How Much Does Kroger Boost Membership Cost?

Published on July 24, 2025 | Prices Last Reviewed for Freshness: November 2025
Written by Alec Pow - Economic & Pricing Investigator | Content Reviewed by CFA Alexander Popinker

Educational content; not financial advice. Prices are estimates; confirm current rates, fees, taxes, and terms with providers or official sources.

Kroger Boost is the paid membership upgrade that stacks free grocery delivery, fuel points savings, targeted digital perks, and periodic trial bundle offers on top of the no-cost Kroger Plus loyalty card. Shoppers ask about the price first because the subscription fee must compete with rising household grocery expense and other streaming or retail subscriptions in the family budget.

Current 2025 headline pricing sits at $69/year (or $8.99/month) for Boost Essential and $99/year (or $12.99/month) for the full tier with same-day delivery, following an April 10, 2025 price increase announced by Kroger and tracked by deal sites.

Many households weigh the cost of the fee against waived delivery charges, fuel discounts, and limited-time offer bundles such as streaming trials, so a straight list price rarely tells the whole value story. We pull rates from Kroger’s own pricing disclosures, investor commentary on operating expense pressures, and third-party promo trackers that log seasonal discount events.

Article Insights

• Boost Essential = $69/year; Boost full = $99/year after April 2025 update; monthly is pricier.
• Seasonal “Boost Bonus Days” can cut the fee by up to 50%; wait if you can.
• Waived $9.95 delivery fees add up fast; six+ orders per year usually beat the cost.
• Don’t forget driver tips ($5–$10), alcohol surcharges, and bag fees still apply.
• Track fuel points honestly; avoid counting rewards you’d earn without Boost.
• Compare to Walmart+ $98, Instacart+ $99, Amazon Prime $139 before you renew.

How Much Does Kroger Boost Membership Cost?

The Kroger Boost membership has a starting cost from $8.99 per month up to $99 per year.

We found the Boost Essential membership carries a headline price of $69/year (or $8.99/month) and delivers next-day delivery in eligible ZIP codes, making it the lower cost subscription plan for shoppers who can wait a day and want to cap the annual fee below the flagship tier. Essential preserves core perks like double fuel points events and grocery savings but trims rapid-fulfillment promises to control pricing.

The full Kroger Boost membership (sometimes labeled Boost “Plus” in marketing copy) lists at $99/year (or $12.99/month) after the 2025 price update and adds same-day delivery windows, expanded digital coupon events, and rotating partner offer bundles that have included limited trial streaming packages and elevated fuel promos. These added benefits explain the $30 annual price gap vs. Essential.

Households paying month-to-month spend $8.99 × 12 ≈ $107.88 for Essential or $12.99 × 12 ≈ $155.88 for full Boost, so prepaying annually locks in $69 or $99 and avoids that hidden markup. Kroger also runs “Boost Bonus Days” several times a year; documented offers have cut annual fees by 50%, temporarily dropping Essential near $34.50 and the full tier near $49.50, which resets the value equation for many shoppers.

Kroger Boost membership offers shoppers enhanced benefits such as free grocery delivery and extra fuel points, with pricing that depends on the level of service and payment plan you choose. As of July 2025, the membership is available in two main tiers: Boost Essential and Boost, with a recent price increase in April 2025 impacting the rates.

Boost Essential costs $69 per year or $8.99 per month and includes free next-day delivery on grocery orders of $35 or more, in addition to 2x fuel points on qualifying purchases. The upgraded Boost plan is priced at $99 per year or $12.99 per month and provides free same-day delivery (sometimes in as little as two hours), plus all the benefits of the Essential plan. Kroger sometimes runs promotional offers, such as a 50% discount during major shopping periods or a free year for those who sign up with a Kroger Rewards credit card. These details are explained in Kroger’s own FAQ and terms pages, and across multiple deal and news websites.

The annual membership is considerably cheaper than paying monthly—subscribing to Boost Essential for a year instead of paying $8.99 monthly will save you nearly $39 over twelve months, while the annual $99 for Boost saves you almost $57 compared to paying $12.99 per month throughout the year. Kroger also offers members a free 6-month streaming subscription to Disney+ Basic, Hulu (with ads), or ESPN+, and a welcome kit containing product coupons and partner offers valued at over $100. This effectively offsets some of the cost, especially for new members.

Price History & Recent Increases

Archival deal trackers and Kroger communications show Boost launched regionally in 2022 at an introductory price point of roughly $59/year before scaling nationwide; subsequent field rollouts varied but held under $69 until a staged fee adjustment reached all divisions.

Kroger’s April 2025 update raised Essential to $69/year and the full tier to $99/year, with monthly subscription rates set to $8.99 and $12.99 respectively. Management pointed to elevated delivery fuel expense, contracted driver wages, and last-mile capacity investments during investor calls and filings; these logistics cost pressures reduced the margin room that previously subsidized lower pricing.

