costco vs bj's vs sam's club reddit

How does Costco, Sam's Club and BJ's Wholesale Club compare when you do bulk shopping?

reddit.com › r › AskAnAmerican › comments › 1cn49vs › how_does_costco_sams_club_and_bjs_wholesale_club

Costco is generally the higher end of the three. Answer from emmasdad01 on reddit.com

reddit.com › r/costco › costco vs. bjs vs sam’s club

r/Costco on Reddit: Costco vs. BJs vs Sam’s Club

June 27, 2022 -

So I guess this question is for people who have been members at more than one of these stores. What is the difference between Costco and BJs? Is there a price/quality difference or are they about the same?

I have a Costco membership right now, but was wondering if maybe when it’s time to renew, I should look into other wholesalers.

Thanks!

Top answer

1 of 5

I've never really noticed much of a difference, tbh. However! I prefer the way Costco treats their employees (Sam's Club is owned by Walmart), and I'm fortunate enough to be able to vote with my dollars, so I use Costco.

2 of 5

We have memberships at Costco and BJ's. We go to BJ's strictly for their gas as we travel right past a club on our daily commute. We've found that BJ's and Costco stock many of the same items we use but BJ's is more expensive unless the item is on sale. Even then, the on-sale price often just beats the Costco regular price by less than a $1.

reddit.com › r/columbiamd › bj’s vs costco vs sam’s club

r/ColumbiaMD on Reddit: BJ’s vs Costco vs Sam’s Club

November 5, 2024 -

I currently have a BJ's membership and go to the Columbia location--but I'm thinking about switching to another wholesale club.

Which one do you recommend for the HoCo area? Are the inventory and perks better at BJ's, Sam's or Costco--in this area?

Top answer

1 of 5

Finished a year of BJs back in July and trying out a year of costco now; Costco meat department is in a whole other league above BJs, just better prices, selection, and quality. In general, costco has better prices, brands, and selection, but other than the meat department, it's not a huge gap compared to BJs. IMO, the costco House brand Kirkland is better than BJ's Berkley in most regards, since buying the in-house brand is where the big savings can be. This is a big deal to me, but if you only buy name brand, it might not be important. The columbia Costco parking lot is just utter madness at pretty much all times. It's poorly designed, and sometimes I genuinely fear for my life trying to get in the front door. The store is very busy, and their check out line situation is poorly managed. It really makes me try to avoid going there unless I have a full order to get BJs was never as chaotic as Costco, but even the times when they had a long checkout wait, I would just use the BJs app to ring everything up and pay on my phone and skip the line. I don't believe costco has that tech yet. Costco does not take Mastercard, which is a headache for me but might mean nothing to you. I'm probably going to go back to BJs next year, even with the positives costco has. I just hate the experience of having to go there and deal with the madness.

2 of 5

I know all three very well, but don't go to Sam's since I've lived in Columbia...I had a membership one year, and we just never went down to Laurel to go. I have memberships for both BJ's and Costco. Costco has better prices, larger quantities (for better or for worse), and you can order more online (and free shipping after a certain amount). The thing with Costco is that it's so crazy. It's bad enough on a weekday afternoon. I've NEVER gone on a weekend.

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Food Republic

foodrepublic.com › 1939265 › cheapest-wholesale-grocery-chain

Sam's Club Vs BJ's Vs Costco: Which Wholesale Grocery Chain Is Cheapest? - Food Republic

August 18, 2025 - Costco's private label also stands ... However, Costco's more premium bent is reflected not only in higher cart totals but also in its membership fee: $65 annually compared to BJ's $60 and Sam's Club's $50....

reddit.com › r/nova › costco vs sam's club

r/nova on Reddit: Costco vs Sam's Club

December 9, 2025 -

I've been a Costco member for about 10 years. I moved to an area where there's a Sam Club nearby. I'm looking for some feedback as to how they compare for shopping and deals, as I have never been in a Sam's Club.

Top answer

1 of 5

104

Sam’s is about the same in my experience, although Costco has cut down on toys recently which is a bummer. On the other hand, Costco is a great company that treats its works well, finds ways to donate surplus food (most recently salmon to a wolf sanctuary), and is suing the Trump administration over the cost of tariffs.

