It looks as if an ever-increasing share of my grocery and family purchases has shifted to Costco, to the purpose the place having the most effective bank card for Costco purchases has been a critical price saver for our family. With giant quantities of meals, fuel from the often cheapest-place-in-town Costco fuel station, often Costco wine and liquor, 36-packs of bathroom paper, socks and underwear, an occasional pizza slice, Kirkland pet food, and even our canine’s insulin ($155/month!) – all of it provides up pretty rapidly.
The Costco branded “Costco Wherever Visa Card by Citi” is a superb bank card for Costco purchases – but it surely’s not the one one which members can use. In actual fact, generally it’s not even the most effective card for Costco purchases.
On this article, I’ll spotlight my picks for the most effective bank cards to make use of at Costco. Clearly, this text goes to be of most curiosity for Costco members, however even non-Costco members may uncover just a few alternatives to show up their money again rewards recreation. And should you’re not a Costco member, take a look at my article on easy methods to store at Costco and not using a membership, to be able to see if it could be price it to you. I ran the numbers on if Costco membership is price the associated fee and imagine that it’s. Should you discover in any other case, you may ask Costco for a membership price refund.
And, in fact, the usual disclaimers for all bank card use apply right here: use responsibly and pay in full each month.
What Kinds of Credit score Playing cards Could be Used at Costco
I’ll spotlight what I believe are the most effective bank cards for Costco, but it surely’s essential for Costco members to first know that your choices for what sorts of bank cards you should utilize at Costco are restricted. Costco is considerably distinctive amongst retailers in that it has traditionally had an unique settlement with simply 1 bank card processor at any given time for use in retailer.
In 2016, Costco switched processors from American Specific to Visa. Right now, because of this any bank card you employ at Costco have to be a Visa card. You aren’t ready to make use of American Specific, Mastercard, or Uncover playing cards at Costco (you should utilize Visa, Mastercard, or Uncover on Costco.com, nonetheless). That instantly guidelines out some nice non-Visa bank cards, together with the Citi Double Money Mastercard, considered one of my private favorites for incomes 2% money again on all purchases.
The Costco Credit score Card Service provider Code
It’s additionally price noting that Visa doesn’t categorize purchases at Costco inside the “grocery” or “grocery store” classes. As a substitute, common Costco retailer purchases are categorized as “wholesale golf equipment”.
There are just a few notable exceptions to this:
- Costco fuel purchases are categorized as “Gasoline Stations”.
- Costco journey purchases are categorized as “Journey Companies and Tour Operations”.
These categorized service provider codes will impression the rewards you get for Costco purchases are essential to notice when selecting what card to make use of.
The Greatest Credit score Playing cards for Costco Purchases
Costco Wherever Visa Card by Citi
Let’s begin with the apparent one first – the Costco branded Costco Wherever Visa Card by Citi. This card units a reasonably excessive flooring for what ought to be thought-about “good rewards” once you store at Costco for fuel (@4% money again) and Costco warehouse and on-line purchases (@2% money again). That is one store-branded bank card that’s really price it, probably even should you’re not a Costco member, because it provides beneficiant money again rewards in key classes, with no annual price. The money again rewards, by class, escape as such:
- 4% on eligible fuel, together with fuel at Costco for the primary $7,000 per 12 months after which 1% thereafter
- 3% on eating places and eligible journey buy worldwide
- 2% on all different purchases from Costco and Costco.com
- 1% on all different purchases
The downsides to this card are the 1% money again on different purchases outdoors of the classes highlighted, and money again comes within the type of an annual rebate verify (versus everytime you need) that’s mailed out in February and have to be redeemed in-store.
Penfed Energy Money Rewards Visa
The Penfed Energy Money Rewards Visa comes with no annual price and provides as much as 2% money again rewards on all purchases – making it a terrific throughout money again rewards bank card that can be utilized at Costco.
The cardboard usually returns 1.5% money again on all purchases, however should you’re a “Penfed Honors Benefit member”, it’s bumped as much as 2% money again. To qualify for the PenFed Honors Benefit Program you need to both:
- Be in an energetic navy service standing, a member of the Reserves or Nationwide Guard, an honorably discharged U.S. Navy Veteran or retired from such service OR
- The member have to be the first proprietor on each the bank card and checking accounts of any present open PenFed product, excluding PenCheck Restricted accounts, or open a brand new Entry America Checking account with PenFed.
#2 is straightforward sufficient to realize.
Constancy Rewards Visa Signature Card
The Constancy Rewards Visa Signature Card is one other 2% all over the place Visa card with no annual price that can be utilized at Costco. 2% money again is earned once you deposit your rewards right into a Constancy brokerage account, IRA, HSA, or 529. The redemption quantity varies on different redemption choices. Should you deposit into an ordinary brokerage account, you may all the time withdraw funds afterward, making the efficient money again equal 2%.
Alliant Visa Platinum Rewards Credit score Card
The Alliant Visa Platinum Rewards Card, from Alliant Credit score Union, is one more 2% all over the place Visa with no annual price that can be utilized at Costco. Technically, you earn 2 factors per greenback spent, however factors could be redeemed for as much as $0.01 every for money again and reward playing cards.
Chase Freedom and Chase Freedom Flex
The Chase Freedom and Chase Freedom Flex Visa playing cards are modest rewards playing cards, primarily with 1% money again and no annual charges. However what makes them of particular curiosity to Costco members, nonetheless, are the 5% quarterly bonus classes, which is able to often be within the “fuel station” (for Costco fuel) and “wholesale membership” (for Costco) classes.
In Q1 and Q2 of 2020 and in Q1 of 2021, for instance, each the Chase Freedom and Freedom Flex cardholders may earn 5% within the wholesale membership class (amongst others). A cumulative $1,500 spending most per quarter accrues for the 5% bonus classes, after which factors accrue at 1% after that.
Notice that the unique “Chase Freedom” remains to be alive, however now not obtainable to new candidates.
Greatest Credit score Card for Costco Dialogue:
What bank card(s) do you employ at Costco, and why?
Be part of 10,000+ readers & get new articles by electronic mail, without cost.
Thanks! Test your inbox (& spam folder) in a minute to your welcome electronic mail!
Oops… Please strive once more.
We respect your privateness. Your private data is not going to be bought or shared.