REI Co-op Membership, Explained
REI Co-op membership costs $30 once and lasts for life, with a yearly Co-op Member Reward that REI says is typically 10% of eligible purchases.
By Olivia HarperContributing writer. Policy checked .
On this page
Store programs change. This is a summary in our own words of REI's membership page and its questions and answers, read on October 27, 2026. The official page and the REI Membership Terms and Conditions are the ones that apply; check them before you join.
What it costs
An REI Co-op membership is a one-time $30 payment. REI says there is no renewal, no yearly fee and no annual dues: you join once and the membership lasts for life. REI also says the membership cannot be returned or refunded once bought, and your member number is issued only in your name, so it cannot be handed to someone else.
The yearly Co-op Member Reward
The main benefit is an annual reward on what you spend at REI.
- How much. REI calls 10% typical but not guaranteed.
- What counts. Eligible REI purchases posted from January 1 to December 31, minus anything you return for a refund or credit.
- What does not count. REI lists outlet items, sale, clearance and discounted items, used gear, gift cards, classes and events, Intrepid Travel, shipping charges, service fees such as rentals and shop labor, the membership fee itself, event tickets and passes, and sales tax.
- When you get it. Notices go out by mail or email by March for the prior calendar year.
- When it expires. REI's page says 2025 Promotional Rewards expire on February 27, 2027, one year after they were issued.
The reward may be made up of a Patronage Dividend under the co-op's bylaws, a Promotional Reward under the membership terms, or both. REI decides the mix each year.
Other member benefits
REI's page lists these for members:
| Benefit | What REI says |
|---|---|
| Returns | With a few exceptions, one full year for a refund or replacement |
| Shipping | Free US standard shipping, no minimum order, with exclusions |
| Used gear | Members can buy and trade in used gear |
| Bike and snow shops | 20% off shop services |
| Rentals | Up to 33% off |
| Classes and events | Member pricing |
| Co-op vote | A vote in the REI board of directors election |
For each membership sold, REI says it donates $5 to the REI Cooperative Action Fund.
The REI Co-op Mastercard
The card is separate from membership. REI says it earns 5% in rewards on REI Co-op purchases and 1.5% back on everything else, subject to the card's terms.
The current joining offer
Through November 12, 2026, REI says that if you make an eligible $50 purchase and buy a $30 membership in the same order, you get a $30 bonus card by email. The bonus card expires 30 days after it is issued, and terms apply.
Is it worth $30?
Because the fee is paid once, the math is simple. If the reward came to the typical 10%, $300 of eligible full-price purchases would earn back the $30. Since the reward is not guaranteed and sale items do not count, people who mostly buy on sale may earn less. The one-year return window and free standard shipping can matter as much as the reward itself.
REI also says membership benefits can change, since the co-op may adjust them as its members and business change.
Source
REI Co-op membership, REI Co-op. Policy checked October 27, 2026.