Does Costco Take Apple Pay in 2024? Your Complete Guide
Apple Pay has exploded in popularity in recent years as a quick and easy way to pay using your iPhone or Apple Watch. With Costco serving over 115 million members worldwide who may use Apple devices, you may be wondering – can you use Apple Pay at Costco?
The short answer is yes, Costco does accept Apple Pay through contactless readers at most warehouses and gas stations as of 2023. However, there are some specific limitations on which cards work with Apple Pay depending on if you‘re shopping at Costco in the United States or Canada.
Below I‘ll explain everything you need to know about how to use Apple Pay when shopping at Costco, including:
- How Apple Pay works at Costco warehouses and gas stations
- Accepted card types and country limitations
- Setting up Apple Pay properly on your iPhone
- Other payment methods Costco accepts
Let‘s dive in…
Apple Pay at Costco Warehouses
All Costco warehouses in the U.S. and Canada with contactless payment readers will accept Apple Pay from your iPhone, Apple Watch, or other Apple device.
These near field communication (NFC) readers allow you to hold your device near the payment terminal to pay using your digital wallet. Most locations have already upgraded to support contactless payments like Apple Pay.
According to a 2021 report, over 60% of point-of-sale terminals now support contactless payments across North America.
To pay with Apple Pay at any Costco warehouse:
Ensure you have a supported Visa or Mastercard loaded in your Apple Pay wallet (more on accepted cards below)
When the cashier asks how you‘ll pay, hold your iPhone near the card reader
Wait for the subtle vibration/beep confirmation that your payment went through
Show your Costco membership card and finish checking out!
It‘s that quick and easy. Just tap and go!
Using Apple Pay at Costco Gas Stations
Paying with your iPhone at Costco gas pumps is also simple if that pump has an NFC reader. Many Costco gas stations have been upgraded with contactless readers, but some older locations may still need upgrades.
Before starting to pump gas, check that the card reader has the contactless symbol:
If you don‘t see this symbol, the pump likely won‘t accept Apple Pay. It‘s smart to check first before filling up!
You can also ask the gas station attendant if that location accepts contactless payments like Apple Pay.
According to Apple‘s support site, you may need to briefly insert your physical Costco membership card first before paying with your iPhone.
Once your pump is ready to pay, hold your iPhone near the reader until your payment is confirmed via haptic vibration and sound. Then pump away!
Apple Pay Card Limitations at Costco
There is one catch to using Apple Pay at Costco – only certain cards work depending on if you‘re shopping in the United States or Canada.
This is because Costco has exclusive contracts with certain card brands in each country.
Apple Pay at Costco in the United States
Costco will only accept Visa credit and debit cards loaded into Apple Pay at its U.S. warehouse and gas station locations.
This is due to Costco‘s exclusive partnership with Visa in the United States. So American Costco members must add a Visa card to Apple Pay for it to work.
Mastercard, American Express, Discover and other card types will be declined if using Apple Pay at Costco in the states.
Apple Pay at Costco in Canada
In Canada, the rules are essentially flipped – Costco will only accept Mastercard credit and debit cards when using Apple Pay for payment.
No Visa, Amex, or other branded cards will work with Apple Pay at Costco Canada because of their Mastercard partnership.
This table summarizes the Apple Pay card requirements at Costco in both countries:
| Country | Accepted Card Brand |
|---|---|
| United States | Visa |
| Canada | Mastercard |
So in both countries, you can use Apple Pay at Costco, but your card‘s brand matters if you want it to work!
Setting Up Apple Pay on iPhone
To use Apple Pay at Costco, the first step is adding one of the accepted card types above to your iPhone‘s Wallet app.
Here‘s how to set up Apple Pay on your iPhone in just a few quick steps:
- Open the Wallet app
- Tap the "+" icon to add a card
- Choose your Visa or Mastercard (depending on if you‘re shopping at Costco in the U.S. or Canada)
- Follow the prompts to enter your card details and verify with your bank
- Wait for the "Your card is ready" confirmation
Once added and verified, your Visa or Mastercard will be ready to use via Apple Pay at Costco.
You can repeat steps 2-5 to add multiple Visa/Mastercards to your Apple Pay wallet for easy switching at Costco.
Other Payment Methods Accepted at Costco
In addition to contactless Apple Pay, Costco also accepts:
- Chip and PIN credit and debit cards (must be Visa in U.S., Mastercard in Canada)
- Cash
- Checks
- Costco Shop Cards or Costco Cash Cards
Costco.com also accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover online and PayPal.
And of course, you can always use your regular Costco membership card to complete purchases after scanning at self-checkout.
So Apple Pay is just one of several payment options accepted at Costco for your shopping convenience.
The Future of Apple Pay at Costco
Contactless payments like Apple Pay are growing exponentially, especially after COVID-19.
eMarketer predicts that over 33% of US in-store transactions will be contactless by 2025 as consumers seek touch-free payment.
And Apple Pay dominates contactless usage, with 90% market share of all mobile wallet transactions.
So you can expect Apple Pay acceptance and usage at major retailers like Costco to keep rising. Upgrading more older gas stations with NFC readers will also expand Apple Pay‘s usefulness for Costco members.
The bottom line – Apple Pay is widely accepted at Costco warehouses and many gas station locations as of 2023. Just be sure to add the right Visa or Mastercard type to your iPhone wallet before paying with your phone!
