Walmart is a traditional retail chain open to all shoppers with lower per-item prices due to volume purchasing, while Sam's Club requires a paid membership but offers bulk quantities at steeper discounts and a curated product selection. Sam's Club members typically save 10-15% more on bulk purchases, while Walmart serves casual shoppers seeking convenience and everyday low prices.
Sam's Club vs Walmart — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Walmart-owned warehouse chain with 599 U.S. locations, competitive pricing, and strong electronics selection.
General merchandise mega-retailer offering groceries, apparel, home goods, and electronics at competitive prices.
Membership Model. Average Savings on Bulk Items. Store Count (US). Typical Basket Size Required. SKU Count per Store. Fuel Discount Program. Return Policy Days
Choose Sam's Club if you buy groceries and household items in bulk for a family or small business—the membership fee pays for itself within 2-3 months for heavy users through cumulative savings of 10-15% on large purchases. Choose Walmart if you prefer shopping without membership, want convenient access to 3,500+ locations, need single-item purchases, or value selection breadth over per-unit discounts.
Sam's Club: Sam's Club Basic | Walmart: N/A
Sam's Club: Sam's Club Plus | Walmart: N/A
Sam's Club: Limited selection | Walmart: N/A
Sam's Club: Member's Mark (value) | Walmart: N/A
Sam's Club: AI integration, store upgrades | Walmart: N/A
Sam's Club: Member availability | Walmart: N/A
Sam's Club: Ready-to-serve upgrades, natural ingredients | Walmart: N/A
Sam's Club: 1,500+ (Member's Mark) | Walmart: N/A
Sam's Club: $45-$110 (Gold/Plus) | Walmart: $98 for Walmart+
Private Label Savings vs National Brands
Sam's Club: 15-30% (Member's Mark) | Walmart: 10-15% (Great Value brand)
Estimated Break-Even on Membership (annual savings needed)
Sam's Club: 10-30¢ (all members) | Walmart: 5-15¢ (Walmart+ only)
Sam's Club: 20-30% (Member's Mark) | Walmart: 10-20% (Great Value)
Sam's Club: 15-20% below average | Walmart: N/A
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: Walmart: $50-60 million
Customer Satisfaction (Net Promoter Score)
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: Walmart: 45-50
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: Walmart: $16-18
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: Walmart: 8-9x
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: Walmart: Same-day available
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: Walmart: $400+ billion
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: Walmart: 2.1+ million
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: Walmart: 7-8%
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: N/A (no membership)
Kirkland/Great Value Private Label Market Share
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: Single units available
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: ~3,600 stores
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: Baseline (lower)
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: 5-10% discount on select items (members only)
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: ~85% of metro areas
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: Basic manufacturer defect coverage only
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: Limited technical support in electronics departments
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: 9+ (Groceries, apparel, electronics, furniture, etc.)
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: 10,500+ stores
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: 30,000-40,000 items
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: Baseline pricing
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: 25-30% private label
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: 20+ services (grocery, pharmacy, gas, vision, financial, auto, home services)
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: ~140 million weekly
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: $400+ billion USD
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: 2-5 days (standard)
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: 8,000-12,000 SKUs
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: Baseline (0%)
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: No dedicated program
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: Limited hours, chat/email
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: 40+ categories
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: Free (no membership required)
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: 3-5 days (free over $35)
Sam's Club: N/A | Walmart: $0.5 billion (minimal)
How to choose between Sam's Club and Walmart
Sam's Club vs Walmart — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Sam's Club vs Walmart. Contains 94 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Sam's Club vs Walmart — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Sam's Club vs Walmart.
Does the Sam's Club membership pay for itself?
Yes, for most families. A Gold membership ($45/year) breaks even if you save just $3.75/month through bulk purchases—easily achievable on groceries. Heavy shoppers spending $200+/month typically save $20-30/month (240-360/year), paying for the membership 3-4 times over. Families buying diapers, formula, or bulk frozen foods see ROI within 1-2 months.
Can I use Sam's Club prices without a membership?
No, Sam's Club requires an active membership to shop in-club. However, some locations offer a one-day pass ($10), and you can use the gift card program without membership for small purchases. Online shopping is available to non-members but lacks the deepest bulk discounts.
Is Walmart or Sam's Club cheaper overall?
For bulk purchases, Sam's Club is 10-15% cheaper per unit. For small quantities and single items, Walmart is cheaper or equal because you avoid bulk minimums. A household buying $500/month in groceries and household items would save $60-90/month at Sam's Club (more than covering membership), while someone spending $100/month would likely break even or save marginally.
Sam's Club offers steeper fuel discounts (10-30¢/gallon) available to all members automatically. Walmart only offers 5-15¢/gallon discounts to Walmart+ members ($98/year). For drivers filling up weekly, Sam's Club saves $50-100/year on fuel alone vs Walmart's Walmart+ program.
Can I return items at either store without hassle?
Both offer 90-day returns on most items. Sam's Club's smaller inventory (4,000 vs 100,000 items) means faster processing. Walmart's electronics and apparel departments have stricter used-item policies. Both accept returns with receipt; Sam's Club is generally stricter on restocking damaged bulk items.
How to Choose Between Sam's Club and Walmart
Membership Model: Sam's Club has Required ($45-$110/year), while Walmart has Not required (open to all).
Average Savings on Bulk Items: Sam's Club has 10-15% vs regular retail, while Walmart has 5-10% vs regular retail.
Store Count (US): Sam's Club has 599 locations, while Walmart has 3,572 locations.
Typical Basket Size Required: Sam's Club has $100+ (bulk quantities), while Walmart has $20+ (individual items).
SKU Count per Store: Sam's Club has 3,500-4,000 products, while Walmart has 100,000+ products.
Fuel Discount Program: Sam's Club has Yes, 10-30¢/gallon savings, while Walmart has Limited (Walmart+ members only).
Return Policy Days: Sam's Club has 90 days on most items, while Walmart has 90 days (varied by department).