Discount sites

Military discount sites compared

Most military discounts ask you to prove your service through another website. Almost all of them are free. One charges a fee. Here is how they compare.

Discount sites at a glance
Site	Cost to you	What you get	Source
ID.me	Free	Verify once, then use the “Verify with ID.me” button at checkout on many brand sites	ID.me
SheerID	Free	Runs the check behind many brand discount pages. Nike uses it.	StandWatch
GOVX	Free	A members-only store with 1,000+ brands, plus a GOVX ID button on other sites	GOVX
The Exchange (ShopMyExchange.com)	Free	Tax-free shopping and military pricing online for life	Exchange
WeSalute Basic	Free	300+ offers and status verification	WeSalute
WeSalute+	$59.95 a year, or $9.99 a month, plus a $4.95 fee	1,000+ more members-only offers, such as CVS 20% off	WeSalute

ID.me Free

A free login that proves your status once. After that, a few clicks unlock discounts on brand sites.

Pros

Free. Brands pay for it, not you.
Verify once and reuse it at many stores.
Covers veterans, retirees, spouses, surviving spouses and adult children.
Fast checks with a USAA account or service records.

Cons

You share personal details with one more company.
Some offers are for active duty only.
ID.me support cannot fix a discount that fails at checkout. You have to call the store.

Source: ID.me Help Center, ID.me

SheerID Free

You rarely visit SheerID. It works quietly inside a brand’s own discount page.

Pros

Free to you.
No separate account in most cases.
Used by big brands.

Cons

You may need to verify again at each brand.
You may need to upload documents if the record check fails.

Source: StandWatch

GOVX Free

A store built for military and first responders. Its free GOVX ID also works as a button on other sites.

Pros

Free account.
1,000+ brands in one place.
Most checks happen in real time.

Cons

Many deals are on gear and apparel, less on daily needs.
Prices change often, so compare before you buy.

Source: GOVX

The Exchange Free

Every honorably discharged veteran can shop ShopMyExchange.com tax-free for life. Veterans with a service-connected disability can also shop in person on base.

Pros

Free. A lifelong earned benefit.
No sales tax on Exchange store orders.
Military pricing on national brands.
Free shipping on orders of $49 or more.

Cons

Online only for most veterans. No base access.
The sign-up check uses the last four digits of your Social Security number.
Some sellers in the online mall do charge sales tax.

Source: Exchange veterans page, Exchange authorized patrons

WeSalute and WeSalute+ Free or paid

WeSalute was once called Veterans Advantage. The Basic level is free. WeSalute+ costs money and unlocks its best offers, like CVS 20% off.

Pros

Basic is free and has 300+ offers.
WeSalute+ adds 1,000+ members-only offers.
You can add up to 4 family members at a lower price.
Some offers stack with store sales.

Cons

WeSalute+ costs $59.95 a year, or $9.99 a month. A $4.95 processing fee applies at sign-up and at each renewal.
On the monthly plan, ask whether the $4.95 fee is charged every month.
“$3,000 Travel Cash” is booking credit on WeSalute Travel, not cash.
Plans renew automatically unless you turn renewal off.

Source: WeSalute+ plans, WeSalute Help, WeSalute Travel

Does WeSalute+ pay for itself?

A year of WeSalute+ costs $64.90: $59.95 plus the $4.95 fee. Here is what you must spend to break even.

CVS alone: 20% off means you need $324.50 a year of full-price CVS.com orders. That is about $27 a month.
Monthly plan: the first month costs $14.94. You break even after about $75 of full-price CVS.com orders that month.
Not counted: the CVS deal leaves out prescriptions, gift cards, sale items and buy-one-get-one items.

The free sites cost nothing, so any savings there are pure gain. The Exchange saves you your sales tax rate on top of its prices. For example, on a $500 order where sales tax is 9%, you save $45 in tax.

My take: start with the free sites. Sign up for ID.me, GOVX and the Exchange first. Pay for WeSalute+ only if you will use its members-only offers enough to beat $64.90 a year. Then set a reminder before it renews.

I am not paid by any of these sites, and there are no affiliate links on this page. Prices come from each site’s own pages as of Oct 29, 2026. Check the site before you sign up.