2 of 5

Honestly, the better overlap is BJ's and Costco. BJ's is way better for grocery staples and can replace a lot of grocery shopping (they even accept manufacturer's coupons in addition to their own for extra savings). Sam's has a bigger national footprint, while BJ's are (with the exception of Dallas, apparently) only found east of the Mississippi River: https://www.scrapehero.com/store/wp-content/uploads/maps/BJs_Wholesale_Club_USA_100dpi.png

reddit.com › r/askanamerican › how does costco, sam's club and bj's wholesale club compare when you do bulk shopping?

r/AskAnAmerican on Reddit: How does Costco, Sam's Club and BJ's Wholesale Club compare when you do bulk shopping?

March 13, 2024 -

For me, when I go to Costco, products sold there may be a little bit more pricey than BJ's. Costcos generally don't have deli departments (slicing deli meats at the counter, etc.) BJ's however seem to have a little more variety and cheaper. BJ's don't really have food courts around me unlike Costco and Sam's. BJ's does have a deli department where deli slicing is permitted. Sam's Club carries a couple of products that Costco doesn't have in stores.

What's your opinion about warehouse clubs?

Top answer

1 of 52

Costco is generally the higher end of the three.

2 of 52

For me, a key difference is that Sam's Club is basically Wal Mart, and fuck Walmart with a pointy stick. Costco actually treats their employees with basic respect and pays decent wages.

reddit.com › r/savingmoney › costco vs sam's club vs bj's. what's best?

r/SavingMoney on Reddit: Costco vs Sam's Club vs BJ's. What's best?

February 14, 2024 -

Just curious on the pros and cons of each big warehouse store. What's the best option?

Top answer

1 of 3

Costco - better quality, status symbol, more expensive, wider varieties. Long lines at check out. Be prepared to show ID to check out. Sams - easier access to the store - no policing atnthe entrance like Costco. Can easily check out on your phone. Variety of check out options. Gas pumps have QR CODE you can use from the app to buy gas - MY FAVE. Crowded stores like Costco. Can do alot with the Sams App. BJ'S - not worth it. Store brand items are absolutely not worth buying. Very few varieties. Can check out on the app. Can use app to pump gas. Prices ok. Quality can be a hit and miss at times.

2 of 3

I find Sam’s Club to be cheaper than Costco, and the quality of their products is still very good despite the lower price.

reddit.com › r/frugal › sams, bjs, costco

r/Frugal on Reddit: Sams, Bjs, Costco

November 9, 2023 -

I’m trying to decide between a membership for one of the 3 of these. They’re all about the same distance from my house. What are the benefits of each and the cons? I know Sams is good for bulk shopping. Costco just moved in so I don’t know much about it. Which one do you like best? We’re a family of 2 adults and a picky toddler who eat home cooked meals most nights but like to grab easy things for breakfast and eat a lot of sandwiches for lunch. TIA

Edit: Thanks everyone. This weekend I’m going to try to window shop them all to see what works best for me. It looks like each one has pros and cons and it depends on your personal habits.

Top answer

1 of 5

Costco changes its stock depending on local shopping habits and demographics so it's a good idea to tour your local store as a guest of a member before making your decision. Also, depending on local laws you may or may not be able to use the pharmacy without a membership. In general, Costco's gasoline consistently costs less than major chains, its pharmacy negotiates the best out of pocket prices (always ask the pharmacist: your out of pocket price may be less than your deductible), and their auto center is competitive. Costco's food court has held the line on prices and beats most other fast food. Edit: apparently pharmacy access without a membership is chain-wide policy now. Overall Costco focuses on offering quality products fewer price points. Costco isn't the place to find the cheapest sheets and towels, but if you're looking for midrange linens they're often the best deal for the price. Where Costco really shines is customer service. They pay their people a living wage so Costco employees care about doing the job right. For instance it was a Costco Optical employee who figured out one of my eyes has a focal point 3 mm higher than the other, which may seem like a small matter but it affects the prescription because a standard lens won't focus correctly unless it's crooked. No other optical test had ever spotted this. Sooner or later service will matter, and you may not realize when you need it. (I hadn't). My main experience with Sam's Club was picking up a reserve order with a friend who has a membership there. They'd reserved a dozen frozen quiches for an event using the online system, and then called in advance to confirm everything was in order, but on the morning of the event only five quiches were there. None of the store employees had an explanation or gave a damn, and customer service gave the run-around. We ended up having to drive to a different Sam's Club and were nearly late for the event. Also regarding Costco: people tend to love it or hate it depending on how they shop. The people who go on weekends for free samples and make impulse purchases tend to decide the place is a waste; the people who love it shop from a list and check the household inventory before leaving home. And run a search specifically for Costco Business Center. Business Center stores are the restaurant supply arm of Costco. That's the place where you get the best volume discounts, such as mozzarella cheese at $2/lb if you're willing to buy 6 lbs of it.

