Apple Pay is a mobile payment service that allows users to make purchases using eligible Apple devices. As convenient as Apple Pay may be, many Costco members wonder if they can use it at the wholesale club’s gas stations.
Costco does not currently accept Apple Pay for gas pump payments. Costco gas stations only accept their own membership cards, cash, Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, and debit cards with a PIN.
While Apple Pay cannot be used directly at the pump, Costco members can still enjoy touch-free payments by linking an eligible credit card to Apple Pay and using that linked card to pay at the pump.
How to Pay for Gas at Costco
Costco gas stations aim to offer members the lowest possible fuel prices. To keep costs down, the wholesale fuel supplier only accepts select payment methods that have minimal transaction fees. Here is an overview of how to pay for gas at Costco:
- Membership card: Present your Costco membership card to authorize the gas pump. Membership cards must have an active Costco membership linked to work at the pumps.
- Credit card: Swipe any Visa, Mastercard, Discover or American Express credit card with a chip, tap, or magnetic stripe.
- Debit card: Insert or swipe your debit card and enter your PIN when prompted. Debit transactions run as credit for customer convenience.
- Cash: Select “pay with cash” and pre-pay desired amount inside. Take payment receipt to the pump to activate.
- Apple Pay: While not accepted directly, eligible credit cards linked to Apple Pay mobile wallets can be used by inserting or tapping that physical card instead.
Why Apple Pay Isn’t Accepted at Costco Gas Pumps
Costco gas pumps cannot directly accept Apple Pay for a few key reasons:
Proprietary Loyalty Integration
- Costco pumps feature deep integration with the Costco membership system. The pumps help reinforce membership benefits by offering exclusive reduced fuel pricing.
EMV Payments Standard
- Costco migrated all gas pumps to support EMV chip card transactions for enhanced security. Apple Pay does not meet EMV requirements for card reading.
Minimized Processing Fees
- Not accepting mobile wallet platforms like Apple Pay allows Costco to reduce the processing fees incurred with every transaction. These savings get passed to members with lower gas prices.
Ideal Customer Experience
- Swiping a physical card at Costco gas pumps is often faster and more reliable than tapping a mobile phone. The manual card input helps facilitate faster fueling during busy times.
By only supporting select payment methods that align with their overall pricing and loyalty strategy, Costco gas stations sustain ultra-competitive fuel prices for loyal members.
Workarounds for Using Apple Pay at Costco Gas
While Apple Pay isn’t directly compatible with Costco’s gas pumps, members do have a couple options for leveraging its convenience while fueling up:
Pay In-App with Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
- Members with the Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi can add their Citi card to Apple Pay or Google Pay.
- You can then check-in and pay in the Costco Gas app, and bypass using a card at the pump entirely.
Use Apple Pay with Supported Credit Card
- Link your Visa, Mastercard, Discover or Amex card to Apple Pay.
- Insert or tap the physical card from your mobile wallet at the pumps instead of your membership card.
This allows you to access Apple Pay rewards and benefits while still using a payment method compatible with Costco gas stations.
The Future of Contactless Payments at Costco
Contactless payment platforms like Apple Pay provide a convenient way to quickly fuel up. As adoption continues to grow, Costco may reevaluate their gas pump payment limitations.
It’s possible that future systems could allow Costco membership card integration with digital wallets. This would extend contactless tap-to-pay to their loyal customer base. However, Costco is unlikely to ever accept Apple Pay directly at their pumps if it meant increased gas prices for members.
For now, be sure to have a supported physical credit card or debit card ready when fueling up at Costco. Tap-to-pay mobile payment is not currently an option at their famously affordable gas stations.
Key Takeaways: Paying for Gas at Costco
- Costco gas pumps do not support Apple Pay or contactless payments
- Keep your Costco membership card handy to authorize the pump
- Swipe a supported Visa, Mastercard, Discover or Amex credit card to pay
- A debit card with PIN also works if you prefer not to use credit
- Add compatible credit card to Apple Pay to Enjoy mobile wallet rewards when fueling at Costco
Frequently Asked Questions About Apple Pay and Paying for Gas at Costco
1. Can you use Apple Pay at Costco gas stations?
No, Costco gas pumps currently do not accept Apple Pay or any other contactless mobile payments. To authorize the pump and pay for gas, you need to use a Costco membership card and a physical credit or debit card.
2. Why won’t my Apple Pay work at Costco gas pumps?
Apple Pay relies on near-field communication (NFC) terminals. Costco’s current gas pumps do not have NFC readers built-in. Instead, they feature proprietary membership card integration and require EMV chip cards for tap transactions. These capabilities are not compatible with Apple Pay.
3. Does Costco take Google Pay for gas?
No, like Apple Pay, Google Pay and other mobile wallets are not supported at Costco gas station pumps. Costco only accepts tap-to-pay transactions from compatible EMV chip Visa, Mastercard, Discover and Amex cards when holding the physical card.
4. Can I use my Costco Anywhere Visa card with Apple Pay to buy gas at Costco?
Not directly at the pumps. However, you can add your Costco Anywhere Visa to Apple Pay and then pay for your gas through the Costco Gas app using that linked card. This enables cashless Apple Pay type functionality when combined with remote in-app payments.
