People Think Costco Is Ending Memberships Starting June 2026 — Here’s the Reality

For as long as Costco has been a dominant force in the world of retail, it's been defined in part by its membership program. Members at Costco stores across the country pay a nominal fee to shop there, and in exchange, they get access to wholesale, discount goods that, in theory, save them money in the long run.

Recently, though a rumor began circulating online suggesting that Costco would be abandoning its membership program and letting anyone shop there. Here's what we know about whether that rumor is true.

The rumor that Costco would be abandoning memberships began when an account on X (formerly known as Twitter) announced they would be, writing: "Costco is reportedly removing its membership requirement, allowing anyone to shop starting June 2026."

The only issue is that this post is incorrect, as a community note announced. In fact, Costco is changing up its membership in 2026, but they are also adding more measures to make sure it remains enforced.

According to Sporked, Costco is making changes to its checkout process designed to make that part of the process more seamless. They are introducing more self-checkout stands, and also making changes to the Costco app to allow for passwordless sign in, which should make the experience of using the app more seamless.

According to Reader's Digest, Costco is also planning to add scanners to its fast food locations to ensure that its signature $1.50 hot dog combo meal is reserved only for members. In the past, it was possible to eat at Costco without a membership, but it looks like the company is changing its approach to ensure that that specific deal, which has been central to Costco's overall brand pitch, is exclusive to members.

It seems highly unlikely that Costco will pivot its business model away from memberships anytime soon. In fact, a 2024 increase in the cost of memberships seems to have paid dividends for the company, and while there are plenty of retailers that have found success without using memberships from their customers, Costco's brand has relied on memberships since its founding, and it seems like members like it that way.

The membership, which costs $130 a year, can feel substantial, but like Amazon, it all depends on how much value a customer is able to get out of the deals.

For the most part, Costco shoppers seem more than happy to pay for the membership if it means they get the other perks that come with shopping at the store.

If you see news reports suggesting that Costco is dropping its membership requirement, you should be particularly wary of them. The company is defined in part by its memberships, so there's no reason to think that it will be abandoning that program unless it undergoes a major change in how it operates as a business.

The memberships are Costco's special sauce, and part of what has made the brand so successful.