The Sam's Club Mastercard works at Walmart, but only for in-store purchases

Yes, you can use the Sam's Club Mastercard at Walmart. The card is a standard Mastercard, so it works anywhere Mastercard is accepted — including Walmart stores, Walmart.com, and other retailers. However, the card's rewards and benefits are designed around Sam's Club spending, so using it elsewhere means you miss the bonus categories where you earn the most cash back.

The card does not work at Sam's Club gas stations or Sam's Club Plus locations for fuel purchases. If you try to use it at a Sam's Club pump, the transaction may be declined or processed differently than in-store purchases. For fuel, you will need to use a different payment method or pay inside the store.

Key Takeaways

  • The Sam's Club Mastercard is accepted at Walmart stores and online because it is a standard Mastercard, not a closed-loop card limited to Sam's Club.
  • You earn 2% cash back on Sam's Club purchases and gas, but only 1% cash back on all other purchases, including Walmart transactions.
  • The card does not work at Sam's Club fuel pumps, so you cannot use it to pay for gas at the warehouse.
  • If you shop primarily at Walmart rather than Sam's Club, a Walmart-branded credit card or a general cash back card may earn you more rewards.

How rewards work when you use the card outside Sam's Club

The Sam's Club Mastercard earns 1% cash back on purchases outside Sam's Club, including at Walmart. This is lower than the 2% you earn on Sam's Club purchases and gas. If you are using the card at Walmart regularly, you are leaving money on the table compared to what you would earn with a Walmart credit card or a flat-rate cash back card.

Cash back is deposited into your Sam's Club membership account as a digital credit. You can use it to pay for purchases at Sam's Club, or request it as a statement credit. The cash back does not expire as long as your membership remains active, but it is tied to your membership account, not the card itself.

When the Sam's Club card makes sense for mixed shopping

If you hold a Sam's Club membership and shop at both Sam's Club and Walmart, the card can still be worth using — but only if your Sam's Club spending is substantial enough to offset the lower rewards rate elsewhere. For example, if you spend $200 a month at Sam's Club and $300 at Walmart, you earn $4 cash back at Sam's Club (2%) and $3 at Walmart (1%), totaling $7 monthly. A flat 1.5% cash back card would earn you $7.50 on the same spending.

The card's value depends on your actual spending pattern. Use the card at Sam's Club to maximize rewards, then decide whether to use it or a different card at Walmart based on where you spend more. Some people keep both the Sam's Club card and a Walmart card to earn the highest rate at each store.

Walmart credit card alternatives if you shop there more often

Walmart offers its own credit card through Synchrony, available as either a store card (Walmart Card) or a general-purpose Mastercard (Walmart Rewards Card). The Walmart Rewards Card earns 2% cash back at Walmart and Walmart.com, 1% at gas stations and restaurants, and 1% everywhere else. This matches or beats the Sam's Club card's rewards structure if Walmart is your primary shopping destination.

The Walmart Card (store-only version) earns 5% cash back on Walmart.com purchases, 2% at Walmart stores and Murphy USA gas stations, and 1% everywhere else. Neither card charges an annual fee. If you do not have a Sam's Club membership, the Walmart card is the more straightforward choice.

What happens if you try to use it at Sam's Club without membership

The Sam's Club Mastercard requires an active Sam's Club membership to use the card's rewards features. If your membership lapses, the card still functions as a regular Mastercard at other retailers, but you cannot use it at Sam's Club stores and you will not earn cash back on any purchases. Your existing cash back balance remains frozen in your membership account until you renew.

If you cancel your Sam's Club membership, you can request a statement credit for any remaining cash back balance, but you must do this before the account closes. After that, the cash back is typically forfeited. Contact Sam's Club customer service to process the credit if you are leaving the membership.

Using the card online at Walmart.com

The Sam's Club Mastercard works on Walmart.com just as it does in physical stores — you earn 1% cash back on online purchases. Walmart.com does not offer higher rewards for credit card purchases the way some retailers do, so the rate is the same whether you pay with the Sam's Club card, a Walmart card, or any other payment method.

Shipping and handling fees count toward the purchase total for cash back calculation. Returns and refunds reverse the cash back earned on that transaction. If you return a $50 item that earned $0.50 cash back, that $0.50 is removed from your account.

Comparing the Sam's Club card to other general-purpose options

If you shop at multiple retailers and want a single card, a flat-rate cash back card like the Chase Freedom Unlimited (1.5% on all purchases) or the Capital One SavorOne (3% on dining and entertainment, 1% on everything else) may outperform the Sam's Club card outside the warehouse. The Sam's Club card's advantage only applies to Sam's Club purchases, where it earns 2% instead of 1%.

The decision comes down to where you spend the most money. If Sam's Club accounts for 30% or more of your monthly spending, the Sam's Club card's 2% rate there can make up for the lower 1% rate elsewhere. If you spend less than that at Sam's Club, a general-purpose card with a higher flat rate will likely earn you more total cash back across all your shopping.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the Sam's Club card at Costco or other warehouse clubs?

No. The Sam's Club Mastercard is a standard Mastercard, so it works at any merchant that accepts Mastercard, but Costco does not accept Mastercard — it only accepts Visa, American Express, and its own Costco card. You would need to use a different payment method at Costco.

Do I earn rewards on Sam's Club Plus membership fees?

No. Membership fees are not may be able to access for cash back rewards. Only merchandise purchases and fuel earn the 2% rate. Membership renewals and upgrades do not generate rewards.

What if my Sam's Club membership expires while I have a balance of cash back?

Your cash back balance freezes and you cannot earn new rewards. You can renew your membership to reactivate the balance and resume earning cash back. If you do not renew, you can contact Sam's Club to request a statement credit for the remaining balance, but this must be done before the account is fully closed.

Is there an annual fee for the Sam's Club Mastercard?

No. The card has no annual fee. However, you must maintain an active Sam's Club membership to use the card's rewards features, and Sam's Club memberships do have annual fees that vary by membership tier.

Can I use the card at Sam's Club gas pumps?

No. The card does not work at Sam's Club fuel pumps. You must pay inside the store or use a different payment method at the pump. This is a limitation specific to Sam's Club fuel stations and does not explore to gas purchases at other retailers like Walmart or Murphy USA.