Costco is running a promotion that allows you to considerably reduce the effective cost of your membership during the first year, but there is very little time left to take advantage of it.
The offer expires this Sunday, August 2, 2026 and is available exclusively online. New members who sign up for an eligible membership and activate auto-renewal will receive a $50 digital Costco Shop Card.
Since Gold Star membership currently costs $65 a year, the benefit makes your net cost just $15 for the first year, provided the shopper subsequently uses the $50 on the card at Costco.
This is not a discount applied directly to the membership price or a cash refund. The customer must first pay the $65 and will then receive the digital card to spend in stores or on the Costco platform.
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Who can get the $50 card
The promotion is aimed at people who sign up as new members and also those who have not been part of Costco in the last 18 months.
The restriction applies to those who were previously listed as a primary member, household member, or affiliate of a business account. Therefore, it is not enough to have recently let a membership expire to re-register and receive the incentive.
To access the benefit it is necessary:
The digital card will be sent later to the email informed during registration, in accordance with the conditions published by Costco.
You can see: How to have a Costco membership: requirements, prices and benefits 2026
How Much Does Costco Membership Really Cost?
Costco offers two main memberships for consumers.
The Gold Star costs $65 a year and allows you to shop at all of the chain's branches and at Costco.com. It also includes a second card free of charge for an eligible person living at the same address.
Executive membership costs $130 annually. Includes Gold Star benefits, but adds a 2% annual reward on select purchases, early hours, and other perks.
With the current offer, a person who chooses Gold Star initially pays $65 and gets a $50 Shop Card. Therefore, the effective cost can be considered $15, although the savings are only realized if you fully use the card.
Is it appropriate to choose Gold Star or Executive?
For a customer looking to get into Costco while spending as little as possible, the Gold Star membership is often the easiest option.
The Executive costs an additional $65 and offers a 2% reward. To recover just that extra cost through the reward, it would be necessary to make about $3,250 in eligible purchases per year, equivalent to about $271 per month.
Executive membership may be convenient for households that shop frequently or use Costco's additional services. For those who don't yet know how much they'll spend, Gold Star reduces the risk of paying for benefits they may not take advantage of.
Membership includes a second card at no cost
Something that can make it even more convenient is that both Gold Star and Executive include a free Household Card.
The additional card may be assigned to a spouse, domestic partner, or immediate family member over the age of 16 who lives at the same address. It does not allow a membership to be legally divided between people who reside at different addresses, but it does allow sharing its cost within the household.
In practical terms, if two adults from the same address use the Gold Star membership, its annual price is equivalent to $32.50 per person. With the $50 promotional card, the net cost for the first year would be $7.50 per user.
What happens after the first year
The promotion does not reduce the price of future renewals. If the member keeps auto-renewal turned on, Costco will charge the current rate at the beginning of the next annual period.
Currently, Gold Star renewal costs $65 and Executive renewal costs $130, before applicable taxes. Automatic renewal can be disabled from the user's account or through the membership service.
Therefore, those who use the offer should save the expiration date and review before renewal whether the savings obtained during the year justify maintaining the membership.
