Warehouse clubs like Costco, Sam’s Club and BJ’s have become staples in the lives of many folks around the world, from families to small business owners. We use them to buy everything from groceries, tires, household goods, electronics, and jewelry. In fact, Costco is now one of the largest retailers for both wine and gold bullion in the US.
However, even though we’re loading up on food at warehouse clubs, most credit cards either don’t count them as grocery stores or specifically exclude them from the category. That leaves many unfortunate souls earning the dreaded 1x on what is usually a significant amount of spend.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. In this post, we’ll cover the best ways to squeeze every juicy drop of rewards we can from purchases at warehouse stores.
Best Credit Cards to use at Warehouse Clubs
Any card that has a welcome offer
Credit card welcome offers are by far the quickest and easiest way to earn copious amounts of points & miles in rapid fashion. For most people who have limited amounts of annual spend, working on a regular series of credit card bonuses will almost always be the best strategy for maximizing rewards.
Costco presents a problem, however: it only accepts Visa or debit cards for in-store payments. What if you want to apply for a Mastercard or American Express and use Costco purchases to reach the required minimum spend?
First, although Costco only accepts Visa in-store, it accepts Mastercard for online purchases…including for Costco cash cards. By buying Costco cash cards online, then using those gift cards for in-store purchases, you can effectively use a Mastercard in-store.
Amex is a little trickier, as you can’t use it directly at Costco online. However, there are many services that allow you to create virtual Mastercard (or Visa) debit cards that are backed by your Amex card.
Kasheesh is one well-known company that does this. You can sign up for a Kasheesh account, add your Amex card(s) as a payment method, then use it to back a virtual Mastercard debit card. You can then use that card online for Costco cash. Note that there is usually some fee involved to use these services. For instance, depending on how much you spend quarterly, Kasheesh will charge you a net 0.5 – 1% of the total transaction amount for the privilege.
- Pros: Possible to regularly earn 10x+ on Costco purchases. Able to easily diversify points-earning by applying for credit cards whose rewards you want to add.
- Cons: Cumbersome to constantly rotate through new cards. Most credit card companies have “anti-churning” rules that limit the velocity with which you can apply for new cards. Somewhat tedious to use Mastercard, Discover and Amex cards at Costco.
Cards that earn rewards at office supply stores
| Card Info Name and Earning Rate (no offer) |
|---|
Earning rate: 5X office supplies and cellular/landline/cable (on up to $25,000 in total purchases in 5x categories annually) ✦ 2X on the first $25K in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each cardmember year ✦ 5x Lyft through September 2027 |
Earning rate: With Platinum Honors status with Bank of America's Business Advantage Relationship Rewards program, this card earns: 3.5% on dining plus 5.25% on 1 choice from: gas stations and EV charging stations (default), office supply stores, travel, TV/telecom & wireless, computer services or business consulting services (for the first $50,000 in combined choice/dining purchases each calendar year, 1.75% thereafter) and 1.75% everywhere else. Base: 2.625% Travel: 5.25% Dine: 3.5% Gas: 5.25% Phone: 5.25% Office: 5.25% Biz: 5.25% |
Earning rate: With Platinum Honors status with Bank of America's Business Advantage Relationship Rewards program, this card earns: 3.5% on dining plus 5.25% on 1 choice from: gas stations (default), office supply stores, travel, TV/telecom & wireless, computer services or business consulting services (for the first $50,000 in combined choice/dining purchases each calendar year, 1.75% thereafter) and 1.75% everywhere else. Base: 1.75% Travel: 5.25% Dine: 3.5% Gas: 5.25% Phone: 5.25% Office: 5.25% Biz: 5.25% |
