Does Costco Take Discover Card? 2025 Payment Guide

[KEVIN]

Learn if Costco accepts Discover cards in 2025. Complete guide to accepted payment methods for in-store, gas, and online shopping to avoid declines at checkout.

Does Costco Take Discover Card? (2025 Full Guide) – Accepted Payment Methods for In-Store, Gas & Online ​

Imagine this: you’ve filled your Costco cart with a 48-pack of toilet paper, a bulk box of protein bars, and maybe a TV that you definitely didn’t plan to buy…
You swipe your Discover card at checkout — and bam — the screen flashes “Card Declined.”
Super frustrating, right?
If you’ve ever asked yourself “Does Costco take Discover card?”, you’re not alone. Costco’s payment rules are strict, constantly misunderstood, and different across in-store, gas, and online shopping.
This 2025 updated guide explains exactly why Discover isn’t accepted, what payment methods work, the hidden exceptions, and how to avoid getting stuck at checkout again.
Let’s break down the truth once and for all!

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Part I: The Clear Answer — Why Costco Does NOT Accept Discover (2025) ​

Official Policy: Does Costco Take Discover Card?​

The short and simple answer is:

No. Costco does NOT accept Discover cards anywhere — not in-store, not at Costco Gas, and not on Costco.com.​

No matter how new your Discover card is or how much credit you have available, the terminal will decline it immediately.
Why?
Because of Costco’s exclusive contract with another card network — Visa.

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A Quick History: When Did Costco Stop Accepting Discover?​

Costco’s card acceptance rules changed over time:

1999–2016 → Costco accepted only American Express (Amex)​

• No Visa
• No Mastercard
• No Discover

2016–Present → Costco switched to a Visa-exclusive partnership​

Since 2016:

• ✔ Visa credit cards = accepted
• Discover = not accepted
• Amex = not accepted
• Mastercard credit = not accepted

So if you're wondering why doesn’t Costco take Discover, it's not personal — it's business. Costco simply works with one credit card network to get cheaper processing rates.

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Why Visa Only? The Exclusive Partnership Explained ​

Here’s the financial logic behind it
Retail stores pay “interchange fees” every time a customer uses a credit card.
Costco sells many items at almost zero profit margin — so fees matter a LOT.
By partnering with only one network (Visa), Costco negotiates:

• ✔ Ultra-low fees
• ✔ Faster processing
• ✔ A simpler payment system
• ✔ Lower prices for customers

Since Discover runs on its OWN network, it's automatically excluded from Costco’s agreement.
If your card isn’t on the Visa network, Costco will not process it — period.

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Part II: What IS Accepted? Costco’s Approved Payment Methods (2025) ​

If Discover doesn’t work, then what does?
Here’s the complete 2025 list.

In-Store Payment Methods at Costco (USA)​

Payment Type	Accepted?	Notes
Visa Credit Cards	✔ Yes	Only credit network allowed in-store.
PIN-Based Debit Cards	✔ Yes	Visa or Mastercard debit works with PIN.
EBT / SNAP	✔ Yes	Eligible grocery items only.
Cash	✔ Yes	Always accepted.
Checks	✔ Yes	Member’s personal check only.
Costco Shop Cards	✔ Yes	Works like a gift card.
Amex, MasterCard, Discover Credit	No	Blocked under Visa-exclusive policy.

The Amex Misunderstanding ​

Some shoppers still think Costco accepts American Express.
But the truth is:

Amex has NOT been accepted since 2016.​

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Part II-B: Costco Gas Station Rules — Even Stricter!​

Many people ask:
“Can I use Discover at Costco gas?”

Unfortunately, no.​

Costco Gas follows the exact same Visa-credit-only policy as the warehouse.

✔ What IS Accepted at Costco Gas?​

• Visa credit cards
• Debit cards (PIN required)
• Costco Shop Cards

Not Accepted at Costco Gas​

• Discover credit
• Mastercard credit
• Amex
• Gift cards from other stores

Quick Gas Tip ​

Mastercard debit works — but Mastercard credit does NOT.

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Part III: Costco.com, Debit Cards & Reward Confusion (Cleared Up!) ​

Now let’s clear the tricky areas that confuse almost everyone.

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Costco.com Has Different Rules (Surprising!)​

Unlike in-store shopping, the Costco website is much more flexible.