2 of 5

My BJs has a deli for sliced sandwich meat plus they mail me coupons for $20 off a $150 order fairly regularly. Their digital app with digital clipped coupons keeps me looped in on the best opportunities to grab what I need when it's on sale. Have previously had both CostCo and Sam's, and in my experience neither company seems to try as hard as BJs. (I also got an annual membership for $20 when they were running a special, so that was great.)

reddit.com › r/frugal › bjs, costco, or sam’s club?

r/Frugal on Reddit: BJs, Costco, or Sam’s club?

January 3, 2024 -

Hi I’m a female who lives alone without a car trying to figure out which option Is cheapest. ? I’m a gym person so most of my diet consists of protein bars, protein powder, chicken/meats, salmon, tilapia, tuna, & Greek yogurt eggs, brown rice, whole wheat pasta etc . Also a lot of veggies preferable precut veggies such as cubes of squash etc which would be the best option ? Also prefer something where I can order my body soap, shampoo, toiletries all in one type of thing

I have both Sam's Club and Costco memberships. Husband got the Costco from work and I snagged Sam's Club for super cheap ($15 for a year) through T-Mobile. I prefer getting meat from Costco. Seems better quality to me. I get the more "staple" stuff from Sam's.

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reddit.com › r/costco › how does bjs compare vs costco?

r/Costco on Reddit: How does BJs compare vs Costco?

April 17, 2025 -

Hi!

I'm getting a BJs annual membership deal for $20 instead of the typical $60. Has anyone tried BJs? For which products & services, is Costco better than BJs and vice-versa. I'm not sure if it's worth getting a BJs membership.

I shop at both on a regular basis, so I think I can offer some reasonable commentary here. Caveat: the BJs commentary is specific to my local store (Portland, ME) which is a relatively small location on the scale of warehouse clubs and notably doesn't have a food court or pharmacy, so there may be aspects of the store experience that don't apply at a larger BJs. My local Costco (Scarborough, ME) is a fairly typical Costco location in terms of size and I occasionally shop at other Costcos so I think my commentary on that end ought to be more generalized. Key differences: BJs has more consistent inventory (but a smaller overall selection) - I've found that Costco turns over much more quickly and what is on the shelves is much more variable week-to-week. BJs has more items that they stock consistently and less limited time or temporary items. This is excluding seasonal items which are pretty similar in terms of turnaround at both places. Conversely, Costco tends to have more "limited time" deals or one-off items, and when Costco offers discounting it tends to be much deeper than what you'd get with coupons at BJs. At least at my local locations, Costco has a much broader selection of personal care and home improvement items. Their prices are also a lot lower on things like over-the-counter medicines (sometimes by as much as 30-40%, so if you buy a lot of OTC meds this is a major point of differentiation). Costco also has a better selection of electronics and appliances (my local BJs doesn't sell large appliances at all, though you can order them online). Conversely, our local BJs has a much better selection of office supplies, i.e. pens, file folders, label printers/labels, etc. BJs tends to have smaller but still bulk portions on certain items, so for individuals or couples, it can be easier to deal with BJs portions. Kirkland Signature quality tends to be pretty consistent, whereas I've found some Berkley Jensen stuff that was not all that great. Not a major point of differentiation, though, and some Berkely Jensen stuff is good to excellent. There are more options for store brand Kirkland Signature items, whereas there are a number of areas where BJs doesn't offer a store brand Berkley Jensen item. With respect to the butcher shop, I've found that I generally prefer the selection at Costco day-to-day, but BJs occasionally has some crazy-good deals. They also carry national brands like Perdue if you care about, whereas Costco is almost entirely their own brand/supplier for meat. Costco's prices are lower day-to-day, but BJs often has coupons in the app/website that push their prices below Costco. A good example I ran into recently was an 8-pack of Duracell 9V batteries was 19.99 at BJs and 18.99 at Costco - however there was a coupon in the BJs app that pushed the price down to 17.99. I'm sure this is region specific, but our local Costco has a much broader selection of wine and liquor than our local BJs. I haven't tried the Berkley Jensen brand liquor but the little bit of Kirkland Signature liquor I've had has been excellent value for money. BJs also accepts all credit cards, whereas Costco only accepts Visa. How much this matters depends on whether you normally pay with credit vs debit (or other methods) and whether you have non-Visa cards that re specifically rewarding for warehouse club purchases. The BJs app and website are somewhat better than Costco. They've had the ability to search inventory in your local club and to place orders for in-club pickup for years. Costco's ability to search local club inventory and prices is relatively new, and not quite as comprehensive, though it is improving. Costco generally prices ground shipping into online orders, and adjusts prices accordingly. BJs is less likely to have different prices in-store and online, but more likely to charge for shipping. At least at my local store, the shopping experience is generally more pleasant at BJs, but a lot of that is down to the fact that they aren't as busy. BJs also isn't as intense about checking memberships - they don't check at the door, so anybody can come in and look around (of course you do need to scan it at the register). The BJs checkout/front-end system is night and day better than Costco. Costco self-checkouts don't have hand scanners, so if you have a large item you either have to flag down the employee supervising the self-checkouts, or you have to awkwardly pass it in front of the barcode scanner mounted on the self-checkout itself. BJs has wireless hand scanners, and if you scan something with the hand scanner it doesn't need to go on the scale - it just prints an alert on the receipt for the checker at the exit. With a similar sized order, I'd guess I can frequently get out the door in less than half the time at BJs vs Costco. Overall I think it just depends on what you buy relative to what your local stores stock. If you're happy with Costco I wouldn't go out of my way to switch to BJs (or vice versa). However with that said, BJs doesn't check memberships at the door (or at least they don't at my local store), so it's pretty easy to go in and check prices/inventory before you commit.

