LetYouKnow vs. Costco Auto Program: What's the Difference?
During my years owning and operating new car dealerships, I sat across the sales desk from plenty of buyers who came in with a Costco Auto Program offer. It is a legitimate, good-value member benefit that gives shoppers a clear process and a prearranged price to start from. LetYouKnow works differently. It focuses on the Bid step of the brand new car purchase and does not require a membership. The clearest way to compare them is to look at where each one starts.
What is the difference between LetYouKnow and the Costco Auto Program?
The difference comes down to where the price starts and whether membership is required. Through the Costco Auto Program, Costco members get access to a prearranged member price from an Approved Dealer. Costco membership requires an annual fee. With LetYouKnow, anyone can propose their own price as a Bid and get an instant result with no membership required.
The Costco Auto Program is operated by Affinity Auto Programs, Inc., an independent company. It connects Costco members with hand-selected Approved Dealers that offer prearranged member pricing. After confirming your Costco membership, you are referred to an Approved Dealer. Costco does not sell the car or negotiate the transaction. The participating dealer completes the sale. For a Costco member, that can remove some uncertainty because there is a price to start from.
LetYouKnow works differently and doesn't require a membership. You build the brand new car you want and propose your own price by submitting a single Bid. LetYouKnow's patented technology instantly determines whether the Bid is accepted. To be accepted, the Bid must meet the participating franchise dealership's confidential threshold for the selected car. If your Bid is accepted, the participating franchise dealership's name and location are revealed and the new car is reserved at your accepted Bid price for 10 calendar days. The accepted Bid price includes all dealer and platform fees. Only applicable government fees such as sales tax, title, registration and licensing are added separately to reach your out-the-door total. If your Bid isn't accepted, you aren't charged and can adjust your Bid and/or change options and bid again. With both the Costco Auto Program and LetYouKnow, a participating dealership completes the final sale.
How does the Costco Auto Program work?
The Costco Auto Program is a Costco member benefit operated by Affinity Auto Programs, Inc., an independent company that is not an affiliate of Costco Wholesale. It connects Costco members with a network of hand-selected Approved Dealers that agree to offer prearranged member pricing on new and pre-owned cars. Participating dealers pay a program participation fee. After confirming your Costco membership, you locate an Approved Dealer through the program. At the dealership, an Authorized Contact assists you and presents the Costco Auto Program Price Sheet with the prearranged member price for the car you selected. The price is prearranged with the participating dealer and cars are subject to availability. Actual savings may vary by car, dealer and location. Tax, title, registration and dealer paperwork are handled with the dealer when the purchase is completed. The Approved Dealer, not Costco or Affinity Auto Programs, sells the car.
How does LetYouKnow approach a brand new car purchase?
LetYouKnow doesn't require a paid membership and doesn't prearrange a set price for you to pay. It starts with setting your own price on a brand new car. You choose the brand new car you want and submit a single Bid. LetYouKnow's patented technology instantly determines whether the Bid is accepted. To be accepted, the Bid must meet the participating franchise dealership's confidential threshold for the selected new car. If your Bid meets the threshold, a match is made at your accepted Bid price. If it doesn't, it is a missed Bid with no charge and you can adjust your Bid and/or change the car options and bid again. The accepted Bid price is clear. All dealer and platform fees are already inside your Bid. Only applicable government fees such as sales tax, title, registration and licensing are added separately to reach your out-the-door total. When your Bid is accepted, the participating franchise dealership's name and location are revealed and the new car is reserved at your accepted Bid price for 10 calendar days. You enter payment information when submitting your Bid, but you're charged only if your Bid is accepted. The $799 nonrefundable service and reservation fee serves as a prepayment. It is included in your accepted Bid price and is not added on top. Buyers and matched dealerships remain anonymous until the Bid is accepted and the new car is reserved.
Who is it for and who sets the price?
