Given the fact there are more than 10,600 Walmart stores worldwide, and that 90% of Americans live within 10 miles of a Walmart location, to say it’s a superstore is like saying Taylor Swift is kind of a famous singer. In other words, millions of people are hitting the aisles in search of low prices on everyday staples, affordable styles, and the latest in electronics. And those looking to save even more time and money know Walmart+ is the way to go. In the end, saving money at Walmart is both an act of art and science. Here's how to get started.
Walmart+ is a subscription-based membership program that provides a wide array of benefits like free delivery, exclusive promotions, and perks that Walmart claims can save members up to $1,300 per year. A standard membership is $12.95/month or $98/year, and if you’re on the fence about signing up, they offer a free 30-day trial.
In addition, Walmart+ Student — open to those 18 years of age or older who are a current or incoming student, and Walmart+ Assist — a program offered to anyone who qualifies for government assistance programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, and WIC — can join Walmart+ at a discounted rate of $6.47/month or $49/year.
Trae Bodge, Smart Shopping Expert at Truetrae.com, added that American Express Platinum members can essentially receive a free Walmart+ membership, and YouTube Premium members can enjoy three months of Walmart+ for free.
What does a Walmart+ membership provide? From early access to deals to new tires, there’s a perk for everyone.
For orders $35 and up, Walmart+ members get free delivery from their local Walmart for the same low in-store price — no item markups.
“When we travel, I always schedule a grocery delivery for the day we return home so we have the essentials on hand, which helps us get back into the swing of things,” said Amanda Jenkins of Whoa, wait. Walmart?, an Instagram account with more than 383k followers.
Members receive unlimited free shipping regardless of order amount for other eligible purchases — like home goods, movies, electronics, and other items often shipped from a Walmart warehouse (excluding most Marketplace items).
“The best benefits are for frequent shoppers,” Bodge told DealSpotr. “If you shop for groceries regularly, their same-day grocery delivery on orders $35+ is a huge benefit. Orders of other items can be delivered next day or two-day air with no minimum, which is also a convenient benefit.”
Speaking of delivery, for an additional flat fee of $7/month (or $40/year), Walmart+ members can enroll in InHome and have their orders delivered literally inside their homes, whether that’s a kitchen or a garage.
After selecting the InHome option and timeslot, you’ll receive a notification when your order is on the way. The Walmart associate is given a one-time access code to enter your home or garage, and they’ll even put perishable items in the fridge and clean any surfaces that they touch — and everything is recorded for additional peace of mind.
Members can save up to 10 cents per gallon on gas at over 14,000 locations, including Sam’s Club, Exxon, Mobil, Walmart, and Murphy locations.
For members who don’t want to wait in lines, the Scan & Go feature on the Walmart app lets you scan products while you’re shopping. When you're done, you head over to the self-checkout aisles, scan the QR code on your phone, pay, take your receipt, and then head off on your merry way through the Mobile Express lane.
A purchase didn’t work out? For certain items where “Returns from Home” is listed as an option when selecting a return method, a Walmart associate will come to you — no printing or repackaging required — and take care of the actual process right from your doorstep.
A Walmart+ membership also includes a Paramount+ Essential Plan (ad-supported) subscription, giving you access to more than 40,000 TV episodes, hit movies, and live sports, but that doesn’t include the Paramount+ Essential Plan with Showtime. However, if you’re looking for more ad-free streaming, members also have access to exclusive content on Pluto TV, with new programming offered every month.
Powered by Expedia and just launched this year, Walmart+ members get 2% Walmart Cash on air travel and 5% Walmart Cash on hotel bookings, vacation and car rentals, tours, activities, and more when they book through the site.
Hate getting up at 3 a.m. to get the best deals? Walmart+ members are granted early access to special prices, product releases, online Black Friday deals, and more, including Walmart+ Week. Usually held in the summer, Walmart+ Week is one of Walmart’s biggest sales of the year, with products across all shopping categories offered at deeply discounted rates.
While everyone can take advantage of that promotion, only Walmart+ members get early — and sometimes exclusive — access to sales. In the past, members also had early access to Walmart’s Black Friday Deals for Days event and Walmart+ Weekend, which was only open to members.
Beginning in October 2023, Walmart rolled out a new Walmart+ member benefit in their 2,500 Auto Care Centers nationwide. Have a flat tire? Take advantage of a free repair and a free road hazard warranty on tires purchased and installed at Walmart.
For Walmart+ members wondering what happened to Walmart+ Rewards — a loyalty program that allowed members to accumulate promotional currency good towards future Walmart purchases — a Walmart representative told DealSpotr that the program was simply rebranded in late 2023 to Walmart Cash, with the added benefit of redeeming rewards for cash in store (with a $25 minimum balance).
Anyone with a Walmart account can earn Walmart Cash by using the manufacturer's promotional program, but only Walmart+ members can earn credits with the Walmart+ Travel promotional program mentioned above.
So you took the plunge, bought a membership, and are enjoying the staple perks, but what else can you do to make the most of your Walmart+ membership?
Walmart+ is continually offering new, though often time-sensitive, benefits to the program.
“Every so often, check out the limited-time rewards,” Jenkins told DealSpotr. “Just today, I found out I get a month free of ClassPass with my Walmart+ membership.”
Other limited-time offers or membership perks may include:
One year of free Pawp pet care
Six months of free SiriusXM in your car
Six months of endless drinks and more from Panera Bread for only $5/month
Six free months of Insight Timer Member Plus
$20 off pet care with Thumbtack
Six months free on the SXM App
40% off and a free 30 days of Scribd
Six months free when you buy Premium Tech Support
“In addition to looking out for Walmart Cash earning opportunities, use a robust cash back card to rake in additional money back on those purchases,” money-saving expert Andrea Woroch told DealSpotr. “The Capital One Walmart Mastercard is a great option for those who shop at the big-box store often since you get 5% back for online purchases and 2% back for in-store purchases.”
“Also, take pictures of all your receipts using a cashback app like Fetch to earn points towards free gift cards back to Walmart (among other stores) to save on future purchases,” Woroch added. “Fetch also offers bonus points for purchases made specifically at Walmart to rake in free gift cards faster. Just check their ‘Special Offers’ section to see which products or brands bought at Walmart will bring you more points.”
For insider tips and tricks, head to social media to find Walmart influencers and those in the Walmart Creators program. These are the shoppers in the know who share exclusive deals, promote new items, and demonstrate how to get even more out of your Walmart+ membership.
Instagram and TikTok tags like #walmartcreator, #walmartfinds, and #walmartdeals can lead you to not only special offers, but also the accounts that promote these limited-time savings on a regular basis.
Yes, Walmart has low prices, but those prices can change every day. By using a Walmart Price Tracker like those from Chrome, Google Play, or the App Store, you can create personalized lists, get price histories for millions of items, and receive notifications when the price drops on the selected products on your list.
It might take being a little extra vigilant about limited-time offers, exclusive promotions, or social media, but the extra effort can truly turn your $98 yearly membership into thousands of dollars of savings.
Abby Heugel is an award-winning writer and editor who has done everything from managing retail trade magazines to working with clients like Meta, Lyft, Instacart, Shopify, Indeed, Amazon, Payoneer, Forbes, and Google. With a background in professional writing, proofreading, e-commerce, and retail, she’s committed to crafting the information that helps brands and consumers solve problems and make informed decisions, whether it's about buying a new computer or trying the best vegetarian recipe.
