My Best Buy Memberships: Is Paying to Subscribe Worth It?
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Best Buy made its My Best Buy rewards program a “freemium” model in 2023. Now called My Best Buy Memberships, there are three tiers of service to choose from, two of which offer added perks for an annual subscription fee. The priciest membership tier replaces the short-lived Totaltech program.
Are perks like two-day shipping, tech support, protection plans and AppleCare+ coverage enough to justify paying for a membership? Here’s the rundown on each My Best Buy membership tier.
My Best Buy
The original My Best Buy remains. It’s still free to join, but is no longer a rewards program that allows you to accrue points for purchases. You’ll need a My Best Buy Credit Card to earn points. The free My Best Buy is your basic Best Buy log-in.
Benefits at-a-glance
The primary perk of the regular My Best Buy is free standard shipping with no minimum purchase required. Those who shop the store online without an account must meet a $35 minimum order to get free standard shipping. Other than that, a My Best Buy account allows you to track past purchases and save a payment method for quicker online check outs.
My Best Buy Plus
The middle tier is My Best Buy Plus. It costs $49.99 a year and adds faster shipping and exclusive deals for subscribers.
Benefits at-a-glance
The main benefit is free two-day shipping for online orders, although the Best Buy website says the service isn’t available in all areas. The $49.99 annual fee also opens up access to member-specific deals, sales and events. One such deal available at the time of this writing was $12.50 off regularly priced Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation).
Additionally, the My Best Buy Plus membership extends the return window for most products purchased from the typical 15 days to 60 days. The extended return window does not apply to devices you have to activate, such as cell phones.
My Best Buy Total
My Best Buy Total is the top-tier membership that runs $179.99 a year. You get the benefits of the Plus membership along with protection and support for the tech products you buy.
Benefits at-a-glance
Two standout perks may reduce initial sticker shock for some. One is 24/7 access to Geek Squad tech support for any of your devices, including those bought from Best Buy or elsewhere. According to Best Buy’s website, a range of remote and in-store tech support services are included. One example listed is virus removal and operating system repair for a laptop or computer, which is $149.99 as a standalone service for non-members. The plan does not include in-home Geek Squad services.
Another big benefit is up to two years of protection on most products purchased at Best Buy while the membership is active. Protection typically covers mechanical failures, but some products include accidental damage. The membership includes up to two years of AppleCare+ coverage for most Apple products purchased at Best Buy. You also get 20% off labor for repairs. Loss and theft insurance is extra.
My Best Buy Total replaces Best Buy’s Totaltech service which previously offered similar device support and protection benefits for $199.99 a year. Notably, the new membership leaves off delivery and installation benefits that were part of Totaltech.
Are the paid My Best Buy memberships worth it?
Signing up for a free My Best Buy membership likely makes sense for anyone who plans to order online from the store.
Consider the value before buying My Best Buy Plus or My Best Buy Total
Stepping up to the $49.99 Plus membership is a tougher sell, especially if you already pay for Amazon Prime, which gets you fast shipping on an array of overlapping products.
The $179.99 Total membership is the wild card. It’s steep for a store subscription, but the benefits could be compelling for some.
Tech-challenged: If technology is essential to your life but doesn’t come easily, the 24/7 access to Geek Squad tech support could be useful.
Tech-obsessed: If you regularly purchase expensive devices, the protection benefit, which includes AppleCare+ on Apple products, may be appealing.
Before you subscribe, weigh the cost for one-off services and protection plans against the recurring $179.99 My Best Buy Total annual fee.
Service/plan | Individual price |
|---|---|
Best Buy service: In-store PC or tablet setup by Geek Squad. | $39.99. |
Best Buy service: Remote basic data backup and/or transfer by Geek Squad. | $99.99. |
Best Buy plan: Geek Squad two-year laptop protection plan. | $189.99. |
Apple plan: AppleCare+ three-year protection plan for MacBook Air 13 inch M1. | $179. |
You can cancel a paid My Best Buy Membership early
If you do sign up for a paid My Best Buy membership and then regret it, you aren’t stuck. Cancel within the first 60 days (remember that extended return window) and you’ll be eligible for a full refund of the annual less any services, plans or discounts used. Cancel after 60 days and you’ll be eligible for a prorated refund minus the value of benefits used.
Information related to the My Best Buy Credit Card has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card.
