If you already have a Costco membership, there's a simple way to share the warehouse experience with a friend—and you can both receive a little something extra when they join.
Costco's U.S. Refer-a-Friend promotion currently offers a Digital Costco Shop Card to both the referring member and the new member. The reward depends on the membership level your friend chooses.
What You Can Get
For the promotion running through December 31, 2026, the rewards are:
| New membership | Your Shop Card | Your friend's Shop Card | | --- | ---: | ---: | | Gold Star | $20 | $20 | | Executive | $40 | $40 |
The Shop Cards are digital and are sent by email after the qualifying membership signup.
How Costco's Refer-a-Friend Offer Works
This is an in-warehouse membership referral promotion. It is not a credit card referral offer, and your friend does not need to apply for the Costco Anywhere Visa credit card.
- Bring your friend to a participating U.S. Costco warehouse membership counter.
- Tell the Costco representative that you're using the Refer-a-Friend promotion.
- Have your friend sign up for a new Gold Star or Executive membership.
- Make sure the required email and automatic-renewal details are provided during signup.
Costco says both the referring member and the new member must reference the promotion with a Costco representative at the membership counter. Digital Shop Cards are generally emailed within two weeks of signup.
See Costco's official Refer-a-Friend promotion and full terms.
Important Eligibility Rules
Before heading to the warehouse, keep these details in mind:
- The offer is for new members and people whose Costco memberships—including Primary, Household, or Affiliate memberships—have been expired for at least 18 months.
- The promotion is limited to one per household.
- Both people must provide a valid email address and enroll in automatic renewal.
- The new member must set up automatic renewal using a Visa card at signup.
- The offer is nontransferable and cannot be combined with another promotion.
- The promotion is valid at U.S. Costco locations and expires December 31, 2026.
Review Costco's official page before visiting in case the offer terms change.
Is This the Same as a Costco Credit Card Referral?
No. Costco's Refer-a-Friend offer rewards eligible membership referrals. It is separate from the Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi and does not pay a credit card referral bonus.
Also, this is not an affiliate link or a commission-based offer. The link above goes directly to Costco's official promotion information. We do not receive a commission if you use it.
A Simple Way to Share the Savings
If someone you know has been thinking about joining Costco, consider going together to the membership counter and asking about the Refer-a-Friend offer. Just remember to mention the promotion before the new membership is processed and check the official terms first.
Happy shopping—and happy saving!