Earning rate: ✦ 5% US office supply stores and US wireless phone services ✦ 3% your choice from list of categories (e.g. airfare, hotels, car rentals, gas stations, restaurants, select media buys, shipping,computer) ✦ 1% other purchases. 3% and 5% rebates are capped at $50,000 per rebate year and then earn 1% thereafter. Terms Apply. Base: 1% Travel: 3% Gas: 3% Phone: 5% Office: 5% Biz: 3% |
Earning rate: 10X IHG ✦ 5X travel, gas stations, restaurants and dining, social media and search engine advertising, office supply stores ✦ 3X on all other purchases |
Earning rate: 2% on dining plus 3% on 1 choice from: gas stations and EV charging stations (default), office supply stores, travel, TV/telecom & wireless, computer services or business consulting services (for the first $50,000 in combined choice/dining purchases each calendar year, 1% thereafter) and 1% everywhere else. Base: 1% Travel: 3% Dine: 2% Gas: 3% Phone: 3% Office: 3% Biz: 3% |
Earning rate: 2% on dining plus 3% on 1 choice from: gas stations (default), office supply stores, travel, TV/telecom & wireless, computer services or business consulting services (for the first $50,000 in combined choice/dining purchases each calendar year, 1% thereafter) and 1% everywhere else. Base: 1% Travel: 3% Dine: 2% Gas: 3% Phone: 3% Office: 3% Biz: 3% |
Earning rate: 3% cash back on up to $2K in spend in the category you choose each quarter: gas stations, travel & entertainment, restaurants, discount & warehouse stores, grocery stores, utilities & office supply stores, electronics and computer and camera stores, department and apparel and sporting good stores, auto parts & service, and home improvement stores Base: 1% Travel: 3% Dine: 3% Gas: 3% Grocery: 3% Shop: 3% Office: 3% Biz: 3% Other: 3% |
Earning rate: 3% back at gas stations, office supply stores, and cell phone/service providers ✦ 1% back everywhere else ✦ Note: purchases of gasoline greater than $200 will not be deemed to be a purchase of automotive gasoline and will therefore earn only 1%. Base: 1% Gas: 3% Phone: 3% Office: 3% |
Earning rate: 3% cash back on eligible purchases at gas stations and EV charging stations, office supply stores, cell phone service providers and restaurants ✦ 1% back everywhere else ✦ Note: purchases of gasoline greater than $200 will not be deemed to be a purchase of automotive gasoline and will therefore earn only 1%. Base: 1% Dine: 3% Gas: 3% Phone: 3% Office: 3% |
Earning rate: 3x for air travel and hotel stays, 2x for eligible business expenses (office supplies, business cable/internet, shipping, business phone and advertising), 1X everywhere else Base: 1% Travel: 3% Phone: 2% Office: 2% Biz: 2% |
Earning rate: ✦ 2X AA, office supply, telecommunications services, and at car rental agencies ✦ 1X everywhere else |
Earning rate: ✦ 2X restaurants and office supply stores ✦ 6X JetBlue ✦ 1X everywhere else |
Earning rate: 2X at restaurants including eligible delivery services , gas stations, and office supply stores ✦ 2X United ✦ 2X United Hotels ✦ 2X on local transit and commuting, including taxicabs, mass transit, tolls, and ride share services |
Earning rate: 3X Delta ✦ 1.5X on eligible transit, U.S. shipping & office supply store purchases |
This is one of the best options for warehouse stores, but it’s a little unwieldy and time-consuming. Both Staples and Office Depot have regular sales on fee-free $200 Visa and Mastercard debit cards. In the case of Office Depot, those sales can actually turn a small profit.
You can use a card that earns rewards at office supply stores to buy debit gift cards during one of these sales, then use those $200 cards to pay at the warehouse club. If your purchases are more than $200, you can simply swipe multiple cards, each one will completely auto-drain and then you can move onto the next one.
- Pros: You can earn up to 5x on warehouse club spending.
