Whether you’re a frequent shopper at Walmart or a Walmart-owned company like Sam’s Club, Moosejaw or Bonobos, a Walmart Plus membership offers a variety of perks, like free unlimited deliveries and mobile scan and go.
SKIP AHEAD What is Walmart Plus? | What are the benefits of Walmart Plus? | Walmart Plus and Black Friday | How does Walmart Plus compare to Amazon Prime?
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Like other subscription services (think Amazon Prime), Walmart Plus offers its members early access to sales promotions, deals and game-console releases, as well as fuel discounts across its partners’ gas stations. Plus, they’ve entered the grocery shopping space with fee-less home deliveries.
Walmart Plus members also get early access to Walmart’s Black Friday sales. That’s a major advantage; when discounts roll in, members get first dibs on electronics, toys, apparel and more products before the general public — and possible out-of-stock notifications.
To help determine whether Walmart Plus is the right shopping subscription for you — and how it compares to Amazon Prime — we’re sharing its benefits and drawbacks. Plus, to give you an idea of what’s available before Black Friday, we’re recommending some highly-rated products you can pick up online or in store.
What is Walmart Plus?
Walmart Plus is a membership program that combines in-store and online benefits to Walmart shoppers, and was launched in 2020. It costs $98 per year or $12.95 per month, and certain credit cards like the Amex Platinum can cover the membership cost up to a certain amount. If you’re interested, you can start with a free, 30-day trial membership.
What are the benefits of Walmart Plus?
If you sign up for a Walmart Plus membership, here are the perks you can look forward to.
Free unlimited deliveries from Walmart stores, with a $35 minimum per order.
Free shipping on items from Walmart.com. Unlike unlimited deliveries from the store, there is no minimum fee.
Special prices on fuel, with savings up to 10 cents per gallon at over 14,000 Walmart, Sam's Club, Murphy, Exxon and Mobil fuel stations.
Mobile scan and go, which allows in-store Walmart shoppers to pay for items while shopping to save time. If you decide to use this feature, you’ll have to finalize your payment at a self-checkout register.
Paramount+ Essential Plan subscription for no additional fee. Members will have access to over 40,000 episodes, original shows, movies and live television as well as content from Nickelodeon, MTV, CBS and more, according to the brand.
Early access to the Walmart sales, deals and releases, including the Black Friday Deals event.
Returns from home, which don't require prepackaging or printing new labels because Walmart will come to you.
Other perks including limited-time offers
Walmart Plus and Black Friday
This year, Walmart’s Black Friday Deals event will be split into two sales, during which Walmart Plus members will have early online access to deals across tech, home, apparel and more. The sales will go as follows:
- Event 1 will begin online on Wednesday, November 8th at 3pm ET and continue in-store beginning on Friday, November 10th. Early online access for Walmart Plus members will be from 12pm-3pm ET on November 8.
- Event 2 follows a similar pattern and begins online on Wednesday, November 22nd at 3pm ET and continues in-store on Black Friday, November 24th. Early online access for Walmart Plus members will be from 12pm-3pm ET on November 22.
If you’re not a Plus member yet, this is a great time to join. From November 1 through 8, you can get a Walmart Plus membership for only $49, which is about half off the price of a normal annual membership.
How does Walmart Plus compare to Amazon Prime?
One of Walmart Plus’ primary competitors is, of course, Amazon Prime, which offers similar benefits, like free two-day or same-day shipping on eligible items. Amazon’s subscription service also includes Prime Video, Twitch, and Amazon Fresh, and those additional benefits mean that Prime memberships cost $40 more than Walmart Plus, or $139 annually.
Walmart Plus features may seem limited compared to Amazon Prime, but its unique offerings — and edge on Amazon — are its in-store benefits, such as mobile scan and go and fuel discounts. In fact, it might be financially smart to consider investing in both memberships if you live near a Walmart brick-and-mortar store.
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Our favorite Walmart bestsellers
To give you an idea of what you can find online or in stores with a Walmart Plus subscription, we’re recommending various highly rated products across categories, including sleep, exercise, and electronics.
Mellanni Bed Sheet Set
These low-maintenance microfiber sheets are made from 100% polyester with an 18,000-thread count. They come in seven sizes, from twin to split king, and are labeled fade-, stain-, shrink- and wrinkle-resistant for easier care, which makes them even more durable than cotton, according to Mellanni.
Sunny Health Fitness Indoor Exercise Cycle Bike
The budget-friendly and 49-pound Sunny Health Fitness Indoor Exercise Cycle Bike offers an adjustable resistance knob, a built-in water bottle-holder and it doesn’t require a membership fee (though you get no classes, of course). You can also move the seat and the handlebars up and down for your comfort. That said, it doesn’t have a screen like some of the other exercise bikes we recommend — but that may not be something you need.
Oral B Pro 1000
In our guide to the electric toothbrushes, dentists recommend the highly rated Oral B Pro 1000 as a great affordable option. The Oral B Pro 1000 has pressure sensors to let you know when you’re brushing too hard, as well as an oscillating brush head that Oral-B says will break up plaque. It also has a handy timer that buzzes every 30 seconds so you know when to focus your brushing on a different part of your mouth.
Ninja Hot and Cold Brew System
If you’re looking for a coffee maker, our experts recommend the Ninja Hot and Cold Brew System. It brews enough for multiple sizes, including a single-cup, half carafe or full 10-cup carafe. If you want to make iced coffee instead, the Over Ice function brews at a low temperature in 10 to 15 minutes, according to the brand. It also features a thermal carafe and a fold-away milk frother that Ninja says can be used to froth both hot and cold milk.
JBL Flip 6 Portable Waterproof Speaker
After trying many Bluetooth speakers, we believe the JBL Flip 6 is one of the best all-around options — its decently strong bass and clear midrange are ideal for amplifying guitars and vocals. That combined with its customization features — color options and the ability to pair it with other JBL products for a multi-speaker setup — make it one of our favorites.
Epicgadget Passport Holder Travel Wallet
The Epicgadget Passport Holder Travel Wallet features a simple, sleek design and RFID protection for added security while you travel, and also holds a 4.6 star rating on Walmart’s site. In addition to a passport pocket, it has three credit card slots and two interior pockets that you can use for your business card, boarding pass and more.
Why trust Select?
Ashley Morris is an associate reporter for NBC Select on NBC News. For this piece, she researched Walmart Plus membership offerings and benefits.
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