The Accepted Payment Methods at Costco Warehouses, Costco.com, and Costco Gas Stations

If you’re considering signing up for a Costco membership, you may wonder what payment methods are accepted at Costco.

With many unique products and a powerhouse store brand, Costco is a paradise for shoppers who want to stock up on essentials.

However, Costco payment methods can be a little tricky to navigate as there are different payment methods accepted for purchases made in warehouses, online, and at gas stations.

There are three payment methods accepted at Costco regardless of if you’re shopping at a warehouse, online at Costco.com, or at a Costco gas station: Visa cards, Debit/ATM cards, and Costco Shop Cards.

In addition to these three payment methods, you will have additional payment options available at warehouses and online.  

In the table below, we summarized the complete list of payment methods accepted at Costco, including warehouses, online at Costco.com, and Costco gas stations.

Payment Method	Accepted at Costco Warehouses	Accepted at Costco.com	Accepted at Costco Gas Stations
Visa Cards	Yes	Yes	Yes
Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi	Yes	Yes	Yes
Mastercard	No	Yes	No
Discover Cards	No	Yes	No
Diners Club	No	Yes	No
Debit/ATM Cards	Yes	Yes	Yes
Costco Shop Cards	Yes	Yes	Yes
Cash	Yes	No	No
Personal Checks	Yes	No	No
Business Checks	Yes	No	No
Traveler’s Checks	Yes	No	No
EBT Cards	Yes	No	No
Apple Pay	Yes	No	No
Google Pay	Yes	No	No
Samsung Pay	Yes	No	No
Visa Click to Pay	No	Yes	No

Keep reading to learn more details about the accepted payment methods at Costco, depending on each shopping scenario.

Costco Warehouses

If you’re planning to shop at a Costco warehouse, there are a variety of accepted payment methods that you can use; however, the biggest call-out is that Mastercard credit cards are not accepted at Costco warehouses.

This is due to the exclusivity agreement Costco has with Visa; thus, they don’t allow members to use Mastercard credit cards for purchases made at warehouses.

However, if you have a Mastercard debit card with a PIN, you can still use it to pay at Costco warehouses – just no credit cards.

The accepted payment methods at Costco warehouses include:

• All types of Visa Cards
• Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
• Most Debit/ATM Cards with PIN
• Costco Shop Cards
• Cash
• Personal checks from Costco Members
• Business checks from Costco Business Members
• Traveler’s checks
• EBT
• Apple Pay
• Google Pay
• Samsung Pay

Except for the Visa credit card limitation, Costco is generous with accepting a variety of payment methods for purchases made in warehouses.

By accepting cash, checks, EBT, and even mobile payments like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay, Costco makes payments easy for members who prefer to shop in-store.

Costco.com

There are many reasons why Costco’s online shopping is so popular.

For starters, Costco warehouses can get very crowded, especially around major holidays.

You can beat the crowds by ordering online at Costco.com or on the Costco app and tracking your order along the way.

You don’t even need a membership to order from Costco online – though non-members pay a 5% surcharge.

While Costco’s online prices are typically higher than warehouse prices due to shipping and handling fees, it’s a viable option for many.

During certain times of the year, when warehouses get extremely crowded or when certain products are exclusively sold online, Costco online shopping becomes a necessity.

Another reason you may want to consider online shopping is that Costco accepts Mastercard credit cards when shopping online at Costco.com.

In addition to Mastercard, Costco also accepts Discover Cards (including JCB and Diners Club) for online orders.

Below are the accepted payment methods when shopping online at Costco.com:

• All types of Visa Cards
• Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
• Mastercard
• Discover Cards
• Diners Club
• Most Debit/ATM Cards with PIN
• Costco Shop Cards
• Visa Click to Pay

Costco Gas Stations

Who doesn’t like purchasing quality gas at an affordable price?

With member-exclusive prices that you can check on the Costco app, Costco gas stations can make a trip to the warehouse worthwhile.

Pro Tip: In addition to checking gas prices on the Costco app, you can also find details about your local warehouse, including the hours of operation.

Since opening its first gas station in 1995, Costco has been committed to providing its members with high-quality gas at the lowest possible prices.

You can find regular and premium fuel at all Costco gas stations and, in some locations, diesel.

If you’re wondering what payment methods are accepted at Costco gas stations, here’s the list:

• All types of Visa Cards
• Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
• Most Debit/ATM Cards with PIN
• Costco Shop Cards

Conclusion

Visa cards, Debit/ATM cards, and Costco Shop Cards are the three payment methods accepted at all Costco warehouses, online at Costco.com, and at Costco gas stations.

In addition to these three payment options, Costco allows members to pay using other methods at warehouses and online.

One drawback of shopping at a warehouse is the inability to pay using a Mastercard credit card. Costco has an exclusive agreement with Visa and doesn’t accept Mastercard credit cards for in-store purchases.

The good news is that if you have a Mastercard credit card, you can still use it for purchases made online at Costco.com. In addition, you can use Mastercard debit cards at all Costco locations.

Whether you’re considering signing up for a Costco membership or just received a new credit card and wonder if it will be accepted at Costco, use our guide to find out what payment methods are accepted at Costco for each shopping scenario.

For more information about Costco, check out the articles below.