Sam's Club Prices Without a Membership: Are You Paying More or Saving — and by How Much?
Sam’s Club has long marketed its memberships as a path to significant savings. What many shoppers don’t realize is that you can buy from Sam’s Club without paying for a membership, and depending on what you’re buying, you might still come out ahead.
Cracking this code involves knowing when the retail giant’s non‑member surcharge wipes out the savings, and when Sam’s Club’s prices remain competitive enough to justify shopping as a guest.
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Find out if you're paying more or saving money when shopping without a Sam's Club membership.
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How To Shop Without a Membership
A subsidiary of Walmart, Sam’s Club allows non‑members to shop online through guest checkout. But it adds a 10% service fee to most purchases. That fee is the key math problem for non‑member shoppers. If an item is already significantly cheaper than Walmart, Target or Amazon, the surcharge may still leave you paying less overall. But if the price gap is narrow, the fee can erase your advantage.
Consider a 30‑pack of name‑brand paper towels, for example. If Sam’s sells it for $24.98 and Target lists a comparable pack for $27.99, the Sam’s Club price with the 10% fee becomes $27.48 — still slightly cheaper. But on items where Sam’s undercuts competitors by only a dollar or two, non‑members end up paying more than they would at a traditional retailer.
Sam’s Club gift cards offer another workaround, as reported by AOL. If you have one, you can shop in‑store without a membership. You can also shop online without paying the 10% fee. Sam’s doesn’t advertise this loophole, but it’s used by shoppers who want occasional access without committing to an annual plan.
Potential Savings Without a Membership
As you calculate potential savings, you can factor in exceptions when the surcharge doesn’t apply. Prescription purchases and other pharmacy services are open to everyone, according to Sam's Club's website. In many states, alcohol sales must also be available to non‑members due to local laws, per Sam's Club's alcohol disclaimer.
Optical exams are accessible without a membership, though buying glasses or contacts requires one, also per Sam's Club. Buying these items at Sam’s can mean real savings for non‑members.
Is the Membership Price Worth It?
If you’re considering a membership, be aware that Sam’s Club raised its prices earlier this year. A standard Club membership now costs $60 per year, up from $50. The Plus membership, which includes free shipping, early shopping hours and 2% Sam’s Cash on qualifying purchases, rose to $120 per year.
The cash‑back perk is the biggest differentiator. Heavy shoppers can earn up to $750 annually, which often offsets the fee for families who buy groceries, household goods and gas at Sam’s.
Sam’s also runs frequent promotional discounts, often offering 50% off new memberships. Sam’s also offers a 60% discount for shoppers age 50 and older through ID.me verification. These deals can bring the cost down enough that even occasional shoppers might find value in joining.
The Bottom Line
The question of whether non‑members save money also depends on where you live. Sam’s Club operates roughly 600 U.S. locations, with the highest concentration in Texas, Florida and the Southeast.
Shoppers in states with fewer stores may rely more heavily on online ordering, where the surcharge becomes unavoidable unless they use a gift card. Shoppers in high‑density states may have multiple Sam’s Clubs within driving distance, making in‑store shopping and accompanying lower prices more accessible.
Ultimately, the savings calculus comes down to how often you shop and what you buy. Non‑members can absolutely score deals on big‑ticket items like TVs, laptops and appliances, for which Sam’s Club’s pricing is often aggressive enough to beat competitors even after the 10% fee. Occasional shoppers who only need a few bulk items a year may find that paying the surcharge is cheaper than buying a membership.
But for regular shoppers, especially families, the math points toward membership. The combination of lower in‑store prices, free shipping for Plus members, and cash‑back rewards makes the annual fee easy to justify. And with membership prices rising, Sam’s Club is signaling that its best deals will be increasingly reserved for those willing to commit.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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