Canadians love shopping at Costco, and for good reason. The big-box retailer has just about everything you could possibly need in life, all under one roof. In one shopping trip, you can get your groceries, furnish your home, fill your prescriptions, develop your photos, and even buy an insurance policy. If you’re prone to dropping a few hundred bucks every time you visit your local Costco, you might want to arm yourself with a credit card that lets you earn rewards points with every dollar you spend. But what credit cards does Costco Canada accept In 2023?
What Credit Cards Does Costco Canada Accept In 2024?
Costco only accepts payments from one network: Mastercard. All other credit cards are not accepted at the Costco warehouse. That said, you can use your debit card instead, both online and in-store. Moreover, if you shop online, Costco does accept Visa credit cards.
If you really want to use your Visa cards, you could buy Costco Shop Cards online with your Visa card and then use the Costsco Shop Card to shop in-store.
When Does “Costco” Count As “Groceries” On Your Credit Card?
Whether Costco counts as a “grocery” on your credit card depends on their merchant category code (MCC). All businesses have a 4-digit merchant category code that credit card users use to identify and categorize a business.
Most grocery stores will have a MCC of 5411. Whether Costco is categorized as a MCC 5411 depends on the credit card issuer. However, in most cases, Costco is not recognized as a grocery store and generally falls under the wholesale club category (MCC 5300).
As such, when comparing credit cards, you need to consider what category and associated earning rate Costco falls under.
Best Mastercards To Shop At Costco
The following chart provides an overview of some of the best Mastercards to use to shop at Costco for quick reference:
| Card | Annual Fee | Earn Rate For Costco Purchases |
| CIBC Costco Mastercard | $0 | – 3% cash back at restaurants & Costco gas stations – 2% cash back at Costco.ca & non-Costco gas stations – 1% cash back on all other purchases (including Costco warehouses) |
| KOHO Prepaid Mastercard | $4 – $19 monthly | – Earn up to 2% cash back on groceries (this may include Costco, but it depends on the merchant category code of the Costco you shop at) |
| Brim World Elite MasterCard | $199 | – 2 points per $1 spent on Costsco purchases (1 point = $0.01) |
| Rogers Red World Elite® Mastercard® | $0 | – 1.5% cash back on all eligible regular purchases, including at Costco |
| BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard | $120 | – Earn 1% cash back on purchases at Costco |
| President’s Choice Financial® World Elite Mastercard® | $0 | – Earn 10 points per $1 on Costco purchases (1 pc point = $0.01) |
| Rogers Fido MasterCard | $0 | – Earn 1% in cash back on Costco purchases |
CIBC Costco Mastercard
Costco recently announced that it would partner with CIBC to offer Costo Mastercards to members in Canada. The new card allows cardholders to earn a high cash back rate with every dollar spent, including at Costco warehouses, online at Costco.ca, and Costco Gas. Plus, you can earn hefty rates anywhere else that Mastercard is accepted.
CIBC Costco Mastercard Features
Annual fee: $0
Purchase rate: 19.75%
Cash advance rate: 21.49%
Earn rate:
- Earn 3% cash back at restaurants & Costco gas stations.
- Earn 2% cash back at Costco.ca (up to $8,000) & non-Costco gas stations (up to $5,000).
- Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases (including Costco warehouses).
Extra perks:
- Mobile device insurance.
- Extended warranty and purchase security.
- Cash back on international money transfers.
- Installment payment plan through their CIBC Pace It buy-now-pay-later service.
Eligibility requirements:
- Must have an annual income of at least $15,000.
KOHO Prepaid Mastercard
The KOHO prepaid Mastercard is a great option for those who can’t qualify for a regular credit card but want to shop at Costco and earn cash back. Consumers will have three KOHO accounts to choose from, Essential, Extra, or Everything. Users can earn up to 2% cash back on groceries (this may include Costco, but it depends on the merchant category code of the Costco you shop at), transportation, and eating and drinking. Plus, up to 50% extra cash back with select merchants.
Moreover, unlike regular credit cards, there are no transaction fees or interest charges. You’ll also earn 5% savings interest on your entire KOHO account balance. While prepaid cards help with budgeting and tracking spending, the KOHO prepaid Mastercard goes beyond that. It offers a variety of perks and optional services that rival most credit cards.
KOHO Prepaid Mastercard Features
Annual fee:
- KOHO Essential: $4/monthly or $48/annually
- No monthly fee if you set up a direct deposit or contribute $1000 per month.
