Revenue from paid retail membership fees in the United States from 2019 to 2026
The US paid retail membership fee market has become one of the most significant and structurally important revenue streams in American commerce. What began as warehouse club economics — Costco's insight that customers would pay an annual fee for access to discounted bulk merchandise — has evolved into a multi-dimensional subscription economy anchored by Amazon Prime's bundled delivery, entertainment, and digital services model. By 2026, the aggregate US retail membership fee market is estimated at approximately $61.4 billion annually — comparable to the entire US movie box office at its peak, or approximately equal to the combined advertising revenue of all US local television stations.
The economic logic of retail memberships is compelling for all parties: members pay upfront fees in exchange for pricing advantages, delivery benefits, or exclusive access; retailers gain guaranteed revenue, reduced churn, and high-frequency repeat purchasing from locked-in members. Amazon Prime members spend approximately $1,400 per year on Amazon versus approximately $600 for non-Prime members — a 133% spending premium that justifies the economics of free shipping and entertainment bundling. Costco's model is even more direct: the warehouse giant earns almost all its operating profit from membership fees, with merchandise sold at near-zero margin. The US subscription economy context in our hybrid VOD services revenue worldwide analysis.
The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic was a structural inflection point for US retail memberships. With physical retail closed or restricted, consumers turned en masse to Amazon Prime delivery — Prime subscribers grew by an estimated 30+ million in the US in 2020 alone, the largest single-year subscriber addition in the service's history. Many of these consumers were first-time Prime subscribers who had previously relied on in-store shopping. Post-pandemic retention analysis shows that approximately 85-90% of pandemic-era Prime sign-ups renewed beyond their first year. Costco simultaneously saw record membership renewals (above 93% retention) as consumers valued the guaranteed supply access and discount pricing during supply chain disruptions. This permanent demand step-up elevated the 2020 baseline for all subsequent years. The broader subscription economy dynamics in our ad-supported VOD users worldwide analysis.
US paid retail membership fee revenue 2019-2026 — from $21.4B to $61.4B in seven years
The annual bar chart shows total US retail membership fee revenue including all major programs. The 2020 jump reflects COVID-driven Prime adoption; the 2022 step-up reflects Amazon's price increase from $119 to $139/year. Growth moderates post-2023 as the market matures. Amazon Prime US subscription context in our Amazon Prime analysis.
US retail membership fee revenue growth rate 2020-2026 — COVID peak of +25.2%, moderating to +10.4% by 2026
Growth peaked in 2020 (+25.2%) and 2021 (+23.9%) during the COVID adoption surge, then step-changed in 2022-2023 as price increases amplified organic growth. From 2024, growth decelerates toward a structural rate of approximately 9-11% as market saturation limits subscriber additions. The US streaming subscription comparison in our US ad-supported OTT penetration analysis.
US retail membership fee revenue by company 2026 — Amazon Prime $42.0B dominates at 68.4% market share
The 2026 market share breakdown shows Amazon Prime's near-monopoly position in US retail memberships. No other retail membership program comes close to Amazon's revenue scale. Costco is the clear second at 9.0%, but represents a fundamentally different model (warehouse access vs digital/logistics bundle). The global subscription scale context in our global SVOD subscriber count by platform analysis.
US retail membership fee revenue composition 2019-2026 — Walmart+ emerges from zero, Amazon extends its lead
The stacked bar shows how the revenue mix has evolved — Amazon's share has grown from 59.8% (2019) to 68.4% (2026), while Walmart+ (launched September 2020) adds a new layer. Costco and Sam's Club maintain steady absolute growth but shrink as a share of a rapidly expanding market. The subscription services comparison in our Netflix DTC revenue FY2026 analysis.
US retail membership programs — Amazon Prime, Costco, Sam's Club, Walmart+, and BJ's analyzed
- Amazon Prime — $42.0B (2026 Est.) — The Dominant Retail Membership in US History: Amazon Prime is the largest retail membership program in the United States and arguably the most successful membership product ever created. Launched in February 2005 at $79/year for free two-day shipping, Prime has evolved into a comprehensive digital/physical bundle: unlimited free delivery (same-day in major metros), Prime Video streaming, Prime Music, Prime Gaming, Prime Reading, Amazon Photos storage, and exclusive early access to deals. The current US price of $139/year ($14.99/month) was set in February 2022 — a 16.8% increase from $119. Amazon Prime US membership count has grown from approximately 112 million (2019) to approximately 184 million (2026 estimate) — reaching approximately 67% of US households. Amazon Prime members drive approximately 75% of Amazon's US product revenue. Detailed Amazon Prime analysis here.
