Paying $65 a year for a Costco Gold Star membership — or $130 for Executive — isn’t only about getting access to giant jars of peanut butter and cheaper rotisserie chickens. There are quite a few free Costco membership perks that don’t require paying another fee, and some are valuable enough to easily overlook if you mostly use Costco for groceries.
Members can get everything from a second membership card for someone in their household to hearing tests, tech support, and free services attached to certain Costco purchases. There are even travel and auto perks that can save you from fees other companies routinely charge.
Of course, some benefits depend on what you buy and where you live. But if you’re already paying for a Costco membership, these 10 free perks are worth knowing about.
A Free Household Membership Card
A Costco membership doesn’t have to be a one-person affair. Primary members receive one Household Card at no additional charge for someone over age 16 who lives at the same address. That person gets their own membership card and can shop at Costco without the primary member tagging along. Considering a basic Gold Star membership currently costs $65 a year, sharing access with another eligible person in your household can make the annual fee considerably easier to justify.
Free Samples While You Shop
Costco’s sample stations aren’t exactly a secret, but they’re still one of the easiest membership perks to forget about until you’re wandering through the warehouse hungry. Costco itself lists free samples among its membership hacks, and you can use them to taste unfamiliar snacks, drinks, frozen foods, and other products before committing to a Costco-sized package. What you’ll find and how many stations are operating varies by warehouse and day, of course, but there’s no extra charge to try what’s being handed out.
A Free Hearing Test
You don’t need to buy hearing aids just to have your hearing checked at Costco. Members 18 and older can schedule a free hearing test at participating Costco Hearing Aid Centers. The appointment includes an examination and testing designed to determine hearing thresholds and whether hearing aids may help. That’s a potentially useful benefit even if you’re only interested in getting a baseline measurement of your hearing rather than shopping for a device immediately.
Free Hearing Aid Service Appointments
If you do buy hearing aids through a Costco Hearing Aid Center, the included services don’t end when you leave with them. Costco says service appointments for hearing aids purchased through its centers are included at no additional charge. That gives members ongoing access to help with their devices without turning every follow-up visit into another expense. The important catch is that the perk applies to hearing aids purchased from Costco, not just any hearing aids you happen to own.
Free Tech Support for Electronics and Appliances
Before paying someone to troubleshoot a TV, computer, printer, or appliance you bought at Costco, try Costco’s technical support service. The retailer offers members free technical support for a surprisingly long list of eligible products, including TVs, projectors, desktops, laptops, major appliances, tablets, cameras, home theater systems, and printers. Costco even describes its support for many qualifying products as available across the product’s lifetime, making this one of those benefits that’s easy to forget several years after checkout.
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An Included Two-Year Warranty on Certain Purchases
Costco also gives members extra protection on several expensive purchases without requiring them to buy a separate extended warranty. Costco Technical and Warranty Services extends the manufacturer’s warranty on qualifying TVs, projectors, computers, and major appliances for up to two years from the purchase or delivery date. There are exclusions — touchscreen tablets, for example, aren’t included in the computer coverage — so you’ll want to check the terms for the specific item you’re buying. Still, on a four-figure appliance or television, an additional year of coverage could be a meaningful freebie.
Free Tire Installation
Buying tires isn’t cheap, and the bill can climb further once installation fees get added. Costco currently includes installation at no additional charge on tires purchased through its Tire Center. The package also comes with nitrogen inflation and a five-year road-hazard warranty, although additional component costs, such as certain TPMS parts, can still apply. In other words, don’t just compare the sticker price of the tires when shopping around — compare what installation will cost elsewhere, too.
Free Tire Rotations, Balancing, and Flat Repairs
The free tire services continue long after installation. Costco’s lifetime maintenance package for tires purchased there includes rotation, balancing, inflation-pressure checks, and qualifying flat repairs for the life of the tires. Flat repairs have to meet industry safety standards, and some restrictions apply, but routine tire maintenance can otherwise mean multiple paid visits over several years. If you bought your tires at Costco, paying another shop for a rotation without checking your included benefits first could mean spending money unnecessarily.
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A Free Additional Driver on Rental Cars
Adding another driver to a rental car reservation can come with a daily fee, but Costco Travel can make that charge disappear. Costco Travel reservations include one free additional driver at participating U.S. locations with Alamo, Avis, Budget, and Enterprise. In Canada, the perk is available with Alamo and Enterprise. The primary driver needs to be a current Costco member, and restrictions — including possible charges for drivers under 25 — still apply. For couples or families who like to share the driving on a road trip, the waived fee can add up over a longer rental.
Free Appliance Delivery, Basic Hookup, and Haul-Away
That refrigerator or washing machine might not be free, but several of the annoying expenses that come with buying one can be. For most members, qualifying online appliance purchases include delivery and basic hookup, necessary basic installation parts, and removal of an old like-for-like appliance at no extra charge. Availability and exclusions depend on the appliance and location, so Costco recommends confirming the services offered for your ZIP code before checking out. If another retailer is advertising a slightly lower appliance price, it’s worth adding up what it charges for delivery, installation parts, and haul-away before assuming it’s actually cheaper.
Don’t Leave the Extras You Already Paid For on the Table
Costco‘s lowest prices may be what gets people through the warehouse doors, but the less obvious benefits can make a membership more valuable than the grocery savings alone. A household card and free samples require practically no effort to use, while hearing services, tech support, tire maintenance, rental-car perks, and appliance services can potentially replace expenses you’d otherwise pay somewhere else.
The trick is remembering those perks exist before reaching for your credit card. When you’re about to pay for a service connected to something you’ve bought at Costco, it’s worth checking your membership benefits first. You may discover the membership fee already covered more than you thought.