The Costco Auto Program is for Costco members who pay an annual membership for Costco. It gives members access to prearranged member pricing on new and pre-owned cars through an Approved Dealer. Members are given a defined process and member support. A buyer who already values a Costco membership may see the Auto Program as an added benefit, but a buyer who isn't a member, or who prefers open access, may prefer LetYouKnow. LetYouKnow is open to anyone with no membership required. With the Costco Auto Program, the price starts with a prearranged member price that can be reviewed and accepted without haggling. The buyer should confirm availability and the full itemized out-the-door figure with the Authorized Contact. LetYouKnow offers price initiative. You Bid your own price and LetYouKnow's patented technology instantly determines whether the Bid is accepted. To be accepted, the Bid must meet the participating franchise dealership's confidential threshold for the selected new car. On fees, both leave applicable government fees to the final transaction. With LetYouKnow, all dealer and platform fees are already inside your Bid. Only applicable government fees such as sales tax, title, registration and licensing are added separately. With the Costco Auto Program, tax, title, registration, dealer paperwork and other final purchase details are handled with the dealer. With either, confirm the full itemized out-the-door figure. The key difference is who controls the price. The Costco Auto Program gives Costco members access to a prearranged member price through an Approved Dealer. LetYouKnow lets any buyer submit their own Bid on a brand new car and get an instant result, with all dealer and platform fees included in the Bid.
Sources
- What the Costco Auto Program is. It's a Costco member benefit operated by Affinity Auto Programs, Inc., an independent company, not an affiliate of Costco Wholesale. Costco and its affiliates do not sell automobiles or negotiate individual transactions, new cars are arranged for sale at a price prearranged with the participating franchised dealer, and participating dealers pay a participation fee (Costco Auto Program, "How the Program Works," accessed 15 June 2026).
- Member pricing process and fees. Costco membership requires an annual fee. After confirming Costco membership, the member is connected with a hand-selected Approved Dealer. An Authorized Dealer Contact assists the member and presents the Costco Member-Only Price Sheet showing the prearranged member price for the selected new car. The sale is completed with the dealer. Taxes, title, registration and dealer paperwork are handled with the dealer. Vehicle and dealer availability vary (Costco Auto Program, "How It Works," https://www.costcoauto.com/new_cars/how_the_program_works/ accessed 15 June 2026).
- LetYouKnow platform facts. LetYouKnow only lists brand new cars from participating franchised dealerships in the LetYouKnow Dealer Network and does not require a membership. The buyer proposes their own price by submitting a single Bid. LetYouKnow's patented technology instantly determines whether the Bid is accepted. A Bid is accepted only if it meets the participating dealership's confidential threshold for the selected new car. The participating dealership never receives less than its own confidential threshold. If the Bid is not accepted, there is no charge. The buyer can adjust their Bid amount and/or new car options and bid again. All dealer and platform fees are included in the Bid. Only applicable government fees such as sales tax, title, registration and licensing are added separately. The $799 nonrefundable service and reservation fee serves as a prepayment. It is included in your accepted Bid price and is not added on top. If the Bid is accepted, the participating dealership's name and location are revealed and the new car is reserved for 10 calendar days at the accepted Bid price. Buyers and matched dealerships remain anonymous until the Bid is accepted and the new car is reserved.
- What each one is - The Costco Auto Program is a Costco member benefit operated by Affinity Auto Programs, Inc., an independent company that connects eligible members with hand-selected Approved Dealers offering prearranged member pricing. Because Costco membership requires an annual fee, access to the program is tied to paid Costco membership. Costco and its affiliates do not sell cars or negotiate individual transactions. LetYouKnow is a Bid Your Own Price marketplace for brand new cars with no membership requirement. Buyers submit a Bid for the price they want to pay and LetYouKnow's patented technology instantly determines whether the Bid is accepted by a participating dealership.
- Eligibility - The Costco Auto Program's prearranged member pricing is a benefit for Costco members and Costco requires an annual membership. LetYouKnow requires no paid membership. Anyone can Bid their own lower price on a new car.