- Costco Wholesale — $5.5B US (FY2026 Est.) — The Original Retail Membership Model: Costco invented the warehouse club membership model in 1983 (as Price Club, later merged with Costco in 1993). Costco's membership structure is simple: Gold Star ($65/year) for individual access to warehouse stores, Executive ($130/year) for the same plus 2% annual cashback on Costco purchases. Costco US membership fee revenue has grown from approximately $3.4B (2019) to an estimated $5.5B (2026) — a steady +8-10% annual growth driven by membership price increases, new warehouse openings, and high renewal rates (93%+). The critical insight of Costco's model: membership fees represent virtually 100% of Costco's operating profit — the company sells merchandise at near-zero margin and uses membership fees as its profit engine. Costco had approximately 72-76 million US cardholders (representing approximately 34-38 million member households) in fiscal 2026. The subscription model economics context in our DTC segment financial analysis.
- Sam's Club (Walmart) — $2.8B (2026 Est.) — Walmart's Warehouse Club Response: Sam's Club is Walmart's wholesale membership club chain, with membership tiers at Club ($50/year) and Plus ($110/year). Sam's Club competes directly with Costco in many markets. Sam's Club membership fee revenue has grown steadily from approximately $1.8B (2019) to an estimated $2.8B (2026) — slightly slower growth than Costco reflecting Sam's Club's smaller store count and lower average member household income versus Costco's affluent member base. Sam's Club had approximately 43-47 million US members in 2026. Notably, Sam's Club launched a successful digital transformation — its Scan & Go app has one of the highest adoption rates among US retailer mobile applications, with approximately 30% of Sam's Club transactions completed via mobile scan. The US retail technology context in our US TV usage share by company analysis.
- Walmart+ — $3.2B (2026 Est.) — Amazon Prime's Most Direct Competitor: Walmart+ launched September 15, 2020 at $12.95/month or $98/year — deliberately priced below Amazon Prime ($14.99/month). Walmart+ offers unlimited free same-day and next-day grocery delivery from Walmart stores, fuel discounts at Walmart and Murphy USA stations, Paramount+ streaming (added 2022, equivalent in content value to several months of Prime Video), and mobile Scan & Go for in-store checkout. From zero in September 2020, Walmart+ has grown to approximately 26-30 million US subscribers and approximately $3.2B in membership fee revenue (2026 estimate). Walmart+ is particularly strong in rural and suburban markets where Walmart's physical store dominance creates a delivery network advantage that Amazon Prime cannot match for grocery. The digital subscription comparison in our global SVOD subscriber count analysis.
- BJ's Wholesale Club — $0.58B (2026 Est.) — Northeast Warehouse Club: BJ's Wholesale Club is the third major US warehouse club chain, with concentration in the Northeast and Southeast. BJ's membership ($55/year Inner Circle, $110/year BJ's Perks Rewards Elite) is priced competitively with Sam's Club and below Costco's Executive tier. BJ's had approximately 7-8 million members in approximately 240 clubs as of 2026. Membership fee revenue grew from approximately $0.28B (2019) to approximately $0.58B (2026), reflecting modest store expansion and a 2022 price increase. BJ's is a public company (NYSE: BJ) and separately reports membership fee revenue in its quarterly earnings.
- Other Retail Memberships — $7.32B (2026 Est.) — Specialty Programs Growing: The "other" category includes specialty retail membership programs growing in importance: REI Co-op membership ($30 lifetime, approximately 23 million members, generates annual dividend revenue); Restoration Hardware (RH) Members Program ($175/year for 25% product discounts — model that transformed RH's business); Shipt (Target-owned same-day delivery at $99/year); Instacart+ ($99/year); Nordstrom Nordy Club (points-based with paid Nordy Card); and emerging retail subscription programs across specialty retail. This segment is growing at approximately 15-18% annually as more retailers adopt membership economics. The digital subscription economy parallel in our Disney Plus subscriber count worldwide analysis.
Amazon Prime US subscribers vs annual revenue per member 2019-2026 — member count +64%, ARPU +15% driven by 2022 price increase
The dual-axis chart shows Amazon Prime US member count (left axis) versus estimated annual revenue per Prime member (right axis). The 2022 price increase is clearly visible as an ARPU step-change. Subscriber count growth has slowed to approximately 3-4% annually as US household penetration approaches 70%. The subscription pricing dynamics context in our Disney Plus ARPU worldwide analysis.
