Walmart Credit Card vs. Sam’s Club Credit Card: How They Differ
Both boast 5% bonus categories and elevated rewards on brand purchases. It all comes down to your spending habits.
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Walmart and Sam's Club are two of the largest retailers in the U.S., and both are members of the Walmart Inc. family. If you're a devoted shopper at either store — whether you’re in it for the free samples or the endless aisles of options — you may be eyeing Walmart's OnePay CashRewards Card or the Sam's Club® Mastercard® for the potential savings either could offer.
Both $0-annual-fee cards are issued by Synchrony Bank and feature 5% cash-back categories, not to mention decent rates on other kinds of spending, meaning they can be lucrative — if a little high-maintenance.
But the two co-branded cards differ significantly in terms of spending flexibility and spending caps, among other distinctive features. In the end, it all depends on your typical spending habits and what kind of shopper you are.
Here’s what each card offers.
$0.
$0, but you must be a Sam’s Club member, which has an annual cost: $50 per year for a Club membership or $110 per year for a Plus membership.
Earn $35 cash back when you open a OnePay Card & spend $75+ within 30 days.
The card often offers a statement credit, in varying amounts, when you open an account and meet a spending requirement with Sam's Club within a certain number of days.
For Walmart+ members only: Earn 5% cash back at Walmart, online and in-store. Non-members get 3% cash back at Walmart, online and in-store.
1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
For Sam’s Club Plus members only: Up to 5% back on eligible Sam’s Club purchases (3% back with the card, plus up to 2% back from the membership tier.) Non-Plus members earn 1% back on Sam's Club purchases.
5% cash back (on up to $6,000 spent per year, then 1%) at EV charging stations and eligible gas stations worldwide, including stations at Sam’s Club.
3% back on dining.
1% back on all other purchases.
The ongoing APR is 20.99%-31.49%, Variable.
The ongoing APR is 20.90% or 28.90%, Variable APR .
The OnePay CashRewards Card and the Sam's Club® Mastercard® are both "open-loop" cards, meaning they can be used anywhere Mastercard is accepted. (Walmart and Sam's Club also offer "closed-loop" store cards, which can be used only within their respective brands.)
Why the OnePay CashRewards Card is better for most
The best choice for you depends on where you shop, but Walmart's OnePay CashRewards Card is better for most people because you don't need a separate store membership to get it — though a membership does let you get the most out of the card.
No membership required
Although Walmart has a membership program, called Walmart+, you don't need to join it if you want the retailer's credit card, and you'll still earn a solid 3% back when shopping at the retailer (and 1.5% back elsewhere).
However, only Walmart+ members qualify for the card's highest rewards rate — 5% back with the brand — and membership costs $98 a year: more than a baseline Sam's Club membership, but less than a Sam's Club "Plus" tier.
In exchange for that fee, Walmart+ offers free delivery from your store, free shipping, free pharmacy delivery, discounts on gas, access to Paramount+ streaming and more.
Solid and straightforward rewards
When shopping at Walmart, you'll do no worse with the OnePay CashRewards Card than 3% back.
But the story is muddier with the Sam's Club® Mastercard®. If you have only a baseline Sam's Club membership, you'll earn just 1% back on Sam's Club purchases, which is quite poor for a store credit card. In fact, in that case, you'd be better off using the Walmart credit card at Sam's Club, which would at least snag you 1.5% back.
If you're willing to spring for a more expensive Sam's Club "Plus" membership, you can indeed earn up to 5% back on your shopping there — 3% back with the Sam's Club® Mastercard®, plus up to 2% back through the Plus membership. But even then, it's complicated: That 2% back applies only to in-store purchases, not at SamsClub.com.
And unlike with the OnePay CashRewards Card, there are caps to be aware of with the Sam's Club® Mastercard®. The card's 5% rate on gas and EV charging applies only to the first $6,000 in annual spending in those categories per year. After that, you drop down to just 1% back. Plus, you can earn no more than $5,000 in rewards per calendar year.
These are high caps — but they're still caps, and Walmart's OnePay CashRewards Card doesn't have any.
Flexible redemption
With the OnePay CashRewards Card, you can redeem your rewards for a statement credit or an electronic deposit into a OnePay cash account. You do need a minimum of 25 OnePay points to redeem.
With the Sam's Club® Mastercard®, there's no minimum redemption requirement, but you can redeem rewards only for purchases at Sam's Club locations, transactions with Scan & Go, and at SamsClub.com.
Walmart has more stores
If you have the "open-loop" Mastercard versions of either card, you can use either one pretty much wherever you want. But in terms of earning rewards with the retailer, you'll simply have more opportunties with Walmart, especially if you're traveling.
Walmart has more than 4,000 stores in the U.S., whereas Sam’s Club has around 600.
Some Sam’s Club members might prefer the Sam's Club® Mastercard®
As a Sam's Club member, you might prefer the Sam's Club® Mastercard® but it's only worth considering if you also spend heavily on gas, EV charging or dining out.
Sam’s Club Plus members earn elevated rewards
If you already have a Sam’s Club Plus membership, the card can only offer more rewards and a way to potentially defray the annual cost. You'll get up to 5% back on any shopping you do with the retailer.
Dig into the terms for the Sam's Club® Mastercard® to learn about potential caveats and caps, including limits on rewards you earn via the Plus membership tier. For more details, see our review of the card.
More rewards on dining and gas or EV charging
If you spend a lot on everyday purchases like dining, gas or EV charging, you’ll earn a solid rewards rate compared to other credit cards. The Sam's Club® Mastercard® offers 5% back on up to $6,000 spent per year at EV charging stations and eligible gas stations worldwide (including those at Sam’s Club). It also earns 3% back on dining.
Which card should you get?
The card you should get depends on where you shop most and whether you have any memberships with these retailers. If you frequently shop at Walmart and it’s your go-to store for the majority of your purchases, the OnePay CashRewards Card is worth considering. For Sam’s Club Plus members, the Sam's Club® Mastercard® is a no-brainer — but if you have just a baseline Sam’s Club membership, the card may only be worth it if you spend a lot on gas and/or dining out.
Otherwise, a general-purpose credit card that earns 2% cash back on all purchases would likely be a better pick.
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