{"slug":"does-costco-accept-american-express","title":"Does Costco Accept American Express?","excerpt":"No — Costco does not accept American Express at its warehouses or on Costco.com. Costco dropped AmEx in 2016 when its exclusive co-branded credit card partnership switched to Visa. Today Costco only accepts Visa credit cards (plus debit, cash, checks, and EBT). Here's what you can pay with — and the best Visa card to use at Costco.","content":"# Does Costco Accept American Express?\n\n**No — Costco does not accept American Express.** If you pull out your AmEx card at a Costco warehouse checkout or try to use it on Costco.com, it will be declined. This surprises a lot of shoppers, especially those with premium AmEx rewards cards. Here's exactly what happened, what Costco does accept, and the best card to use when you shop there.\n\n## Why Doesn't Costco Accept American Express Anymore?\n\nCostco and American Express had an exclusive co-branded credit card partnership that lasted from 1999 to 2016. For 17 years, AmEx was the **only** credit card accepted at Costco warehouses — a deal that benefited both companies by driving spending on the co-branded Costco AmEx card.\n\nIn 2016, Costco ended that partnership and signed an exclusive deal with **Visa** instead. The new co-branded card — the **Citi/Costco Anywhere Visa® Card** — launched in June 2016 and replaced the AmEx partnership entirely.\n\nAs a result:\n- **All American Express cards** (Blue Cash, Gold, Platinum, Centurion — everything) are declined at Costco\n- Costco only accepts **Visa** as a credit card network\n- The switch applied to all warehouses in the U.S. and to Costco.com simultaneously\n\n## What Payment Methods Does Costco Accept?\n\nHere's every payment method Costco currently accepts (as of 2026):\n\n| Payment Type | Accepted? | Notes |\n|-------------|-----------|-------|\n| **Visa credit cards** | ✓ Yes | Any Visa — the Citi/Costco Visa earns the most rewards |\n| **Visa debit cards** | ✓ Yes | Any Visa-network debit card |\n| **Mastercard** | ✗ No | Not accepted |\n| **American Express** | ✗ No | Not accepted since 2016 |\n| **Discover** | ✗ No | Not accepted |\n| **Cash** | ✓ Yes | All warehouses |\n| **Debit cards (PIN)** | ✓ Yes | Must enter PIN; must have sufficient balance |\n| **Checks** | ✓ Yes | Personal, cashier's, business checks |\n| **EBT/SNAP** | ✓ Yes | Food-eligible items only |\n| **Costco Shop Cards** | ✓ Yes | Costco's own gift cards (reloadable) |\n| **Apple Pay / Google Pay** | ✓ Yes (in-store) | Contactless payments using a linked Visa card |\n| **PayPal** | ✓ Yes (online only) | Costco.com accepts PayPal at checkout |\n\n### Does Costco Accept Mastercard or Discover?\n\nNo. Costco only accepts **Visa** among credit card networks. Mastercard, Discover, and American Express are all declined. This is one of the most restrictive payment policies of any major U.S. retailer.\n\n### What About Costco Gas Stations?\n\nCostco gas stations follow the same policy — **Visa only** for credit cards. Cash and PIN debit are also accepted at the pump. AmEx, Mastercard, and Discover are not accepted at Costco gas stations.\n\n### What About Costco.com?\n\nCostco's website (Costco.com) accepts Visa credit and debit cards, plus PayPal, Costco Shop Cards, and EBT for eligible orders. **American Express is not accepted on Costco.com** either.\n\n---\n\n## The Best Card to Use at Costco\n\nSince you're limited to Visa, the single best card to use at Costco is the **Citi® / Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi**:\n\n| Category | Reward Rate |\n|----------|-------------|\n| Costco and Costco.com | **2% cash back** |\n| Restaurants and eligible travel | **3% cash back** |\n| Gas (including Costco gas) | **4% cash back** (first $7,000/yr, then 1%) |\n| All other purchases | **1% cash back** |\n\n- **Annual fee:** $0 (included with Costco membership)\n- **Cash back paid:** Once a year in February as a reward certificate, redeemable at Costco warehouses\n\nIf you don't want the co-branded card, other strong Visa options at Costco include:\n- **Chase Freedom Unlimited® Visa** — 1.5% cash back on all purchases\n- **Capital One Venture Visa** — 2x miles everywhere\n- **Wells Fargo Active Cash® Visa** — 2% cash back on all purchases\n\n---\n\n## What If You Only Have an American Express Card?\n\nIf AmEx is your primary card, you have a few workarounds:\n\n1. **Pay with cash** — straightforward, though less convenient for large purchases\n2. **Use a Visa debit card** — even a basic checking account debit card on the Visa network works\n3. **Buy a Costco Shop Card** — purchase a Costco gift card in advance using your AmEx through a third-party retailer (some grocery stores or gas stations sell them), then use the Shop Card at Costco\n4. **Use Apple Pay or Google Pay** — if your phone wallet has a linked Visa card, contactless payments work in-store (the underlying card must still be Visa)\n5. **Open a Visa credit card** — if you shop at Costco regularly, getting a no-fee Visa card is the cleanest solution\n\n> **Note:** You cannot load an AmEx card onto Apple Pay and use it at Costco. The payment network that processes the transaction must be Visa — Apple Pay simply passes through the underlying card's network.\n\n---\n\n## Costco vs. Sam's Club: Which Accepts More Cards?\n\nIf payment flexibility matters to you, it's worth comparing Costco to its biggest competitor:\n\n| Feature | Costco | Sam's Club |\n|---------|--------|-----------|\n| American Express | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |\n| Mastercard | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |\n| Discover | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |\n| Visa | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |\n| Cash | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |\n\n**Sam's Club accepts all four major credit card networks**, including American Express. If you're locked into AmEx rewards and want a wholesale club membership, Sam's Club is more card-friendly than Costco.