Sam’s Club has quietly rolled out a temporary price on its premium Plus membership, cutting the annual fee to $50 from the usual $110. For warehouse club shoppers bracing for holiday budgets, that’s a meaningful cut and an opportunity to access premium features without paying full freight.
The offer is for a one-year Plus plan, with auto-renewal that comes with a free household card which extends your membership to another person living in the same place as you. Though the retailer isn’t stating how long the offer will be available, the discount makes Plus one of the most aggressive value plays in warehouse memberships at present.
What You Get with the Sam’s Club Plus Membership Tier
Plus members receive free shipping on a great many online orders, and that’s important if you often replace essentials or deal with larger items that would otherwise come with a delivery fee. Curbside pickup enters into the mix as well, consolidating that weekly stock-up into a hasty trip without two-stepping down the aisles.
The plan adds on savings in expense-heavy categories: pharmacy discounts on eligible prescriptions, deals in the optical center and special member pricing in the tire and battery center. Many also enable access to cheaper fuel prices at club gas stations, again a line item where pennies accumulate annually.
Travel and entertainment perks as well are part of the attraction. Members can get discounts on hotel and car rentals, as well as live events and movie tickets. Throughout the club, Plus members get access to members-only prices on electronics, home products, seasonal décor and bulk groceries — core categories that power the warehouse model.
Per the company’s membership terms, Plus also entails rewards on qualifying in-club purchases (frequently as 2% Sam’s Cash up to an annual limit). Terms and exclusions do apply, so heavy shoppers should take a look at the fine print to see which categories earn rewards and if any limits apply.
What $50 Buys in Value with a Sam’s Club Plus Plan
A 55 percent reduction in the annual fee from $110 to $50, for example, makes the math to break even relatively simple. At $0.10-$0.20 a gallon less in club fuel than local stations, a 15-gallon fill-up twice a month would already save $36-$72 annually all by itself.
Add to that free shipping: forgoing a $5–$8 delivery charge on a few orders will close the minuscule gap soon after. For households that frequently purchase paper goods, pet supplies, snacks and cleaning goods in bulk, the per-unit price advantage can be significant — especially when combined with periodic instant savings events.
Click on the rewards feature for eligible in-club purchases, and even small monthly spend can earn you a large enough quantity of Sam’s Cash to offset future visits. The free household card essentially doubles up the plan’s usability by allowing another adult to take advantage of the benefits at no extra charge.
Who Should Consider Upgrading to Sam’s Club Plus
But people who live with families or roommates and buy staples in bulk, small business owners who often stock up, online-first shoppers who put a value on free shipping — these consumers are most likely to make the most of Plus. If you live near a club with fuel or intend to use curbside pickup for time-savings, though, the premium tier’s perks are that much more attractive at $50.
Urban shoppers lacking convenient access to a club can still reap the rewards through delivery and ship-to-home; in this case, the free shipping pays off even when you’re not pushing a flatbed down an aisle.
Market Context: Why This Discount Matters for Shoppers
Warehouse clubs have served as a welcome pressure valve on household budgets as shoppers seek value. The National Retail Federation has pointed out that public focus on deals and bulk savings during peak buying times still seems to be central, while Bureau of Labor Statistics data confirms the regularity with which household essentials remain a share of spending.
Walmart, which owns Sam’s Club, has made much of record member counts and high renewal rates in recent earnings materials — hyped that loyalty to the format is building. The short-term price on the premium tier would continue that momentum by reducing the barrier to entry for families limited by price.
How to Get the Sam’s Club Plus Membership Deal
The $50 pricing on new Sam’s Club Plus memberships requires auto-renew. The benefits, including the household card and the ability to access Plus products, are contingent on availability by location. Like most limited-time promotions, availability can vary, and taxes or fees may apply in some locations.
If you’ve been thinking about trading up from the base tier, or if you’re new to warehouse clubs altogether, this is one of those rare times when a premium plan costs less than the standard version at most stores. At $50, the runway to break even is short and for frequent shoppers, the upside can extend throughout the year.