The price gap between wholesale retail giants will shrink on May 1 as Sam’s Club imposes a $10 price hike on its annual membership.
A Sam’s Club membership will increase from $50 per year to $60 per year, putting it in line with the cost of a BJ’s membership, while remaining $5 cheaper than Costco’s Gold Star membership.
The news comes shortly before Pensacola’s first Costco store is set to open in June. With membership cost gaps closing, savvy Pensacola shoppers will now have to look at the more nuanced differences between warehouse clubs before deciding where to shop.
Here’s a breakdown of Costco, Sam’s Club and BJ’s memberships and how they compare.
How much does a Sam’s Club membership cost?
Sam’s Club is raising its annual Club membership fee from $50 to $60, while its Plus membership rate will go from $110 to $120 per year. The new price matches the annual cost of a BJ’s membership.
Sam’s Club membership perks
Here’s a quick look at what kind of benefits Sam’s Club members receive.
Club membership perks
Plus membership perks
Plus members get all of the Club perks plus:
How much does a BJ’s membership cost?
BJ’s raised its Club membership fees by $5 on Jan. 1, 2025, from $55 to $60 per year. Its Club+ membership jumped from $110 to $120 per year. It was the first price increase in seven years.
BJ’s membership perks
Here’s an at-a-glance look at BJ’s membership perks.
Club membership perks
Club+ membership perks
How much does a Costco membership cost?
Costco last increased the price of its memberships in 2024. It raised the cost of its regular membership, called Gold Star, from $60 to $65 per year, and its Executive tier from $120 to $130 per year. It was Costco’s first price hike in seven years.
Gold Star: $65/year
Executive: $130/year
Costco membership perks
Here’s a look at all of Costco’s membership perks.
Gold Star perks
Executive perks
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Is Sam’s Club still a good value after hiking its membership fee?
Reporting by Brandon Girod, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
