Whether you’re on the fence about which type of Sam’s Club membership to get or just curious about how to save money on the annual cost, you'll want to have all the facts.
Spoiler alert — there's a whole lot included in that $50 - $110 per year fee. In fact, we found more than a dozen membership benefits. And you don’t often have to pay full price for a Sam’s Club membership if you're new to the club.
For more smart shopping tips and savings hacks, download the KCL app or text HACKS to 57299.
How Much Does a Sam's Club Membership Cost?
Club Membership
The entry-level Sam’s Club membership (aka the “Club” membership) costs $50 per year, which is like paying $4.17 a month. 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.
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.
With the Club membership, you get one additional free membership you can share with someone else in your household. If you want to add more people, they'll allow you to add up to eight additional membership cards (at the Club level) for $45 each.
KCL TIP: Take advantage of membership deals to get your first year of Sam's Club membership for at least 50% off (more on that below).
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 costs $110 per year, which is like paying $9.17 a month.
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 small orders (under $50), early shopping hours, and more.
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.
KCL TIP: If you spend more than $250 a month at Sam’s Club, it’s worth it to upgrade to the Plus membership just for the cash-back rewards.
How to Get a Discounted Sam's Club Membership
1. Take advantage of new membership deals to save at least 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 last offered in January 2022 and June 2022.
We frequently see Sam's Club membership deals that could save you 50% - 70% on your first year. Basically, if you're not getting some freebies or gift cards back on a new membership, wait until we share a deal.
Active deals on Sam's Club memberships:
2. Verify your status as a student, veteran, or military member to save up to 60% 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:
Discount | Club membership | Plus membership |
|---|---|---|
Student | $20 (60% off) | $60 (46% off) |
College Alumni | $20 (60% off) | $60 (46% off) |
Teacher | $20 (60% off) | $60 (46% off) |
Military, Veteran, or Spouse | $20 (60% off) | $60 (46% off) |
Senior (age 55+) | $20 (60% off) | $60 (46% off) |
First Responder | $20 (60% off) | $60 (46% off) |
Nurse or Medical Provider | $20 (60% off) | $60 (46% off) |
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 of 46% - 60% off 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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