Is Target Circle 360 better than Walmart Plus?

Target Circle 360 ($49/year) is cheaper and includes unlimited same-day delivery with Shipt. Walmart+ ($98/year) offers gas discounts, Paramount+ streaming, and lower everyday prices. Choose based on which store you prefer and whether you value gas savings.

How much does Target Circle 360 cost?

Target Circle 360 costs $49/year. This includes free same-day delivery via Shipt (orders $35+), free 2-day shipping (no minimum), and 5% off with Target Circle Card stacked on top. The free Target Circle program (no fee) is separate.

Does Target Circle give you 5% off everything?

No, the 5% discount requires the Target Circle Card (debit or credit). The free Target Circle loyalty program gives 1% back in Target Circle earnings plus member-only deals. Target Circle 360 adds free shipping but doesn't add extra discounts.

Is Walmart Plus the same as Walmart+?

Yes, 'Walmart Plus' and 'Walmart+' are the same $98/year membership program offering free delivery, gas discounts, and Paramount+ streaming. The '+' symbol is just branding.

Target Circle vs Walmart Plus: 2026 Membership Comparison

Quick Comparison

Target and Walmart each offer paid membership programs designed to compete with Amazon Prime. Despite both being retail loyalty programs, they serve different shopping styles and offer different primary benefits.

Feature	Target Circle 360	Walmart+
Annual cost	$49	$98
Monthly option	$10.99/month	$12.95/month
Free shipping minimum	No minimum	$35
Same-day delivery	Free (via Shipt, $35+)	Free ($35+)
Grocery delivery	Via Shipt	Direct Walmart
Streaming included	No	Paramount+ Essential
Gas discount	No	10¢/gal (Exxon/Mobil/Walmart)
In-store checkout	Standard	Mobile Scan & Go
Store count	~1,900	~4,700

Bottom line: Target Circle 360 costs half as much and excels at same-day delivery. Walmart+ offers more perks including gas savings and streaming. Choose based on which store you prefer and your delivery needs.

Understanding the Programs

Target’s Loyalty Ecosystem

Target offers multiple interconnected programs:

Program	Cost	Key Benefits
Target Circle	Free	1% earnings, birthday reward, member deals
Target Circle Card	Free (credit/debit)	5% off everything + free shipping
Target Circle 360	$49/year	Unlimited Shipt delivery + shipping

All three stack together. A complete Target loyalist gets:

5% off (Circle Card)
Member deals (Circle free program)
Free unlimited delivery (Circle 360)

Walmart’s Membership

Walmart has a simpler structure:

Program	Cost	Key Benefits
Walmart+	$98/year	Delivery, gas, streaming, Scan & Go

Walmart offers additional credit cards (Capital One) but they’re separate from Walmart+ membership.

Membership Pricing

Annual vs Monthly

Plan	Target Circle 360	Walmart+
Annual	$49	$98
Monthly	$10.99 ($132/year)	$12.95 ($155/year)
Savings (annual over monthly)	$83 (63%)	$57 (37%)

Both programs heavily penalize monthly subscribers. If you’ll use either year-round, pay annually.

Price Difference Impact

Cost Factor	Target Circle 360	Walmart+
Annual membership	$49	$98
Difference		$49 more for Walmart+
Break-even (gas at 10¢/gal)	—	490 gallons (~14,700 miles)
Break-even (Paramount at $96/yr)	—	Almost covers difference

Walmart+ costs $49 more, but includes streaming worth ~$96/year and gas savings, potentially justifying the difference.

Free Shipping Comparison

Target Circle 360 Shipping

Feature	Details
2-day shipping	Free, no minimum
Same-day (Shipt)	Free on $35+ orders
Small orders	$5 item ships free
Product coverage	Most Target.com items

Walmart+ Shipping

Feature	Details
2-day shipping	Free on $35+ orders
Same-day delivery	Free on $35+ orders (where available)
No-minimum shipping	Many items, not all
Product coverage	Most Walmart.com items

Shipping Winner: Target Circle 360

Target’s no-minimum free shipping is a meaningful advantage for small orders. Both offer robust same-day delivery.

Same-Day Delivery Deep Dive

Same-day delivery is often the real reason people join these programs.

