Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Costco vs Walmart

Costco 4.9★ · Free to download 40
Winner Walmart
Walmart 4.8★ · Free to download 65

Walmart's app offers a more reliable shopping experience with fewer critical bugs, despite some delivery and payment issues, making it generally preferable over Costco's often non-functional application.

Full reviews: Costco · Walmart

While both apps are free to download and serve major retailers, Walmart's app generally performs better for online shopping and delivery, despite occasional glitches and payment holds. Costco's app, in contrast, is frequently criticized for being slow, buggy, and often unusable for core functions like ordering or viewing past purchases.

Head to head

Features edge: WalmartR2R15R27R29
Costco Costco users appreciate the ability to shop for bulky items online and find deals R2R29. However, many users report that the app lacks essential modern features like in-store scanning, Apple Watch integration for membership cards, or Apple Wallet access R15R27R32. The search function is also widely criticized as poor .
Walmart Walmart users value features like home delivery, especially for seniors or those unable to leave home . The Walmart+ subscription is highlighted for saving time, offering gas discounts, and including Peacock TV R101. However, users frequently complain about difficulty finding OTC eligible products, issues with food card checkout, and the lack of Apple Pay .
Ease of Use edge: WalmartR6R13R21R22
Costco Costco's app is described as confusing, with hidden functions for tracking packages and travel information . Users find it difficult to manage multiple accounts R6 and are frustrated by the need to sign in repeatedly, even with Face ID enabled R21. The app is often perceived as a slow, bulky mobile browser rather than a native app, leading to a terrible user experience R13R22.
Walmart Walmart's app is generally considered easy to use for quick searches and ordering . However, some users find the main screen lacks sufficient options for food shopping R75. There are also complaints about the app changing pickup locations automatically and the AI customer service being unhelpful R105.
Reliability edge: WalmartR1R3R4R7
Costco Costco's app suffers from severe reliability issues, with many users reporting it is 'bricked' or 'unusable' after updates R1R7. It frequently freezes, crashes, fails to load items, and struggles with checkout R3R4. Orders are sometimes cancelled without reason, and the cart can clear automatically . Basic functions like accessing order history or reward updates often do not work .
Walmart Walmart's app also experiences reliability problems, with users reporting it gets slow, freezes, or crashes, especially during larger orders R75. Payment issues are common, with cards not working or the app failing to process payments, sometimes requiring users to switch to the website R70R75R100. Delivery can be unpredictable, with missing items or deliveries to the wrong address .
Price/Value tieR11R14R18R23
Costco Costco users generally praise the value and quality of products in stores R11R14R23R29. However, some note that online prices are not always the same as in-store prices R18. The app itself is free to download, but a Costco membership is required to shop.
Walmart Walmart users appreciate the competitive pricing and value, especially with the Walmart+ subscription which offers perks like gas discounts and free Peacock TV R101. However, some users report issues with price changes at checkout and unexpected holds on their bank accounts that exceed the order total R64.
Support edge: WalmartR22R62R77R105
Costco There are no direct reviews about Costco's app support. One user notes that the 'feedback' feature within the app does not work R22.
Walmart Walmart's customer service for online orders and delivery is generally viewed positively, with staff being friendly and helpful R62. The cancellation process for orders is also noted as easy R77. However, the AI customer service assistant is described as 'horrible' and 'very unhelpful' R105.
Pick Costco if

Pick Costco if you primarily use the app for basic browsing and are willing to tolerate significant performance issues and missing features, or if you only need it for the digital membership card .

Pick Walmart if

Pick Walmart if you prioritize convenient home delivery, especially as a senior or if you have mobility issues, and value the additional perks offered by Walmart+ like gas discounts and streaming services .

Evidence note: Many positive reviews for Costco refer to the physical store experience rather than the app itself, which skews the lifetime rating higher than the app's actual performance R11R14R23R29. Recent reviews for Costco's app are overwhelmingly negative, indicating a decline in app quality.