- Cons: Time-consuming, since you have to make in-person visits to Staples or Office Depot during the sales to buy cards. Some folks will find it tedious to keep track of multiple gift cards, especially when there’s partial balances. Losing just one can wipe out a lot of rewards.Cards that earn rewards at office supply stores
PayPal Debit Card
I know, I know, this isn’t a credit card, but several commenters justifiably felt it belonged on this list. PayPal offers a free, no annual fee debit card that’s linked to your PayPal account instead of checking or savings. It allows you to choose a monthly 5% cashback category, one of which is grocery stores – and I believe that all of the major warehouse stores code as grocery (I know that Costco and Sam’s do).
There’s a limit of $50/calendar month in cashback (or $1000 in purchases), you have to pre-load money to your PayPal account in order to use the card, and you have to remember to choose the grocery category again at the beginning of each month. However, it’s easy to get approved, there’s no impact on your credit score and it’s a great return at warehouse stores.
- Pros: No impact to credit score. Easy to choose categories and monitor available funds in the PayPal app. Cashback posts quickly.
- Cons: Limited to $1000 in purchases per month. Must remember to reactivate the 5% category at the beginning of each month. Requires you to load funds to your PayPal account before use (which some folks shy away from)
Bank Altitude Reserve Visa (no longer available new)
| Card Offer and Details |
|---|
 ⓘ $-400 1st Yr Value EstimateClick to learn about first year value estimates Not accepting applications This card is not currently available.$400 Annual Fee Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. FM Mini Review: With points worth 1.5 cents each towards travel, this card offers an excellent signup bonus. For ongoing use, this card is a winner for those who spend a lot on mobile payments (at 3X, rewards are worth 4.5%) Click here for our complete card review Earning rate: 5x prepaid hotel & car rental through Altitude Rewards Center ✦ 3X travel and mobile wallet payments Card Info: Visa Infinite issued by USB. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Noteworthy perks: $325 in travel/dining credits per membership year ✦ Points worth 1.5 cents each towards travel ✦ Real Time Mobile Rewards (redeem points at full value at time of purchase) ✦ Priority Pass Select airport lounge access (8 per year) ✦ Primary car rental coverage ✦ No foreign transaction fees ✦ Free authorized user cards |
The US Bank Altitude Reserve card deserves mention as being a special kind of everyday spending hero. Even though it’s no longer available new, it’s still possible to product-change to it from other US Bank cards.
The Altitude Reserve offers two 3X categories and awards just 1 point per dollar everywhere else. However, one of its 3X categories is “mobile wallet payments,” which includes all payments made with Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay.
Within the US, you can use mobile wallet payments at most big-box stores, supermarkets, and warehouse stores. Points are worth 1.5 cents each towards travel so, by using them this way, you’re getting ~4.5% back on your spend.
- Pros: Earning 4.5% anywhere that takes mobile wallets is tough to beat. US Bank’s Real Time Mobile Rewards system is quick and easy to use.
- Cons: Only available via product change. In order to get full 4.5%, rewards have to be used for travel.
Synchrony Venmo Visa
| Card Offer and Details |
|---|
 ⓘ $0 1st Yr Value EstimateClick to learn about first year value estimates None Non-AffiliateThis is NOT an affiliate offer. We always present the best offer even when it means less revenue for Frequent Miler NoneNo Annual Fee Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. Earning rate: 3% on your eligible top spend category ✦ 2% on your second top category ✦ 1% everywhere else ✦ Eligible cateories include Dining & Nightlift, Travel, Bills & Utilities, Health & Beauty, Grocery / Warehouse Stores, Gas, Transportation, Entertainment Base: 1% Card Info: Visa issued by Synchrony. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. |
This card is an unsung hero when it comes to warehouse stores. The card has no annual fee, no real perks of any kind, and only earns cashback. You get 3% back on your top spending category each month, 2% back on your second and 1% everywhere else. Categories include: dining & nightlife, travel, bills & utilities, health & beauty, grocery, gas, transportation, entertainment. Nothing terribly exciting, right?
