Best Credit Card for Costco
What Costco accepts in the warehouse, at the pump and online, how Costco charges code, what the Costco Anywhere Visa earns, and how to pick the right card for each.
Key Takeaways at a Glance
- Warehouse: U.S. Costco warehouses accept Visa credit cards only, plus most PIN debit cards, Shop Cards, cash and Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay [1]
- Gas: Costco gas stations take Visa, most PIN debit cards, Apple Pay and Shop Cards [1]
- Online: Costco.com also accepts Mastercard, plus Visa, debit, Shop Cards and Affirm [1]
- Co-brand card: The Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi earns 5% on gas at Costco, 4% on other eligible gas and EV charging (combined $7,000 a year, then 1%), 3% on restaurants and eligible travel, 2% at Costco and 1% elsewhere [2]
Costco is one of the few large US retailers that limits which card network you can use. That changes the usual “which card” question: in the warehouse your best card is the best Visa you hold, not the best card overall. Here is what Costco accepts, how its charges usually code, what the Costco card earns and how to choose for the warehouse, the pump and Costco.com.
What Costco accepts
| Where | Credit cards | Other |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. warehouses | All Visa cards, including the Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi | Most PIN debit cards, Costco Shop Cards, cash, checks from members, traveler’s checks, EBT, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay |
| U.S. Costco gas stations | All Visa cards | Most PIN debit cards, Apple Pay, Costco Shop Cards |
| Costco.com | Visa and Mastercard | Most PIN debit cards, Costco Shop Cards, Affirm |
Source: Costco Customer Service, published March 2, 2026 [1]. FSA and HSA Visa or Mastercard debit cards are accepted at pharmacy, optical and hearing aid departments. American Express is not on the list for any of the three channels.
Apple Pay or Google Pay in the warehouse still charges the card behind it. A Mastercard or Amex in Apple Pay does not get around the Visa-only rule for credit cards.
How Costco charges code
Costco warehouses usually code as a wholesale club (merchant category code 5300), not as a grocery store (5411) [3]. That matters because many grocery bonuses explicitly exclude warehouse clubs and superstores. Costco gas stations generally code as gas (5541 or 5542). Costco.com may code as online retail or as a wholesale club depending on how the issuer maps it. When in doubt, look up how a past Costco charge was categorized in your issuer’s app.
The Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi
| Purchase | Cash back |
|---|---|
| Gas at Costco | 5% |
| Other eligible gas and EV charging | 4% |
| 5% and 4% categories combined | Up to $7,000 a year, then 1% |
| Restaurants and eligible travel, including Costco Travel | 3% |
| Other Costco and Costco.com purchases | 2% |
| Everything else | 1% |
No annual fee with a paid Costco membership and no foreign transaction fees. Cash back arrives once a year as a reward certificate after the February statement closes, redeemable at U.S. Costco warehouses through December 31 [2].
Rewards from the whole year arrive in one certificate and have to be redeemed in a U.S. warehouse. If you cancel the card or the membership before the certificate is issued, check Citi’s terms for what happens to earned rewards [2].
Picking a card at Costco
In the warehouse
Only Visa credit cards work. Compare the Costco card’s 2% with every Visa you hold: a flat-rate Visa that earns more than 2% on everything, or a Visa with a bonus that explicitly includes warehouse clubs, wins. If none of your Visa cards beats 2%, the Costco card is the default.
At the Costco pump
The Costco card’s 5% applies until the combined $7,000 cap for gas and EV charging [2]. A family that spends $250 a month on Costco gas uses $3,000 of the cap and earns $150 a year on fuel alone. Once you pass the cap, gas earns 1% on the Costco card, so another Visa with a gas bonus may be better for the rest of the year.
On Costco.com
Online, Mastercard is accepted too [1]. A Mastercard with a strong flat rate or an online-shopping bonus can beat 2%, depending on how the issuer codes Costco.com.
A sample year
| Spending | Per year | Costco card rate | Cash back |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warehouse | $6,000 | 2% | $120 |
| Costco gas | $3,000 | 5% | $150 |
| Restaurants | $2,400 | 3% | $72 |
| Total | $11,400 | $342 |
Compare that total with what your current cards would earn on the same spending. If a 2% flat-rate Visa already covers the warehouse, the Costco card’s advantage comes mainly from gas and dining.
Executive membership: a second 2% on top
Card rewards are only half of the Costco math. An Executive membership costs $130 a year, $65 more than Gold Star, and earns an annual reward of about 2% on qualifying purchases, capped at $1,250 for any 12-month period [5][4]. Costco pays it separately from your card issuer, so it comes on top of whatever your card earns.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Break-even for the $65 upgrade | About $3,250 of qualifying purchases a year (2% of $3,250 = $65) |
| Spending that maxes out the reward | About $62,500 a year (2% of $62,500 = $1,250) |
| What counts | Most warehouse purchases, Costco.com and completed Costco Travel bookings by the primary and household cardholder [4] |
| When it arrives | With the renewal statement, about two months before the renewal date; it cannot be issued early [4] |
In the sample year above, $6,000 in the warehouse would earn about $120 from the Executive reward plus $120 from the Costco card. Only purchases made after the upgrade count, and if you downgrade, accumulated rewards are lost [4].
Shop Cards and gift cards
Costco Shop Cards can be bought at any U.S. Costco or on Costco.com [1] and used in the warehouse. Buying them online with a Mastercard lets you use a non-Visa card’s rewards indirectly; whether that earns a bonus depends on how your card codes Costco.com. Keep purchases within normal use: issuers can claw back rewards for gift card patterns they consider abuse.
Common mistakes at Costco
- Expecting a grocery bonus: most grocery bonuses exclude warehouse clubs
- Bringing only an Amex or Mastercard to the warehouse
- Forgetting the gas cap: after $7,000 combined, the Costco card earns 1% on gas
- Letting the reward certificate expire after December 31
Track it in Pointalize
Add your cards to Pointalize and search Costco in the Best Card Finder to see which card in your wallet ranks highest; the finder factors in caps and shows the next-best card once one is reached. See also which credit card to use, grocery stores and gas stations.
Frequently asked questions
Does Costco take Mastercard?
Not as a credit card in U.S. warehouses or at Costco gas stations, where Visa is the only credit card accepted; most PIN debit cards work there. Costco.com accepts Mastercard.
Does Costco take American Express?
No. American Express is not listed for U.S. warehouses, gas stations or Costco.com.
Does Costco count as grocery for credit card rewards?
Usually not. Warehouses typically code as a wholesale club, which many grocery bonuses exclude.
How do I get my Costco card cash back?
As one annual reward certificate after the February statement closes, redeemable at U.S. Costco warehouses through December 31.
Can I use Apple Pay at Costco?
Yes, in warehouses and at gas stations. The Visa-only rule still applies to the credit card behind it.
Is the Costco Executive membership worth it?
It pays for the $65 upgrade once you spend about $3,250 a year on qualifying purchases. The 2% reward is capped at $1,250 per 12 months and comes on top of your card rewards.
This guide is general information, not financial advice. Card terms change; confirm current terms with the issuer.