Costco Visa vs. Sam’s Club Mastercard – How They Differ

The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi and the Sam’s Club® Mastercard® are two popular credit cards that offer great rewards for Costco and Sam’s Club members.

Costco Visa vs. Sam’s Club Mastercard

With no annual fees besides paying for a warehouse membership), these cards provide excellent perks like cash back on gas, dining, travel, and more.

However, there are some key differences between the Costco Visa and the Sam’s Club Mastercard that you should understand before applying. This post will compare the two cards across several factors like rewards, benefits, fees, and more. Read on to see how the Costco Visa and Sam’s Club Mastercard stack up against each other.

An Overview

Costco and Sam’s Club are two of the most popular warehouse club chains in the United States. Both offer members great deals on groceries, household items, clothing, furniture, and more.

To enhance the membership experience, Costco and Sam’s Club also offer co-branded credit cards with lucrative rewards programs and benefits. The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi and the Sam’s Club® Mastercard in particular are two of the most popular co-branded cards among warehouse club members.

But while the Costco Visa and Sam’s Club Mastercard share some common benefits, there are also key differences between the two cards when it comes to rewards rates, annual caps, redemption options, and more.

Understanding how these two cards compare can help you determine which one is a better fit based on where you shop and your spending habits. This post will break down all the key similarities and differences between the Costco Visa and Sam’s Club Mastercard across factors like:

  • Rewards rates
  • Annual rewards caps
  • Warehouse club rewards
  • Gas rewards
  • Dining & travel rewards
  • Other perks & benefits
  • Fees
  • Approval requirements

Rewards Rates

The first big difference between the Costco Visa and Sam’s Club Mastercard is their rewards rates in key spending categories:

Warehouse Club Purchases

Costco Visa:

  • 2% back on Costco and Costco.com purchases for Gold Star members
  • 4% back for Executive members (2% from the card, 2% from Executive membership rewards)

Sam’s Club Mastercard:

  • 1% back for Club members
  • 3% back from the card + 2% from membership rewards for Plus members (up to 5% total)

So Costco Visa offers a flat 2% back for basic members, while Sam’s Club Mastercard offers 1-5% back depending on your membership tier. Sam’s Club Plus members can earn a higher 5% rate, but it comes with a $500 annual cap.

Gas Purchases

Costco Visa:

  • 4% back on gas purchases, up to $7,000 per year
  • 1% back after that

Sam’s Club Mastercard:

  • 5% back on gas purchases, up to $6,000 per year
  • 1% back after that

For gas rewards, the Sam’s Club Mastercard offers a higher 5% rate, but the Costco Visa has a higher $7,000 annual cap.

Dining & Travel Purchases

Costco Visa:

  • 3% back on dining and travel worldwide

Sam’s Club Mastercard:

  • 3% back on dining worldwide
  • 1% back on travel (used to be 3%)

Both cards offer a solid 3% cash back on dining purchases. But the Costco Visa also earns 3% back on travel, compared to just 1% for the Sam’s Club Mastercard.

All Other Purchases

Costco Visa:

  • 1% back on all other purchases

Sam’s Club Mastercard:

  • 1% back on all other purchases

For general, non-bonus category spending, both cards earn 1% back.

Annual Rewards Caps

Another big difference is that the Sam’s Club Mastercard places an annual cap on total rewards earned, while the Costco Visa does not:

  • Costco Visa – No cap on total rewards earned per year
  • Sam’s Club Mastercard – $5,000 annual cap on total rewards

So with the Costco Visa, you can earn unlimited rewards. But for the Sam’s Club Mastercard, your rewards max out at $5,000 per year.

There are some exceptions and additional caps to note:

  • Sam’s Club Plus members have a separate $500 annual cap on the 2% rewards from their membership tier.
  • Sam’s Club Plus members also cannot accrue more than $2,000 in membership tier rewards at any given time before redeeming.
  • Both cards cap gas rewards – $7,000 annual spending limit for the Costco Visa’s 4% gas rate, and $6,000 for the Sam’s Club Mastercard’s 5% gas rate.

So in summary, the Costco Visa lets you earn unlimited rewards except for gas, while the Sam’s Club Mastercard has several annual caps that limit rewards earned.

Warehouse Club Rewards

As mentioned earlier, the Costco Visa offers 2% back on Costco purchases for basic members, and 4% back for Executive members.

Sam’s Club Mastercard offers 1-5% back on Sam’s Club purchases depending on membership tier:

  • 1% back for Club members
  • Up to 5% back for Plus members (3% from card, 2% from membership)

A key difference is that with the Sam’s Club Mastercard, the 5% rewards rate for Plus members comes with a lot more rules and caps:

  • The 5% rate only applies to in-store purchases, not online.
  • The 3% back from the card has no cap. But the 2% back from the membership is capped at $500 per year.
  • There is also a $2,000 maximum balance limit on the 2% membership rewards. You stop earning rewards once you hit this threshold until you redeem some of your rewards.