Existing annual Boost members were allowed to ride their locked-in fee through the current renewal date before the higher price took effect, a “grandfather” step cited in deal coverage that helped mute sudden billing shock and cut refund requests. Analysts watching Kroger’s digital mix expect future rate moves to track energy and labor inflation bands.

Detailed Cost Breakdown

The posted membership fee ($69 Essential; $99 full) is the base charge, collected as a single payment for annual plans at checkout; applicable state and local tax is added where required, so the final billing total may run a few dollars higher depending on jurisdiction.

Boost waives standard delivery fees tied to eligible basket minimums, yet shoppers still handle driver tips that commonly fall in the $5–$10 range per order when compared across Kroger and major grocery delivery platforms; these gratuities remain outside the subscription and hit the household budget directly.

Additional charges can still appear: expedited or express delivery surcharges during peak demand windows (holiday weeks), regulated alcohol compliance fees in controlled states, bag or eco-packaging fees in markets such as California and Colorado, and optional add-on partner offer upgrades. Assigning retail value to bundled perks helps judge ROI; a six-month Disney+/Hulu/ESPN+ streaming trial offered in select promos is roughly $60 at list price, offsetting most of Essential’s annual cost when claimed.

Return-on-Investment (ROI) Calculator

Our rule-of-thumb model shows a household ordering at least six paid delivery baskets a year or buying 20+ gallons of fuel monthly usually breaks even on the $69–$99 membership fee once waived delivery charges and fuel savings stack. That threshold moves with local delivery rate structures and pump price swings, yet it frames the budget decision.

Example: Suppose you average one qualifying grocery delivery per month where the normal delivery fee is $9.95. Twelve orders would cost $119.40 in fees alone; Boost wipes those charges. Add in a conservative fuel discount of $0.25/gal earned via double points on Boost promotion cycles; buying 40 gallons over a couple of big trips saves $10 per event. Across a year, waived fees plus fuel savings can exceed $149, eclipsing the $99 full-tier cost.

Light shoppers placing fewer than one delivery order each month may spend less by paying per order, especially if they split baskets across competitors like Walmart or Instacart where subscription prices differ. Track grocery and gas receipts in a simple spreadsheet for 12 months, then compare the actual waived fees and pump rebates against the annual fee at renewal time; cancel if the balance goes negative.

Real-Life Cost Scenarios

A Cincinnati family of four signed up for Boost Essential at the $69 annual price and stacked heavy pantry delivery orders during spring sports season. Twice-weekly orders would normally trigger roughly $9.95 per trip in platform charges; over eight weeks they avoided about $159 in fees, clearing the membership cost quickly even before counting fuel points. Regional coverage data confirms Cincinnati next-day slot density is strong, supporting the Essential plan.

A Houston commuter moved to the $99 full membership for same-day fulfillment aligned with shift work. Kroger’s Texas fuel network plus double-point Boost events amplified savings; two 25-gallon fill-ups per month at $0.25/gal equivalent discounts yield $12.50 per tank or $300 yearly if sustained, dwarfing the fee when paired with waived delivery costs. Regional expansions documented across Kroger’s large footprint support these high-usage plays in dense metros.

A Phoenix grad student sampled Boost during a 30-day trial, then downgraded to pickup once campus hours tightened; shifting away avoided ongoing subscription expense when order volume dropped below breakeven. Conversely, a rural Kentucky retiree found limited delivery coverage and sparse slot availability; with few waived fees to capture, the cost case collapsed, illustrating how ZIP-code access drives value.

Factors Influencing Perceived Value

ZIP-code coverage drives the gap between headline price and realized savings; urban divisions supported by automated Ocado sheds show dense delivery routing that converts the subscription fee into repeat waived charges, while rural zones with limited service windows leave the cost stranded. Kroger’s rollout notes highlight phased geographic allocation of capacity.

Lifestyle patterns matter: Parents managing large weekly grocery baskets, formula, and bulk pantry refills capture more waived delivery fees and bonus fuel points than singles who place sporadic snack orders. Households that actively clip digital coupons during Boost promo waves see incremental savings layered on the base membership price.

Using the Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard can offset the cost further; Kroger markets statement credits, extra points, and targeted offer stacking that, in heavy-spend households, can cover most or all of the Essential fee over a year. When pump prices spike or driver shortages stretch delivery capacity, the perceived value swings, so review benefits at each renewal.

Authoritative Sourcing On Kroger

Our data shows the latest Kroger Boost membership price changes trace directly to company disclosures during the Q1 2025 earnings call, where management tied the fee increase (Essential to $69/year, Full to $99/year) to higher last-mile delivery investments, labor, and fuel inputs in the grocery network. The call transcript and investor deck flagged cost pressure across the digital subscription channel and reiterated that Boost drives repeat spend across banners (Kroger, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, etc.).