Costco.com Accepts:​

✔ Visa credit cards
✔ Mastercard credit cards
✔ Debit cards
✔ Costco Shop Cards

Discover Still NOT Accepted​

Even though Costco.com accepts Mastercard, it still does NOT accept Discover in 2025.
So:

• In-store → Visa only
• Gas → Visa only
• Online → Visa + Mastercard
• Discover → No everywhere

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Debit Cards — The Most Confusing Topic Explained​

Shoppers often ask:
“Does Costco take Mastercard debit?”
Yes — but ONLY as a PIN-based debit transaction.
Costco doesn’t care about the logo on your debit card.
They only care that the transaction runs through a debit network, not a credit one.

✔ Debit Cards That Work​

• Visa debit
• Mastercard debit
• Discover debit (rare, but works with PIN)
• ATM cards

Debit That Does NOT Work​

• Debit cards used as credit
• Any card without a PIN option

So if your debit card has a PIN?
You're good to go.

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Discover 5% Cashback Category — Does It Work at Costco?​

Many cashback lovers ask:
“Does Discover 5% work at Costco?”

NO — because the card doesn’t process in the first place.​

If Discover can’t be used at checkout, you can't earn rewards.

Want Rewards at Costco?​

Here are the top Visa cards for 2025:

Best Visa Cards for Costco​

1. Costco Anywhere Visa (Citi)

• 4% back on gas
• 3% travel & dining
• 2% at Costco
• 1% everywhere else

2. Chase Freedom Unlimited (Visa)

• 1.5% everywhere with bonus multipliers

3. Bank of America Premium Rewards Visa

• Up to 2.62% with Preferred Rewards

These cards maximize your Costco savings better than Discover ever could.

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Part IV: Competitive Card Questions & Trending Topics (2025) ​

Let’s tackle the popular Google searches & Reddit debates.

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Does Costco Take Capital One?​

Capital One issues cards on two networks: Visa and Mastercard.

✔ Accepted​

• Capital One Visa cards

Not Accepted In-Store​

• Capital One Mastercard cards

BUT → They DO work on Costco.com

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What Does Reddit Say About Discover at Costco?​

Subreddits like r/Costco and r/CreditCards confirm:

• Discover NEVER works
• Not even at self-checkout
• Not at the food court
• Not at the gas station
• Not online

Reddit’s summary:

“If it isn’t Visa, don’t even try.” ​

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Digital Wallets: Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay​

Here’s what works:

Apple Pay​

✔ Works, but ONLY if the card inside Apple Pay is a Visa.

Google Pay & Samsung Pay​

⚠ Mixed acceptance

• Some locations allow it
• Some do not
• Depends on terminal compatibility

Always keep a physical Visa card with you to avoid issues!

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Final Conclusion — The Only Costco Payment Rule You Need to Remember ​

Even though Costco’s payment rules seem complicated at first, everything actually comes down to ONE simple rule:

Costco only accepts Visa credit cards — no exceptions.​

Here’s the complete summary:

✔ What Works (Everywhere)​

• Visa credit cards
• PIN-based debit cards
• Costco Shop Cards
• Cash & checks

✔ What Works (Online Only)​

• Mastercard credit cards

What NEVER Works at Costco​

• Discover
• American Express
• Mastercard credit cards (in-store & gas)
• Gift cards from other retailers

If you remember this, you’ll NEVER get declined at Costco again.

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Your Experience Matters! ​

Have you ever had your Discover or Mastercard card declined at Costco?
Share your story below — it helps other shoppers stay informed!

 

[john wick]

Super detailed and incredibly helpful! I love how you broke down the difference between in-store, gas station, and online payment rules. The explanation of the Visa-exclusive partnership finally cleared up all the confusion about why Discover doesn’t work. Great 2025 update!

 

[crdpro2025]

This was such an easy guide to follow! The examples, the humor, and the step-by-step breakdown made everything crystal clear. I had no idea Costco.com accepts Mastercard but the warehouse doesn’t. Definitely bookmarking this for future Costco trips!

 

[porn card]

Excellent article! You covered EVERYTHING a Costco shopper needs — from debit rules to gas station restrictions to the Discover cashback question. The section about which Visa cards earn the best rewards was a super helpful bonus