Frequently asked

Is the Costco app reliable for online shopping?
No, the Costco app is frequently reported as unreliable for online shopping, with users experiencing issues like being unable to place orders, endless loading screens, freezing, crashing, and checkout failures R1R3R4R7.
Does the Walmart app have issues with payments?
Yes, the Walmart app frequently has issues with payments, including cards not working, the app failing to process payments, and unexpected holds on bank accounts that can be significantly higher than the order total R64R70R75R100.
Can I use the Costco app to scan items in-store?
No, the Costco app does not offer in-store scanning functionality, which users consider a significant missing feature compared to competitors R15R32.
What are the benefits of Walmart+ through the app?
Walmart+ offers benefits such as home delivery, gas discounts, and free Peacock TV, which users find valuable for saving time and money R101.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R2] Costco 5/5 · US Costco online shopping: What a FABULOS way to shop big bulky items . Costco makes shopping fast and easy . thank You
  2. [R15] Costco 3/5 · US Needs work: In store use of the app isn’t nearly as helpful as the Sam’s Club app. Being able to scan with the app would be a game changer
  3. [R27] Costco 3/5 · US Need watch app: Please make an Apple Watch component app that has barcode to scan in when arriving at the building.
  4. [R29] Costco 5/5 · US LOVE THE BULK ITEMS!!: I ALWAYS find DEALS!!!!
  5. [R6] Costco 3/5 · US Two Accounts: My husband and I have separate Costco accounts. Setting up each of our phones for our respective account has proven to be nearly impossible.
  6. [R13] Costco 1/5 · US Sluggish browser not app: This app is just a slow bulky mobile browser. It’s slow to load the cart and has to recover it from somewhere, not the application.
  7. [R21] Costco 3/5 · US Sign-In: Why do I need to sign in to my account every time I try to use it? It’s set up for Face ID but I still need to click a sign in button. It used to not do this.
  8. [R22] Costco 1/5 · US Not an app = terrible user experience: BUILD AN ACTUAL APP, COSTCO! This is NOT an app. It’s a terrible wrapper around the standard Costco.com website and performs like a bug-ridden P.O.S. Half the time, product pages won’t open at all. The “feedback” feature doesn’t work at all. The pages load excruciatingly slow, and the “app” doesn’t work at all if you use a VPN. For a company as fantastic a
  9. [R1] Costco 1/5 · US Updated App is Bricked: With the latest app update I literally can't place an order anymore. There are steps where the app progress bar just endlessly cycles and will not complete the task. Never had this problem in prior versions.
  10. [R3] Costco 3/5 · US Buggy: When the app works it's fine. However, I find that it freezes quite often.
  11. [R4] Costco 2/5 · US Store is fantastic, app is inconsistent: This app crashes, won’t load items, fails to checkout, 50% of the time I use it…very slow, laggy, and leaves much to be desired.
  12. [R7] Costco 2/5 · US What’s happening with this app?: The app has become mostly unusable. Can’t look up orders, previous purchases or even shop without it timing out before opening.
  13. [R11] Costco 5/5 · US Love: Been a member since 1996. Love this place. Quality food and prices.
  14. [R14] Costco 5/5 · US Reasonable price great things: We live Costco
  15. [R18] Costco 3/5 · US Like the app but…: Wish prices were the same as in store. It’s tricky if you don’t realize….
  16. [R23] Costco 5/5 · US Ready made meals: Always something easy to pop in oven for busy weekdays
  17. [R62] Walmart 5/5 · US Great money saving store: Such a fun way to shop eager to correct any problems. Friendly helpful staff and can supply nearly any need
  18. [R77] Walmart 5/5 · US Easy to cancel: Thankfully when I realized a former address was being used as the delivery address, the cancellation process was easier than expected. An email and text were both sent to confirm the cancellation. Then after deleting several addresses, the order was placed and expected delivery the same day.
  19. [R105] Walmart 3/5 · US AI customer service is horrible: The actual app is good! It’s easy to use for the most part, but their AI customer service assistant is HORRIBLE! The phone one specifically…very unhelpful.
  20. [R64] Walmart 2/5 · US Payments: By the time u get done & need to PAY- for your order?… it’ll SAY, my order totals (example)… $35.25 BUT- then, there I am, getting a TOTAL OF $46.67!! AND- they’ve gone ahead & put a “ hold”, I guess, of $56.00!!, from my Acct as WELL, for this order!! FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!! It’s a $35.25 DOLLAR ORDER!! 😱🤔 but NOW- $56.00? OMG!?!? 🤯
  21. [R70] Walmart 1/5 · US Constant issues: Every time I try to pay on the app I have issues and have to go onto the actual website to pay.
  22. [R75] Walmart 3/5 · US Glitching: Honestly the app booted me out several times and glitches and wouldn’t confirm my card either. So maybe some technical issues otherwise not bad, I do wish the main screen had more options at the beginning for food shopping.
  23. [R100] Walmart 1/5 · US Don’t use your card to pay: I’ve had more trouble with this app not allowing my money to come off my card. It doesn’t always do it but a lot of times when I try and order it won’t allow my card to work. Even in Walmart stores my card won’t work. It’s a visa so I don’t understand all the trouble. I don’t shop here anymore because my card won’t work. Very inconvenient
  24. [R32] Costco 4/5 · US Self Checkout Needed: I love Costco but when is the brand going to update to more modern features like self checkout that I can do from my mobile phone? This is the one reason I still shop at Sam’s- you can scan as you shop and be on your way. No stressful lines overflowing with impatient people. Please please please think about implementing this feature.
  25. [R101] Walmart 5/5 · US Love Walmart plus: I love my Walmart Plus. I tell all my friends about it. The time it saves is worth it. Then you get all the other perks. The gas discount and free Peacock TV makes it even better!!

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store