Most retailers accept different forms of payment, which can vary depending on whether you shop in-store or online.
If you regularly shop at Costco, you need to know the payment methods accepted to avoid issues during checkout. So, can you use Discover at Costco? If you’d like to find out, keep reading!
Can You Use Discover at Costco In 2024?
When shopping at Costco, you can use the Discover cards; however, this is only via Costco.com in 2024. Costco doesn’t accept Discover cards when shopping in-store or at the gas stations. However, customers can use all Visa cards, thanks to Costco’s contract with Visa. In addition, Costco also accepts most PIN-based debit cards and Costco Shop Cards.
Read on to learn whether you can use Discover at Costco and what other payment methods are accepted, along with other related facts!
Does Costco Accept Discover?
Costco has a contract with Visa, so shoppers can’t use cards from the other three main networks to pay for items at the physical warehouse locations.
These networks include Discover, Mastercard, and American Express.
Also, if you’re paying for gas at Costco, these stations also don’t accept Discover cards. However, you can use Visa cards.
Further, if you are shopping via Costco.com or the app, you can use Discover and Mastercard cards to pay for purchases.
Why Isn’t Discover Accepted at Physical Costco Stores?
Costco is one of the biggest retailers that don’t accept Discover cards, especially in-store.
This is because Costco has an exclusive partnership with Visa; therefore, the company only takes Visa credit cards.
However, this wasn’t always the case. Originally, Costco shoppers were exclusively restricted to Amex-issued cards and American Express.
In 2016, Costco announced that Visa was replacing American Express as the credit card network for the retailer.
With these Visa credit cards, customers could get generous rewards and use the card in all Costco locations in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
Discover, just like American Express, is more costly for merchants.
Overall, this is why retailers like Costco switched to Visa to take advantage of the lower merchant fee and the more extensive credit network.
Can You Use Discover at Costco Gas Stations?
Unfortunately, you can’t use Discover if you need to pay for a purchase at a Costco gas station.
According to Costco’s website, you can use all Visa cards, the Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi card, Costco Shop Cards, and most PIN-based debit cards.
Can You Use Discover at Costco.com?
Fortunately, you can use Discover cards to pay for items if you prefer to shop at Costco online. You can use Discover Cards, including Diners Club and JCB.
Apart from Discover, you can also use all Visa cards, Mastercard, the Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi, Costco Shop Cards, and most PIN-based debit cards.
What Are Other Payment Methods Accepted at Costco Warehouses?
Now that you can’t use Discover when shopping in-store at Costco, here are the payment alternatives:
- Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi
- All Visa cards
- Costco shop cards
- Most PIN-based debit cards
- Cash
- EBT cards
- Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay
- Traveler’s checks
- Business checks
- Personal checks
Can You Use Discover Cards to Pay for Costco Travel?
Costco members can take advantage of services such as Costco Travel, which allows them to pay for vacations, hotel stays, and cruises worldwide.
However, in order to pay for Costco Travel, you can’t use Discover Cards.
According to the website, Costco accepts Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards for online and phone reservations, as well as Costco Shop Cards to pay for vacation packages.
However, Costco doesn’t accept Discover, American Express, checks, money orders, mileage payments, or a temporary Costco Anywhere Citi Visa Card.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on whether or not Costco takes Apple Pay, does Costco take coupons, and does Costco accept GoodRx.
Conclusion
When shopping at Costco, you can use Discover cards, but this is only via Costco.com. Unfortunately, Costco does not accept Discover cards when shopping in-store or at gas stations.
However, customers can use all Visa cards thanks to Costco’s contract with Visa. In addition, the retailer also accepts most PIN-based debit cards and Costco Shop Cards at the gas stations and in-store.
