Costco vs Sam's Club Eye Exam 2026: Direct Head-to-Head
Neither chain publishes an exam price, and neither requires a membership to be examined, so the two differences people come here expecting do not exist. On what customers report the ranges overlap ($50-$100 Sam's against $79-$110 Costco). The real split is on the eyewear afterwards, where Costco is the stronger buy and where each chain's membership fee finally applies. Full per-metric breakdown below, every row labelled with what it rests on.
Per-Metric Comparison (2026)
| Metric | Costco | Sam's Club | Basis | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chain-published exam price | None | None | Published | Tie |
| Exam, no insurance | $79 - $110 | $50 - $100 | Reported | Sam's at the low end |
| Exam, in-network copay | Plan copay | Plan copay | Your plan sets it ($0 or $10 on the 2026 FEDVIP plans) | Tie |
| Contact lens fitting | Not published | Not published | Published (neither) | Ask the optometrist |
| Membership cost | $65/year Gold Star | $60/year Club | Published | Sam's Club |
| Membership to be examined? | Not required | Not required | Published | Tie |
| Membership to buy the eyewear? | Required | Required | Published | Tie |
| US locations | 647 warehouses (US and PR) | 602 clubs | Published | Costco |
| Glasses pricing (frames + lenses) | Excellent value | Competitive | Our reading | Costco |
| Frame selection breadth | Wider | Smaller | Our reading | Costco |
| Progressive lens pricing | Strong | Mid | Our reading | Costco |
| Walk-ins? | Limited | Limited | Our reading | Tie |
Published: printed by Costco, Sam's Club or Walmart corporate on their own sites, re-read 3 October 2026. Reported: what customers say they paid, with no chain figure to confirm it. Our reading: a judgement we have formed from shopping both, not a measured or published metric. For a published national benchmark on the exam itself, Medicare's CY2026 amount for a comprehensive new-patient exam is $149.64 (CPT 92004), and $95 is the median starting fee across the 1280 US retail optical stores that print one.
Total Cost Scenarios (2026)
| Scenario | Costco Total | Sam's Club Total |
|---|---|---|
| Exam only, not a member of either | $79-$110, no club fee | $50-$100, no club fee |
| Exam only, already a member | $79-$110 | $50-$100 |
| Exam and eyewear, not a member | $144-$175 + eyewear | $110-$160 + eyewear |
| Exam and eyewear, already a member | $79-$110 + eyewear | $50-$100 + eyewear |
How to read this table. Every total is the reported exam range plus the published club fee where one actually applies, and nothing else. Neither chain publishes frame or lens prices, so we do not put a figure on the eyewear: ask for a written quote on the frame and lens combination you want, at both, and add it to the row that matches you. Exam only, no membership needed at either, and Sam's Club is reported lower.
FAQ
Is Costco or Sam's Club cheaper for an eye exam in 2026?
Neither publishes a price, so the only honest comparison is of reported ranges, and they overlap: Sam's Club $50-$100 against Costco $79-$110. Sam's starts lower. No membership is needed at either to be examined, so no club fee enters the comparison unless you buy eyewear.
Which has better glasses?
Costco, on our reading of shopping both: better frame selection and better progressive lens value. Neither chain publishes frame or lens prices, so this is a judgement rather than a price comparison. Get a written quote at both on the exact frame and lens combination you want.
Do I need a membership for the exam?
No, at either. Sam's Club's help centre says membership is required to purchase optical products, "however, membership is not required to see the Doctor of Optometry". Costco says the same of its independent optometrists. The $65 and $60 annual fees are for buying the eyewear.
Do both accept VSP and EyeMed?
It depends on the individual optometrist, because they are independent practitioners who contract with vision plans separately from the optical counter. Neither chain publishes a network list, and VSP's consumer site lists some warehouse and retail optical locations among those that may not offer in-network benefits. Check your plan's provider search for the specific club or warehouse, then call it.
Which has more locations?
Costco, narrowly: 647 warehouses in the US and Puerto Rico (939 worldwide) as of its 24 September 2026 results release, against 602 US Sam's Club clubs on Walmart's own location-facts page at 31 July 2026. Close enough that what matters is which one is near you.
Sources
- Costco Optical (no exam or fitting price published)
- Sam's Club help centre: membership is not required to see the Doctor of Optometry
- Sam's Club Optical: members and non-members can make appointments
- Costco membership information ($65 Gold Star, $130 Executive)
- Sam's Club membership pricing: $60 Club, $120 Plus
- Costco Q4 and FY2026 operating results, SEC Form 8-K exhibit: 939 warehouses, 647 in the US and Puerto Rico (24 September 2026)
- Walmart corporate location facts: 602 US Sam's Club clubs (31 July 2026)
- CMS Physician Fee Schedule Look-Up Tool (CY2026 national rates)
Membership pricing, the membership-is-not-required-for-the-exam position and both location counts re-read on Costco's, Sam's Club's and Walmart corporate's own pages, 3 October 2026. Neither chain publishes an exam or fitting price, so those figures are reported ranges and are labelled as such in the table. The Medicare amount is a CMS national non-facility amount for CY2026, what Medicare pays a practice rather than a cash price. Costs vary by location; coverage varies by plan.