Target Same-Day (via Shipt)

Factor	Details
Powered by	Shipt (Target-owned)
Minimum order	$35
Delivery windows	1-hour windows
Coverage	Most Target stores
Alcohol/pharmacy	Available in some areas
Starbucks at Target	Not included

Walmart+ Same-Day

Factor	Details
Powered by	Walmart logistics + partners
Minimum order	$35
Delivery windows	1-hour windows
Coverage	4,700+ stores
Express delivery	$10 extra for 2-hour rush
Specialty items	Some restrictions

Geographic Coverage

Area	Target/Shipt	Walmart
Total stores	~1,900	~4,700
Delivery coverage	Good in suburbs/urban	Excellent everywhere
Rural availability	Limited	Better

Walmart’s massive store network gives it better same-day delivery coverage, especially outside major metros.

Grocery Delivery Comparison

Target Grocery (via Shipt)

Factor	Details
Selection	Target grocery section
Fresh produce	Yes
Meat/seafood	Limited
Organic options	Good Selection
Pricing	Target everyday prices
Brand variety	Moderate

Target grocery is improving but remains smaller than a full supermarket.

Walmart Grocery

Factor	Details
Selection	Full supermarket
Fresh produce	Extensive
Meat/seafood	Full butcher/seafood counter
Organic options	Good
Pricing	Usually lowest
Brand variety	Extensive

Grocery Winner: Walmart+

Walmart operates full supermarkets. Target stores have groceries but aren’t designed as grocery destinations. For serious grocery delivery, Walmart+ is superior.

Weekly Grocery Cost Comparison

Basket Size	Target Price	Walmart Price	Difference
Basic staples ($100 list)	$105	$95	Walmart $10 less
Family weekly ($200 list)	$210	$190	Walmart $20 less
Monthly groceries ($800)	$840	$760	Walmart $80 less

Gas Savings (Walmart+ Only)

Target Circle 360 offers no gas benefits. Walmart+ includes meaningful fuel savings.

Walmart+ Gas Discount

Factor	Details
Discount amount	10¢ per gallon
Station networks	Exxon, Mobil, Walmart, Murphy USA
Total stations	14,000+
How it works	Link in Walmart app

Annual Gas Value

Annual Miles	Gallons (30 mpg)	Walmart+ Gas Savings
10,000	333	$33
12,000	400	$40
15,000	500	$50
20,000	667	$67

For a two-car household driving 24,000 miles/year combined: $80 in gas savings.

Streaming (Walmart+ Only)

Another Walmart+ exclusive benefit.

Paramount+ Essential Included

Feature	Details
Service	Paramount+ Essential (with ads)
Standalone value	$7.99/month ($96/year)
Content	Star Trek, Yellowstone spinoffs, NFL games
Simultaneous streams	3
4K content	Yes

Target Circle 360 includes no streaming benefits.

Is Paramount+ Worth It?

If You…	Streaming Value
Would subscribe anyway	$96/year saved
Want some streaming option	Meaningful benefit
Already have Netflix/Hulu/Prime	Incremental value
Don’t watch streaming	$0 value

In-Store Experience

Target In-Store

Feature	Target Circle	Target Circle 360
Circle deals	Yes	Yes
Drive Up	Free	Free
Order Pickup	Free	Free
Checkout	Standard	Standard
Starbucks discount	With Circle Card	With Circle Card

Walmart In-Store

Feature	No Membership	Walmart+
Scan & Go	No	Yes (skip checkout)
Curbside pickup	Free	Free
Express pickup	Extra fee	Free
Mobile payment	Standard	Integrated

In-Store Winner: Walmart+

Walmart+’s Scan & Go lets you scan items as you shop and skip checkout entirely—a meaningful time-saver excluded from Target’s offering.

The Target RedCard/Circle Card Advantage

Target’s credit/debit card adds significant value that Walmart can’t match.

Target Circle Card Benefits

Benefit	Details
Discount	5% off every purchase
Free shipping	On Target.com
Extended returns	Extra 30 days
Starbucks	5% off in-store Starbucks

5% Back Math

Monthly Target Spending	Annual Spending	5% Savings
$100	$1,200	$60
$200	$2,400	$120
$300	$3,600	$180
$400	$4,800	$240

The Target Circle Card alone can exceed Walmart+’s total membership cost in savings.

Target Full Stack

Component	Cost	Benefit
Target Circle (free)	$0	Member deals + 1% back
Target Circle Card	$0	5% off everything
Target Circle 360	$49	Free delivery
Total cost	$49	5% off + free delivery

Cost Comparison: Real Scenarios

Scenario 1: Occasional Shopper ($150/month)

Factor	Target Circle 360	Walmart+
Membership	$49	$98
Annual purchases	$1,800	$1,800
5% Circle Card savings	$90	—
Streaming value used	$0	$50 (partial use)
Gas savings	$0	$40
Net membership value	$90 - $49 = $41	$90 - $98 = -$8

Target wins for occasional shoppers, especially with Circle Card.

