July 7, 2025, Sam’s Club in Miami.
Joe Radle | Getty Images
Sam’s Club, owned by Walmart, announced Wednesday that it will raise its annual membership fees by $10.
Starting May 1st, it will compete directly with Warehouse Club. costco and BJ’s Wholesale Club — Basic membership costs $60 per year, higher options cost $120. Currently, club members are charged $50 and Plus members $110, and the last annual fee increase was in October 2022.
Sam’s Club said in a statement that it has “adjusted membership prices to support what our members love,” citing benefits such as expanded selection, expanded hours, and more options for curbside pickup and delivery.
Still, these new rates are lower than those at rival Costco, which charges $65 a year for a basic membership and $130 a year for higher-end options. Costco has increased its prices in 2024. Pricing will be similar to Sam’s Club’s basic membership fee of $60 per year and BJ’s, where higher-end membership fees are $120 per year.
Sam’s Club is raising membership fees as annual sales and member numbers increase. According to Walmart’s fourth-quarter earnings report, Sam’s Club’s net sales last year rose about 3.1% to $93 billion. Part of this growth was due to an expansion of its digital business, with Warehouse Club’s e-commerce sales increasing 23% year-over-year in the holiday quarter. Store and website visits also increased, with transaction value increasing 5.3% year-over-year in the quarter.
Due to the soaring price of gasoline due to the Iran war, attention has been focused on one of the key perks of warehouse clubs: low prices when refueling. According to travel association AAA, gas prices reached an average of $4.018 nationwide this week. This is the highest price since August 2022, when energy prices skyrocketed due to the Russia-Ukraine war.
Sam’s Club does not disclose membership numbers, but says it hit a record high in the three months ending January 31st. Sam’s Club is estimated to have more than 30 million members, with about the same number of members at the top level as Costco, said David Bellinger, a retail analyst at Mizuho Securities.
The increase in membership fees could increase annual revenue from subscriptions by more than $200 million, based on estimates by equity research firms. This equates to a 2 cent increase in parent company Walmart’s annual earnings per share.
Dues increases for current members will take effect when you renew at the end of your billing cycle. Sam’s Club said it emailed members about the rate increase on Tuesday.
As part of the rate changes, Sam’s Club says higher-level members, called “Plus,” will now be able to earn up to $750 in Sam’s Cash benefits on eligible purchases, up from $500 annually.
