How Is Kroger Boost Different From A Normal Membership?

If the number of streaming channels, music services, product deliveries, and news paywalls proves anything, it's that Americans love subscription services and memberships. Grocery loyalty programs are no exception. If you're a frequent Kroger shopper and you'd like to save a few bucks, it might be worth checking out the supermarket juggernaut's Boost program, which is a significant step up in perks from its other normal loyalty memberships.

Not unlike Amazon Prime, Target 360, and Walmart+, Kroger's Boost is a paid subscription that offers extra deals, sales, and coupons throughout the year that are not available to free subscribers of Kroger Plus. The biggest difference between a free Kroger Plus membership and the Boost program, however, is that paid subscribers can get free home deliveries (depending on which tier of the Plus program you choose). For $59 a month, subscribers get free next-day delivery, and for $99 a month, you can have your groceries delivered on the same day, often within a few hours of ordering if you spend $35 or more. If home delivery is a part of your regular grocery routine, the Boost program could potentially save you some money on delivery fees.

The other benefit to Kroger's Boost program is the ability to earn extra points in their fuel program. In the free Kroger Plus program, shoppers earn 1 fuel point for every dollar they spend at Kroger, and 1,000 points equals a dollar off at the pump. Boost program subscribers, however, earn double fuel points on all their purchases, so those perks can add up a lot faster. This might make the Boost program worth it if you commute by car and also get most of your groceries delivered.

The cost of Boost is also significantly less than Amazon Prime ($139), and the lower tier is cheaper than a $99 Target 360 subscription and a $98 a Walmart+ membership. If you're subscribing to any of those services just for the grocery delivery fee perks and you're close to a Kroger store (or any of its family stores, such as Ralphs or Smith's), Kroger's plan might make more sense. But, then again, there's a lot of competition for your subscription dollars these days, so if you shop in-store a few times a month, this particular membership might not make sense in the long run.