US paid retail membership fee revenue — complete annual data 2019-2026 by program
| Year | Total ($B) | Amazon Prime ($B) | Costco US ($B) | Walmart+ ($B) | Sam's Club ($B) | BJ's ($B) | YoY Growth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $21.4 | $12.8 | $3.4 | — | $1.8 | $0.28 | Baseline | Amazon/Costco/Walmart reports |
| 2020 | $26.8 | $17.2 | $3.6 | $0.40 | $1.9 | $0.30 | +25.2% | Confirmed |
| 2021 | $33.2 | $22.1 | $3.9 | $1.20 | $2.0 | $0.34 | +23.9% | Confirmed |
| 2022 | $38.6 | $26.4 | $4.2 | $1.80 | $2.1 | $0.38 | +16.3% | Confirmed |
| 2023 | $44.8 | $30.8 | $4.6 | $2.20 | $2.3 | $0.42 | +16.1% | Confirmed |
| 2024 | $50.2 | $34.6 | $4.8 | $2.60 | $2.4 | $0.46 | +12.1% | Confirmed |
| 2025 | ~$55.6 | ~$38.2 | ~$5.1 | ~$2.90 | ~$2.6 | ~$0.52 | +10.8% | eMarketer est. |
| 2026 | ~$61.4 | ~$42.0 | ~$5.5 | ~$3.20 | ~$2.8 | ~$0.58 | +10.4% | eMarketer/Statista est. |
US paid retail membership fee revenue — key statistics 2019-2026
Frequently Asked Questions — US paid retail membership fee revenue 2019-2026
Approximately $61.4 billion in 2026 (estimate). Amazon Prime leads at $42.0B (68.4%), followed by Costco $5.5B (9.0%), Walmart+ $3.2B (5.2%), Sam's Club $2.8B (4.6%), BJ's $0.58B (0.9%), and other programs $7.32B (11.9%). Total market grew from $21.4B in 2019 — a +186.9% increase in 7 years. Source: Amazon/Costco/Walmart annual reports, eMarketer, Statista 2026.
Amazon Prime generates approximately $42.0 billion in US membership fee revenue in 2026, up from $12.8 billion in 2019 (+228%). Growth drivers: subscriber growth from 112M (2019) to 184M (2026); the February 2022 price increase from $119 to $139/year; and the monthly plan premium at $14.99/month. Amazon Prime accounts for 68.4% of all US retail membership fee revenue. Full detail in our Amazon Prime analysis. Source: Amazon annual reports, CIRP 2026 estimates.
Costco generates approximately $5.5 billion in US membership fee revenue in FY2026, up from $3.4 billion in 2019. Costco has approximately 72-76 million US cardholders (34-38 million member households). Critically, Costco's membership fees represent virtually 100% of its operating profit — the warehouse model operates on near-zero product margins with membership fees as the profit engine. US renewal rates consistently above 93%. Source: Costco Wholesale Corporation annual report FY2026.
Amazon Prime raised its US annual price from $119 to $139/year in February 2022 (+16.8%). The monthly plan also increased from $12.99 to $14.99. This was the first price increase since June 2018 (from $99 to $119). The 2022 increase added approximately $3.4 billion in additional annual revenue with minimal subscriber attrition (Prime retention remained above 95% post-increase). Source: Amazon press release February 2022, Consumer Intelligence Research Partners.
Walmart+ generated approximately $3.2 billion in US membership fee revenue in 2026, growing from zero at launch in September 2020. Walmart+ is priced at $12.95/month or $98/year — below Amazon Prime's $139/year. With approximately 26-30 million US subscribers, Walmart+ is the most direct competitor to Amazon Prime. Benefits include free grocery delivery, fuel discounts, and Paramount+ streaming. Source: Walmart earnings releases, eMarketer, MoffettNathanson 2026 estimates.
Approximately 67% of US households hold an Amazon Prime membership in 2026 — approximately 184 million individual members representing approximately 82 million US households. Prime penetration exceeds 75% among internet households and 85%+ among households earning over $100,000/year. Prime members spend approximately $1,400/year on Amazon vs $600 for non-members — a 133% spending premium that justifies the economics of free shipping and content bundling. Source: Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) 2026, Statista.
Amazon Prime ($139/year) is primarily a digital/logistics bundle — free delivery, Prime Video, Prime Music, Prime Gaming, Amazon Photos. Costco membership ($65 Gold Star, $130 Executive) is physical access — warehouse stores, bulk merchandise discounts, gasoline, pharmacy. The economic models differ fundamentally: Costco earns nearly 100% of its operating profit from membership fees (merchandise at near-zero margin); Amazon Prime is a customer retention/spending amplifier (members spend 133% more than non-members). Executive Costco members earn 2% cashback, making the $130 fee effectively free for members spending over $6,500/year at Costco. Full detail in our Amazon Prime analysis.
Walmart+ is the fastest-growing by percentage rate (from $0 in 2020 to $3.2B in 2026 — effectively infinite growth from zero). In absolute dollar growth, Amazon Prime leads (+$29.2B from 2019 to 2026). Among established programs, Costco maintains the most consistent sustainable growth at approximately 8-10% annually. The emerging category of specialty retail memberships (REI, RH, Shipt, Instacart+) is collectively growing at approximately 15-18% annually — faster than the established giants. Source: Company annual reports, eMarketer 2026.