Where this gets interesting is that it’s one of the rare cards that counts warehouse stores as grocery. I’ve seen people who thought that this only worked online, or that it was an accident of coding, but it’s explicitly stated in the terms and conditions:
Grocery: Stores that sell food merchandise for home consumption, convenience, bakery and delicatessen stores, and wholesale clubs that sell a full range of goods (often in bulk) and services in warehouse-style stores. The specific MCCs defined as Grocery and Wholesale will be referenced as Grocery in your Venmo app.
I have this card, and get 3% cashback at Costco on everything from tires to gold bars…and not only does it earn 3% at warehouse stores, it still earns 3% at grocery stores as well, because it’s all considered the same category. In addition, Synchrony is one of the few issuers that allows you to pay your bill by debit card (over the phone).
- Pros: No annual fee card that can earn 3% at both warehouse clubs AND grocery stores.
- Cons: Possible to do much better than 3% by working on cards with welcome offers. Not a great return outside of the top 3% category each month. Often has no welcome bonus.
Robinhood Gold Visa
| Card Offer and Details |
|---|
 ⓘ $0 1st Yr Value EstimateClick to learn about first year value estimates Waitlist only This card is currently available by waitlist onlyNo Annual Fee Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. FM Mini Review: 3% cashback everywhere? What's not to like? Earning rate: 5% on travel booked through Robinhood portal Base: 3% Travel: 5% Card Info: Visa Signature issued by Coastal. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Noteworthy perks: 90 day purchase protection against theft or damage ✦ Up to 1 year extended warranty ✦ $250 return protection ✦ Trip protection |
The online brokerage Robinhood has been slow-releasing its “Robinhood Gold Card” over the past several months. The card is currently waitlist-only, and they grab some unspecified number of waitlisters at unpublished time intervals to be new cardholders.
In order to get the card, you’ll have to subscribe to Robinhood Gold, which costs $5 per month or $50 per year and gives you an increased APY on cash held in your brokerage account along with a 3% IRA match. Why mess with all that? Because, currently the card earns 3% cash back on all purchases with no limits…including warehouse stores.
- Pros: Currently earns 3% everywhere with no limit.
- Cons: Only available after a non-specified amount of time on the waitlist. Must subscribe to Robinhood Gold at $5/month or $50 per year. There’s healthy skepticism as to how long Robinhood will be able to sustain 3% everywhere.
Bank of America cards with Platinum Honors
| Card Info Name and Earning Rate (no offer) |
|---|
Earning rate: 1.5% everywhere; Earn up to 2.625% back everywhere with Bank of America Platinum Honors status Base: 2.625% |
| Card Info Name and Earning Rate (no offer) |
|---|
Earning rate: With Platinum Honors status with Bank of America's Preferred Rewards program, earn: 3.5X travel and dining ✦ 2.625X everywhere else Base: 2.625% Travel: 3.5% Dine: 3.5% |
| Card Info Name and Earning Rate (no offer) |
|---|
Earning rate: With Platinum Honors Preferred, 5.25% back on your choice of the following: gas and EV charging, online shopping, cable, streaming, internet & phone plans, dining, travel, drugstores, home improvement & furnishings (can choose a new category monthly). ✦ 3.5% back at grocery stores & wholesale clubs ✦ 1.75% back everywhere else. 5.25% and 3.5% rewards are capped at $2500 in combined purchases per quarter Base: 1.75% Travel: 5.25% Dine: 5.25% Gas: 5.25% Grocery: 3.5% Shop: 5.25% Phone: 5.25% Other: 5.25% |
Bank of America offers banking relationship elite programs for both consumer and business customers. Both require $100K in deposits to earn top tier Platinum Preferred status. Merrill Edge retirement accounts apply towards that $100K in deposits, and if you have a retirement account that is managed by a different institution, you can move control of the funds to Merrill Edge and usually earn a bonus.
You need to earn Platinum Honors status in the consumer program in order to get a 75% bonus on eligible consumer cards, but once you do, it turns the Unlimited Cash Rewards and Premium Rewards’ 1.5% everywhere cashback rate to 2.625%.
