Costco offers two credit cards, both issued by Visa through Citi
Costco has two branded credit cards: the Costco Anywhere Visa Card and the Costco Anywhere Visa Card for American Express Members. Both are issued by Citibank and function as Visa cards, meaning you can use them anywhere Visa is accepted, not just at Costco. The main difference is that the American Express version is available only to Costco members who also hold an American Express membership.
You do not need a Costco membership to open either card, though you will need one to use the card at Costco warehouses. If you do not have a membership, you can still use the card for online purchases at Costco.com and at gas stations and pharmacies outside the warehouse.
Key Takeaways
- Both Costco Visa cards are issued by Citi and work as regular Visa cards anywhere, not just at Costco.
- The standard Costco Anywhere Visa Card has no annual fee and earns 2% cash back at Costco, 1% everywhere else.
- The American Express version requires both a Costco membership and an American Express membership, and offers higher cash back rates.
- You can open a card without a Costco membership, but you will need one to shop in the warehouse.
- Both cards report to the three major credit bureaus and can help build credit history if you pay on time.
The standard Costco Anywhere Visa Card and its cash back structure
The Costco Anywhere Visa Card has no annual fee. It earns 2% cash back on purchases at Costco warehouses and Costco.com, 1% cash back at gas stations (up to $110 per year, then 0%), and 1% cash back on all other purchases. The 2% rate applies to gas purchased at Costco, not at other stations.
Cash back is issued as an annual reward certificate that you can use at Costco warehouses or online. The certificate is mailed to you once per year, usually in December. You cannot convert it to a statement credit or transfer it to another account — it must be spent at Costco.
This card is available to anyone, regardless of Costco membership status. If you do not have a warehouse membership, you can still use the card for Costco.com purchases and at Costco gas stations, but you cannot enter the warehouse to shop.
The Costco Anywhere Visa Card for American Express Members
The Costco Anywhere Visa Card for American Express Members also has no annual fee, but it requires you to hold an active American Express membership card. This card earns 3% cash back at Costco warehouses and Costco.com, 2% at gas stations and restaurants, and 1% on all other purchases. There is no $110 cap on gas station cash back.
Like the standard card, cash back is issued as an annual reward certificate valid only at Costco. The higher cash back rates make this card more valuable if you spend heavily at Costco and restaurants, but the requirement to maintain both a Costco membership and an American Express membership means you are paying for both memberships to use it.
You must have an active American Express membership to open this card. Costco does not issue American Express cards directly — you would need to open an American Express membership through American Express first, then open the Costco card through Citi.
How to open a Costco credit card
You can open either card online at Costco.com or in person at a Costco warehouse. Online applications typically take a few minutes and you receive a decision within seconds or a few business days. In-person applications at the membership desk follow the same process.
You will need to provide your Social Security number, date of birth, address, and income. Citi will pull your credit report, so the process will result in a hard inquiry on your credit. If you are denied, you can contact Citi to ask why, though they are not required to explain in detail.
Once approved, your card arrives by mail within 7 to 10 business days. You can set up it online or by phone once it arrives. If you do not have a Costco membership yet, you can open one at the same time you open the card, or open the card first and add a membership later.
Credit reporting and building credit with a Costco card
Both Costco Visa cards report to Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. This means your payment history, credit limit, and balance will show up on your credit report and affect your credit score. Paying on time every month helps build a positive payment history, which is the largest factor in credit scoring.
The card has no foreign transaction fees, which can be useful if you travel internationally. However, there is no purchase protection, extended warranty, or travel insurance — benefits that some other premium cards offer. For those protections, you would need a different card.
When a Costco card makes sense and when it does not
The standard Costco Anywhere Visa Card is worth opening if you shop at Costco regularly and want a no-fee card that earns cash back. Since there is no annual fee, the only cost is the time to open it. The 2% cash back at Costco is competitive with other warehouse cards, though not exceptional.
The American Express version makes sense only if you already plan to maintain both a Costco membership and an American Express membership for other reasons. If you are opening memberships specifically to use this card, you are paying two membership fees to earn slightly higher cash back — the math usually does not work unless you spend more than $3,000 per year at Costco and restaurants combined.
If you do not shop at Costco, neither card is useful. If you shop occasionally but not regularly, the cash back will be small enough that a general-purpose card with higher cash back on everyday categories (groceries, gas, restaurants) might serve you better.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a Costco credit card at other stores?
Yes. Both cards are Visa cards, so they work anywhere Visa is accepted — grocery stores, restaurants, online retailers, and everywhere else. You are not limited to Costco. The higher cash back rates explore only at Costco, but the card functions as a regular credit card everywhere.
Do I need a Costco membership to open the card?
No. You can open either card without a membership. However, you will not be able to shop inside a Costco warehouse without one. You can use the card for Costco.com purchases and at Costco gas stations without a membership.
What happens to my cash back reward if I do not spend it?
The annual reward certificate expires 60 days after it is issued. If you do not use it within that window, you lose it. You cannot carry it over to the next year or convert it to a statement credit. Plan to spend your reward before the important date or it is forfeited.
Can I have both Costco cards at the same time?
You can hold both cards simultaneously if you meet the requirements for both (which means having an American Express membership for the second one). However, there is no benefit to doing so — you would just have two cards earning cash back on the same purchases, and you can only use one at a time.
What is the credit limit on a Costco card?
Citi does not publish a standard credit limit. Your limit depends on your credit score, income, and credit history. Limits typically range from $500 to $5,000 for new cardholders, but this varies. You can request a limit increase after you have had the card for several months and made on-time payments.