Costco Payment Methods, Explained
Costco warehouses take Visa, most PIN debit cards, cash, member checks, EBT, Shop Cards and phone wallets; Costco.com also takes Mastercard and Affirm.
By Olivia HarperContributing writer. Policy checked .
On this page
Store policies change. This is a summary in our own words of Costco's customer service answers on payment methods, EBT and Costco Wallet, read on October 26, 2026. They cover Costco in the United States. The official pages are the ones that apply; check them before you shop.
What each checkout takes
Costco splits its list into three places: the warehouse, the gas station and Costco.com.
| Payment | Warehouse | Gas station | Costco.com |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa credit cards | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mastercard credit cards | Not listed | Not listed | Yes |
| Most PIN-based debit and ATM cards | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cash | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Checks | Yes, see below | Not listed | Not listed |
| Costco Shop Cards | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| EBT cards | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Apple Pay | Yes | Yes | Not listed |
| Google Pay and Samsung Pay | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Affirm (pay over time) | Not listed | Not listed | Yes |
Does Costco take Visa?
Yes, everywhere. Costco lists all Visa cards, including the Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi, for the warehouse, the gas station and Costco.com. Mastercard credit cards appear only on the Costco.com list. Costco.com also lists Visa's Click to Pay checkout.
Does Costco take Apple Pay?
In US warehouses, yes: Costco lists Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay. At Costco gas stations, Apple Pay is the only phone wallet on the list. The Costco.com list does not name any phone wallet.
Does Costco accept EBT?
Costco says all of its warehouse locations accept EBT cards. Which items EBT can pay for follows each state's rules, and Costco points shoppers to their state agency for that list. Its EBT answer does not cover Costco.com orders.
Checks, cash and health cards
- Checks: personal checks from current members, business checks from current Business members and traveler's checks, in the warehouse.
- FSA and HSA cards: Visa or Mastercard FSA or HSA debit cards work only in the pharmacy, optical and hearing aid departments.
- Filtered spend cards: Costco also lists filtered spend Visa or Mastercard cards and InComm and Optum MedFlex cards, and it notes it cannot tell you in advance which items such a card will cover.
Costco Wallet and Shop Cards
Costco Wallet, Costco's digital wallet, holds one saved credit or debit card plus the value of Costco Shop Cards you load into it. Costco says it works at Costco.com, warehouse registers, food courts, pharmacies and gas stations, but not at Costco Travel, CostcoBusinessDelivery.com or for home installation services. A verified membership is needed. Shop Card funds stored in the wallet are capped at $10,000, they do not expire, and they cannot be turned into cash except where a state law requires it. Shop Cards themselves can be bought in any US warehouse or on Costco.com.
Sources
What payment methods are accepted at Costco?, Are food stamps accepted in Costco warehouses? and Costco Wallet FAQs, Costco. Policy checked October 26, 2026.