Sam’s Club Credit Card – Is It Even Worth it? Our Opinion

There are so many credit cards that may or may not be worth applying for. As we know, a lot of retailers like Amazon or J.Jill launch their own credit cards that may offer some discounts or cashback when spending in their stores.

Sam’s Club is one of the most popular stores that has its own credit card issued by Synchrony Bank.

In this article, we’ll walk you through its merits and demerits so you can make your decision fairly.

So let’s barge forward and disclose some of the most crucial details of the Sam Club’s card.

What Is Sam’s Club Credit Card?

It’s another Mastercard credit card powered by the Synchrony Bank that offers some perks store-wide.

Sam’s Club is a division of Walmart, founded in 2025, with a different approach.

Unlike Walmart, it’s a membership-based company that sells bulk products at low prices, making it the most prominent face in the retail industry.

It offers Mastercard for securing Sam’s Club deals and discounts, while it offers another credit card that has no perks store-wide.

When users apply for the card, they first get considered for the Mastercard, and if they don’t prequalify, they can enroll for the credit card.

Since both cards do not differ a lot, unless you don’t want to rack up the store rewards.

However, they have different APR rates and interest charges that you’ll explore later in this article.

Sam’s Club Credit Card Benefits

Undoubtedly, there are some perks, but are they really helpful, or should you consider them before applying for the card? That’s the real question.

Before moving to the loopholes, let’s discuss some good points that might be appealing to you.

So if you prequalified for the Mastercard offered by the Sam’s Club, you’ve more benefits than having a Sam’s Club Credit card.

You heard it right, the company offers two cards, and to get more perks, you must qualify for its Mastercard.

Mastercard offers rewards and cash back when used across Sam’s Club stores, which its normal credit card doesn’t.

However, to shop outside with more perks, you can explore the best Amex credit cards.

Let’s outline some key benefits so you can review them:

• There is no monthly or annual fee for using the card.
• Cardholders get up to 5% Cashback on the Sam’s Club store.
• It offers 6% Cashback when you use it at any fuel station that accepts Mastercard.
• There is 2% Cashback on dining.
• Also, there is 1% Cashback when spending at your favorite store.
  

Drawbacks

There are no drawbacks as such, but using it recklessly or without a proper goal can ruin your FICO score for sure.

So if you really require this card for shopping at the Sam’s Club, you won’t regret it, but if you just want to have it to shop usually, this may not be the right fit.

• It has a transfer fee of 4%, which is quite competitive in this domain; it doesn’t surprise much. For casual transfers, use your debit card or your bank account.

• You can’t apply for any card without a pro plan, which is another downside that you can consider.

• As to benefits, it has a limited selection of categories.

• And another caveat is its APR, which can be as high as 34%.

Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
3% Cashback on In-Club purchases.	3% interest (Minimum $5) for Mastercard Users.
5% Cashback on filling gas up to $6,000 (only first year, up to $6,000/year).	20.40% to 34.99% for purchase.
3% back on dining and 1% on other purchases.	Pro Plan or Membership needed.
New users get $30 credit for spending at least $30 using the card within 30 days of opening an account.	No diverse range of rewards.
Accepts stores that support Mastercard.
No annual fee.
$2 Minimum interest for Sam’s Club Credit card.
Users can use a credit card as a membership card.

Sam’s Club Credit Card Fees

Annual Fees and Membership Costs

The card itself is free — no yearly credit-card fee, ever. The catch? You need an active Sam’s Club membership to keep it.

Basic membership costs $50 a year; Plus is $110 (with better rewards and free shipping).

If the card is on file, Sam’s will quietly charge the renewal to it every year. Happened to a friend — woke up to a surprise $110 charge because he forgot the date.

Interest Rates and Finance Charges

If you carry a balance, interest hits fast. Rates run anywhere from about 15% to almost 30%, depending on credit.

And if you pay in full every month, you don’t need to pay any interest. So if you leave even $10 unpaid? Expect at least a $2 minimum interest charge.

High rates can wipe out all the cash-back earned if not careful.

Late Payment and Other Penalty Fees

In case you miss the due date, you’ll be charged up to $40 late fee. If the Payment bounces, you pay another $40.

So to avoid it, set up auto-pay once and never think about it again — saves headaches and cash.

Cash advances are even more expensive: $5 or 3% (whichever is higher) + interest starts the same day. So if you need cash, just use your debit card or bank account, because it’s free.

Foreign Transaction and Cash Advance Fees

Good news for nomads: the Sam’s Club Mastercard has zero foreign transaction fees at Sam’s Club locations.

Spend in euros, pesos, whatever — no 3% surprise added. Cash advances abroad, though? Still costly. Skip them.

Bottom line: the card costs nothing to own, but if you still need to renew your membership and pay off your debt to avoid penalties.

Pay it off every month, turn on auto-pay, and the fees pretty much disappear.

How To Apply?

The process of applying for any credit is similar. You don’t need to use any third-party tools or walk out of your room to apply for the Sam’s Club Credit Card.

The very first thing you’ve to check is whether you’re pre-qualified or not. Doing so, you can keep your credit score from being hurt.

So, to make things easier, let’s go step-by-step.

• Be a premium member of the Sam’s Club ($50 or $110).
• Head over to samsclub.com/credit and tap on the “See if you pre-qualify” option.
• Great, if you’re qualified, head back to the same page and tap on “Apply now”.
• Now, you’ve to provide your basic information like SSN, Income, Name, and Address. And hit submit.
• It will dig into your credit report and make a decision instantly.
• If approved online, you’ll get your card in 7 days, and if approved in-store, you’ll receive a temporary card that you can use until the original one arrives.
• Once it’s arrived, go to the samsclub.syf.com/activate, and activate it. Done.

How To Activate?

Activating a Sam’s Club card is a no-brainer. Once you’ve got your card in hand, the very first thing you have to do is activate it.

Activation is a sort of validating the real owner, and also it enables transactions.

There are a few ways, but for faster activation, you must opt for the Online method.

Not only is it straightforward, but also secure, as it doesn’t share your credit card details with any third party.

So, simply head over to the samsclub.syf.com/activate/ and submit your card number, 3-digit security code, and last four digits of your SSN.

When you click on the “Activate My Card” button, your card will be activated and ready to roll.

Is It Worth It?

Yes and No. Yes, if you want to use it mostly at Sam’s Club locations, and no, if you’ll use it elsewhere.

Since the company has over 600 clubs across the United States, it won’t be a bad decision to apply for this plastic card.

The zero foreign transaction fee and the 5% cash back are its real selling points that can save some cash or at least compensate for your annual membership fee.

However, the mandatory membership plan and hefty late fees are the real downsides for anyone who spends outside the U.S or at different stores.

Anyway, Mastercard is still the best option, but if it could come without needing the Pro plan, that would be great.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)