Is Walmart+ The Answer to Affordable Shopping? Let’s Examine

Walmart Plus provides several benefits to Walmart shoppers, includingfree shipping from the Walmart website and freegrocery delivery from your local Walmart store . If you’re unsure whether you need it, this guide will provide you with all the details you need to make an informed decision.

What Is Walmart Plus?

Walmart Plus is a subscription service that provides membership benefits to Walmart shoppers along with a handful of other freebies and perks. The primary benefit of Walmart Plus is free shipping with no minimum order totals. That includes free same-day shipping and grocery delivery from local Walmart stores, and it also has other freebies, perks, and limited-time offers.

Here’s what you get with Walmart Plus:

• Free shipping : Members receive free shipping on Walmart.com orders without minimum order totals. Delivery times vary depending on location, but some items arrive the same day or the next day if available from a local Walmart store. Most shipped items come in two to three days. In-home returns are also available with some restrictions.

• Grocery delivery : If you live within range of a Walmart, you can take advantage of free grocery delivery. Express delivery requires an extra fee, but deliveries scheduled three or more hours in advance are free.

• Discounted gas : Members receive a $0.10 per gallon discount at Exxon and Mobil stations, up to $0.10 off at some Walmart and Murphy gas stations, and member pricing at Sam’s Club fuel centers without needing a Sam’s Club membership. To receive these discounts, you need to use the Walmart app.

• Scan & Go : This in-store feature speeds up the checkout process. It allows you to use the Walmart app on your phone to scan items as you shop, scan a QR code at the self-checkout kiosk, and then pay using your phone.

• Streaming services : Walmart Plus doesn’t have its own streaming service, but members receive a free Paramount+ Essential plan subscription.

• Exclusive offers : Members can access limited-time special offers for free or discounted services.

Why You Should Get Walmart Plus

Walmart Plus is primarily valuable for frequent Walmart shoppers. Consider signing up for Walmart Plus if you:

• Frequently purchase items from the Walmart website.
• Buy your groceries and other items from Walmart.
• Often use Walmart’s self-checkout kiosks and want a faster experience.
• Want a grocery delivery service.
• Don’t already participate in a gas discount program, or you’re currently saving less than $0.10 per gallon.

When You Shouldn’t Get Walmart Plus

Walmart Plus isn’t for everyone. Here are some reasons you might want to skip this subscription:

• You aren’t interested in shopping on the Walmart website.
• You don’t buy groceries or other items at Walmart.
• There aren’t any Walmart stores in your area.
• You already use another grocery delivery service like Instacart or DoorDash.
• You already participate in a gas discount program that saves you $0.10 or more per gallon.

Why You Should Sign Up For Walmart Plus

Walmart Plus includes many valuable benefits for frequent Walmart shoppers, and you may even find it worthwhile to switch to shopping at Walmart if you have one nearby. Here are the main reasons you might want to consider signing up.

You’re Tired of Minimum Order Requirements

Walmart Plus does away with adding small items to your cart just to hit that minimum order total for free shipping. Subscribers don’t have any minimum order amount, so you can buy whatever you want, whenever you want, without worrying about shipping costs. Most items arrive within two or three days; some are available with same or next-day delivery from your local store. You can also take advantage of in-home returns, where Walmart will send a driver to pick up items that you want to return, with some limitations and restrictions.

Walmart Is Your Primary Grocery Store

If Walmart is your primary grocery store, or you’re willing to switch, you’ll get a lot of use out of Walmart Plus. Members enjoy free same-day grocery delivery, with the option to pay a small fee for express delivery within one to three hours. Grocery pickup is also available for no extra charge. You can also have other Walmart items delivered along with your groceries or included in your pickup order, like electronics, clothes, and other products.

