You’ve heard of Amazon Prime. Maybe you’ve heard of My Best Buy Plus. But what is Walmart+? Walmart launched its paid membership program last year. If you haven’t checked it out yet, it’s worth considering before Black Friday sales start. It offers same day delivery on most items and exclusive discounts. It’s currently $13 per month or $98 per year, but there is a 15-day free trial you could time with Black Friday. But there’s a little more to it than just that. Here’s everything you need to know about Walmart+.
What is Walmart+?
Walmart+ is a rival service to Amazon Prime. The subscription touts various benefits, including but not limited to first dibs on must-have deals (think: Prime Early Access), same-day delivery on online orders, discounted access to Walmart’s new Express two-hour delivery option on select items (think: Amazon Prime Now), and savings on fuel.
Walmart+ also introduces a new Scan & Go service that will allow subscribers to scan their groceries and settle the bill in brick-and-mortar stores without having to wait in line, as well as a new Walmart+ branded credit card.
How much is Walmart+?
An annual subscription to Walmart+ will cost $98, and a monthly subscription will be $12.95 (you’ll even get a 15-day trial if you sign up now). That’s $21 less than Amazon Prime ($119). Amazon has a $13-per-month, no-commitment plan, so Walmart’s new subscription is about four cents cheaper if you’re a cost-conscious customer.
How does Walmart+ compare to Amazon Prime?
The obvious difference is the price. Amazon’s subscription service costs more, but it’s more comprehensive. For an extra $21, you’re getting access to Amazon Music Unlimited and Amazon Prime Video, not to mention fast shipping on a larger variety of products.
That may not seem like the best deal ever as you’re having to fork out more, but when you factor in the cost of a Netflix and Spotify subscription, which comes in at $312 over the course of the year, it’s the best thing since sliced bread. You’re getting unlimited music and video streaming, with access to a comparable catalog, for only $21 more than Walmart+. You can’t beat that.
So what’s the benefit of having a Walmart+ subscription? For starters, you’ll have access to unlimited free delivery and sometimes even same-day deliveries, which is great if you’re a big Walmart shopper. You’ll also be able to use Scan&Go in Walmart stores as mentioned before, for a touch-free payment experience every time you shop — extremely important with the pandemic still raging on. And finally, there’ll also be fuel discounts, which is something we don’t see with Amazon Prime. If you drive a good deal and have a Walmart+ subscription, you’ll be saving about five cents per gallon at almost every Walmart-owned fuel station.
The true value in Walmart+ will depend on how loyal a Walmart customer you are. If you’re exclusively Wally and would benefit from Walmart Express, then it will be worth it. But if online shopping is your jam and you want instant access to anything and everything with fast shipping, then Amazon Prime is still the one to beat. No other online catalog compares.