So in terms of warehouse club rewards, the Costco Visa is simpler with no changing rates or caps to track based on membership level. But for Sam’s Club Plus members, the Mastercard offers a higher potential 5% rewards rate on in-store purchases, albeit with more complex rules.

Gas Rewards

At gas stations, the Sam’s Club Mastercard offers a higher 5% cash-back rewards rate compared to 4% for the Costco Visa. However, the Costco Visa has a higher annual cap – $7,000 in spending vs $6,000 for the Sam’s Club Mastercard.

Realistically, most households will not spend more than $6,000 per year on gas. So for gas purchases, the Sam’s Club Mastercard offers a better base rate that most members can maximize.

One thing to note is that the gas rewards rate for both cards includes gas station purchases worldwide. You do not need to fuel up exclusively at Costco or Sam’s Club gas stations to earn the bonus rewards.

Dining & Travel Rewards

For dining purchases worldwide, the Costco Visa and Sam’s Club Mastercard both offer a solid 3% cash-back rewards rate.

But a key difference is that the Costco Visa also earns 3% back on travel purchases, while the Sam’s Club Mastercard only earns 1% back on travel now.

So if you spend heavily on hotels, flights, rental cars, cruises, and other travel, the Costco Visa is clearly the better choice for those purchases. Families who take frequent vacations will get more value from the 3% travel rewards from the Costco Visa.

Other Perks & Benefits

Beyond the rewards rates, the Costco Visa and Sam’s Club Mastercard offer some additional benefits:

Costco Visa Benefits:

  • Damage & theft protection – 90 days of coverage for new purchases
  • Extended warranty protection – Extend eligible warranties up to 2 years
  • Travel & emergency assistance services
  • No foreign transaction fees

Sam’s Club Mastercard Benefits:

  • Complimentary Sam’s Club membership – Waive renewal fee when you open a Sam’s Club Mastercard
  • Instant savings – Get special discounts on Sam’s Club purchases with card
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Mastercard benefits – ID theft protection, travel benefits, discounts

So both cards offer perks like no foreign transaction fees that make them suitable for international travel. The Costco Visa offers some extra purchase protections, while the Sam’s Club Mastercard can get you a fee-free renewal on your membership.

Fees

Neither card charges an annual fee, but there’s a catch – you need an active membership to qualify for either card:

Costco membership fees:

  • Gold Star: $60/year
  • Executive: $120/year

Sam’s Club membership fees:

  • Club: $45/year
  • Plus: $100/year

So you cannot get either card without paying the corresponding annual membership fees. The Costco Executive membership is the most expensive at $120/year.

Aside from the paid membership requirement, neither card charges any other annual, foreign transaction, or late payment fees.

Approval Requirements

The Costco Visa tends to have stricter eligibility requirements than the Sam’s Club Mastercard. Here are some average credit guidelines:

Costco Visa requirements:

  • Credit score needed – Excellent (720+)
  • Income requirement – No specific threshold but the applicant should have substantial income

Sam’s Club Mastercard requirements:

  • Credit score needed – Good to Excellent (690+)
  • Income requirement – No specific minimum

So while excellent credit (scores of 720+) is recommended for the Costco Visa, you may be able to qualify for the Sam’s Club card with a score around 690. The Sam’s Club card is a little easier to be approved for, especially if you have limited credit history.

Pros & Cons Comparison

Here is a quick pros & cons overview of the major differences between the Costco Visa and the Sam’s Club Mastercard:

Costco Visa

Pros

  • No cap on total rewards earned annually
  • Simple 2% warehouse club rewards for all members
  • 3% back on dining and travel purchases
  • Higher annual cap on gas rewards ($7,000)

Cons

  • Slightly lower rewards rate on gas (4% vs. 5%)
  • Stricter credit score requirements for approval

Sam’s Club Mastercard

Pros

  • A higher 5% reward rate on gas purchases
  • Potential 5% back on warehouse club purchases (Plus members)
  • Easier approval compared to the Costco Visa
  • Free Sam’s Club membership renewal

Cons

  • $5,000 annual cap on total rewards
  • Lower warehouse club rewards for basic members (1%)
  • 1% back on travel now (used to be 3%)
  • More complex rewards rules and annual caps

So in summary, the Costco Visa offers uncapped rewards, a higher travel rate, and easier-to-understand rewards rates. But the Sam’s Club Mastercard provides higher gas rewards and up to 5% back for Plus members willing to track all the rules and limits.

Conclusion

The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi and the Sam’s Club® Mastercard® offer excellent rewards value for loyal Costco and Sam’s Club members. Both cards provide generous cash back on warehouse purchases, gas, dining, and more.

Key differences include the rewards rates in certain categories, annual caps on rewards, and eligibility requirements. The Costco Visa offers a simpler, uncapped rewards structure plus bonus travel rewards. The Sam’s Club Mastercard provides higher gas rewards and up to 5% back for Plus members under specific conditions.

The best card for you depends on where you shop more often, whether you spend heavily on gas or travel, and your membership status. Costco Executive members who want simple rewards can maximize the Visa. Sam’s Club Plus members who follow all the limits can reap huge rewards with the Mastercard.

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