Black Friday Early Access: Is It Worth a Store Membership?
Compare early-access hours and yearly fees to see if a store membership fits your holiday list.
For most holiday-only shoppers, a store membership is worth it only if you want a scarce doorbuster during the early window. For general sale shopping, it is usually not worth paying for access alone. Early access means members can shop select deals hours before the general public.
In 2025, that timing mattered because demand was high. According to the National Retail Federation, a record 186.9 million U.S. consumers planned to shop Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday, and 58% had started by early November.
Verification note: Program terms and availability can change. This page was checked against linked sources on November 03, 2026.
What early access actually covers
According to Walmart Corporate, Walmart+ members received online Black Friday early access starting at 7 p.m. ET on Nov. 24, five hours before the general public, covering the Nov.
25-30 deals event, as described in Walmart's November 2025 holiday announcement. That type of window helps when a specific item may sell out. According to Target Corporate, Target Circle 360 members received early access to only select Nov.
27-29 Black Friday deals, with eligible items marked by an asterisk. Other deals were open to all shoppers. That limit means membership did not unlock the full sale.
What you pay for short-term access
According to Target, Target Circle 360 costs $99 per year or $10.99 per month, with reduced rates for students, teachers, military, government-assistance recipients and Target Circle Card holders, as listed on Target's membership page. A holiday-only shopper pays the same rate for a short shopping window. According to Best Buy, My Best Buy Plus costs $29.99 per year and includes member-exclusive prices, no-minimum free shipping and early access to Black Friday doorbusters, as listed on Best Buy's membership page.
According to Amazon, Amazon Prime costs $139 per year or $14.99 per month and is required for Prime-exclusive fall and Black Friday-period deals.
When paying makes sense
Membership makes more sense if you already use the delivery or shipping benefits year-round. According to Target Corporate, the free Target Circle tier already provides deal access and rewards, while paid Circle 360 adds same-day delivery over $35, fast shipping, monthly freebies and members-only early sale access. Membership makes less sense if you want one discounted gift from an open sale.
According to About Amazon, Prime Big Deal Days on Oct. 7-8, 2025 was Prime-member-exclusive, so access required full membership for a two-day event. Compare the yearly fee to the likely savings on your list.
How to check value before you join
Read the current membership terms before you pay. Look for the deal dates, the items included, and whether the free tier gets the same price. Check the membership page for current fees and early-access terms before you pay.
- Check which items carry early-access marking, such as an asterisk
- Compare the yearly or monthly fee to your planned purchases
- See if free shipping, delivery, or store pickup meets your need
- Join only if one scarce item justifies the fee