Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi vs Sam's Club® Mastercard®

The biggest difference between the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi and the Sam's Club® Mastercard® is the rewards earnings on each card. The new Sam's Club® Mastercard® generally pulls ahead earning 5% back at Sam’s Club when you have Plus membership, 5% back on gas on up to $6,000 annually, up to 3% back on dining and takeout and 1% on all other purchases.

The Sam's Club Mastercard simply outmuscles Costco’s offering in pure value. Costco Anywhere Visa earns 4% back on gas on up to $7,000 annually (then 1%), 3% back on dining and travel, 2% back on Costco purchases and 1% on all purchases.

The winner: Sam's Club® Mastercard®

Before the Sam's Club Mastercard refresh, Costco Anywhere Visa took the win thanks to actually earning rewards on Costco purchases. A small advantage, but an important one. Now that Sam’s Club offers proper cashback opportunities with the Sam's Club® Mastercard®, however – 5% on store purchases compared to the 2% you’ll find on the Costco Anywhere Visa card – it takes the lead when it comes to pure value. Since these cards are otherwise incredibly similar – neither technically require annual fees or offer signup bonuses for example – the cashback potential is the biggest deciding factor in this showdown.

Who should get the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi?

The Costco Anywhere Visa is still a great card for regular Costco shoppers and those who want a rewarding gas cashback card. The wholesale clubs available to consumers tend to vary heavily on location. If you have a Costco in your area but no nearby Sam’s Club, don’t be afraid to check out the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi.

Who should get the Sam's Club® Mastercard®?

Similarly, if you do a large amount of spending at your local Sam’s Club, you’ll find a lot of value in the Sam's Club® Mastercard®. And even if you don’t spend there often, the gas rewards on this card make it worth a look depending on your gas needs.