The Costco Anywhere Visa Card is a warehouse membership card that also functions as a credit card

The Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi is a credit card issued by Citibank that is tied to your Costco membership. You use it like any other credit card — to make purchases anywhere Visa is accepted — but it's designed to reward you for spending at Costco and at gas stations. The card is not separate from your membership; it replaces your physical membership card at the warehouse.

You do not need to own a Costco membership first to get this card. When you open the card account, Citi includes a Costco membership in the package. If you already have a membership, the card will renew it. The annual fee for the card is the same as the cost of a Costco Gold Star membership in your region — typically $65 for a standard membership, though this varies by location and membership tier.

Unlike a regular store card that only works at one retailer, this is a Visa card. You can use it at any merchant that accepts Visa, not just Costco. That flexibility is one reason people choose it over a basic membership card.

Key Takeaways

  • The card costs the same as a Costco membership ($65 or more depending on your region), and that fee is charged annually to renew both the card and your membership.
  • You earn 2% cash back on Costco purchases and gas station purchases, 1% on all other purchases, and the rewards are paid as an annual statement credit.
  • The card works anywhere Visa is accepted, not just at Costco, so you can use it for everyday spending outside the warehouse.
  • You must have a Costco membership to hold the card, and the card itself serves as your membership card at the warehouse.
  • Citi reports your card activity to the three major credit bureaus, so on-time payments help build your credit history.

How the cash back rewards work

The card earns cash back — a percentage of what you spend that is returned to you — at different rates depending on where you shop. At Costco warehouses and Costco.com, you earn 2% cash back. At gas stations (including Costco gas), you also earn 2%. On all other purchases — restaurants, groceries outside Costco, online retailers, utilities — you earn 1% cash back.

The rewards are not credited to your account in real time. Instead, Citi calculates your total cash back once per year and sends it to you as a statement credit, usually in December. This means the money appears as a credit on your bill rather than as a separate deposit. If you have a balance on the card, the credit reduces what you owe. If you have paid off the card, the credit shows as a negative balance (money in your favor).

There is no limit to how much cash back you can earn, and there is no annual cap on rewards. You earn the same percentage whether you spend $500 or $5,000 in a category.

Annual fees and other costs

The card has an annual fee of $65 in most U.S. locations, though some regions charge $120 for an Executive membership tier that includes additional Costco benefits. This fee is charged once per year to your card and covers both the credit card and your Costco warehouse membership. There is no separate membership fee if you hold the card.

Beyond the annual fee, the card works like any other credit card. If you carry a balance from month to month, you pay interest (called the APR, or annual percentage rate) on that balance. The APR varies based on your credit score and credit history; Citi does not publish a single rate. If you pay your full statement balance by the due date each month, you pay no interest.

There are no foreign transaction fees if you use the card outside the United States, which can save money if you travel internationally.

How to decide if the annual fee is worth it

Whether the $65 annual fee makes sense depends on how much you spend at Costco and gas stations. The 2% cash back on those categories means you need to spend $3,250 per year at Costco and gas combined just to earn $65 in rewards — enough to break even on the fee. If you spend less than that, you would save money by using a regular Costco membership card (which costs the same) and a different credit card for everyday purchases.

If you spend more than $3,250 per year at Costco and gas, the card begins to pay for itself. For example, someone who spends $5,000 per year at Costco and gas would earn $100 in cash back, netting $35 after the fee. The 1% cash back on other purchases is a bonus but typically does not move the needle much unless you charge a very high volume of everyday spending to the card.

The card also makes sense if you value having a single card that works both inside and outside Costco, or if you want to build credit history through a major credit card issuer. Citi reports your payment history to credit bureaus, so responsible use can improve your credit score over time.

How the card affects your credit

Opening a Costco Anywhere Visa Card creates a new credit account in your name. When you first explore, Citi performs a hard inquiry — a check of your credit report that may temporarily lower your credit score by a few points. This inquiry stays on your report for about two years but has the most impact in the first month.

After the account opens, Citi reports your monthly payment activity to Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — the three major credit bureaus. This means your payment history with the card becomes part of your credit file. If you pay on time every month, it helps your credit score. If you miss payments or carry a high balance relative to your credit limit, it can hurt your score.

The card also adds to your total available credit, which can help your credit score if you keep your balance low. Credit scoring models reward people who use only a small portion of their available credit (called low utilization). If you open the card and never use it, or use it sparingly, this benefit applies.

Comparing the Costco card to other warehouse and grocery cards

The Costco Anywhere Visa Card is one of several cards designed for warehouse and grocery shopping. The main alternative is the American Express Costco card, which is issued by American Express instead of Citi. The Amex card has the same $65 annual fee and the same 2% cash back at Costco and gas, but it only works at Costco, Costco.com, and gas stations — not at other merchants. If you want a card that works everywhere, the Visa version is more flexible.

Outside Costco, other cards offer higher cash back in grocery stores or gas stations. For example, some cards offer 3% or 4% cash back on gas or groceries but charge an annual fee or have other limits. The Costco card's advantage is simplicity: one card, one annual fee, and a clear reward structure tied to where you shop most.

If you do not have a Costco membership and do not plan to get one, the Costco card is not an option. In that case, a general-purpose cash back card or a card designed for gas and groceries would be a better fit.

How to use the card responsibly

The card works best when you treat it like a debit card: spend only what you can pay back in full each month. This way, you earn the cash back rewards without paying any interest. If you carry a balance, the interest charges will quickly erase the value of the rewards.

Set a reminder for the annual fee date so you know when the $65 charge will appear on your bill. If you decide the card is no longer worth it, you can close the account before the fee renews. Citi typically charges the fee on your membership renewal date, which is the anniversary of when you opened the account or last renewed your membership.

Keep your billing address and contact information current with Citi so you receive your statement and the annual cash back credit on time. The statement credit is usually sent in December, but the exact date varies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the Costco Visa card outside of Costco?

Yes. The card is a Visa card, so it works anywhere Visa is accepted — restaurants, online retailers, gas stations, utilities, and most other merchants. You earn 1% cash back on non-Costco purchases, compared to 2% at Costco and gas stations.

What happens to my membership if I close the card?

Your Costco membership ends when you close the card account. If you want to keep shopping at Costco, you would need to purchase a separate membership card. The card and membership are bundled together.

Do I have to pay the annual fee every year?

Yes, the $65 annual fee is charged once per year on your membership renewal date. You can close the account before the fee renews if you no longer want the card, but there is no way to hold the card without paying the annual fee.

How long does it take to receive my cash back reward?

Citi calculates your annual cash back and sends it as a statement credit, usually in December. The exact timing varies, but it typically arrives within a few weeks of your membership renewal date. You can check your account online to see the pending credit.

Will explore for this card hurt my credit score?

The process triggers a hard inquiry, which may lower your score by a few points temporarily. The impact is usually small and fades within a month or two. Over time, on-time payments with the card can help your score more than the initial inquiry hurts it.