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If you shop at Costco often, you could save more by getting a credit card that earns bonus rewards there. The best credit cards for Costco generally earn 2% to 3% back on your purchases at its warehouses and on Costco.com.
Costco stores and gas stations only accept Visa credit cards. That's why all the options below are Visa cards, and it's something to keep in mind whenever you're picking a credit card to use there.
On Chase's Secure Website.
On Chase's Secure Website.
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months
Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months
Regular APR
19.74% - 28.49% Variable
Rewards Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases
1.5% - 5% cash back
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.
Up to $300 cash back
A cash back card that has it all with unlimited 1.5% - 5% cash back rates and an excellent 0% intro APR offer. There's also an innovative sign-up bonus worth up to $300 cash back. With the bonus, you’ll earn 4.5% cash back on dining and drugstores, 6.5% on travel booked through Chase Travel, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After the bonus, you’ll still earn the regular cash back rates on every purchase. Read Full Review
Why it's a good fit for Costco shopping: While this card earns a base rate of 1.5% cash back on purchases, including at Costco, it also earns an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you spend for the first year (up to $20,000 spent). You can earn as much as $300 in bonus cash back with that welcome offer. It also has several other bonus categories, so you can earn more back on your spending outside of Costco, too.
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers
Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening
Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers
Regular APR
19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR
Rewards Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
2% cash rewards
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
$200 cash rewards
This card’s unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases is the highest we’ve seen for a flat-rate rewards card with no annual fee. It also has an incredibly easy-to-earn $200 welcome bonus and a decent intro APR offer. We simply haven’t come across this combination of top perks in one card before. Read Full Review
Why it's a good fit for Costco shopping: It earns an unlimited 2% cash rewards at Costco and everywhere else, as that rate applies across all spending categories. For consumers who don't want to keep track of bonus categories or just want a one-card wallet, this Wells Fargo card is one of our favorites.
Excellent (740-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
19.49% - 27.49% (Variable)
Rewards 4% cash back on eligible gas and EV charging purchases for the first $7,000 per year and then 1% thereafter 3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel purchases. 2% cash back on all other purchases from Costco and Costco.com. 1% cash back on all other purchases.
1% - 4% back
Annual Fee N/A
$0
Welcome Offer
N/A
There aren't many cash back cards that earn this much on gas and EV charging. Bonuses at restaurants, on travel, and at Costco and costco.com make this a well-rounded card overall. But there are some frustrating downsides, including a slow cash back redemption process and the lack of a sign-up bonus. Read Full Review
Why it's a good fit for Costco shopping: It's Costco's own credit card, and it doesn't disappoint, earning 2% cash back on your purchases with the warehouse giant. This Costco Visa card also has a few other useful bonus categories with even better rates, including 4% cash back on gas and EV charging purchases (on up to $7,000 in spending per calendar year). If you fill up your tank at Costco on every visit, those gas rewards will get you even more value.
On Bank of America's Secure Website.
On Bank of America's Secure Website.
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 18.49% - 28.49% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers.
Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days
Regular APR
18.49% - 28.49% (Variable)
Rewards 3% cash back in the category of your choice, 2% at at grocery stores and wholesale clubs for the first $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases, 1% on all other purchases.
1% - 3% cash back
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening
$200 cash back
This card's wide range of extra cash back options speaks for itself, with a choice of six bonus categories you can change monthly for 3% earnings in the category of your choice. And you can earn 2% back automatically at grocery stores and wholesale clubs. No annual fee and a nice welcome bonus also make this one a winner. Plus, if you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards member, this card will be even more valuable for you. Read Full Review
Why it's a good fit for Costco shopping: It earns 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, including Costco. This card also puts you in control by letting you earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice, from a list of six options. One of those options is gas and EV charging stations, which would be a good choice if you get gas at Costco. The 2% and 3% rates apply on up to $2,500 in combined spending across those categories per quarter.
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
20.24% to 29.24%, Variable
Rewards Earn 3% back on your top spend category, 2% on the next category, and 1% on other purchases
1% - 3% back
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer
N/A
Offers an unlimited 2% and 3% rewards in the top two eligible spending categories, has no annual fee, and syncs with the Venmo app for added convenience. Read Full Review
Why it's a good fit for Costco shopping: You'll earn 3% back in whichever eligible category you spend the most, and one of the categories is groceries. While most credit cards exclude wholesale clubs from the groceries category, the Venmo Credit Card doesn't. If Costco and groceries are where you spend the most, you'll earn an unlimited 3% there, which is the best rate I've seen for Costco spending.
There are several great Costco credit cards. Here are the main factors to consider when choosing the best credit card for Costco, starting with the most important.
As you might expect, the first thing to look at is how much a card earns at Costco. If Costco is one of the places where you spend the most, aim for 2% to 3% back. Those are the highest rates I've tracked down at Costco, including with its own store credit card.
Some cards earn bonus rewards at Costco specifically, while others earn bonus rewards at warehouse clubs as a whole. Just know that gas and groceries credit cards usually don't earn any extra at Costco. Most card issuers don't consider warehouse clubs to be grocery stores. So if a card earns 3% at grocery stores, that doesn't necessarily mean it will earn 3% back at Costco.
Most of the best Costco credit cards are cash back cards. With these, you can typically redeem your rewards as cash back toward your credit card bill or a deposit into your bank account. There are also some travel rewards cards that earn high rates at Costco. If you like to travel, then you may want to go with one of these cards.
Whichever type of card you choose, check how you'll be able to redeem your rewards. Make sure the redemption options work for you.
Most credit cards for Costco are also no annual fee cards, so if you're trying to keep costs down, it shouldn't be too difficult. But if you go with a travel card, many of them have annual fees. In that case, it's important to figure out if the perks of the card are valuable enough to justify the cost.
Even if Costco is your store of choice and you have a closet full of Kirkland clothes, you probably spend money elsewhere, too. So don't disregard what the cards you're considering will earn on the rest of your spending.
Some rewards cards earn the same rate, such as 2% back, on all types of purchases. These can work well for just about anyone. There are also rewards cards with bonus categories, such as gas stations or restaurant purchases. You may want to go with one of these if the bonus categories are a good fit for your spending habits.
Many credit cards have other features in addition to the ones already mentioned. For example, some have welcome offers, such as $200 if you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days. If you're having trouble deciding between two cards, a welcome offer can be a useful tiebreaker.
Another common perk is a 0% intro APR. Not everybody needs this, but if you expect to pay off purchases over time, then a card with a 0% intro APR could help you avoid interest charges.
At Motley Fool Money, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.
Our highest-rated credit cards have:
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates credit cards.
The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi is a popular choice with Costco shoppers because it earns bonus rewards at Costco, gas and EV charging stations, restaurants, and travel. The Venmo Credit Card is also a good option, as it earns 3% back in your top eligible spend category. One of the spend categories is groceries, which includes wholesale clubs.
Costco only accepts Visa credit cards at its warehouses and gas stations. Costco.com accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
Costco has an exclusive partnership agreement with Visa. Costco agrees to only accept Visa credit cards in stores, and in return, it receives a large discount on Visa's transaction processing fees.
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The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Visa.