CollageIt Pro

You Want a Faster In-store Checkout Experience

If you’re an in-store Walmart shopper, Walmart Plus provides a faster checkout option called Scan & Go. This speedy checkout method allows you to scan items with the Walmart app on your phone while shopping so that everything is ready to go when you arrive at the self-checkout station. There’s no need to scan the items again using the self-checkout station; you can even pay using your phone.

LordHenriVoton / iStock / Getty Images

You’re Looking For a Good Fuel Rewards Program

Walmart Plus provides a hefty $0.10 per gallon discount on gas at Mobil and Exxon stations and many Walmart gas stations, and it also provides you with member pricing at Sam’s Club fueling stations even if you don’t have a Sam’s Club membership. Some fuel reward programs offer steeper discounts but are usually complicated and require you to go to specific locations for the best pricing. Walmart Plus gives you a large flat discount, so it’s easier to use.

When You Shouldn’t Sign Up For Walmart Plus

Walmart Plus can provide a lot of value, but only if you can take advantage of all the benefits. Here are some of the reasons you might want to skip this subscription:

ZoneAlarm Pro Antivirus + Firewall NextGen

You Don’t Shop at Walmart

Walmart Plus has a lot of valuable benefits, but the primary reason to sign up is to save money on shipping and grocery delivery fees. If you don’t buy a lot from the Walmart website and don’t get your groceries from Walmart, then you’re unlikely to recoup your investment. It’s difficult to recommend Walmart Plus to anyone who already has a subscription to agrocery delivery service likeInstacart orDoorDash unless you’re interested in switching because there’s too much overlap.

There Aren’t Any Walmarts In Your Area

If you don’t have a Walmart nearby, you’ll unlikely get the most out of a Walmart Plus subscription. You may recoup your investment if you buy a lot of stuff from the Walmart website, especially if you tend to make many small purchases that don’t meet the minimum order requirement for free shipping, but it’s less likely. If you don’t have a local Walmart, you won’t be able to take advantage of same-day delivery, free grocery delivery, or the in-store Scan & Go system.

You Already Have a Good Fuel Discount Program

If you already have afuel rewards program that provides a discount of at least $0.10 per gallon, then you’re unlikely to get a lot of use out of this part of Walmart Plus. There’s still some value in getting access to membership pricing at Sam’s Club if you have one nearby and don’t have a Sam’s Club membership, but it’s unlikely to be enough to warrant signing up.

Walmart+ vs. Amazon Prime

Walmart Plus has drawn comparisons toAmazon Prime because they’re both membership programs offered by online retail giants, but they’re very different services that offer different things.

While Amazon Prime is more expensive than Walmart Plus, it includes free two-day shipping with one-day and same-day shipping in some areas, a streaming service with thousands of TV shows and movies throughPrime Video , access to e-books throughPrime Reading , photo storage throughAmazon Photos , and exclusive member savings at Whole Foods grocery stores. If you’re primarily interested in shopping online and streaming movies and TV shows, Amazon Prime is a better deal, even at a higher price.

Walmart Plus provides some of those benefits but in different ways. You get free three-day shipping, with many items shipping in two days or even arriving the same day for locally available items. You also get free grocery delivery and pickup from your local Walmart store, a more convenient way to check out when shopping at your local Walmart, and gas discounts at Exxon, Mobile, and Walmart gas stations. Walmart Plus doesn’t have a streaming service like Amazon Prime, but membership comes with free access to Paramount Plus. Walmart Plus is still primarily for frequent Walmart shoppers, though.

Do You Need Walmart Plus to Shop at Walmart?

You don’t need Walmart Plus to shop at Walmart, but it is worth considering if you’re a frequent Walmart shopper. While it is a membership plan, it offers no in-store discounts. It does provide free shipping with no minimum order requirements, though, with many items available the same day. It’s also a good deal if you typically get groceries through Walmart or are interested in a grocery delivery service and don’t already have one. If you frequently shop at your local Walmart store, you’ll also get use out of the Scan & Go feature that speeds up self-checkout by letting you scan your items with the Walmart app on your phone while you shop.