13 Benefits of Getting a Sam's Club Membership

No matter which type of Sam's Club membership you get, you'll unlock more than a dozen different Sam's Club membership benefits and perks as soon as you join.

Even their entry-level option (with a membership cost of $50 per year) includes most of the perks we cover below, and it'll let you make purchases at any Sam's Club location or online. But upgrading to the Plus membership is worth it (with a cost of $110 per year) if you plan to order items for delivery or make a few high-dollar purchases.

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Best Sam's Club Benefits

High Food Quality-to-Price Ratio

Not only will you save money doing your grocery shopping at Sam's Club, but you’ll also get much better food. We dug into the question of "Is Sam's Club good quality?" and found out that they source many high-quality products. In my experience, the produce is always fresher at Sam's than at your regular grocery store — probably because it moves off the shelves faster.

Here are a few benefits of their food selection:

• Rotisserie chicken for less than $5

• Grab-and-go meals for less than $4 a serving

• Bakery items at a fraction of the cost of grocery store prices

• Responsibly sourced seafood

• USDA prime beef

• Sashimi-grade salmon

• Food court items for under $2

This Sam's Club benefit makes a membership worth it if you buy ready-made meals and like to grocery shop in bulk.

Cheap Gas Prices

The Sam’s Club Fuel Center is like a private gas station only Sam’s members have access to — and it’s one of the easiest ways to save money on gas. When we compared Sam's Club gas prices to competitors, we found that Sam's Club was the clear winner (even compared to Costco and BJ's).

"Where I live, Sam's gas is always a penny less than Costco." - Holly H., KCL reader

And, you can pay at the pump with the Scan & Go feature in the app, making it faster and easier to fuel up.

This Sam's Club benefit makes a membership worth it if you buy gas at least every three weeks, based on our savings calculations.

Free and Low-Cost Prescriptions

The Sam’s Club pharmacy benefits alone can make joining Sam's Club worth it. Members can get generic prescription medications for as little as just $4, and Plus members can get about 10 different meds for free.

Talk to the pharmacy or use their online price check tool to see how much money you could save by switching. They even offer discounts on pet prescriptions! And according to a Walmart press release in 2023, their pharmacy was rated No. 1 in customer satisfaction for 8 years in a row.

This Sam's Club benefit makes a Plus membership worth it if you take certain medications listed in our Plus membership guide.

Earn Extra Sam's Cash

If you’re a frequent Sam’s Club shopper, having the store’s credit card lets you earn Sam's Cash — even without a Plus membership.

With the Mastercard, you earn 5% back on gas (anywhere that accepts Mastercard), 3% back on dining, and 1% back on all other purchases.

So this Sam's Club benefit makes a membership worth it if you spend at least $5,000 per year with the Sam's Mastercard — or spend at least $1,000 on gas.

And if you pay extra for a Plus membership, you'll earn 2% on most in-club purchases and 3% on all other purchases you make with the Sam’s Club Mastercard.

"I have Sam's Club Plus and their credit card. I get lots of Sam's Cash every month, which helps me buy staples at Sam's." - Sharon H., KCL reader

Even without the Mastercard, you can earn Sam's Cash Bonus Offers just by linking a valid payment method in the Sam's Club app.

Affordable Eye Exams, Glasses, and Contacts

A basic Sam's Club membership will get you access to competitive prices on glasses and contacts at the Sam's Club Optical Center. And by competitive, I mean their frames start at just $59! And if you have the Plus membership, you'll get the added benefit of 20% off a pair of prescription eyeglasses or sunglasses at regular price.

They also have some good sales on kids' glasses during the back-to-school season (offering BOGO free youth glasses up to a $59 value), plus affordable prices for Sam's Club eye exams.

This Sam's Club benefit makes a Plus membership worth it if plant to spend at least $300 on prescription glasses each year without insurance.

Save Time With Scan & Go

Skip the long checkout line and pay on your phone with the handy Scan & Go feature in the Sam’s Club app. Just load your credit card or EBT card onto your account and you can check out in seconds. This is one of the top perks loved by members — and a fan-favorite of Reddit commenters!

You can also use Scan & Go at Sam's Club gas pumps. Just scan the QR code with your app and start fueling up.

This Sam's Club benefit makes a membership worth it if you hate checkout lines and prefer to pay with your phone.

Additional Membership Perks We Love

Here are a few other Sam's Club benefits that could make membership worth it for you:

• In-store free samples

• Gift card deals (for up to 25% off)

• Generous return policy (100% Satisfaction Guarantee)

• Member-only events (like "Taste of Sam's Club" and Halloween Trick or Treat in-store events)

• Discounted theme park tickets via Sam's Club Travel

• Early shopping hours (for Plus members only)

• Early access to Black Friday sales (for Plus members only)