Costco Executive vs Gold Star membership: is Executive worth it?

Executive members can shop from 9 a.m. on weekdays at most U.S. warehouses, an hour before other members. The membership costs $130 a year, $65 more than Gold Star, and pays 2% back on most purchases. Enter your spending to see if it's worth it for you.

In Canada? See the Canadian Executive calculator (CA$ fees and Canadian exclusions).

What time can Executive members shop?

At most U.S. warehouses, Executive members can get in at 9 a.m. on weekdays, an hour before Gold Star and Business members, who can shop from 10 a.m.. Costco began enforcing the early hour on September 1, 2025, so non-Executive members may be turned away before 10 a.m..

Weekend early hours are reported differently from place to place, and Costco itself only says early hours "may be available" at your local warehouse. Check your warehouse's page on Costco.com for its exact times, and see holiday closures for the days it's shut.

Gold Star vs Executive: what's the difference?

Both are personal memberships with the same warehouses, prices and Costco.com access. Executive costs $65 more a year and adds a 2% reward, an earlier weekday hour and extras on Costco services.

Pick Executive if you spend more than about $271 a month on purchases that earn the reward, or you'd use the early hour or the service extras. Pick Gold Star if you spend less, mostly on gas and other items the reward excludes. Not sure? Upgrade: if the reward falls short, Costco refunds the upgrade fee minus what you've earned. Sign-up offers are from Costco's join page, checked October 20, 2026, for new members who haven't held a membership in 18 months; see current membership deals.

How much does Executive membership cost?

$130 a year, compared with $65 for Gold Star.

Upgrading partway through the year costs the extra $65, prorated for the months left on your membership. If you change your mind, you can get the upgrade fee back, minus any reward you've earned; see should I downgrade?

How the math works

Gold Star costs $65 a year. Executive costs $130 a year, so the upgrade is an extra $65. In return, Executive members get back 2% of their qualifying purchases as a yearly reward, up to $1,250.

The upgrade pays for itself once your reward reaches $65. At 2%, that takes $3,250 of qualifying spending a year, or about $271 a month. Every dollar you spend past that point is money in your pocket.

The reward stops growing at $1,250, which you hit at $62,500 of qualifying spending a year.

Results at common spending levels

Assumes all of the spending earns the reward. "Ahead" means the reward is larger than the full Executive fee.

Things the calculator doesn't count

• Other Executive perks. Executive members also get extra benefits on some Costco services. If you use those, the upgrade can be worth it below the break-even line.
• Purchases before you upgrade. Only purchases made after the upgrade earn the 2%.
• Part-year upgrades. Upgrading mid-year is charged for the months left on your current membership, so your first year's numbers will differ.
• Sales tax on the membership fee, where it applies.

Have the Costco Anywhere Visa? See how the card's cash back adds to the Executive reward in our Costco credit card calculator.

All Executive membership perks

• 2% reward on qualifying purchases, up to $1,250 a year. See the 2% reward, explained.
• Early shopping hour on weekdays at most warehouses.
• Costco Travel: extra value on select destinations, cruises, hotels and rental cars.
• Insurance extras: roadside assistance on auto insurance, glass repair and lockout help on home insurance, and extra savings on life insurance.
• Costco Auto Program and RV buying through Camping World: extra value on select deals.
• Home services: moving and storage through PODS, and 20% off junk removal.
• Pets: pet telehealth and pet insurance with a lost-pet service.
• For business owners: waived application and monthly statement fees on payment processing, and up to 5% off Level Funded Advantage for eligible employers.

From Costco's Executive membership page, checked October 18, 2026. Costco changes these partner offers from time to time.

Common questions

What time does Costco open for Executive members?

At 9 a.m. on weekdays at most U.S. warehouses, an hour before other members. Weekend times vary, so check your warehouse's page.

What's the difference between Gold Star and Executive?

Executive costs $130 a year instead of $65. For the extra $65 you get 2% back on most purchases (up to $1,250 a year), shopping from 9 a.m. on weekdays at most warehouses, and extras on Costco services. Prices in the warehouse are the same for both. See the side-by-side table.

Is Executive better than Gold Star?

Only if you spend enough. Executive comes out ahead once you spend about $271 a month ($3,250 a year) on purchases that earn the reward. Below that, Gold Star costs less, unless you value the early hour or the service extras. Enter your spending in the calculator above to check.

Can Gold Star members shop during the early hour?

No. Since September 1, 2025, the early hour is for Executive members only, and warehouses may turn other members away until 10 a.m..

How much do I need to spend for Executive to be worth it?

About $271 a month, or $3,250 a year, on purchases that earn the reward. Below that, Gold Star costs less.

Is there a limit on the 2% reward?

Yes. The reward is capped at $1,250 a year.

Does everything I buy earn the reward?

No. In the U.S., Costco's terms exclude gas, cigarettes and tobacco, Costco Shop Cards, food court purchases, cell phones and service plans, membership fees, and sales tax and shipping. The list can change, so check Costco's Executive reward terms, and enter excluded spending in the second box above.

How is this different from Costco's rewards calculator?

Costco's rewards calculator multiplies a purchase total by 2% for Executive and another 2% for the Costco Visa, which is where its "up to 4%" comes from. It doesn't subtract the $65 a year the upgrade costs, or leave out spending that doesn't earn the reward, such as gas and the food court. This calculator does both and applies the $1,250 cap, so it shows whether Executive actually pays for itself. For the card's cash back, use the Costco Visa calculator.

Where do these numbers come from?

From Costco's published U.S. membership fees and reward terms, last checked October 18, 2026. The early-hour times come from news reports, because Costco's own hours page doesn't list them. See how we check our numbers.