Costco vs. Trader Joe’s Tote Bags: I Compared Both

I shop at both Trader Joe’s and Costco, so when Costco came out with its own canvas tote bags, I wanted to see how they compared with Trader Joe’s popular viral tote bag.

I put the canvas bags side by side, and there are a few differences beyond the store logos.

Here’s what I noticed comparing my Trader Joe’s canvas tote with Costco’s canvas tote bag.

Costco Gives You Two Bags, While Trader Joe’s Sells One

The first difference is what you get for the price. The Costco tote bag comes in a 2 pack set for $8.99. You get two canvas totes: one large bag and one smaller bag.

While Trader Joe’s canvas tote is $4.99 for one tote.

That makes Costco’s set appealing if you’ll use both sizes. For $4 more than the Trader Joe’s tote, you get a second bag as well as a larger main tote.

Trader Joe’s costs less if you only want one large bag.

You Can Buy Trader Joe’s Mini Canvas Tote Separately

If you want a smaller Trader Joe’s bag, you can buy its mini canvas tote separately when it’s available.

Trader Joe’s has also released the mini totes in a wider range of colors, including Halloween combinations and spring pastels for Easter.

Costco’s two-pack gives you both sizes in one purchase, while Trader Joe’s lets you buy the sizes you want separately. The catch is finding the Trader Joe’s color you want in stock.

Costco’s Large Tote Is Bigger

Putting the two large tote bags next to each other made the size difference easier to see.

In my side-by-side comparison, the Trader Joe’s bag was about two inches smaller than Costco’s.

That extra room could be useful when you’re carrying bulky groceries or want a little more space for everyday essentials. Costco’s set also gives you the smaller tote for times when you don’t need the big one.

Costco’s Canvas Feels Thicker

Both bags feel like good-quality canvas totes to me, but Costco’s canvas feels thicker when I handle them side by side.

That was one of the differences I noticed right away. If you like a substantial-feeling canvas bag, Costco’s version is worth a look.

I’m comparing how the bags feel in hand here. I haven’t tested how much weight each one can hold or how they compare after months of use, so I wouldn’t judge long-term durability from canvas thickness alone.

Costco’s Large Tote Has an Inside Pocket

The pockets are another practical difference. Costco’s large tote has a pocket outside and another inside.

My Trader Joe’s tote has an outside pocket, but no inside pocket.

I like having an inside pocket as an option for smaller things I don’t want disappearing to the bottom of a large bag. It’s a useful detail when you want to carry more than groceries.

I Prefer the Look of Trader Joe’s Blue Tote

Even though Costco’s larger bag has some practical advantages, I think the Trader Joe’s tote looks nicer. I prefer its blue trim, and I like that it has embroidery on both the front and back.

Both brands use embroidered logos on the bags. But the Trader Joe’s color combination is the one I’m more drawn to.

For me, this is the part of the comparison that comes down to personal taste. Costco has the edge on some features, while Trader Joe’s is my pick for appearance.

Finding Trader Joe’s Totes Can Be Part of the Challenge

One drawback with Trader Joe’s totes is availability, especially for the mini bags and seasonal colors. Popular releases sells out quickly, so you can’t always count on finding the one you want during a regular grocery trip.

The resale prices can be surprising, too. Some eBay listings for Trader Joe’s totes have asking prices of $100 or more, with some exceeding $100. That’s a seller’s asking price, though, and doesn’t mean buyers are actually paying that amount.

Trader Joe’s vs. Costco Canvas Totes at a Glance

Feature	Trader Joe’s large canvas tote	Costco canvas tote set
Price I found in store	$4.99	$8.99
Bags included	One large tote	One large tote and one smaller tote
Large-bag size comparison	About two inches smaller in my comparison	Larger in my comparison
Canvas feel	Good-quality canvas	Thicker-feeling canvas
Outside pocket	Yes	Yes, on both bags
Inside pocket	None on my bag	Yes, on the large bag
Embroidery	Front and back	Embroidered Costco logos
My design preference	I prefer the blue trim	Practical set with two sizes

Which Tote Would I Choose?

For me, Trader Joe’s is the better fit. I prefer the blue design and the embroidery on both sides. I also don’t normally use smaller totes, so the extra mini bag in Costco’s set wouldn’t add much value for me. I’d rather pay $4.99 for the one bag I’ll actually use.

Costco’s set has its advantages, though. The larger tote gives you more room, thicker-feeling canvas and an inside pocket. At $8.99 for two bags, it’s appealing if you’ll use both sizes.

Both have their strengths, but my pick is Trader Joe’s for the design, lower total price and size that suits my needs.

Come shopping with me on YouTube

Here’s my latest Costco haul, including what I bought, what I’d buy again and the new items I spotted. Subscribe to the Suburbs 101 YouTube channel.