If you've been thinking about joining Sam's Club — or you're an existing member — now's a good time to pay attention. As of May 1, 2026, Sam's Club raised their membership prices for the first time since 2022. Both membership tiers went up by $10 per year, and unless you locked in the previous rate before the price jump went into effect, you're going to have to pay it.
The good news? There's still a lot of value in a Sam's Club membership, and there are ways to soften the price bump. And you don’t have to pay full price for a Sam’s Club membership if you're joining for the first time ever (or the first time in at least six months).
How much does a Sam's Club membership cost?
Club Membership
The entry-level Sam's Club membership (aka the "Club" membership) now costs $60 per year, after a price increase went into effect on May 1, 2026.
A basic membership gets you access to all of the member-only prices at Sam's Club locations and on SamsClub.com, as well as member prices at gas pumps and other perks like Scan & Go savings and free curbside pickup with no minimums.
As soon as you join, either online or in person at the Member Services desk, you’ll get a digital membership card. They no longer mail out physical membership cards, but if you really want a printed card, you can ask for one at the Member Services desk.
Plus Membership
Once you get the hang of shopping at Sam’s Club, you might find that you’re ready to upgrade to the Plus membership, which is their next higher tier. The upgraded Plus membership now costs $120 per year after a price increase went into effect on May 1, 2026.
At the Plus level, you get all the perks of the Club membership, plus 2% cash back on qualifying purchases, cheaper same-day delivery fees for orders under $50, early shopping hours, and more.
Plus members earn 2% cash back on qualifying in-club purchases, up to a maximum of $750 in earnings per year. Worth noting: You'd need to spend $37,500 in-club annually to actually hit that maximum — so for most shoppers, that maximum isn't an issue.
If you want to get into the nitty-gritty details, we wrote a whole post on how to figure out if a Sam’s Club Plus membership is worth it .
How to Get a Discounted Sam's Club Membership
1. Take advantage of new membership deals to save up to 50% on your first year.
Sam's Club offers sign-up incentives like gift cards and discounts pretty regularly if you're new to the club (or if it's been at least six months since your membership lapsed).
The lowest we've EVER seen a Sam's Club membership go is $8, but that was back in 2022. But we frequently see deals that save you 50% - 70% on your first year, so if you're not seeing a deal you love, it's worth waiting for the next one.
2. Verify your status as a student, veteran, or military member to save up to 50% on your first year.
If you’re a military member, veteran, student, or senior, you can verify your status online with ID.me and get a discount when you sign up for a new membership.
You can qualify as a new member if your Sam's Club membership lapsed at least six months ago or if you've never been a member before. Here are the current discounts and links to use:
KCL TIP: According to the Sam's Club Help site, if you qualify for certain government assistance programs like SNAP or Head Start, you may also be eligible for a discount on the Sam's Club membership cost for your first year.
3. Use your earned Sam's Cash toward your membership cost.
Any credits you earn in the form of Sam’s Cash can be used for purchases you make at the club, online on SamsClub.com, or in the Sam’s Club app. You can also apply them to your membership cost when it's time to renew.
If you’d rather just have the cash, stop by Member Services at your local Sam’s Club to cash out your credits.
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