Scenario 2: Family, Weekly Grocery Delivery

Factor	Target Circle 360	Walmart+
Membership	$49	$98
Monthly groceries	$600	$540 (10% lower)
Annual groceries	$7,200	$6,480
5% Circle Card savings	$360	—
Streaming	$0	$96
Gas savings (15k miles)	$0	$50
Total annual cost	$6,889	$6,432

Walmart+ saves $457 for this grocery-focused family, despite higher membership cost.

Scenario 3: Urban Professional, Convenience Focus

Factor	Target Circle 360	Walmart+
Membership	$49	$98
Monthly spending	$200	$200
Annual spending	$2,400	$2,400
5% Circle Card	$120	—
Same-day delivery value	$150 (estimate)	$150
Small order shipping	$50 (valuable)	$20
Streaming	$0	$96
Net value over cost	$271	$168

Target Circle 360 wins for urban convenience shoppers, especially those making small frequent orders.

Who Should Choose What

Choose Target Circle 360 If:

Profile	Why Target
Urban dwellers	Strong Target presence
Small order shoppers	No shipping minimum
Target Circle Card holders	Stack 5% savings
Non-drivers	No gas benefit needed
Don’t need streaming	Save $49 on membership
Budget-conscious	$49 vs $98

Choose Walmart+ If:

Profile	Why Walmart
Grocery-focused families	Full supermarket selection
Regular drivers	Gas savings valuable
Streamers	Paramount+ included
Rural/suburban	Better Walmart coverage
In-store shoppers	Scan & Go convenience
Lowest price seekers	Walmart beats Target pricing

Consider Both If:

Some households benefit from dual membership:

Situation	Use Target For	Use Walmart For
Different product strengths	Home décor, apparel, beauty	Groceries, household basics
Coverage gaps	Areas near Target	Areas near Walmart
Personal preference	Shopper A prefers Target	Shopper B prefers Walmart

Combined cost: $147/year for both programs.

Alternative: Free Options

Before paying for either, consider free alternatives.

Target Circle (Free)

Included Free	Details
1% back on purchases	As Target Circle earnings
Birthday 5% off	One-time annual discount
Member deals	Rotating discounts
Curbside/Drive Up	Always free
In-store pickup	Always free

Walmart Free Pickup

Included Free	Details
Free curbside pickup	On $35+ orders
Free in-store pickup	On any order
Walmart app	Full shopping functionality

Free May Be Enough If:

You don’t value delivery
You shop infrequently
You can pick up orders in-store
You don’t need shipping for small items

Head-to-Head Value

Feature-by-Feature Winner

Feature	Winner
Membership cost	Target Circle 360 ($49)
No-minimum shipping	Target Circle 360
Same-day delivery coverage	Walmart+
Grocery selection	Walmart+
Gas savings	Walmart+
Streaming	Walmart+
In-store checkout	Walmart+ (Scan & Go)
Stackable savings (5% card)	Target Circle
Store experience	Tie (preference)

Total Value Comparison

Category	Target Circle 360	Walmart+
Membership cost	-$49	-$98
Shipping value	+$100	+$70
Same-day delivery	+$75	+$100
5% Circle Card (if used)	+$120 (on $2,400)	—
Streaming	—	+$96
Gas savings	—	+$50
Net value	+$246	+$218

Values assume moderate usage. Your results vary based on shopping patterns.

Verdict

Situation	Recommendation
Budget-conscious	Target Circle 360 ($49 is half the price)
Grocery delivery focus	Walmart+ (full supermarket)
Target Circle Card holder	Target Circle 360 (stacks with 5%)
Regular driver	Walmart+ (gas savings)
Streamer	Walmart+ (Paramount+ included)
Small/frequent orders	Target Circle 360 (no minimum)
Rural/suburban	Walmart+ (better coverage)
Urban	Target Circle 360 (Target stores abundant)

Our Recommendation

Choose Target Circle 360 if: You prefer Target’s product selection, want to stack the 5% Circle Card discount, make frequent small orders, or simply want the cheaper option at $49.

Choose Walmart+ if: You prioritize grocery delivery, want gas savings, need Paramount+ streaming, live in an area with better Walmart coverage, or want the Scan & Go checkout feature.

The key insight: These programs reflect the stores themselves. Target is more curated and urban-friendly; Walmart offers broader selection and better coverage, especially for groceries. Choose the program for the store you prefer shopping at.