Alternatively, you could choose “online shopping” as the bonus category for the Customized Cash Rewards card, which would then earn 5.25% when buying Costco Cash cards online. However, 5.25% is limited to a combined total of $2500 in purchases per quarter, a limit that some people will easily exceed.
- Pros: Easy card to give to someone not into points, since they can use it everywhere and get a good return.
- Cons: The $100K barrier to entry will be a non-starter for many. For the Customized Cash Rewards card, earnings are limited to $2,500 per calendar quarter.
US Bank Smartly Visa
| Card Offer and Details |
|---|
 ⓘ $0 1st Yr Value EstimateClick to learn about first year value estimates None Non-AffiliateThis is NOT an affiliate offer. We always present the best offer even when it means less revenue for Frequent Miler Currently no welcome offerNo Annual Fee Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. FM Mini Review: US Bank changed this card on 4/14/25 which removed much of its value proposition. You're now capped on 4% total earnings each billing cycle and eligible accounts for your $10,000+ qualifying balances earn a low rate of interest. Earning rate: Up to an additional 2% cash back on your first $10,000 in eligible Net Purchases each billing cycle when paired with a U.S. Bank Smartly Savings account plus qualifying balances in a U.S. Bank Smartly Checking and/or Safe Debit account. Base: 2% Card Info: Visa Signature issued by USB. This card imposes foreign transaction fees. Noteworthy perks: Earn better cashback rates when you hold a balance in an eligible US Bank account: $10,000-$49,999 = 2.5% total cashback; $50,000-$99,999 = 3% bonus cashback; $100,000+ = 4% cashback |
This card might be the top option, IF you got it before April of 2025. The original version of the Bank Smartly card (which lasted a total of about six months) gave cardholders 4% cashback everywhere, provided that you held $100,000 in deposit accounts with US Bank. Like Bank of America’s preferred bank program (see above), it included IRA and other investments accounts. By moving $100K+ of retirement funds and getting approved for the card, you had 4% everywhere with no cap.
Unfortunately, US Bank had no idea how deep the water was before it jumped into the pool. The rewards it was paying out were far beyond what it was expecting and soon cardholders were getting declines on large purchases, warning letters about using the card for “business” purchases and some new applicants were being approved with credit limits as low as $500.
Soon afterwards, US Bank completely nerfed the card by capping the 4% to a total of $400 in rewards per billing cycle (ie, $10,000 spend) and, even worse, limiting the eligible deposit vehicles to low-interest checking accounts. Effectively, the interest that you’d lose by keeping $100K in those accounts would almost completely wipe out the rewards that you’d receive from your $10K maximum monthly spend.
If you have the old version of the card, it’s perfect for warehouse clubs (and everywhere else). Don’t even both with the new one.
- Pros: If you were approved before 4/14/25 and had the investments to move over, 4% everywhere is whack, jack.
- Cons: The card in its current state.
A card that earns 2x transferable points everywhere
There’s a fair amount of cards that either earn 2% cashback everywhere, or 2x transferable points. In general, we always prefer transferable points, because there’s potential for much greater than 1 cent per point value when using points with travel partners for high value rewards.
Examples include:
- Amex Blue Business Plus
- Capital One Venture X Business
- Capital One Venture Rewards
- Capital One Venture X
- Citi Double Cash* (needs to be paired with a premium card for full transfer options)
- Wells Fargo Active Cash* (needs to be paired with Autograph card for transfer options)
While 2x isn’t necessarily hitting the rewards stratosphere, it’s twice as good as using a 1x everywhere card…and for folks who only want a one card wallet it can be a satisfying option.
- Pros: You can earn 2x, not only at warehouse stores, but everywhere you shop. Appealing option for folks who only want to use one card.
- Cons No options to earn Chase points. 2 is better than 1, but there’s other options available with better earnings.
What are we missing?
Are there other cards that turn Sam’s Club and Costco visits into copious rewards, but that we don’t have listed above? Let us know in the comments and we’ll add it!