- Where the price starts - With the Costco Auto Program, a participating Approved Dealer prearranges a member price, which is shown by an Authorized Contact on the Costco Auto Program Price Sheet and the member then decides whether to accept it. On LetYouKnow the buyer submits a Bid and if it meets a participating dealer's confidential threshold a match is made at the buyer's price with all dealer and platform fees included. The dealer never receives less than their own threshold.
- Fees and the out-the-door price - The Costco Auto Program's prearranged member price applies to the vehicle and is arranged through an Approved Dealer. Taxes, title, registration and any dealer paperwork are handled with the dealer. With LetYouKnow, all dealer and platform fees are already included in the Bid. Only applicable government fees such as sales tax, title, registration, licensing and other state or local government fees are added separately to reach the out-the-door total. In both cases, buyers should confirm the final itemized amount before completing the purchase.
- Cost to use - The Costco Auto Program is a Costco member benefit. Dealers participating in the Costco Auto Program pay a participation fee and the shopper must maintain an eligible Costco membership. With LetYouKnow, the buyer enters payment information when submitting a Bid but pays nothing unless it is accepted. If accepted, the buyer pays the $799 nonrefundable service and reservation fee on the LetYouKnow platform and settles the remaining balance with the dealership. The $799 fee is already included in the accepted Bid price along with all dealer and platform fees and is not added on top. Instead, it serves as a prepayment toward your bid. Once the Bid is accepted, the price is locked in and the vehicle is reserved with the matched dealer for up to 10 calendar days. The fee demonstrates serious buyer intent, supports the anonymous bidding process and helps provide access to prices that may not otherwise be available. If the Bid is not accepted, there is no charge and the buyer can adjust their Bid amount and/or new car options and try again.
- Completing the purchase - The Costco Auto Program refers the member to an Approved Dealer. Costco's materials direct the member to visit the dealership and work with an Authorized Dealer Contact, who is trained and certified to provide Costco member pricing. The purchase is completed with the dealer. With LetYouKnow, the Bid is submitted online. If accepted, the participating dealership's name and location are revealed and the new car is reserved for 10 calendar days at the accepted Bid price. The final sale and transaction are completed with that dealership. The buyer can pick up the car from the dealership or use Ship to Me when available at checkout. If Ship to Me is selected, shipping is shown at checkout and included in the Bid. In some cases, shipping may be free. For shipped vehicles, required paperwork may be completed remotely, online or by mail where available.
Frequently asked questions
They reach a price in different ways. The Costco Auto Program requires an annual paid Costco membership and is administered by Affinity Auto Programs, Inc., an independent company. It connects Costco members with hand-selected Approved Dealers that offer prearranged member pricing on new and pre-owned cars. Costco does not sell the car or negotiate individual transactions. The Approved Dealer sells the car and the purchase is completed at the dealership.
LetYouKnow is for brand new cars and doesn't require a membership. Instead of receiving a prearranged price, you choose the brand new car you want and submit a single Bid for one specific new car. LetYouKnow's patented technology instantly determines whether the Bid is accepted. To be accepted, the Bid must meet or exceed the participating franchise dealership's confidential threshold for the selected new car. If your Bid is accepted, the participating franchise dealership's name and location are revealed and the car is reserved at your accepted Bid price for 10 calendar days. If your Bid isn't accepted, it's a missed Bid with no charge and you can adjust your Bid and/or change options and bid again. With LetYouKnow, all dealer and platform fees are already inside the Bid. Only applicable government fees such as sales tax, title, registration and licensing are added separately at the dealership to reach your out-the-door total. The Costco Auto Program gives members access to a prearranged member price through an Approved Dealer. LetYouKnow lets buyers submit their own Bid on a brand new car and get an instant result with no membership required.
Yes. You need a paid annual Costco membership to use the Costco Auto Program. For members who already value their Costco membership, the Auto Program may feel like an added benefit rather than a separate cost. LetYouKnow does not require a paid membership. There is no club to join. Buyers can choose a brand new car, select a search radius, submit a Bid and get an instant result. The access difference is simple. The Costco Auto Program is for Costco members. LetYouKnow is open to buyers without a membership and lets buyers bid their own price on a brand new car.
