CardRewardsEditorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Our analysis is based on publicly available card data and is reviewed regularly by our editorial team. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content. Last updated: May 2026.
Ranked by effective value per dollar at Costco — including welcome offer math, redemption value, and annual fee.
Rankings are generated by our algorithm based on earn rates, point valuations, fees, and benefits — not paid placement. We don't accept compensation to rank cards higher. How we rank
NHL® Discover It® earns the top spot for Costco purchases at 5.0¢ per dollar — no annual fee, factoring in welcome offers and ongoing rewards. We ranked every card in our database against Costco purchases using the same scoring engine that powers our search. The list below orders cards by net value to you, not by what pays the biggest affiliate commission. Cards 4–10 are still solid picks; they just trade off some of the headline value for fewer fees, broader networks, or simpler redemptions.
Ranked by effective value per dollar at Costco — including welcome offer math, redemption value, and annual fee.
Rankings are generated by our algorithm based on earn rates, point valuations, fees, and benefits — not paid placement. We don't accept compensation to rank cards higher. How we rank
NHL® Discover It® earns the top spot for Costco purchases at 5.0¢ per dollar — no annual fee, factoring in welcome offers and ongoing rewards. We ranked every card in our database against Costco purchases using the same scoring engine that powers our search. The list below orders cards by net value to you, not by what pays the biggest affiliate commission. Cards 4–10 are still solid picks; they just trade off some of the headline value for fewer fees, broader networks, or simpler redemptions.
Ranked by effective value per dollar at Costco — including welcome offer math, redemption value, and annual fee.
Rankings are generated by our algorithm based on earn rates, point valuations, fees, and benefits — not paid placement. We don't accept compensation to rank cards higher. How we rank
NHL® Discover It® earns the top spot for Costco purchases at 5.0¢ per dollar — no annual fee, factoring in welcome offers and ongoing rewards. We ranked every card in our database against Costco purchases using the same scoring engine that powers our search. The list below orders cards by net value to you, not by what pays the biggest affiliate commission. Cards 4–10 are still solid picks; they just trade off some of the headline value for fewer fees, broader networks, or simpler redemptions.
Discover
Capital One
NHL® Discover It® earns 5.0¢ per dollar at Costco, the highest in our database. Without an annual fee, the math is simple — every dollar you spend earns immediately. It's the right pick if you want maximum value on this category and don't mind a focused rewards structure.
All 10 cards ranked by effective value per dollar.
| Card | Grocery Stores Rate | Effective Value | Annual Fee | Fee Offset | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NHL® Discover It®Discover | 5x points | 5.0¢/$ | $0 | — | discover |
| Discover it Student Cash BackDiscover | 5% cash back | 5.0¢/$ | $0 | — | discover |
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 2x Venture Miles | 3.7¢/$ | $395 | $315 | visa |
| Discover it Cash BackDiscover | 5x Cashback | 5.0¢/$ | $0 | — | discover |
| American Express Gold CardAmex | 4x Membership Rewards | 3.6¢/$ | $325 | $212 | amex |
| Bilt Obsidian CardCardless | 3x Bilt Rewards | 3.0¢/$ | $95 | — | mastercard |
| Blue Cash Preferred Card from American ExpressAmex | 6x Cashback | 3.0¢/$ | $95 | $120 | amex |
| Costco Anywhere Visa Card by CitiCiti | 2% cash back | 1.0¢/$ | $0 | — | visa |
| Citi Strata Elite℠ CardCiti | 1.5x ThankYou Points | 2.3¢/$ | $595 | $762.50 | mastercard |
| Citi Custom Cash CardCiti | 5% cash back | 2.5¢/$ | $0 | $30 | mastercard |
Other brands in Food, Beverages & Tobacco where the top picks above also earn well.
Want to filter by spend amount, network, or fee preference?
Open in full search with filters →Discover
Capital One
NHL® Discover It® earns 5.0¢ per dollar at Costco, the highest in our database. Without an annual fee, the math is simple — every dollar you spend earns immediately. It's the right pick if you want maximum value on this category and don't mind a focused rewards structure.
All 10 cards ranked by effective value per dollar.
| Card | Grocery Stores Rate | Effective Value | Annual Fee | Fee Offset | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NHL® Discover It®Discover | 5x points | 5.0¢/$ | $0 | — | discover |
| Discover it Student Cash BackDiscover | 5% cash back | 5.0¢/$ | $0 | — | discover |
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 2x Venture Miles | 3.7¢/$ | $395 | $315 | visa |
| Discover it Cash BackDiscover | 5x Cashback | 5.0¢/$ | $0 | — | discover |
| American Express Gold CardAmex | 4x Membership Rewards | 3.6¢/$ | $325 | $212 | amex |
| Bilt Obsidian CardCardless | 3x Bilt Rewards | 3.0¢/$ | $95 | — | mastercard |
| Blue Cash Preferred Card from American ExpressAmex | 6x Cashback | 3.0¢/$ | $95 | $120 | amex |
| Costco Anywhere Visa Card by CitiCiti | 2% cash back | 1.0¢/$ | $0 | — | visa |
| Citi Strata Elite℠ CardCiti | 1.5x ThankYou Points | 2.3¢/$ | $595 | $762.50 | mastercard |
| Citi Custom Cash CardCiti | 5% cash back | 2.5¢/$ | $0 | $30 | mastercard |
Other brands in Food, Beverages & Tobacco where the top picks above also earn well.
Want to filter by spend amount, network, or fee preference?
Open in full search with filters →Discover
Capital One
NHL® Discover It® earns 5.0¢ per dollar at Costco, the highest in our database. Without an annual fee, the math is simple — every dollar you spend earns immediately. It's the right pick if you want maximum value on this category and don't mind a focused rewards structure.
All 10 cards ranked by effective value per dollar.
| Card | Grocery Stores Rate | Effective Value | Annual Fee | Fee Offset | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NHL® Discover It®Discover | 5x points | 5.0¢/$ | $0 | — | discover |
| Discover it Student Cash BackDiscover | 5% cash back | 5.0¢/$ | $0 | — | discover |
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 2x Venture Miles | 3.7¢/$ | $395 | $315 | visa |
| Discover it Cash BackDiscover | 5x Cashback | 5.0¢/$ | $0 | — | discover |
| American Express Gold CardAmex | 4x Membership Rewards | 3.6¢/$ | $325 | $212 | amex |
| Bilt Obsidian CardCardless | 3x Bilt Rewards | 3.0¢/$ | $95 | — | mastercard |
| Blue Cash Preferred Card from American ExpressAmex | 6x Cashback | 3.0¢/$ | $95 | $120 | amex |
| Costco Anywhere Visa Card by CitiCiti | 2% cash back | 1.0¢/$ | $0 | — | visa |
| Citi Strata Elite℠ CardCiti | 1.5x ThankYou Points | 2.3¢/$ | $595 | $762.50 | mastercard |
| Citi Custom Cash CardCiti | 5% cash back | 2.5¢/$ | $0 | $30 | mastercard |
Other brands in Food, Beverages & Tobacco where the top picks above also earn well.
Want to filter by spend amount, network, or fee preference?
Open in full search with filters →
