7 Best Credit Cards Accepted at Costco (Dec. 2023)

Although often mocked for the super-sized supplies stocked on pallets instead of shelves, warehouse clubs and their voluminous products can be a huge blessing to the budgets of large families and small businesses alike.

One of the most popular warehouse chains is Costco, which sports over 740 locations around the world, more than 500 of which are in the U.S.

But while consumers may love the store’s copious quantities and cost-per-ounce prices, when it comes to the credit cards accepted at Costco, the company’s card policy definitely leaves a little something to be desired. In this article, we’ll take a look at the cards from the only network accepted by Costco. Hint: it’s Visa. And we’ll present some of our favorite Visa cards that may come in handy the next time you’re ready to make some bulk purchases.

Accepted Networks | Top Cards

So, what’s the big beef with using a credit card at Costco’s warehouse stores? In short, Costco only accepts cards that operate on the Visa credit card network.

More expansively, Costco has an exclusive contract with Visa that prohibits the use of any other credit card networks, including Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. If you want to use a credit card to make purchases at Costco, you’re going to need one with a Visa logo.

This single-network credit card policy isn’t new for the big-box retailer, either. Until the recent switch to Visa, Costco had a similar contract with American Express that limited card use to that network.

The exclusivity does seem to be limited to credit cards alone; there don’t appear to be any restrictions on debit card networks, meaning you could use a Mastercard debit card to make a Costco purchase (or one from any other network).

Costco accepts all Visa cards, as well as cash, checks, debit/ATM, EBT and Costco Cash Cards. — Costco

Of course, the key distinction to point out here is that Visa is a credit card processing network, not a credit card issuer. Visa only processes the transactions — the issuing bank does everything else.

For example, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ operates on the Visa network, but it is issued by Chase bank. It’s Chase that holds the credit line, dictates the rates and fees, and determines the purchase rewards. Bills are sent from Chase — and cardholders make their payments to Chase.

This means that while Costco’s policy limiting accepted cards to the Visa network may limit your options, it doesn’t restrict them as much as you might think. Visa has a wide range of bank partners that issue cards on the Visa network, including Costco’s own co-branded credit card.

When considering the best credit card to use for your Costco purchases, the biggest decision will likely come down to what you want to do with the rewards you earn.

If you want to maximize the value of what you earn, points rewards credit cards are usually the way to go. Those who don’t mind rewards that are only good at Costco can get decent value out of the co-branded card, but an unlimited cash back card will generally have the most redemption flexibility.

1. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

at Chase'ssecure website

BEST OVERALL RATING

★★★★★

4.9

OVERALL RATING

4.9/5.0

Our Review »

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, and 2x on all other travel purchases, and $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• Member FDIC

• See application, terms and details.

Intro (Purchases)	Intro (Transfers)	Regular APR	Annual Fee	Credit Needed
N/A	N/A	21.49%-28.49% Variable	$95	Good/Excellent

2. Chase Sapphire Reserve®

at Chase'ssecure website

BEST OVERALL RATING

★★★★★

4.7

OVERALL RATING

4.7/5.0

Our Review »

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™; Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®

• See application, terms and details.

Intro (Purchases)	Intro (Transfers)	Regular APR	Annual Fee	Credit Needed
N/A	N/A	22.49%-29.49% Variable	$550	Good/Excellent

Given that Costco doesn’t fall into either card’s bonus categories, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and its big sibling, the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, only offer 1X Ultimate Rewards® points per dollar spent.

That said, one Ultimate Rewards® point can easily be worth more than its cash-back value. Indeed, the expert valuation of Ultimate Rewards® sets them at 2.1¢ per point — and smart transfers could boost that value up to as much as 4¢ per point.

3. Chase Freedom Unlimited®

at Chase'ssecure website

BEST OVERALL RATING

★★★★★

4.9

OVERALL RATING

4.9/5.0

Our Review »

• SPECIAL OFFER: Unlimited Matched Cash Back. Use your card for all your purchases and at the end of your first year, Chase will automatically match all the cash back you earned! There is no limit to how much you can earn. Every dollar in cash back rewards you earn is a dollar Chase will match.
• Unlimited 1.5% cash back is just the beginning of what you can earn. You'll enjoy 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services, 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
• Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
• No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
• No annual fee - You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
• Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, real-time alerts, and more.

• See application, terms and details.

Intro (Purchases)	Intro (Transfers)	Regular APR	Annual Fee	Credit Needed
0% Intro APR on Purchases 15 months	0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers 15 months	20.49% - 29.24% Variable	$0	Good/Excellent

On pure base rate cash back rewards rate alone, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® would rank below the co-branded Costco credit card.

However, if you happen to own a credit card that earns Ultimate Rewards® points, as cards #1 and #2 on this list do, you can turn your cash back into points, effectively earning unlimited 1.5X Ultimate Rewards® points per $1 spent with the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, which gives you even more per-point value.

The Costco Anywhere Visa® offers one of the highest flat cash back rewards rates for Costco purchases, providing 2% cash back at Costco and Costco.com. While the card itself has no annual fee, you’ll need to be a paid Costco member to apply for the card.

Perhaps the biggest downside to the Costco Anywhere Visa® is that its rewards can only be redeemed toward Costco purchases. Additionally, you’ll need to retain your Costco membership to keep your card — and to redeem your rewards.

The Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi is the sibling card to the card above, but for business owners who 1) do a lot of shopping at Costco for their business or 2) drive a lot. That’s because where this card really excels is its cash back for fuel purchases.

This card doesn’t charge an annual fee, but you will need to be a Costco membership to qualify.

The Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® Card offers a simple, no-fuss unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, everywhere the card is accepted — Costco included. Cash back is redeemed for a straightforward statement credit equal to the face value of 1.5¢ per dollar spent.

Plus, pay your mobile phone bill with your card to be eligible for up to $600 in cellphone protection against covered damage or theft.

While few of us really need a vat of mayonnaise or cubic foot of peanut butter, just about anyone with multiple mouths to feed can likely find a good deal at a warehouse club.

But when you’re already paying a membership fee just for the right to browse the cavernous aisles, the savings margin can be slim for those not supplying a small army.

Choosing the right credit card for your Costco purchases can not only ensure you actually have a way to pay (remember, Visa only!), it can also add a little more steal to your deal by potentially making up for that troublesome membership fee.