- Both stores offer 10% off for military members and veterans year-round
- Lowe’s has no annual savings cap — Home Depot caps savings at $400/year, making Lowe’s significantly better for large projects
- Lowe’s verifies through ID.me and applies the discount automatically online and in-store with your phone number — no app required
- Home Depot requires app setup and a QR code at checkout, adding friction compared to Lowe’s
- Neither discount stacks with sale prices, other promotions, or credit card discounts
- Best strategy: max out Home Depot’s $400 annual cap on smaller purchases early in the year, then use Lowe’s for all major spending
Both Lowe’s and Home Depot offer a 10% military discount, and at first glance they look identical. But one critical difference changes the math significantly for veterans doing any meaningful home improvement work: Lowe’s has no annual cap on savings, while Home Depot limits you to $400 per year.
For a veteran buying $500 worth of supplies, both discounts save $50. For a veteran doing a $15,000 kitchen renovation, the difference between the two programs is over $1,000. Here’s everything you need to know to use both programs strategically.
- Side-by-Side Comparison
- Lowe’s Military Discount 2026
- Home Depot Military Discount 2026
- Which Is Better?
- The Smart Strategy: Use Both
- What’s Excluded at Each Store
- Frequently Asked Questions
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Lowe’s | Home Depot |
|---|---|---|
| Discount amount | 10% off eligible items | 10% off eligible items |
| Annual cap | None | $400/year |
| Verification method | ID.me | Home Depot mobile app |
| In-store redemption | Phone number at checkout | App QR code at checkout |
| Online redemption | Auto-applied at checkout | Yes, via app/account |
| Spouse eligibility | Yes — separate ID.me verification | Yes — through account |
| Applies to sale items | No | No |
| Applies to appliances | No | No |
| Stacks with other discounts | No | No |
Lowe’s Military Discount 2026
Lowe’s offers a 10% everyday military discount with no annual savings maximum — the biggest differentiator in the program. Whether you spend $500 or $15,000, the 10% continues to apply to eligible purchases throughout the year.
Who qualifies: Active duty service members, veterans, retired military, National Guard, Reserve members, and verified military spouses. All branches are eligible: Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Space Force, and also the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. Dishonorably discharged veterans are not eligible.
How to register: Visit Lowes.com/military/validation, create or sign into a MyLowe’s Rewards account, and verify through ID.me. The process takes a few minutes, and verification is real-time. Once registered, the discount applies automatically.
How to use in-store: Give the cashier your phone number associated with your MyLowe’s account along with valid photo ID. No app, no QR code — just your phone number. This is the smoothest checkout experience of the two programs.
How to use online: Sign in to your MyLowe’s Rewards account and the discount applies automatically to eligible items during checkout. No code needed.
Bonus perks: Verified military members receive a free Silver status upgrade in the MyLowe’s Rewards program, which includes free standard shipping on eligible orders and faster points earning. Normally you need a Lowe’s credit card to reach Silver status. Lowe’s also maintains dedicated veteran parking spots at their stores.
Spouse eligibility: Military spouses can extend the discount to their own account by creating a separate MyLowe’s Rewards Account and verifying their status through ID.me. The offer is non-transferable, so each eligible person needs their own verified account.
Home Depot Military Discount 2026
Home Depot offers a 10% military discount capped at $400 in savings per calendar year. Once you’ve saved $400 — which happens at $4,000 in eligible purchases — the discount no longer applies for the rest of the year.
Who qualifies: Active duty service members, veterans, and their immediate families.
How to register: Download the Home Depot app (available on iOS and Android), set up your account, and complete military status verification through the app before shopping. The verification process requires completing this step ahead of time — attempting to do it at the register will result in being directed back to the app, which slows down checkout.
How to use in-store: Show your QR code from the Home Depot app at checkout. Unlike Lowe’s, this requires your phone to be ready with the app open.
Online redemption: Available through your Home Depot account once verified.
