Sam's Club's Newest Perks Have Us Side-Eyeing Costco

For families and those that love stocking up their kitchen, warehouse grocery stores are key. Having a never-ending supply of your go-to nonperishables as well as enough produce, meats and cheeses for the week keeps a healthy household stable and satisfied. 

But there’s always the discussion of which chain is the best for buying in bulk. Is it Costco? Is it Sam’s Club? If you haven’t considered the latter, the new list of member benefits might stop you in your tracks.

Just last week, Sam’s Club announced perks that will benefit both Plus members and general Club members, and it includes upgrades that Costco lacks. Here’s what to know.

Sam’s Club Newest Membership Perks

Free Delivery Service

Sam’s Club Plus members no longer have to leave the house to grab their favorite finds. That’s right: there’s now a free delivery service on all eligible orders over $50. All you need to do is order your groceries—meats, cheese, produce, bakery items and any other in-stock goods—online and opt for Delivery from Club. Sam’s Club offers same-day or next-day delivery for free, available to most consumers that live within 15 miles of their nearest location.

While Costco does have a delivery service, it’s only free for two-day delivery orders over $75. Same-day delivery comes with service and delivery fees, and an order minimum of $35. The only thing that Costco has over Sam’s Club here is that this is not limited to their premium members.

Free Curbside Pickup 

But for Club members, free curbside pickup is now available for orders over $50, making your Sam’s Club trip swift and convenient (BTW, Costco doesn’t offer curbside pickup). If you were looking to test out the delivery option before considering an upgrade to a Plus membership, you can give it a try for a $12 fee. 

More Plus Member Benefits

If you upgrade your membership from Club to Plus, you’ll receive a slew of new perks, including: 

• Free prescriptions on eligible medications 
• Extra optical-care savings
• 2% Sam’s Club Cash on in-store purchases
• 50% off tire installation (with an additional purchase)
• Access to early shopping hours
• Early access to sales and saving events 

Sam’s Club vs. Costco: Which Membership Is the Better Price?

Sam’s Club's smaller price tags extend to more than their delivery service. When it comes to membership prices, Sam’s Club is cheaper than Costco, too. Sam’s Club general Club members pay $50 a year and Plus members pay $110 a year. Costco is raising their prices on their comparable level memberships to $65 and $130, respectively.

So is Sam’s Club better than Costco? That’s for the individual consumer to decide in terms of favorite products, location, preferred service models and needed benefits. But if we’re fully speaking on membership affordability, Sam’s Club is the better deal. We will still be keeping our Costco memberships for now, especially for their frozen fruit and gut-healthy snacks.