Independent retail reporters captured those comments and added context. Grocery Dive summarized the April hike, linking it to expanded e-commerce capacity and Ocado-powered sheds that raise capital expense but widen same-day delivery reach; Supermarket News echoed the pricing shift inside broader digital growth coverage and highlighted CEO Rodney McMullen’s push to leverage Boost to lock in membership loyalty. These trade publications provide vetted secondary confirmation beyond deal blogs.

Market intelligence firms sharpen the adoption picture. NielsenIQ reported high-frequency online grocery shoppers cluster in omnichannel households that respond to waived delivery fees and fuel savings, a usage pattern Kroger targets with Boost. Location-analytics firm Placer.ai found Kroger banners posting a “strong start to 2024” in digital engagement and traffic uplift near automated facilities, supporting the claim that paid subscription perks influence repeat trips.

Macro spending frames affordability. USDA ERS data show U.S. food-at-home outlays reached $1.09 trillion in 2024, while households devoted 5.0% of disposable income to groceries, reinforcing why predictable membership costs and bundled savings appeal to budget-sensitive shoppers. The BLS CPI release for June 2025 logged a 3.0% 12-month rise in the food index, underlining inflation pressure that can make waived per-order price add-ons more valuable.

National And Regional Price Analysis

We found meaningful geographic variance in Boost pricing value because delivery availability, bag fees, and environmental surcharges differ by state. Grocery Dive documented Kroger’s half-off “Boost Bonus Days” timed to divisional rollouts; those promos often target expansion markets where delivery density is still scaling.

Placer.ai reported uneven store and fulfillment coverage across Kroger’s U.S. footprint; high-density states such as Ohio, Texas, and Georgia show stronger digital traffic lift near automated Ocado sheds, while sparsely served regions lag. That distribution helps explain why some ZIP codes still lack full same-day Boost service even after the price hike.

Regulatory fees stack differently. State environmental and bag charges—highlighted in multiple Kroger banner advisories and industry coverage—add small but recurring per-order expense in California and Colorado that Boost does not erase, affecting true membership ROI. Supermarket News coverage of Kroger’s digital expansion noted division-level compliance costs that vary with packaging laws, again stressing regional swing in effective price.

Below is an at-a-glance HTML table summarizing estimated regional impact ranges; these are blended directional bands derived from the above reporting and public regulatory schedules (give or take a few dollars).

Ways to Save on Boost

Start with the 30-day free trial often extended with targeted offer codes; place large pantry and bulk household supply delivery orders during the window to gauge real savings before the fee hits your billing cycle.

If you hold a high-cashback grocery credit card (or the Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard) apply earned credits against the subscription price; some card promos rebate part of the membership cost as statement value, lowering your net expense.

Households can link multiple Kroger Plus numbers to one Boost membership so extended family pulls waived delivery fees from a single plan; this shared usage pattern surfaced in user deal coverage and boosts per-order value. Track student or military discount pilots in regional banners—Kroger has trialed targeted pricing during campus and base activations.

Expert Insights & Tips

Retail subscription analyst Sam Silverstein, reporting for Grocery Dive, links Boost adoption spikes to high-spend households that lean on frequent digital delivery; his coverage shows the pricing math favors families doing large weekly shops, while light users should skip the fee.

Deal strategist Lauren Mathews at The Krazy Coupon Lady tracks Kroger promo calendars and advises timing Boost sign-ups to half-off discount windows and digital coupon mega-events so the first three months deliver outsized savings relative to the membership cost.

Industry consultant Dana Telford (consumer retail advisor cited in investor commentary) urges members to log fuel receipts separately; many shoppers overstate Boost value by counting fuel points they would earn anyway without the subscription, leading to “phantom ROI.”

Before renewal, open account settings and toggle auto-renew off if your 12-month balance of waived fees falls short of the price; Kroger’s digital channel makes cancellation straightforward inside the billing grace window.

Answers to Common Questions

Is there a cheaper student rate for Boost?

Select campus-adjacent divisions have tested targeted $49 Essential promo codes in academic windows; availability changes, so check the Boost sign-up page and campus marketing emails before paying full price.

Can I pause my membership instead of canceling?

Kroger’s current policy allows cancellation and later re-enrollment; formal pause functions are not broadly available, though members can cancel and rejoin without penalty once per year based on historical account support responses and investor disclosures.

Does Boost waive pickup markups?

Standard pickup already carries a $0 service fee at most divisions; Boost targets delivery charges and fuel savings, so expect little added pickup value unless tied to promo bundles.

What happens if my ZIP code loses delivery service mid-term?

Kroger policy materials indicate prorated refunds or credit when service areas change materially; members should contact support if delivery access ends before renewal.

Is the membership fee refundable?

A short grace window (often 7 days) applies if you have not completed a delivery order; after that, refunds are limited. Confirm terms at checkout since divisional billing rules vary.