Are you trying to decide whether to join Walmart’s membership club Walmart+? We asked Kevin Brasler, executive director of the Washington, DC–based nonprofit Consumers’ Checkbook, to lay out what membership entails in case you are asking the question, is Walmart+ worth it?
What Is Walmart+?
Walmart+ is a program that gives consumers benefits that are not available to nonmembers. It also provides the company with a reliable income stream in addition to the increased revenue that comes from making Walmart the go-to retailer for members. These types of arrangements are essentially the mirror image of the loyalty programs of yesteryear—but instead of the company giving you benefits to reward your loyalty, it’s charging you money for the privilege of being more loyal. That’s exactly why you should make sure you are getting your money’s worth if you join Walmart+.
How Much Does Walmart+ Cost?
Walmart+ membership costs $98 per year, or $12.95 per month. The company frequently offers discounts. Example: Recently Walmart invited shoppers to join for just $1 for the first 30 days, then only $75 for the first year. Students and people on government assistance pay less.
Key Benefits of Walmart+
Walmart+ members enjoy…
- Free shipping on all items from Walmart.com (rather than only on orders of $35 or more)
- Free grocery deliveries (rather than the normal $8 or so per order)
- Free streaming subscription to either Paramount+ (a value of $8.99/month or $89.99/year) or Peacock Premium subscription ($10.99/month or $109.99/year)
- Gas savings of 10 cents per gallon at Walmart, Exxon, Mobil and Murphy Stations
- Free pharmacy delivery
- Unlimited 24/7 telemedicine care for pets (which usually costs $100 per year)
- Discounts at Burger King
- Free returns from your home
- Access to a credit card offering 5% back on Walmart purchases
- Scan & Go, which allows you to scan store items into your phone and skip checkout
Who Should Consider Walmart+—Pros and Cons
The only real downside to consider is the cost of $98/year, so look over all the benefits and think realistically about how likely you are to use them. Calculate the math to make sure membership works in your favor.
Things to consider…
- If you’re already paying $9 per month for Paramount+, that in itself would pay for the annual Walmart+ membership.
- If there’s no qualifying gas station near your house, you’ll miss out on the fuel discount.
- If you frequently order from Walmart.com but usually pay more than $35 per order, you’re already getting free shipping. If you don’t have pets, the telemedicine benefit is worthless.
- If you hate Burger King, then there’s no value in the discount.
Walmart+ vs. Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime currently costs $139 per year, or $14.99 per month, making Walmart+ the less expensive option. But it’s all about which benefits you’ll use. Example: If streaming is your main motivator, Prime has a more robust offering that includes live sports.
Which membership to choose will depend on a careful assessment of what benefits are most valuable to you and whether you shop more frequently at Amazon or Walmart.
