Walmart+ is currently offering eligible shoppers a 30-day promotional trial for $1, rather than a completely free trial. It is a practical way to test whether Walmart’s delivery, shipping, fuel, and streaming perks fit into your routine before the membership renews at its regular rate.

Walmart+ free trial: is it worth trying?

A Walmart+ trial makes the most sense when it solves a recurring annoyance: the last-minute grocery run, the small online order that would normally come with a shipping charge, or the need to pick up a prescription without rearranging the day. Walmart has built the membership around those everyday frictions, rather than positioning it as a simple shipping subscription.

At the moment, Walmart is advertising 30 days of Walmart+ for $1. After that, the annual plan is listed at $98, or roughly $8.17 per month when paid upfront. The company also offers discounted pricing for qualifying government-assistance recipients and college students: $49 per year or $6.47 per month.

That entry price makes the trial an easy experiment, but it is still important to read the offer as a subscription decision, not as a one-off coupon. Walmart’s terms say that trial or promotional memberships automatically renew into a paid annual or monthly plan unless the customer cancels, and each eligible customer is generally limited to one such trial.

Walmart+ launched in September 2020 as Walmart’s answer to the growing appetite for membership programs built around convenience. At launch, it cost $98 annually or $12.95 monthly and came with a 15-day free trial. The service’s core idea has remained fairly consistent: use Walmart’s store footprint to combine local delivery, online shipping, and in-store savings in one membership.

What the trial includes

The strongest reason to test Walmart+ is grocery delivery. Members can receive free delivery on eligible grocery and other orders of $35 or more, often as soon as the same day depending on local availability. The threshold matters: someone who naturally places one larger weekly order will see more value than a shopper placing frequent small baskets.

The second major benefit is free next-day and two-day shipping from Walmart.com without a minimum order. That can be more useful than it first sounds, especially for household basics, electronics accessories, school supplies, pet products, and those smaller purchases that are otherwise easy to postpone just to avoid a shipping fee. Walmart notes that most Marketplace items are excluded and that freight or location surcharges can still apply.

There is also a fuel angle. Walmart+ members receive 10 cents off per gallon at participating Walmart, Exxon, Mobil, and Murphy stations, along with member pricing at Sam’s Club fuel centers. For drivers who regularly pass one of those stations, the savings can be tangible; for everyone else, it is mostly a nice extra that should not drive the membership decision on its own.

The service has gradually broadened beyond shopping. The current plan includes a choice of one ad-supported streaming service – Peacock Premium or Paramount+ Essential – with the option to switch selections every 90 days. Walmart estimates the streaming component can represent up to $109 in yearly value, although that value only matters if you would otherwise pay for one of those services.

Other benefits are more situational but could make the trial worthwhile for particular households: free pharmacy delivery for eligible prescriptions, Scan & Go in stores, free home return pickup in select locations, 25 free photo prints per month, online pet-care access through Pawp, and Burger King discounts. Early access to certain major online sales is reserved for paid Walmart+ members, so it should not be assumed to be part of a trial-period experience.

The calculation that matters

The best way to judge a Walmart+ trial is not to tally every advertised perk. Instead, look at the services you already buy and the fees you already pay.

If you routinely pay for grocery delivery, several waived delivery fees in a month may make the membership feel immediately useful. If you place a mix of grocery and general-merchandise orders, the combination of delivery and no-minimum shipping is where Walmart+ has its clearest advantage. And if you already subscribe to Peacock or Paramount+, the included streaming choice lowers the effective cost further.

On the other hand, the service is less compelling for someone who enjoys shopping in person, rarely orders more than $35 of groceries at a time, lives outside Walmart’s strongest delivery coverage, or already gets comparable shipping and streaming benefits elsewhere. The trial is valuable precisely because it lets shoppers test these realities with their actual address, product basket, and delivery windows rather than relying on marketing claims.

Walmart says annual members who have belonged for at least a year save an average of $382 annually through membership benefits, excluding the $98 annual membership price. That figure is Walmart’s own estimate, based on comparisons with non-member fees and prices, so it is better treated as a possible benchmark than a guaranteed result.

How to avoid a surprise charge

The one detail worth remembering is automatic renewal. Walmart’s terms state that a promotional or trial membership converts to a full-price plan unless the member cancels before the trial ends.

To cancel online, Walmart says to go to your Walmart.com account, select Walmart+, choose Manage membership, select Manage next to the Walmart+ plan, and then choose Cancel. The cancellation flow may also offer a reminder email three days before renewal, which is useful for people who want to keep the trial active while deciding.

There is one catch: Walmart’s terms say that if you cancel during the trial, the company may end the membership and its benefits immediately. In other words, do not assume you can cancel on day one and keep the full promotional month; set a calendar reminder a few days before renewal instead.

For many U.S. shoppers, the $1 Walmart+ trial is worth trying if grocery delivery, free shipping, or the included streaming service would replace costs they already have. The key is simple: use it like a real member for a few weeks, track what it actually saves, and make the cancellation decision before the promotional period turns into a paid subscription.

Disclaimer: Prices and promotions mentioned in this article are accurate at the time of writing and are subject to change based on the retailers’ discretion. Please verify the current offer before making a purchase.