\n\n---\n\n## Frequently Asked Questions\n\n**Does Costco take American Express in 2026?**\nNo. Costco has not accepted American Express since June 2016, when the co-branded AmEx partnership ended. There are no plans to bring AmEx back — Costco has an exclusive agreement with Visa.\n\n**When did Costco stop accepting American Express?**\nCostco stopped accepting American Express on June 19, 2016. That's when the Citi/Costco Visa card launched and the AmEx partnership expired.\n\n**Can I use my Amex Blue Cash Everyday or Amex Platinum at Costco?**\nNo. All American Express cards are declined at Costco — no exceptions. The Blue Cash Everyday, Blue Cash Preferred, Gold, Platinum, Centurion, and all other AmEx products are not accepted.\n\n**Does Costco accept Mastercard?**\nNo. Mastercard is not accepted at Costco warehouses, Costco.com, or Costco gas stations. Visa is the only accepted credit card network.\n\n**Does Costco accept contactless/tap payments?**\nYes — but the underlying card must be a Visa. Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay all work in-store at Costco as long as the card you've linked is a Visa.\n\n**What's the best credit card to use at Costco?**\nThe Citi/Costco Anywhere Visa® Card earns 2% at Costco, 3% at restaurants and travel, and 4% on gas — and there's no annual fee beyond your Costco membership. It's the top-earning Visa card specifically for Costco purchases.\n\n**Can I pay at Costco with PayPal?**\nPayPal is accepted on Costco.com (online orders only). PayPal is not accepted at the in-store checkout or at the warehouse.\n\n**Does Costco accept Apple Pay with an AmEx card linked?**\nNo. Even if you try to pay with Apple Pay using a linked AmEx card, the transaction will be declined because the underlying network is American Express. The contactless payment still processes over the card's network — Costco's terminals reject AmEx regardless of how it's presented.\n\n---\n\n## The Bottom Line\n\nCostco stopped accepting American Express in 2016 and shows no signs of reversing that decision. At Costco warehouses and Costco.com, **Visa is the only accepted credit card network**. If you want to maximize rewards at Costco, the Citi/Costco Anywhere Visa® Card is purpose-built for it — 2% back at Costco and 4% on gas. If you're committed to AmEx and don't want to open a Visa card, pay with cash, a Visa debit card, or a Costco Shop Card purchased elsewhere with your AmEx.\n\n### Related Comparisons\n- [American Express vs. Visa: Which Is More Widely Accepted?](/compare/american-express-vs-visa)\n- [American Express vs. Mastercard: Network Comparison](/compare/american-express-vs-mastercard)\n- [Costco vs. Sam's Club: Which Is the Better Warehouse Club?](/compare/costco-vs-sams-club)\n","category":"finance","tags":["Costco payment methods","does Costco accept American Express","Costco credit cards","Costco Visa","American Express","retail payments"],"url":"https://www.aversusb.net/blog/does-costco-accept-american-express","publishedAt":"2026-07-10T08:54:07.277Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-10T08:54:08.515Z","articleSchema":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/blog/does-costco-accept-american-express#article","headline":"Does Costco Accept American Express?","description":"No — Costco does not accept American Express at its warehouses or on Costco.com. Costco dropped AmEx in 2016 when its exclusive co-branded credit card partnership switched to Visa. Today Costco only accepts Visa credit cards (plus debit, cash, checks, and EBT). Here's what you can pay with — and the best Visa card to use at Costco.","abstract":"No — Costco does not accept American Express at its warehouses or on Costco.com. Costco dropped AmEx in 2016 when its exclusive co-branded credit card partnership switched to Visa. Today Costco only accepts Visa credit cards (plus debit, cash, checks, and EBT). Here's what you can pay with — and the best Visa card to use at Costco.","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/blog/does-costco-accept-american-express","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/blog/does-costco-accept-american-express#primaryImage","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/api/og?title=Does%20Costco%20Accept%20American%20Express%3F&type=blog","contentUrl":"https://www.aversusb.net/api/og?title=Does%20Costco%20Accept%20American%20Express%3F&type=blog","width":1200,"height":630,"caption":"Does Costco Accept American Express?"},"thumbnailUrl":"https://www.aversusb.net/api/og?title=Does%20Costco%20Accept%20American%20Express%3F&type=blog","contentReferenceTime":"2026-07-10T08:54:08.515Z","datePublished":"2026-07-10T08:54:07.277Z","dateCreated":"2026-07-10T08:54:07.277Z","dateModified":"2026-07-10T08:54:08.515Z","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/#organization","name":"A Versus B"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/#organization","name":"A Versus B"},"inLanguage":"en-US","isPartOf":{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/#website"},"keywords":"Costco payment methods, does Costco accept American Express, Costco credit cards, Costco Visa, American Express, retail payments","articleSection":"finance","wordCount":1355,"license":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/","speakable":{"@type":"SpeakableSpecification","cssSelector":["h1",".article-excerpt",".article-intro","#article-summary"]},"accessMode":["textual"],"accessModeSufficient":[{"@type":"ItemList","itemListElement":["textual"]}],"isAccessibleForFree":true}}