No: the $45-card claim appears to refer to a historical 2024 promotion, not Costco’s current offer. As of October 8, 2026, Costco’s U.S. join page lists a $65 Gold Star membership with a $20 Digital Costco Shop Card for eligible new members. You pay the membership price up front, plus applicable tax; the card’s value does not reduce the checkout charge.
What Costco’s current offer includes
Costco’s U.S. join page, accessed October 8, 2026, lists an online-only Shop Card promotion for qualifying signups: a $20 Digital Costco Shop Card with Gold Star, or a $40 card with Executive. The listed annual membership prices are $65 for Gold Star and $130 for Executive, plus applicable sales tax. Costco’s join page says terms apply.
| Membership | Annual fee | Promotional Digital Shop Card | Fee minus card value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Star | $65 plus applicable sales tax | $20 | $45 before tax |
| Executive | $130 plus applicable sales tax | $40 | $90 before tax |
The last column is arithmetic, not a discounted amount charged by Costco. You pay the annual fee and tax at signup; the Shop Card is separate store credit, not cash back or a lower membership fee. The listed current card values are not $45 for Gold Star.
Who qualifies for Costco’s current Shop Card offer
Costco’s current online terms require the member to be new or not to have held a Costco membership in any capacity—primary, household, or affiliate—during the preceding 18 months. Signup must include auto renewal using a Visa credit or debit card, or a Mastercard debit card. The promotion is online only, so check the live offer page for its complete terms before enrolling. Costco’s terms and signup page
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Where the $45 Shop Card claim came from
A November 2024 Reddit search result reproduced a StackSocial listing for a one-year Gold Star membership priced at $65 with a $45 Digital Costco Shop Card. That is the likely source of the headline claim, but the original merchant promotion page and its complete terms were not verified. The evidence supports treating it as historical, not as a current or confirmed 2026 early Black Friday offer. November 2024 Reddit search result
Separately, a June 29, 2026 Kiplinger report described a StackSocial offer with a $20 card for Gold Star or a $40 card for Executive—not the $45 Gold Star card. Its report described U.S. and Puerto Rico eligibility, an 18-month membership-history condition, auto renewal, and online redemption before visiting a warehouse. Those are secondary-reported terms; Costco’s live page is the better source for current eligibility. Kiplinger’s June 2026 report
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How to assess a Costco membership promotion
Before paying, compare the actual checkout cost with the credit offered and verify the terms that determine whether you can receive and use it:
- Amount charged: Confirm the annual fee and applicable tax. Do not subtract the Shop Card before calculating what you need to pay at signup.
- Card value and use: Check the amount, format, and redemption terms for the Shop Card. Its face value is store credit, not cash returned to you.
- Eligibility: Check the required membership-history period and geographic scope; a deal’s terms may differ from Costco’s current direct offer.
- Auto renewal: Confirm whether enrollment is required and which payment cards are accepted.
- Timing and redemption: Check whether signup must happen online, whether redemption has a deadline, and when the offer expires.
Giving someone a Costco membership instead
Costco’s Gift of Membership is a separate option from a promotional signup. Costco says it can be purchased at a warehouse register or online; the recipient takes the gift card to a Costco membership counter, and the membership begins when redeemed. An active member can use it to renew or upgrade to Executive. Costco’s Gift of Membership guidance
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