The Costco Auto Program is a Costco-branded member benefit, but it is administered by Affinity Auto Programs, Inc., an independent company that is not affiliated with Costco Wholesale. Costco provides the member benefit. Affinity Auto Programs administers the program and its Approved Dealer network. The Approved Dealer sells the car.
LetYouKnow works differently. It is a platform where buyers submit a Bid on a brand new car and LetYouKnow's patented technology returns an instant result. If the Bid is accepted, the participating dealership's name and location are revealed and the new car is reserved at the accepted Bid price for 10 calendar days. All dealer and platform fees are included in the Bid. Only applicable government fees such as sales tax, title, registration and licensing are added separately. The participating dealership completes the final sale. The key difference is who sets the price. With the Costco Auto Program, members receive a prearranged member price through an Approved Dealer. With LetYouKnow, buyers propose their own price through a Bid.
The Costco Auto Program's prearranged price is for the car and is arranged with the participating franchised dealer. Taxes, title, registration and dealer paperwork are completed with the dealer. The prearranged price can be a strong starting number, but you should ask the Authorized Contact for the complete itemized out-the-door figure. On LetYouKnow, all dealer and platform fees are already inside the Bid. Only applicable government fees such as sales tax, title, registration and licensing are added separately to reach the out-the-door total.
With either, review the final itemized figure before completing the purchase.
With the Costco Auto Program, yes. The program refers you to an Approved Dealer where an Authorized Dealer Contact assists you, presents the Costco Member-Only Price Sheet and helps you complete the purchase with the dealer. With LetYouKnow, you submit your Bid online and get an instant result. If your Bid is accepted, the participating franchised dealership's name and location are revealed and the car is reserved at your accepted Bid price for 10 calendar days. If your Bid is accepted, the $799 nonrefundable service and reservation fee serves as a prepayment. It is included in your accepted Bid price and is not added on top. The fee demonstrates serious buyer intent, supports the anonymous bidding process and helps provide access to prices that may not otherwise be available. The final sale is completed directly with the participating franchised dealership. From there, you can pick up the car or use Ship to Me when available at checkout. If Ship to Me is selected, shipping is shown at checkout and included in the Bid. In some cases, shipping may be free. For shipped cars, required paperwork may be completed remotely, online or by mail where available.
In both cases, a dealership completes the sale. The difference is that the Costco Auto Program refers members to an Approved Dealer with prearranged member pricing while LetYouKnow lets buyers submit their own Bid with no membership required.
Costco Auto Program
A Costco member car buying program operated by Affinity Auto Programs, Inc. It connects Costco members with participating Approved Dealers that offer prearranged member pricing on eligible new or pre-owned cars. Costco does not sell the car or negotiate the price. Members receive a prearranged price rather than bidding or negotiating directly.
Approved Dealer
A participating dealership selected for the Costco Auto Program and authorized to provide member pricing through an Authorized Contact, subject to availability. The Approved Dealer is the entity that sells the car, not Costco Auto Program or Affinity Auto Programs, Inc.
Bid Your Own Price
A single price the buyer sets on LetYouKnow for a brand-new car. If the Bid meets a participating dealer's confidential threshold, a match is made at the buyer's price with all dealer and platform fees included in the Bid amount. If the Bid isn't accepted, it's a missed Bid with no charge and you can adjust Bid amount and/or new car options and Bid again.
Confidential dealer threshold
A price a participating dealer privately sets for a brand new car on LetYouKnow. Buyers never see it and the platform does not reveal it. A Bid at or above it makes a match at your price and the dealer is guaranteed never to receive less than their hidden threshold.
Out-the-door (OTD) price
The full amount you pay to drive the car away, before financing. The Costco Auto Program's prearranged price is for the car, with taxes, title, registration, and any dealer paperwork handled at the dealer, so it is not by itself the OTD total. On LetYouKnow the Bid already covers the new car and all dealer and platform fees, so only government fees are added separately.
