Costco uses dynamic QR codes in their app that change every few minutes - meaning a screenshot won't work at checkout. But you can still add your Costco membership to Apple Wallet by scanning your physical card's static barcode.
Costco's Official Stance on Apple Wallet
Costco's support documentation is clear: the Digital Membership Card in the Costco app cannot be added directly to Apple Wallet. Unlike airlines and event ticketing companies that embrace native Wallet passes, Costco keeps members locked into their own app.
This is frustrating for several reasons:
Extra steps at checkout
Open Costco app, log in, navigate to your card
No lock screen access
Cannot double-click to show your membership card
Requires the app to load
Warehouse cell reception is often poor
Another app to maintain
Updates, storage space, potential login issues
The good news? You can add your Costco card to Apple Wallet anyway - just not by screenshotting the app.
Why Screenshots of the Costco App Don't Work
Unlike most loyalty cards, Costco's digital membership card uses a dynamic QR code that changes every few minutes. This security feature prevents fraud by making screenshots useless.
The QR code in the Costco app contains a time-based token tied to your specific device. Even if you screenshot it, the code expires within minutes and won't scan at checkout.
Ready to add Costco to your Wallet?
NeatPass makes it easy to convert any ticket, pass, or loyalty card to Apple Wallet.
The Workaround: Use Your Physical Card
The solution is to scan your physical Costco membership card - not the app. The barcode on your plastic card contains your static membership number. NeatPass uses on-device AI to read your card's barcode and create a native Apple Wallet pass. The static barcode works perfectly at checkout, just like your physical card.
How it works
Step-by-Step: Physical Card to Apple Wallet
Find your physical Costco card
Open NeatPass
Scan or photograph the barcode
AI creates your pass
Add to Apple Wallet
Pro tip
Benefits of Costco Card in Apple Wallet
Once your Costco membership lives in Apple Wallet, you get features the Costco app simply cannot provide.
Instant lock screen access
Double-click side button to show your membership barcode
Works offline
No internet needed - useful when warehouse cell reception is poor
Location-aware
Card can appear automatically when you're near a Costco
Auto-brightness for scanning
Screen brightens automatically for the checkout scanner
Backup when app fails
Handy when the Costco app is slow, updating, or having login issues
Quick barcode access
Faster than opening the app and waiting for the dynamic QR to load
Learn more about offline mode and why local storage matters for membership cards. For details on how NeatPass handles your data, see the privacy FAQ.
Why not just use a screenshot?
Gold Star vs Executive: Does the Pass Work the Same?
Yes. Gold Star and Executive memberships use the same kind of barcode on the physical card. The pass in Apple Wallet holds your membership number, and that number scans the same way no matter which tier you have. Executive just adds the annual reward and a few extra perks - it does not change how the barcode scans at checkout.
The same is true for Business memberships and for add-on cards on the same account. Each card has its own membership number, so scan each physical card into its own pass. If two people share an account, each person scans their own card.
Does the Pass Scan at the Entrance, Checkout, Gas Station, and Food Court?
The barcode in your Apple Wallet pass is the same membership barcode from your physical card. It carries your membership number, so it scans wherever a Costco reader reads your card. Here is what to expect at each point - though the exact setup can vary by warehouse.
Warehouse entrance: Most warehouses check membership at the door. Some staff scan the barcode, others just glance at the card. Show the barcode from your Wallet pass when they scan.
Checkout: The cashier scans your membership barcode at the register before ringing up your items. The Wallet barcode scans the same as the plastic card.
Gas station: Costco gas pumps read your membership barcode to unlock the pump. Hold your Wallet pass barcode to the reader. In most stations this works the same as scanning the physical card.
Food court: Some food courts ask for membership, some do not, and it depends on the location. Where they do, the same barcode from your pass works.
Keep the photo on your card in mind
Costco in Canada, the UK, and Other Countries
Costco cards use the same barcode idea worldwide. In most countries the physical card carries a static membership barcode you can scan into Apple Wallet the same way. The dynamic digital card in the Costco app is app-locked outside the US too, so the barcode from your physical card is still the reliable route.
Membership rules, ID checks, and what staff ask for vary by country and by warehouse, so the entrance and checkout experience can differ from the US. The barcode itself scans the same - it identifies your membership number. We cannot promise every warehouse worldwide behaves identically, so treat the pass as your scannable membership number and keep your physical card for anything staff need to verify by eye.
Other Membership and Loyalty Cards
Costco is not the only card stuck inside an app. The same scan-the-barcode approach works for other warehouse and grocery cards. See the guides for the Sam's Club card, the Kroger Plus card, and the Safeway for U card, or the overview of loyalty cards in Apple Wallet for the full list.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get your Costco card in Wallet
DownloadYour Costco Card in Wallet
While Costco's app uses dynamic QR codes for security, your physical membership card's barcode is static and works perfectly from Apple Wallet.
With NeatPass, you get instant lock screen access to your Costco barcode. It's a reliable backup for when the app is slow or you just want faster checkout.