Yes, You Can Shop At Costco Without A Membership — But There's A Catch

Costco's really been cracking down on non-members lately. It's no longer enough to just flash your card at the employee at the door. At many locations, you now have to scan the barcode at the door. Given this added stringency, you might think non-members don't stand a chance getting into the warehouse. But there are still a couple ways to shop affordable Costco finds without having to pay the annual fee.

Before we get into it, you should know these workarounds might not be easy. These recent crackdowns are no joke. In fact, you may even get some pushback from an employee at the door if they aren't aware of the loophole. Just remember: You aren't breaking the rules with either one of these methods, but still be respectful of the employees if you happen to get questioned.

First up: the Costco Shop Card. (Basically a glorified gift card.) According to Costco's site, members can purchase these physical or digital Shop Cards and give them to non-members to shop the store. Non-members can use these Shop Cards at warehouse locations in the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico as well as online. The cards can even be used toward purchasing a membership itself, or filling up at a Costco gas station. (Only physical cards can be used at the pump, though.)

Because some people have had trouble getting into stores with only a Shop Card, we called Costco HQ for more details. The company policy is that you're allowed to shop any store if you have a Shop Card and most stores should honor that. For those that refuse, the best way to ensure you're not turned away is to bring another member with you. Barring that, you can use the Shop Card at the store to purchase a membership, but that defeats the purpose of being able to browse the store without a membership. It seems there's no way to guarantee a store will let you in if you only have a Shop Card, though you can still spend it online.

Apart from the Costco Shop Card, there's one other foolproof way to get in the doors and make a warehouse purchase. That's the pharmacy. And it's all thanks to the law. Costco confirms as much on its site: Customers don't need a membership to buy prescription medications from Costco Pharmacy. Even though the rest of the store will be off-limits to you, the pharmacy legally can't be restricted.

You used to be able to make food court purchases without a membership, as well, but Costco walked that back in 2020. (That's even before the retailer ramped up efforts to crack down on nonmember access in 2024.) That's one less workaround than before, unfortunately. Now, you'll have to ask a member to bring you out one of those $1.50 hot dog combos. The fact remains: While non-members can still get in the doors using the Shop Card or pharmacy loopholes, the easiest way to shop the store is and will always be as an official Costco member. Plus, just think of all the membership perks!