Bogleheads.org

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Costco vs BJs vs Sams Club - Bogleheads.org

And that’s another reason I’m letting my Sam’s membership expire. Time is what we want most, but what we use worst. William Penn ... In my area, the Sam's Club closed "due to competition and lack of business". The closest competition is the Costco store and it is a very busy and popular place.

reddit.com › r/samsclub › bj's vs sam's club?

r/samsclub on Reddit: BJ's vs Sam's Club?

May 10, 2024 -

My in-laws just got a membership for BJ's and added my wife and me to it. It doesn't make sense to me because the nearest BJ's is 1hr and 15 mins away, and they only drive to that city a few times a year.

All of us already have a Sam's Club membership and Sam's is only 10 minutes from us.

My question is, for those that have experience going to both, is it worth it for the drive? Have they got any advantage over Sam's Club such as better meat prices, or better deals/prices?

I personally don't have much interest, but the wife wants to make the trip just to "check it out." The idea of driving 3 hours, round trip, to go to a wholesale club sounds a little ridiculous when we've got one just a couple miles away from us.

Having never been to one, is it a waste of time and gas, or are there some unique advantages to going to BJ's would make it worth checking out?

Top answer

1 of 5

Sam's Club is great but I could never give up BJs. They feel too good..

2 of 5

BJs has more healthy-type foods and a greater diversity of milks than Sam’s, plus some of their prepared foods are better. Their prices on everything else are higher than Sam’s. It is not worth driving that far to find this out.

Early Retirement

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BJ's vs Costco vs Sam's Club? | Early Retirement

June 8, 2024 - ... I have Costco and BJ's, because one of our homes doesn't have a Costco anywhere nearby. And I've had a Sam's Club membership in the past. I prefer Costco. I feel like their food (especially meat) quality is a bit better, and their gas prices are better too..

reddit.com › r/jacksonville › sam's club, bj wholesale, or costco? which one is the best?

r/jacksonville on Reddit: Sam's Club, BJ Wholesale, or Costco? Which one is the best?

May 8, 2021 -

I've noticed that all of these places sell cheaper gas, which I need right now. Also which ones have the best bargains on food. Also what are the membership prices? I'm looking to join one but not sure which one to go with. Which one do you guys recommend?

Top answer

1 of 27

Depends on what’s closest to you . Sam’s club is my jam . They have an app you can scan everything , pay and leave . Also works for their gas . I heart the Sam’s club . They screwed up my giant order , not only were they super nice about it . They fixed it , refunded me % 25 back and gave me a another fancy membership for a year . I was on the phone for maybe 5 min . They are just nice . The trick is , go 30 min before closing 😉 get in get out .

2 of 27

You want Costco.

Costco has the best stuff. You pay a little more, but the quality is way higher.

Sam's is the cheapest and they generally carry lower quality stuff.

BJ's is a pointless 3rd option that is kinda in the middle.

reddit.com › r/dataisbeautiful › [oc] comparing costco and sam’s club store numbers in the us

r/dataisbeautiful on Reddit: [OC] Comparing Costco and Sam’s Club Store Numbers in the US

June 24, 2025 - No they didn't, in the Northeast, the more common wholesaler club is BJ's Wholesale Club followed by Costco ... Can’t get mad at BJs. Not as good as Costco, but better than Sam’s. And Costco is further away.

