Should You Join Costco for the Pet Products Alone?

It's common to join Costco when you're in charge of feeding a house full of humans. But what about pet parents? Is a Costco membership worth it?

You'll pay $60 a year for a basic membership at Costco, or $120 a year for an Executive membership that gives you 2% cash back on your in-store and online purchases. But whether you should join Costco for the pet products alone depends on the specific things you need and how Costco's prices compare to those of its competitors.

Are Costco's pet products the cheapest?

Costco carries a host of pet products, from food to toys to general supplies. It often pays to buy groceries from Costco for the bulk discounts. And it could make sense to buy pet food and products from Costco for the same reason.

But there are many ways to find affordable pet care products outside of Costco. So if you're thinking of getting a membership for the pet items alone, you'll need to do some research to make sure Costco's prices are the best ones for the items you need.

For example, Costco's online price for a 40-pound bag of Kirkland dog food is $49.99. And usually, in-store prices are a bit cheaper -- though there's also something to be said for having dog food shipped to your door, as opposed to having to lug it home from the store.

But you can also buy a 44-pound bag of Pedigree dog food for $29.98 from Chewy. And if you sign up for automatic shipping for that item, you can save 20% on your first order, bringing your total cost to just $19.49.

Similarly, right now, Costco is offering $4.10 off of an online purchase of 42 pounds of Scoop Away scented cat litter, bringing your price to $23.89. But Chewy has the same item in the same quantity for $22.99. And that's not Chewy's discounted price -- it's the regular one.

While Costco might often win at the "Who has the lowest grocery prices?" game, the same isn't necessarily true in the context of pet products. So it may not make sense to join Costco to only buy pet products.

An existing membership could save you money on pet care

While it may not pay to join Costco for the pet products alone, it does pay to see what pet-related benefits you're eligible for as an existing member.

As a Costco member, you can potentially save 15% on pet insurance through Figo. And if you're an Executive member, your $15 enrollment fee is also waived. Having pet insurance could spare you from catastrophic costs if your pet needs extensive treatment or a hospital stay.

You may also be eligible for savings of up to 40% on select pet medications. But again, Chewy also sells discounted pet medication, so it may not pay to join Costco simply to save on the pills you give your pet. However, if you're an existing member, you should compare prices between the two based on your pet's needs to see which has the better deals.

Of course, you may very well join Costco with the intent to use your membership for pet-related purchases only to start making the store your go-to source for groceries and household essentials as well. It's not a terrible idea to try out a membership and see how it goes. Costco allows you to cancel that membership for a refund at any time before the one-year mark. So if you're on the fence about joining as a pet owner, you could always give it a go and see what happens.