What Is Walmart Plus In 2026? (How It Works + Other FAQs)

Hey there! If you‘re a regular Walmart shopper, you may have heard about their membership program called Walmart Plus. But what exactly is Walmart Plus, and is it worth signing up for?

In this detailed guide, I‘ll explain everything you need to know about Walmart Plus, including what‘s included, how much it costs, who it‘s for, and whether it‘s better than Amazon Prime. Let‘s dive in!

Walmart Plus is a paid subscription service from Walmart that offers members perks like unlimited free delivery and fuel discounts. It provides benefits for shopping on Walmart.com and in Walmart stores for an annual or monthly fee.

Essentially, Walmart Plus enhances the shopping experience for Walmart‘s most loyal customers. It also allows Walmart to better compete with Amazon Prime.

The program first launched in September 2020 as a rebranding of Walmart‘s Delivery Unlimited service. In its first year alone, Walmart Plus gained over 11 million members – showing strong demand for what this membership offers.

Now let‘s look at the Walmart Plus benefits to see if the membership could be worth it for you.

What Do You Get With a Walmart Plus Membership?

Here are all the main perks and benefits included with a Walmart Plus membership:

• Unlimited free delivery from Walmart.com – Get free next-day and 2-day shipping on items shipped by Walmart with no order minimum. No more delivery fees on online Walmart orders over $35.

• Fuel discounts – Save up to 5 cents per gallon at Walmart, Murphy USA, and Murphy Express gas stations. That‘s over 2,000 fuel stations eligible for discounts!

• Scan & Go contactless checkout – Skip checkout lines by scanning items as you shop and paying directly from the Walmart app. Super convenient.

• Early access – Get first dibs on hard-to-find deals and products like gaming consoles during member-only early access events.

• Member prices – Get special lower prices only available to Walmart Plus members on popular items.

• Free shipping with no minimum – No more $35 minimum for free shipping on Walmart.com. All shipping is free with no order minimum for Plus members.

• Same-day delivery – Get groceries and more delivered same-day from your local store (where available).

• Discounts at Sam‘s Club – Get member prices on certain items without needing a separate Sam‘s Club membership.

As you can see, there are quite a few nice perks that could really improve your Walmart shopping experience.

How Much Does Walmart Plus Cost?

Walmart Plus costs either $12.95 per month or $98 per year. Both plans include the same set of benefits.

The annual plan works out to just $8.17 per month if you pay yearly. For frequent Walmart shoppers, the annual fee is the better value.

Here‘s a breakdown of the Walmart Plus pricing options:

Walmart Plus Plan	Cost
Monthly	$12.95/month
Annual	$98/year ($8.17/month)
Free Trial	15 days

There‘s also a 15-day free trial available so you can test out the membership first before committing.

If you decide Walmart Plus isn‘t for you after the trial, just cancel before you get charged a membership fee.

Key Benefits Analysis: Are They Worth It?

Now let‘s dive deeper into some of the most valuable Walmart Plus perks to see if they could save you money.

Unlimited Free Delivery from Walmart.com

One of the biggest benefits is unlimited free delivery from Walmart.com with no minimum order size.

Non-members have to spend $35 to qualify for free shipping. With Walmart Plus, you get free next-day or 2-day shipping on any order, no matter how small it is.

• For example, if you make 2 online orders from Walmart a month, averaging $20 each time, you‘d save $7.90 per order without a minimum purchase. That‘s $190 in delivery fee savings per year!

This adds up to big savings, especially if you frequently place smaller Walmart grocery or household item orders online.

Fuel Discounts

Walmart Plus members get fuel discounts of up to 5 cents per gallon at over 2,000 Walmart, Murphy USA, and Murphy Express gas stations.

For drivers who fill up at these stations regularly, the savings can be substantial:

• Filling up 20 gallons once a week would save you $52 a year
• Filling up 40 gallons weekly would mean over $100 in annual savings

If you‘re a frequent driver, fuel discounts can go a long way towards justifying the membership fee.