Important note: Set up your Home Depot military discount before your first shopping trip. The QR code-based system requires app setup in advance — don’t discover this limitation in the checkout line with a cart full of materials.
Which Is Better?
For most veterans, Lowe’s wins — and it’s not particularly close once your spending crosses $4,000 in a year.
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Below $4,000 in annual spending, both programs save you exactly the same amount. Above $4,000, Home Depot’s $400 annual cap means you’re paying full price for everything beyond that threshold while Lowe’s 10% continues indefinitely. Over the course of a full home renovation — new flooring, a kitchen update, landscaping supplies, tools — that gap easily reaches several hundred to several thousand dollars.
The friction factor also favors Lowe’s. Giving your phone number at checkout is faster and simpler than navigating a QR code on a mobile app, and Lowe’s automatic online application means you never forget to apply the discount when shopping from home.
That said, Home Depot has genuinely competitive everyday pricing and runs strong promotions. There are specific items and project categories where Home Depot’s pricing plus their discount will beat Lowe’s pricing plus their discount — particularly on tools and certain building materials where pricing differs meaningfully between the two chains.
The Smart Strategy: Use Both
The optimal approach is not choosing one store over the other — it’s using each discount where it makes the most financial sense.
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Use Home Depot for: Smaller purchases earlier in the year, before you approach the $400 cap. If you make $200 runs for hardware, fasteners, or paint supplies a few times a year, max out the Home Depot discount on those. Items where Home Depot’s everyday pricing is lower even after discount comparison.
Use Lowe’s for: Any large project spending once you’ve exhausted Home Depot’s $400 annual cap. Major material purchases — lumber orders, flooring, large tool purchases, fixtures. Ongoing purchases throughout the year where Home Depot’s cap is no longer active.
Stack with seasonal sales: At Lowe’s, stacking your 10% military discount with their seasonal sales events — spring outdoor living sales, Memorial Day, and Labor Day promotions — can produce meaningful combined savings. Note that the military discount cannot be combined with sale prices on the same item, but you can shop non-sale items during sale events and still apply the military discount to those full-price items.
What’s Excluded at Each Store
Both programs exclude certain categories. The specifics vary and are subject to change, so verify before a major purchase:
Both stores generally exclude: Major appliances, installation services, gift cards, and items already on sale. Neither discount stacks with other promotions, credit card discounts, or manager price adjustments.
Lowe’s specific exclusions: The discount does not apply to any sale item, Lowest Price Guarantee matches, Lowe’s Credit 5% Off Every Day, volume pricing, or special pricing programs. Clearance and closeout items are also excluded.
Home Depot specific exclusions: Major appliances and certain tool categories. Because the discount is managed through the app, eligible vs. ineligible items are sometimes unclear until checkout — adding items to your cart online first allows you to see whether the discount will apply before going to the store.
This article is provided by USMilitary.org, an independent educational resource. We are not affiliated with Lowe’s, Home Depot, or any government agency. Discount terms are subject to change — always verify current program details at each retailer’s official military discount page before making major purchases.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dimensional lumber has historically been excluded from Lowe’s military discount. This is one of the significant exclusions. Check Lowe’s current exclusion list before a large lumber purchase, as policy details can change.
Yes. Both programs are completely independent. You can be enrolled in both and use each at the respective store. There’s no reason to choose only one.
Yes. Sign in to your MyLowe’s Rewards account, and the 10% discount applies automatically to eligible items in your cart at checkout. No additional code or step is required.
Yes, at both stores. At Lowe’s, spouses need to create their own MyLowe’s Rewards account and verify their status separately through ID.me. At Home Depot, eligible family members can be covered through the primary account holder’s verification. Check each store’s current policy for documentation requirements.
Yes. The $400 annual cap resets at the start of each calendar year. If you’ve hit the cap in November, your discount resumes at the start of January. Timing large purchases around the annual reset can help maximize total savings.
