Sam's Club® Mastercard® vs USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card
Side-by-side comparison
| Sam's Club® Mastercard® | USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | $30 statement credit | No standing welcome bonus |
| Dining | 3x | 1x |
| Groceries | 1x | 2x |
| Gas | 5x | 5x |
| Travel | 1x | 1x |
| Streaming | 1x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $438 | $438 |
| Points type | Cash back only | Cash back only |
| Network | Mastercard | Amex |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified August 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
Welcome bonus and value over time
| Over time | Sam's Club® Mastercard® | USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | $30 statement credit | No standing welcome bonus |
| To earn it | $30 same day | No minimum spend |
| Est. first-year value* | $468 | $438 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $438 | $438 |
The Sam's Club® Mastercard® wins on both fronts: it comes out ahead in year one on the welcome offer and stays ahead every year after. Short term or long, it is the stronger pick on the numbers.
*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent.
Perks, credits, and redemptions
| Perks | Sam's Club® Mastercard® | USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | None | None |
| Annual credits | None | None |
| Points & redemptions | Cash back only | Cash back only |
The two are closely matched on perks and redemptions, so the welcome offer and everyday earning above are what should decide it.
Transfer partners and point value
Neither card earns transferable points, so redemptions are cash-back or fixed portal value on both, roughly a cent per point. There is no airline or hotel transfer angle to separate them.
The verdict
On a typical year of household spending, the Sam's Club® Mastercard® earns about $438 a year in rewards and the USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card about $438, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Sam's Club® Mastercard® has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The two are effectively tied on value, with the Sam's Club® Mastercard® marginally ahead, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on dining. Neither leans on transferable points, so the deciding factors are the welcome offer, the card network, and which everyday perks you will actually use. On the sign-up bonus, the Sam's Club® Mastercard® currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Sam's Club® Mastercard® if your spending leans toward dining. Pick the USAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card if your spending leans toward groceries.