Of all the cards I keep in my wallet, there’s one that I particularly love to show off: my Costco membership card. Yup, get a good look! It’s 100% real.
Even as a literal card-carrying member of the Costco family, I don’t really enjoy having to bring a whole purse into the store (gotta keep my cart open for all the best groceries), or really anything besides my phone and keys (gotta keep my hands free for the inevitable Costco bake and pizza slice). Which begs the question: Can I just use Apple Pay at Costco?
I did some good ol’ fashioned digging around to find out exactly what we can (and can’t use) to pay for at our favorite bulk warehouse. Plus, I picked up a few payment workarounds from a friendly employee. Let’s get into it.
Does Costco Take Apple Pay?
Yes! You bet it, buddy. Costco, like many other retailers, is solidly in the future and takes Apple Pay as a method of payment, as well as Samsung Pay and Google Pay, with the latter two only being available for use in-store (more on this in a bit). Apple Pay is also accepted at Costco gas stations and online at Costco.com.
That being said, it does depend which card you’re using with your Apple Pay (eh hem, Visa). Costco has an exclusive agreement with Visa, so Mastercard, Discover, and American Express credit cards (PIN-based debit cards are fine) won’t work as a method of payment, save for a few exceptions I’ve conveniently outlined below.
What Other Payment Methods Does Costco Accept?
Depending on how (and where) you get your Costco deals, there’s a wide range of ways to pay for those groceries/playgrounds/Moon Boots.
If you go classic (i.e. in-store), the following methods of payment are accepted.
Filling up on gas at a Costco gas station? You can use any of the following as you top off.
If you’re shopping online, Costco accepts the following methods of payment as well — as you’ll see, you can use Mastercard credit cards when purchasing online(!).
Before You Use Apple Pay at Costco, a Few Tips
If you’re a bit confused by all the options or you primarily use a Mastercard (been there), I do have a few tips courtesy of a friendly employee.
Have you used Apple Pay at Costco? Tell us about it in the comments below.
