 a year for Gold Star or $130 for Executive, plus sales tax. The Executive upgrade pays for itself once you spend about $3,250 a year at Costco, since 2% of that equals the $65 difference.
Rewards only come out ahead if you pay your balance in full each month. Interest on a bulk-buying balance quickly cancels out a few percent back.
Our Methodology
We evaluate nearly 3,000 credit cards across the U.S. market, far more than the roughly 150 cards commonly featured on sites that focus only on products tied to affiliate commissions. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive, unbiased view of the credit card landscape so you can make confident, data-driven decisions.
Our editorial team combines deep industry experience with rigorous verification standards. While our experts surface the most relevant recommendations in our guides, you can also explore the full dataset yourself through our card explorer tool, which includes thousands of cards. More than 95% of them do not provide us with commissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What credit cards does Costco accept?
Costco warehouses and gas stations in the U.S. accept Visa credit cards only, along with most debit cards. Costco.com also accepts Mastercard credit cards. For more on paying with your phone, see Does Costco Take Apple Pay?
Does Costco count as a grocery store for credit card rewards?
Usually not. Most issuers code Costco as a wholesale club. Cards like the Venmo Credit Card and the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card include wholesale clubs in a bonus category, but many grocery cards do not.
Can I use an American Express card at Costco?
Not in U.S. warehouses or at Costco gas stations, which take Visa credit cards only.
Is the Costco Executive Membership worth it?
It is worth it if you spend at least about $3,250 a year at Costco. At that level, the 2% Reward covers the $65 upgrade fee, and anything above it is extra savings, up to the $1,250 annual cap.
Unlock your extra benefits when you become a Kudos member
Turn your online shopping into even more rewards
Join over 500,000 members simplifying their finances
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.
.webp)
.webp)