- KOHO Extra: $9/monthly or $84/annually
- KOHO Everything: $19/monthly
Earn rate:
- KOHO Essential: Get 1% cash back on groceries, transportation (gas, parking, rideshare apps, etc.), and eating and drinking.
- KOHO Extra: Earn 1.5% cash back on groceries, transportation (gas, parking, rideshare apps, etc.), and eating and drinking. And get 0.25% cash back on all other categories.
- KOHO Everything: Get 2% cash back on groceries, transportation (gas, parking, rideshare apps, etc.), and eating and drinking. And 0.50% cash back on all other categories.
Extra perks
- Earn up to 50% extra cash back when you shop with certain KOHO partners.
- Earn 5% savings interest on your entire account balance.
- Get up to 50% off their optional credit-building tool.
- Users can also keep their accounts safe with their in-app lock feature.
- Extra and Everything account holders have additional perks including no foreign exchange fees and one free international ATM withdrawal per month.
- Try a 30-day free trial of one of the accounts to get your credit score for free.
Eligibility requirements:
- Must be the age of majority in your province of residence.
Brim World Elite Mastercard
The Brim World Elite Mastercard boasts comprehensive insurance coverage and an easy way to earn 2% in Brim points with every purchase you make. 1 Brim point is equivalent to $0.01 on certain purchases and as cash back towards your statement. Plus, there are no foreign exchange fees when you spend in currencies other than CAD, and you’ll get complimentary access to LoungeKey membership and free Boingo Wi-FI at airports around the globe.
You can use your Brim World Elite Mastercard whenever you shop at Costco and even put some of your larger expenses (over $500) on the Brim Installment plan. The Brim Installment plan will give you between 12 to 24 months to repay your purchase.
Brim World Elite Mastercard Features
Annual fee: $199
Purchase rate: 19.99%
Cash advance rate: 21.50%
Earn rate:
- Earn 2 points per $1 spent on all purchases (up to $25,000 per year).
- Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all purchases over $25,000.
Extra perks:
- Extended warranty program.
- Purchase protection.
- Mobile device insurance.
- Complimentary LoungeKey membership.
- Free Boingo Wi-Fi hotspots.
- Travel insurance.
- Rental car coverage against theft and damage.
- Installment payment plans for purchases over $500 for more flexible payments.
Eligibility requirements:
- Must be a Canadian resident who has reached the age of majority in their province of residence.
- Must have a minimum income of $80,000 (personal) or $150,000 (household) annually.
Rogers Red World Elite® Mastercard®
While the Rogers Red World Elite® Mastercard® doesn’t have a different earn rate for various categories, you can earn 2% (as a Rogers, Fido or Shaw customer) or 1.50% cash back (non-roger customers) on Cotscto purchases and all other purchases for that matter.
This is 0.50% more cash back on Costco warehouse purchases than the CIBC Costco card. This one can be more advantageous if you mainly shop at the Costco warehouse and are looking for extra perks like travel insurance.
Rogers World Elite MasterCard Features
Annual fee: $0
Purchase rate: 20.99%
Cash advance rate: 22.99%
Earn rate:
- Earn 3% cash back (unlimited) on all eligible purchases made in US dollars.
- 2% cash back (unlimited) for eligible Rogers, Fido or Shaw customers.
- Earn 1.5% cash back (for non-Rogers consumers) on all eligible regular purchases, including at Costco.
- 50% more cash back every time you redeem for Rogers, Fido or Shaw purchases.
Extra perks:
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges with a complimentary membership to Mastercard Travel Pass provided by DragonPass.
- Gain access to travel benefits such as rental car collision/damage insurance, trip interruption/cancellation insurance and out-of-province/ out-of-country emergency medical insurance.
- Redeem your rewards for common expenditures, like groceries and gas at Costco, or apply them to your Rogers bill.
- Use the Rogers Bank app to instantly redeem your rewards, manage your account, and make purchases with your Mastercard.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for this card, you’ll need to be a Canadian resident who has reached the age of majority in their province of residence. You’ll also need an annual income of at least $80,000 (individual) or $150,000 (household).
BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard
The BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard offers a slew of features, including exclusive benefits like concierge services and a free Mastercard Travel Pass, to name a few.
Plus, you can earn cash back rewards every time you make a purchase. And since it’s a Mastercard, you can use it for those big shopping sprees at Costco where you can really rack up those points. While you’ll only get 1% cash back on your Costco purchases, you’ll get much higher cash back on most other purchases than the CIBC Costco Card.
BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard Features
Annual Fee: $120
Purchase Interest Rate: 20.99%
Cash Advance Rate: 23.99% (21.99% for Quebec residents)
Earn rate:
- Earn 5% cash back on groceries.
- Earn 4% cash back on transit.
- Earn 3% cash back on gas.
- Earn 2% cash back on recurring bills.
- Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases, including purchases at Costco.
Extra Perks:
- Mastercard Airport Experiences provided by LoungeKey.
- Free Boingo Wi-Fi at 1 million+ hotspots worldwide.
- Travel medical insurance.
- Extended warranty and purchase protection.
- BMO Concierge Service.
Eligibility Requirements
- Minimum $80,000 (individual) or $150,000 (household) annual income.
- No bankruptcy or consumer proposal in the past 7 years.
President’s Choice Financial® World Elite Mastercard®
Thanks to its super-high earn rate, the PC Financial World Elite Mastercard is one of Canada’s best no-fee rewards cards, especially if you frequently shop at participating PC partners, like Loblaws grocery stores and Shoppers Drug Mart.
It’s the fastest way to earn PC Optimum points to be redeemed for free groceries given PC’s partnership with Loblaws grocery stores and Shoppers Drug Mart. The card also offers extensive travel insurance benefits.
President’s Choice Financial World Elite Mastercard Features
Annual Fee: $0
Purchase Interest Rate: 21.99%
Cash Advance Rate: 22.97% (21.97% for QC residents)
Earn rate:
- Earn 30 points for every $1 spent at Maxi, Provigo, Wholesale Club.
- Earn 45 points for every $1 spent at Shoppers Drug Mart/Pharmaprix.
- Earn at least 30 points per litre at Esso and Mobile gas stations.
- Earn 30 points for every $1 spent at PC Travel.
- Earn 10 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
Extra perks:
- Travel Emergency Medical InsuranceTM.
- Car rental insurance.
- Identity theft assistant service.
- 24/7 concierge service.
Eligibility Requirements
- A minimum income of $80,000 (individual) or $150,000 (household) annually.
- Subject to credit approval.
Rogers Fido MasterCard
With no annual fee, the Rogers Fido MasterCard allows you to earn cash back rewards when you shop with your favourite merchants, including Costco.
When you’ve collected enough points, you can instantly redeem them towards any eligible purchase made in the last 90 days. And when you download the Mastercard Pay with Rewards app, you can use your mobile device to instantly redeem your rewards and make payments with your card.
Rogers Fido MasterCard Features
Annual Fee: $0
Purchase Interest Rate: 19.99%
Cash Advance Rate: 22.99%
Earn rate:
- Earn 1.5% cash back rewards on all eligible recurring payments and subscriptions.
- Earn 1% in cash back rewards on all other eligible purchases.
Extra perks:
- Rogers Bank Optional Group Balance Protection Insurance.
- Zero Liability coverage.
- Transaction Monitoring & Alerts.
Eligibility Requirements:
- No bankruptcy or consumer proposal in the past 7 years. Must be the age of majority within your province.
Looking for the best credit card options?
What Payment Method Does Costco Accept?
Depending on how you shop at Costco, only certain payment forms are accepted.
Costco Warehouses: What Credit Cards Does Costco Canada Accept In 2024?
To shop at physical Costco locations, the following payments are accepted:
- Mastercard
- Debit card
- Costco Shop Card
- Personal Cheque
- Cash
Costco Gas Station: What Credit Cards Does Costco Canada Accept In 2024?
If you’re filling up your gas tank at Costco Gas, you can pay with any of the following:
- Mastercard
- Debit card
- Costco Shop Card
Costco.ca: What Credit Cards Does Costco Canada Accept In 2024?
The following payment options are accepted when shopping online:
- Mastercard
- Visa
- Most debit cards
- Costco Shop Card
Bottom Line On What Credit Cards Does Costco Canada Accept In 2024
Mastercard has recently partnered with Costco in Canada, which means if you’ve got a Mastercard in your wallet, you can use it at Costco warehouses, Costco Gas, and Costco.ca to make purchases with the popular retailer. If you frequently shop at Costco, then the new CIBC Costco Mastercard is worth looking into. Otherwise, there are plenty of other great options available, including no-fee cards that bring with them plenty of earning power every time you shop.
