BJ’s vs. Costco: Which Is the Better Bulk Buy Warehouse?

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With food prices increasing by 5.8% in 2023–and as much as 9.0% in some categories–shopping at wholesale warehouses like BJ’s and Costco is becoming a must But when it comes to Costco vs. BJ’s, who wins the value war? And which is the right membership for you?

What Is the Cost of Membership at Costco and BJ’s?

Both BJ’s and Costco offer two personal membership levels, which include varying benefits. The two warehouses also offer business memberships.

Costco Personal Membership Details

Costco offers a choice between two personal membership cards:

• Executive Member card: $120 a year
• Goldstar Member card: $60 a year

Each membership gives access to two cards and two family member shoppers. Both allow you to shop in warehouses and online at Costco.com. However, the Executive Member card gives you 2% cash back, to be spent in Costco warehouses, on every Costco purchase.

Cash back rewards are capped at $1,000 per year, but, depending on how much you buy, this could pay for the membership fee.

BJ’s Personal Membership Details

BJ’s also offers two levels of personal memberships, which are both slightly less than Costco’s. The benefits that come with either also vary. These are the different types:

• The Club+ Card: $110 a year
• The Club Card: $55 a year

With BJ’s Club+ Card ($110/year), you’ll get only one card and will need to pay an additional $30 for additional cards, with a limit of four total shoppers. Like Costco’s Executive Membership, you’ll receive 2% cash back on most purchases, however, BJ’s cash back benefit is limited to $500 per year. You’ll also receive a five cents-per-gallon discount at BJ’s gas stations and other special event rewards.

Does BJ’s or Costco Have More Locations?

In the BJ’s vs. Costco battle, your location might determine the winner before any shots are fired. That’s because Costco has 875 locations worldwide, with 603 in 47 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, while BJ’s has 244 warehouses in 20 states, predominantly on the East Coast.

Does Costco or BJ’s Have Better Prices?

Price on in-warehouse items is likely your biggest concern when it comes to choosing between Costco vs. BJ’s. Interestingly, the difference in price seems to be negligible, at least according to an October 2023 price comparison done by AARP.

AARP looked at the unit price of 30 commonly bought items at each warehouse, from rotisserie chickens and ground beef to milk, berries and cheese. The total difference between the unit price of all 30 items was a whopping 27 cents, with BJ’s edging out Costco.

Do Costco and BJ’s Accept Coupons?

A significant difference between Costco and BJ’s is their policies surrounding manufacturers’ coupons.

While Costco offers their own coupons in mailed booklets and in the store throughout the year, the warehouse does not accept manufacturers’ coupons.

BJ’s, on the other hand, issues their own discount coupons, and also accepts manufacturers’ coupons. Their policy allows you to apply both on the same item at checkout.

Additionally, while Costco’s coupons are automatically applied to items at checkout, the process at BJ’s is a bit more cumbersome. BJ’s requires members to access and print in-store coupons from their website, or get them through their member magazine and special-offer mailings and flyers.

What Payment Methods Do Costco and BJ’s Accept?

Both Costco and BJ’s accept multiple payment methods, including credit cards, debit cards, EBT cards, cash, checks, and their own signature credit cards. However, if you’re using plastic, Costco only accepts Visa cards for in-warehouse purchases. Whereas, BJ’s accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover cards.

Do Costco and BJ’s Offer Credit Card Rewards?

Both Costco and BJ’s offer their own signature credit cards, with cashback and other benefits. The benefits vary, however. Here is a breakdown of BJ’s vs. Costco credit cards:

Can You Shop at BJ’s or Costco Without Buying a Membership?

Believe it or not, there are ways to shop BJ’s and Costco without a membership, however there are major limitations.

BJ’s One-Day Shopping Pass for Non-Members

Here’s the good news: You can get a free pass to shop BJ’s for 24 hours without signing up for a membership. It’s easy to sign up on their website or at one of their club’s Member Service Desks.

Here’s the not-so-great news: When using the pass, you’ll be charged a 15% non-member surcharge “over and above BJ’s listed prices on all merchandise except alcohol.” However, if you purchase a membership within seven days of your visit, the 15% non-member surcharge will be refunded to you. 

Costco’s Shop Card Hack

For a time, social media blew up with a supposed “Costco shopping hack.” The idea was that Costco members could buy a Costco Shop Card–similar to a Costco gift card, load it with money and give it to non-members, who could then shop Costco with it.

Whether you believe the anecdotal evidence or not, Costco’s Shop Card details page specifies that only members can purchase the cards, but doesn’t mention any restrictions on whether only members can use the cards.

However, Costco does state that they do not issue shopping passes to non-members and, with the exception of prescription purchases at their pharmacy, you must be a paid member to enter the Costco warehouse. So hack at your own risk.

H2 Do BJ’s and Costco Offer Home Delivery?

The short answer is yes, both BJ’s and Costco have home delivery services. However, they differ in significant ways.

BJ’s Home Delivery

BJ’s offers its Same Day Delivery, with items arriving at your home in as little as two hours. They charge a flat fee of $14.99, with some items triggering an additional charge. Importantly, not every item is available for home delivery.

To use the home delivery option, shop online, complete your order, and a BJ’s employee or outside vendor will deliver your items to your door. Home delivery is not available in all locations, however.

Costco Home Delivery

Costco offers two different home delivery options. Their Same-Day delivery is powered by Instacart. It includes an unspecified service and delivery fee, and requires a $35 minimum purchase.

With Costco’s 2-Day delivery option, there is no additional fee for orders of $75 or more, however the service is not available in all areas. For instance, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and parts of Alaska are excluded. Also, for both Same-Day and 2-Day delivery, prices might be higher than if you purchased them in-warehouse.

Editorial Note: This content is not provided by any entity covered in this article. Any opinions, analyses, reviews, ratings or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author alone and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any entity named in this article.

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