5. Why does Costco not take Apple Pay?
Costco aims to offer supreme value to its loyal membership base, including through discounted gasoline prices. Keeping tight control on accepted payments allows Costco to minimize transaction fees and pass even greater savings to members fueling up.
6. Will Costco gas pumps ever take Apple Pay?
As contactless payments like Apple Pay continue to gain mainstream adoption, Costco may eventually update their systems to support them directly at the pumps. However, extra fees could mean losing their price competitiveness unless the capabilities are tightly integrated into their membership program.
7. Can I use Apple Pay at the Costco warehouse?
Yes, you can use Apple Pay on compatible NFC payment terminals at Costco warehouse checkout registers. However, their gas pumps feature entirely separate systems tuned exclusively for fueling transactions. So mobile wallet support currently ends when you are fueling up outside.
8. Do I need to show my Costco card if using Apple Pay in-warehouse?
No, the benefit of Apple Pay is the ability to check out touch-free without needing to present your physical membership card. You will still receive all discounts and fuel rewards tied to your membership when using Apple Pay. Showing your card additionally is not required.
9. Why do gas stations not take Apple Pay?
Many stations with older pumps simply haven’t upgraded to support new contactless payments. Premium gas tends to have better odds of accepting Apple Pay. However, warehouse clubs like Costco design their own pump systems focused heavily on membership integration over tap-to-pay flexibility.
10. Is Apple Pay cheaper than using a credit card at gas stations?
Not directly. However, paying with a rewards credit card linked to Apple Pay can help you save money by earning cash back, points or other benefits on every fill-up. Just remember Costco gas itself does not qualify for most rewards programs given its already discounted prices.
11. Can I set up Apple Pay to always use my Costco Citi card?
Yes, within the Apple Pay app or iPhone Wallet settings you can set your Costco Anywhere Visa from Citi as the default card. Then it will be pre-selected automatically any place that accepts Apple Pay payments.
12. How do I add my Costco credit card to Apple Pay?
Open the Apple Pay app or access Wallet settings. Tap the “+” icon to begin adding a card. Choose your Costco Anywhere Citi Visa and follow the prompts to complete card verification with Citi and securely link it to your mobile wallet.
13. Does Samsung Pay work at Costco gas pumps?
Unfortunately no, Samsung Pay tap-to-pay also relies on NFC terminals that Costco pumps still lack. Like Apple Pay, you’d need to add and scan your compatible credit card instead of paying directly from your phone.
14. Is the Costco app required to buy gas with Apple Pay?
For paying at the pump itself, no. But to enable an Apple Pay type experience pre-authorizing and paying in their Gas app, you do need to install the Costco app on your iPhone or Android phone to access the mobile checkout capabilities.
15. Can you use Apple Pay at the car wash if you bought gas at Costco?
Provided the car wash accepts Apple Pay or contactless payments, then yes! The car wash system at some Costco locations is entirely separate from the gas payment processing. Just remember to first tap your Costco membership card to activate the wash.
16. Can I use a digital Costco membership card in Apple Wallet?
At this time, no. Costco’s membership system is still deeply integrated with their physical cards, including needing to tap it at the start of every gas transaction. While Apple Wallet supports digital membership cards from other retailers, Costco itself does not currently offer that capability.
17. What is the maximum Costco gas discount by using their credit card?
Costco members who have the Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi can save an extra 4% on up to $7,000 in gas purchases at Costco annually. That equates to a maximum annual gas rewards credit possible of $280 back.
18. Can you use Apple Pay at the Costco food court?
Typically yes! Most food courts at Costco warehouses have contactless payment terminals that accept Apple Pay and Google Pay for quick snacks and drinks without needing your card on hand after you’ve finished shopping.
19. When will Costco allow Apple Pay to be used directly at gas stations?
There is no exact timeframe for if or when Costco might update their gas pump technology to directly support Apple Pay tap-and-pay functionality. For now, members can still use mobile wallet linked cards to access some benefits when fueling at Costco. Enabling Apple Pay could require sacrifices to their discount fuel pricing tiers that Costco has prioritized.
20. Can I use Apple Pay for the hot dog and drink combo deal at Costco food courts?
Of course! The iconic Costco food court combo is perfect for Apple Pay. Grab your drink and hot dog, open Apple Pay, hover your iPhone near the contactless terminal, and tap to collect your receipt. It makes snacking and refueling easier with no need to carry all your physical cards when running errands.
Conclusion
While Costco wholesale clubs offer exceptionally low gas prices, Apple Pay and contactless transactions have not yet made their way to the fuel pumps. Costco maintains tight control over accepted payment methods to sustain affordable pricing for loyal members.
Drivers hoping to use mobile payments can still insert an NFC-enabled credit card linked to Apple Pay. And the Costco anywhere Visa by Citi, which you can add to Apple Pay, offers a way to check in and pay touch-free using in-app transactions.
Hopefully this overview gave clarity around “does Costco take Apple Pay” for gas purchases. Check back for any updates on if or when their pumps might support direct tap-to-pay functionality. In the meantime, be sure to have a supported physical payment card ready for access to Costco’s discounted fuel.