September 30, 2024: Credit card payments at Costco can be complicated because Costco does not accept every type of credit card payment.
Here’s a quick guide to what payment methods are accepted at Costco, Costco.com, and Costco gas stations.
In this article…
At a glance: Costco credit card payments accepted in-store, online at at Costco gas
Here’s a quick table outlining what credit cards Costco accepts in-store at its U.S. stores, online, and at U.S. Costco gas stations.
Costco accepts Visa credit cards in its stores, at its gas stations, and through Costco.com. Costco.com also accepts Mastercard credit cards. Costco does not accept American Express or Discover.
| U.S. in-store locations | Costco.com | U.S. Costco gas stations | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa credit cards | |||
| Mastercard credit cards | – | – | |
| Mobile payment | Apple Pay Google Pay Samsung Pay | Apple Pay Only | Apple Pay Only |
| PIN-based Debit/ATM cards | |||
| Costco Shop Cards | |||
| Personal and business checks | – | – | |
| Travelers checks | – | – | |
| EBT Cards | – | – | |
| Cash | – | – |
The best card for Costco: Why the Costco credit card isn’t the best card to use at Costco.
Costco heavily promotes its Costco Anywhere Visa® Card for its 2% cash back rewards on Costco purchases and 4% on up to $7,000 of gas purchases, including at Costco. But the Costco Visa is not the best card to use at Costco.
The card no longer carries an extended warranty benefit and you can earn more rewards with other cards. When we looked for the best cards to use at Costco, we found a handful of cards that were better for Costco purchases:
- The U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card earns 3% cash back or 4.5% toward travel when using a mobile wallet to pay in-store at Costco and at Costco gas. The card also offers an extended warranty benefit.
- The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card comes with an extended warranty benefit and gives you 2% cash back at wholesale clubs (including Costco) and can earn you 3% cash back on online purchases at Costco.com thanks to the card’s online retail bonus category. But you can earn as much as 3.5% at Costco and 5.25% at Costco.com if you have Platinum Honors or higher status in Bank of America’s Preferred Rewards program.
Learn more in our feature about the best credit cards to use at Costco.
Frequently asked questions
Costco does not take American Express cards. The store’s partnership with Amex ended in 2016.
Costco does not accept Discover cards.
Using a credit card for purchases is almost always a better choice than using a debit card. Credit cards offer better consumer protections and frequently come with valuable benefit like extended warranty.
No. Even if you use Apple Pay, Costco will only accept Visa credit cards in-store. You can use Apple Pay with a Mastercard online.
