Walmart announced on October 20 that shoppers can now get Walmart+ and Sam’s Club Plus together for $120 a year, according to Walmart’s newsroom announcement. Walmart said that price is almost $100 less than paying for the two memberships separately at their standard annual rates.
The move matters because it turns two separate paid programs into a bundled offer aimed at frequent grocery, household, fuel and warehouse-club shoppers. According to Walmart’s official FAQ, the bundled option is called Walmart+ with Sam’s Club Plus, and it is available only as an annual membership plan.
What Walmart announced
According to Walmart’s October 20 announcement, the combined offer started that same day. Walmart framed the launch as a way to give members more convenience across its main retail business and its warehouse-club chain, with one annual fee covering both memberships.
CBS News also reported on October 20 that Walmart rolled out the joint membership at $120 a year and described it as a lower-cost way for shoppers to access both programs. That independent report matched Walmart’s own announcement on price and timing.
For shoppers, the math is straightforward. Walmart’s official Walmart+ materials show a standard annual Walmart+ membership, while Sam’s Club’s membership page shows Sam’s Club Plus at $120 per year. Put together, buying both separately costs substantially more than the new combined plan, according to Walmart’s announcement and Sam’s Club’s current membership page.
What’s included in the bundle
According to Walmart’s FAQ for the new plan, members get access to the benefits and perks of both Walmart+ and Sam’s Club Plus once their accounts are linked. Walmart says the two accounts remain separate, but they must be connected after identity verification in order to activate the combined experience.
Walmart’s help page says Walmart+ benefits in the bundle include features such as fuel discounts at participating stations and other Walmart+ perks handled through Walmart. Sam’s Club’s official membership page says Plus members get features including up to 2% Sam’s Cash on qualifying purchases, free delivery and shipping on eligible orders, early shopping access, member-only fuel prices at Sam’s Club and other club-specific savings.
There are also a few limitations. According to Walmart’s terms of use, Walmart+ benefit sharing does not extend Sam’s Club Plus access to a shared Walmart+ member, and Sam’s Club’s complimentary household membership does not extend Walmart+ benefits to that added Sam’s Club member. In other words, the bundle combines the primary memberships, but it does not fully merge all household-sharing features.
What existing members should know
This is where the details matter most. According to Walmart’s terms of use, billing treatment depends on what kind of member you already are.
- If you already pay for both Sam’s Club Plus and Walmart+, Walmart says your memberships can continue through Sam’s Club once the accounts are linked, and some shoppers may be eligible for a refund tied to the unused portion of their Walmart+ term.
- If you are a current Walmart+ annual member without Sam’s Club Plus, Walmart’s terms say you may be charged a prorated amount based on the difference between your current annual Walmart+ plan and the new $120 bundled plan.
- If you are on a monthly Walmart+ plan, Walmart says you will be charged the full annual bundled fee when you convert, with a prorated refund for the unused part of the current monthly term.
- If you are on a trial, Walmart’s terms say the trial ends immediately when you enroll in the bundled plan.
Walmart’s FAQ also says there is no trial for the new combined membership, and that renewal dates can work differently depending on where the membership is billed. For members coming from the Sam’s Club side, Walmart says the original Sam’s Club Plus renewal date remains the default after linking.
Cancellation rules also deserve attention. According to Walmart’s FAQ and terms, cancelling the bundled plan ultimately means losing access to both sets of benefits when the billing cycle ends, even though the accounts themselves stay separate.
Why Walmart is doing this now
Walmart did not present the launch as a temporary sale or holiday promotion in its own announcement, but Reuters, in coverage syndicated on October 20, described the move as coming ahead of the holiday season. Walmart itself said in the announcement that costs related to the membership change are not expected to materially affect its fiscal third-quarter or full-year guidance.
That suggests this is less about a short-lived promotional event and more about how Walmart wants shoppers to use its ecosystem: stores, clubs, online ordering, pickup, delivery and fuel benefits across multiple banners, according to Walmart’s own materials.
What it means for shoppers
For households that already shop regularly at both Walmart and Sam’s Club, the new plan could simplify membership costs. According to Walmart’s announcement, the headline value is paying one annual fee for two premium memberships instead of buying them separately.
For Walmart-only shoppers, the bundle is less automatic. Sam’s Club’s own membership page shows that many of the added perks are warehouse-club specific, such as Sam’s Cash on qualifying club purchases, early shopping and club shipping and delivery perks. If you do not use Sam’s Club often, those extras may not add much real-world value even though the bundle is cheaper than buying both standalone plans, according to Sam’s Club’s posted benefits.
For current members, the biggest takeaway is to check your existing plan before converting. Walmart’s terms show that charges, prorated amounts and refund treatment can vary depending on whether you currently pay annually, monthly, through Sam’s Club, or through a partner program.
The bottom line: Walmart has launched a real, current membership change that could be useful for many U.S. shoppers, especially families already splitting trips between Walmart and Sam’s Club. But the savings story is easiest for people who will actually use both memberships, and the official Walmart terms make clear that the billing details are not one-size-fits-all.
Sources
- Walmart (2026-10-20): corporate.walmart.com
- Walmart: walmart.com
- Walmart: walmart.com
- Sam's Club: samsclub.com
- CBS News (2026-10-20): cbsnews.com
QT Finds articles are researched and written by our editorial team using the sources listed above. Learn about our methodology.