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Costco vs. BJs vs Sam's Club

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DontPayFull

forum.dontpayfull.com › threads › best-warehouse-store-costco-or-bjs-or-sams-club.16982

Best Warehouse Store: Costco or BJ's or Sam's Club ? | DontPayFull

Which do you prefer? I think Costco has a lot more to offer in terms of products. But I have never compared the prices . I have never been to Sam's...

Reader's Digest

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The Key Differences Between Costco, Sam's Club and BJ's

August 7, 2025 - Costco’s Executive Membership offers a 2% reward on travel services in addition to a 2% reward on up to $1,000 a year. In comparison, Sam’s Club Plus rewards 2% Sam’s Cash Back, and BJ’s offers 2% cash back as well, if you sign up for their Perks Rewards card.

reddit.com › r/samsclub › what made you choose sam’s over stores like costco and bj’s?

r/samsclub on Reddit: What made you choose Sam’s over stores like Costco and BJ’s?

December 3, 2024 -

We’d like to get a membership at a wholesale store but are torn between which one we should choose. We may eventually use all three but for now we’d like to stick with one. What was it that made you choose Sam’s over the other stores?

Items we would likely buy are diapers, wipes, produce, household items we run through very quickly, possibly meats to divvy up and freeze.

Edit: Thank you everyone for all of your insight! It has been extremely helpful! We are getting a Sam’s membership! 🥳

Top answer

1 of 150

215

Scan and... Let's get the fuc+ out of here

2 of 150

We started out with a Costco membership because it’s what I had growing up and there is one on my way home from work. Got a Sam’s membership 2 years ago on a $14 sale. We actually dropped our Costco membership last August even though the closest Sam’s is about an hour away. Reasons we picked Sam’s: not needing to show our membership multiple times (entry, at checkout, and before self check out even though you needed it for the checkout), app is much better/user friendly, scan & go, free online shipping without higher cost of product if you have the plus membership (living farther away we mostly use for paper/household products so being able to ship and have it delivered a few days later is amazing).

reddit.com › r/casualconversation › sam's club vs. costco

r/CasualConversation on Reddit: Sam's Club Vs. Costco

March 18, 2025 -

Unpopular opinion from people who shop at Costco, but I don't see the difference. They are practically the same thing selling the same stuff. Honestly Sam's club is better for scan and go check out and better prices on most things. I don't see the appeal to Costco and why it's so great. Thoughts?

Top answer

1 of 5

Costco's brand products are better than Walmart's, IMO. Plus, the employees are treated better and paid well which leads to better customer service.

2 of 5

Not that I've done the research but I assume Sam's Club pays their workers similarly to the employees at Walmart. That's one reason I choose Costco. The other is that I like the meat department at my Costco better than at Sam's. I realize it's probably very location dependent but that's the way it is for me.

reddit.com › r/321 › costco vs bj's

r/321 on Reddit: Costco vs BJ's

May 8, 2024 -

Sorry if this has been asked before, but I've always been a BJs shopper cuz the one on PB Rd is close and awesome. I'm in Satellite Beach now and it's 30 min to a BJs. How does Costco compare?

I visit my mother once a week and she lives right next to BJs but I'm like 10 min from the Costco now and am curious if it's worth the membership.

Top answer

1 of 5

I think BJ's is fine, but overall I prefer Costco mostly because I think treating their customers and employees well is a higher priority there than at BJ's (or most anywhere else, for that matter.) Product wise, Costco tends to focus on higher quality items instead of just lowest price, especially in their house Kirkland brand. For me, the $5 Rotisserie chicken makes the membership worth it almost all by itself. Also, excellent meats and wine selection, and lots of simply weird finds... sack of pignolis? check! On the customer service side, the rare time I've had to return an item that was bad, or I simply didn't like, Costco's policy is basically refund no questions asked. Full marks. Costco cons: The number of shoppers roaming our Costco who genuinely believe they're the only person that exists is bonkers. If you don't have patience for people who stop dead in their tracks mid-aisle to look at their phone or block the in/out of a lane next to a sample station, you'll have a bad time. (Being there when they open almost completely avoids this.) I think the food court is overrated. There's a good chance you'll walk out with a cart full of random and very much unplanned/unnecessary items if you don't have good shopping discipline. There's a bit of a cringy Costco "culture," but ignore it and you'll be fine. I'm sure I'm forgetting a lot, but those are the highlights for me. Feel free to ask if you have questions!

2 of 5

I've had all three in my life. Personally, it simply comes down to which one is closer or which I drive by the most.