Coles Plus, Woolworths Delivery Unlimited, Everyday Extra, Costco: are they worth it?

Coles, Woolworths and Costco all offer paid membership programs but what do you get and are they worth it? Here’s what you need to know.

The cost of groceries is a sore point for many households in this current cost of living crisis and most Aussies are looking for ways to cut the costs. You may be wondering if the paid membership options offered by Coles, Woolworths and Costco are a way to save money on your grocery bill. We take a closer look at what you get for your money and how to work out whether they’re worth it.

Is Coles Plus worth it?

Cost: $19 a month

Free trial: One month

What you get: There are a variety of benefits that come with a Coles Plus membership. These include:

• Free delivery on deliveries of $50 or more (normally between $2 and $15). It’s worth noting that free delivery isn’t available for remote areas.
• Two Flybuys points per dollar spent at Coles (online and in-store) and in-store at First Choice Liquor and Liquorland (normally one point per dollar spent).
• 10 points per dollar spent on liquor purchases made online at Coles, First Choice Liquor and Liquorland (normally one point per dollar spent).
• Free Click & Collect Rapid on orders of $30 or more (normally $5).

Is Coles Plus worth it? The biggest perk is the free delivery so it really comes down to how often you get your groceries delivered to your home and when. You’ll normally pay $11 if you want your shopping delivered in a two-hour window on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday. If you get two of these types of deliveries a month you’ll have saved money. If you are happy to get your groceries delivered mid-week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) and have a six-hour delivery slot then that will only cost you $2 per delivery so a Coles Plus membership probably wouldn’t be worth your while. It’s also worth noting if you spend more than $250 delivery is free anyway. Think about how you normally shop to work out whether you’ll benefit.

Is Woolworths Delivery Unlimited worth it?

Cost: $15 a month or $119 a year

Free trial: 30 days

What you get: This is the Woolworths equivalent of Coles Plus. You get:

• Free delivery on same day or next day Woolworths orders of $75 or more (normally between $5 and $15).
• Free standard shipping on Everyday Market orders of $50 or more (normally $10).
• $10 for Delivery Now orders over $75 (normally $15).
• Two Everyday Rewards points per dollar spent on Woolworths and Everyday Market orders (normally one point per dollar spent).

Is Woolworths Delivery Unlimited worth it? It really depends on how often you shop online for groceries, how much you spend and the delivery window you prefer. If you normally spend between $100 and $150 and opt for your groceries to be delivered in a three-hour window the next day then you’ll pay $12 for delivery. You simply need to order twice a month and you’ll have saved money (based on the $15 a month option). If you generally spend more than $250 and are happy for next-day delivery within a three-hour time slot, you’d get free delivery anyway. It really pays to look at the costs and consider your shopping behaviour to work out whether it’s worth it for you.

Is Woolworths Everyday Extra worth it?

Cost: $7 a month or $70 a year

Free trial: 30 days

What you get: An Everyday Extra membership will get you monthly discounts and extra rewards points. Here’s what you can expect:

• 10% off one shop each month at Woolworths (online or in-store). You can choose the shop you want the discount applied to but the maximum transaction value is $500 which means the most you can save is $50 a month.
• 10% off one shop each month at Big W (online or in-store). Once again you can choose when you want the discount applied up to $500 in value.
• Two Everyday Rewards points per dollar spent at Woolworths and Big W online and in-store (normally one point per dollar spent).
• Subscriber-only freebies and offers in your inbox and app.

Is Everyday Extra worth it? If you do your grocery shopping at Woolworths chances are it will be worth it. As long as you apply your 10% discount to a shop worth $70 or more you’ll recoup the $7 monthly fee. Given that Canstar Blue’s research found that Aussie households spend on average $160 per week on groceries that should be fairly easy. To really boost the savings make sure you plan ahead and apply the discount to what is likely to be your most expensive shop of the month or do a big fortnightly shop instead of a weekly one.

Is Costco worth it?

Cost: $65 a year for Gold Membership and $130 a year for Gold Star Executive Membership

Free trial: Not available

What you get: The standard Gold Membership simply lets you shop at all Costco locations worldwide. The Gold Star Executive Membership, however, comes with extra perks including an annual 2% reward of up to $1,000 on qualified Costco purchases and exclusive offers and additional discounts.

Is Costco worth it? You’d have to spend $6,500 a year at Costco to recoup the $130 membership fee – that’s $125 a week. This is less than the $160 a week that Aussie households spend on average each week on groceries according to Canstar Blue. Of course, it doesn’t factor in any other savings you may make on groceries by shopping at Costco.

How to make sure you’re getting value

• Take advantage of any free trials on offer and make a note of how much you save during that period.
• Think about your usual shopping habits. If you don’t regularly shop for groceries online, for example, you won’t really benefit from the programs that give you free delivery.
• Make sure you really understand how the program works to make the most of the perks.
• Look for ways to boost the benefits (but don’t spend more than you normally would). With Everyday Extra, for example, consider doing one larger fortnightly shop each month to maximise the discount.
• Review your membership regularly to make sure it’s still worth it for you.

→ Related: How to save money on groceries

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