Sam's Club® Mastercard® Review
Overview
The Sam's Club Mastercard is a genuinely strong gas card if you are already a Sam's Club member: 5% back on gas anywhere Mastercard is accepted, up to $6,000 a year, plus 3% on dining. For a card with no annual fee of its own, that 5% gas rate is one of the best around.
The catches are the ones you would expect from a warehouse-club card: you need a paid Sam's Club membership to have it, and your rewards come as Sam's Cash that you spend at Sam's Club, not flexible cash. If you shop there and drive a lot, it is a great free companion card; if not, the strings outweigh the perks.
Think twice if: you are not a Sam's Club member or want flexible cash back, since the membership cost and Sam's-Cash-only redemption limit the value.
Our 3.5 out of 5 rating
Each score weighs the rewards rate, value after the annual fee, welcome offer, points flexibility, and perks, with every point valued at a flat 1 cent. This is our editorial assessment to help you compare cards, not a guarantee of approval or of the value you will get.
Rewards: how it earns
You earn 5% back on gas up to $6,000 a year then 1%, 3% on dining and takeout, 3% on Sam's Club purchases for Plus members, and 1% on everything else. The 5% gas is the standout, few cards beat it, and the 3% dining is a nice bonus. The rewards are Sam's Cash, so they only spend at Sam's Club, and the total is capped at $5,000 a year, which most people will never hit.
| Category | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gas | 5x | Bonus category |
| Dining and restaurants | 3x | Bonus category |
| Wholesale clubs | 3x | Bonus category |
| Groceries | 1x | Base rate |
| Travel | 1x | Base rate |
| Streaming | 1x | Base rate |
| Everything else | 1x | Everything else |
The fine print on rates: Requires an active Sam's Club membership (from $50/yr). Rewards are paid as Sam's Cash, redeemable at Sam's Club. Cash back only, not transferable.
Every point and mile above is valued at a flat 1 cent, the same honest standard we use for every card. Run your own spending through the calculator to see what this card would actually return for you.
Pros and cons
- 5% back on gas, one of the best rates available
- 3% on dining and takeout
- No annual fee on the card itself
- Strong pick for existing Sam's Club members
- Requires a paid Sam's Club membership
- Rewards are Sam's Cash, redeemable only at Sam's Club
- 5% gas is capped at $6,000 per year, then drops to 1%
The welcome bonus
The welcome is small: a $30 statement credit when you open the account and spend $30 the same day. Nothing exciting, but easy money for a member.
Is the annual fee worth it?
There is no annual fee on the card itself, but you must keep a Sam's Club membership, which starts around $50 a year, so factor that in. If you already shop at Sam's Club, that membership is not an added cost and the 5% gas easily earns its keep. If you would join just for the card, the math is much weaker.
Benefits and protections
Beyond the rewards, the perks and protections worth knowing about include:
- No annual credit-card fee (an active Sam's Club membership is required)
- Rewards paid as Sam's Cash, up to $5,000 per calendar year, redeemable at Sam's Club
- No foreign transaction fees
Statement credits
This card does not come with recurring statement credits. Its value is in the rewards rate and welcome offer.
Who should get it, and who should skip it
If you are already a Sam's Club member and put real money into gas, this is an easy free card to add, 5% back on fuel is excellent, and the 3% dining rounds it out nicely.
If you are not a member, or you want cash back you can use anywhere, look elsewhere, the membership requirement and Sam's-Cash-only rewards make it a poor fit. This is a card for the Sam's Club faithful, not a general gas card.
Frequently asked questions
Best-card guides featuring this card
Offer details verified against issuer sources as of July 2026. Editorial opinions are our own. Cardocrat values all points at a flat 1 cent and never inflates redemptions.