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Apple Pay and USBAR update- Costco has quietly removed Apple Pay from website and app. https://www.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/1kb7b8h/applepay_no_longer_in_the_app/
Costco’s own Citibank Visa earns 2% back on in store purchases. If you’re going to talk about warehouse rewards at 2x, you might as well just mention their own card. Plus the 5x on Costco gas and 4x everywhere else is hard to beat too.
The omission was intentional. 2% isn’t bad, but it’s worse than every other card in this list…and you have you have to wait until the end of the membership year to get your cash back.
Just using a a run-of-the-mill 2% cash back card would be better because you’d get the rewards each month instead of every 12 months.
I agree, it’s good for gas at Costco, but there’s better cards to put everything else on – which is ironic because, as you say, it’s Costco’s own card.
I’m seeing conflicting reports about if it’s still possible to PC to a USBAR. Are there any recent DPs?
Any workaround to use an Amex at Costco for SUB?
Yes, check out this section.
Chase Ink with VGC (from Office Depot/Staples no-fee promo) is my go to for groceries/Costco shopping.
Spot on. Can’t get any better than that.
The Huntington Voice Mastercard has “discount & warehouse stores” as one of the 3% cash back categories for up to $2,000 per quarter of spend The FM guide data is here: https://frequentmiler.com/voice/ I received the Smartly Card just before the deadline, so will probably transition to that, but until I ramp that up, I use the Voice card at Sam’s and Costco online. Cheers.
Costco Same Day is done through Instacart, so I get 4x Costco with the Amex Gold (on Same Day Orders) and no headaches actually going to Costco.
Some of this bonus is eaten up by the upcharge Costco places on many of their items when ordered for delivery.
I disagree. I have compared in-store prices and they’re pretty comparable.
What’s wrong with the Freedom cards quarterly bonus categories when it’s wholesale clubs? Buy the warehouse gift card for using the rest of the year. I think Freedom is limited to $1500/quarter. I am also an Exec member at Costco which is an extra 2% cash back.
My Freedom Flex is a Mastercard so it’s only good for online Costco purchases.
Pro tip: For PayPal, keep your funds in their HYSA which earns 4% APY with no minimums. Do instant transfers as needed to your spending balance for 5% category purchases. Just remember you must use a PIN with PayPal Debit in a US Costco warehouse.
Pro tip 2: Remember that your paypal spending balance will be used first to fund any PayPal bill payments. You may or may not want this.
5% at Sam’s Club
Here are the steps: Get Citi Custom Cash, purchase Walmart GC at CVS ($500 per month)(up to $250 at self checkout), use Walmart GC at Sam’s.
Purely 5% without any annul fee or vgc fee.
I use my Chase Ink card (5x at Staples/OD) and buy MCGC or VGC (when fee free) and purchase Costco shop cards in the store. You must process the MCGC as debit cards and type in the last four digits as your PIN at Costco. I buy $1,000 Shop Cards so I don’t have any future issues w/ any particular GCs.
I dont even see the $1k shop cards, theyre only doing $500 max for some reason.
It may vary by location. I’m able to buy $1,000 shop card in SoCal. Just buy the $500 shop cards.
Sorry this is limited to Tennessee & Alabama, but the Redstone FCU Visa offers 3% cash back at warehouse clubs. (Also 5% cash back at gas stations & restaurants.)
https://www.redfcu.org/personal/credits-cards/visa-signature/
Thanks for sharing. Great deal if you live in the footprint.
Sam’s Club card gives 3% back for plus members. Found this out accidentally when I didn’t have the CVV for my normal card during Scan and Go checkout.
I have the Ink Business Cash and I buy the Visa cards at Staples and drive home and hand them to my wife. She takes care of the rest.
That sounds like a great system 🙂
I use Bilt on rent day to buy Visa or Mastercard gift card. With 2x Bilt point and Platinum tier, I can transfer to airline for 4x