Scan & Go Contactless Checkout

The Scan & Go feature in the Walmart app lets you skip checkout lines by scanning items as you shop and paying directly from your phone.

I don‘t know about you, but I hate waiting in long lines at the store!

According to Walmart, Scan & Go reduces checkout time by 40-50% compared to traditional checkout lines. That convenience factor is big – no one likes waiting around when they could be home relaxing.

Early Access to Hard-to-Find Products

Finally, Walmart Plus members sometimes get exclusive early access to buy popular hard-to-find items like new gaming consoles or other hot holiday toys.

In 2021, Walmart offered members first dibs during special early access events to purchase the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and other high-demand electronics.

As a bonus, you may be able to snag these hot products before they sell out!

How Walmart Plus Compares to Amazon Prime

As Walmart‘s membership program, Walmart Plus is often compared to Amazon Prime. Let‘s see how the two stack up:

Price

• Walmart Plus – $98 per year or $12.95 monthly
• Amazon Prime – $139 per year or $14.99 monthly

Free Shipping

• Walmart – Free 2-day shipping on Walmart.com orders with no minimum purchase.
• Amazon – Free 1-day and same-day shipping in more areas. But requires a $25 minimum purchase for free standard shipping.

Fuel Discounts

• Walmart – Save up to 5¢ per gallon at Walmart, Murphy USA, and Murphy Express gas stations.
• Amazon – No fuel discounts offered.

Entertainment Benefits

• Amazon – Amazon Prime includes Prime Video, Music, Gaming, and more.
• Walmart – Does not currently bundle entertainment options.

Grocery Delivery & Pickup

• Amazon – Owns Whole Foods and has Amazon Fresh in certain areas.
• Walmart – More grocery pickup locations than Amazon. Offers delivery in most areas.

Scan & Go Checkout

• Walmart – Members can skip checkout lines by scanning items as they shop.
• Amazon – Only available at Amazon Go stores, not nationwide.

As you can see, each membership has strengths and weaknesses compared to the other.

• Walmart Plus is cheaper and offers fuel perks that Amazon does not.
• Amazon Prime provides faster, more widespread shipping and bundles entertainment options.

Look at your specific shopping habits and needs to determine which offers better value. Walmart Plus makes most sense for frequent Walmart grocery shoppers who also buy gas there. Amazon Prime is better for those wanting maximum convenience and entertainment perks.

Who Should (and Shouldn‘t) Sign Up For Walmart Plus?

Now the big question – is Walmart Plus worth it for you?

Here are the types of shoppers that can benefit most from a paid Walmart Plus membership:

Good for:

• Frequent Walmart online shoppers
• Drivers who fill up weekly at Walmart or Murphy gas stations
• Families who do big weekly Walmart grocery hauls
• Busy folks who hate waiting in lines
• Anyone who wants to save time and money!

May not be worth it for:

• Rare Walmart shoppers
• Households with other grocery options nearby
• People who buy most goods elsewhere

I recommend trying out the free 15-day trial if you‘re on the fence. That makes it risk-free to experience the benefits first-hand.

During the trial period, take note of how much you would have saved on delivery fees, gas, or time. That will give you a good sense of whether Walmart Plus can provide value for your lifestyle.

The Bottom Line

Walmart Plus has the potential to be hugely valuable if you shop frequently at Walmart. But it needs to align with your habits to justify the $98 annual fee.

Here are a few bottom line takeaways:

• Unlimited free delivery from Walmart.com alone can save over $100 a year for frequent shoppers

• Fuel discounts provide nice savings for drivers who fill up at Walmart or Murphy stations

• Convenient perks like Scan & Go checkout can save time on each shopping trip

• But it may not be worth it for rare Walmart shoppers who can skip lines or get free shipping by meeting order minimums

• Try the 15-day free trial to experience Walmart Plus for yourself before committing

I hope this detailed guide helped explain what Walmart Plus is all about! Let me know if you have any other questions.

Happy shopping!