Walmart’s Great Value vs. Amazon Basics: Which Store Brand Is Basically a Greater Value?

We’ve already debated whether Amazon Prime or Walmart+ delivers better perks, but what about the everyday stuff that keeps your household running? You know, the glamorous lineup of AA batteries, laundry detergent, paper towels, and zipper storage bags that somehow disappear faster than you can buy them.

We put Amazon Basics (from Amazon, obviously) and Great Value (from Walmart) against each other in a tournament of price, quality, and “Will this fall apart mid-use?" Read on to see which store brand came out smelling like freshly laundered victory.

Laundry Detergent

• Great Value (107 loads): $11.64
• Amazon Basics (110 loads): $8.06

WINNER: Amazon

You can get a similar number of laundry loads — with similarly positive customer reviews — done for basically ¾ of the price if you buy the concentrated detergent from Amazon. Plus, it’s a smaller bottle to lift and store. Anyone in a small space or who goes to a laundromat will love that.

AA Batteries

• Great Value (48 pack): $14.97
• Amazon Basics (48 pack): $14.99 

WINNER: Tie

AA batteries are good to keep on hand for smoke detectors, remote controls, and other random things. (If you have teens who use wireless Xbox controllers, you go through a lot of AA batteries.)

Technically, Walmart edged out Amazon on price here … by 2 cents. But how’s the quality? Both batteries have a 10-year shelf life. Both received 4.7 stars from reviewers. These products seem equal.

Toilet Paper

• Great Value (12 Mega Rolls): $9.98 — $.22 per 100 sheets
• Amazon Basics (30 rolls): $25.21 — $.24 per 100 sheets

WINNER: Walmart

There are people in this world who won’t accept anything less than Charmin or Cottonelle or Angel Soft. The rest of us are willing to sacrifice to save a few bucks. Fortunately, today’s store brands are pretty comfortable.

Not only does Walmart offer a slightly better value here, but — at 12 rolls for Walmart vs. 30 for Amazon — the package is a lot easier to tuck away in a closet. (If you have unlimited storage space or expect another pandemic, though, go with your personal preference.)

Paper Towels (Split Sheets)

• Great Value (12 double rolls = 24 regular rolls): $9.98 — $.76 cents per 100 sheets
• Amazon Basics (6 Basics rolls = 20 regular rolls): $14.31 — $1.59 for 100 sheets

WINNER: Walmart

We’re big fans of the sheets that you can split into smaller sizes for tiny spills, but the name-brand Bounty version is pricey. Walmart’s version has 4.6 stars and is half the price of Amazon’s (which got 4.2 stars) for a better price and slightly better quality.

Paper Plates

• Great Value (150 count): $12.13
• Amazon Basics (150 count): $14.60

WINNER: Walmart

Unlike the mathematical gymnastics of paper towel packaging (6 Basics rolls = 20 regular rolls?!), one paper plate still equals — checks notes — one paper plate. Unless you get the flimsy ones and need to stack them to hold a slice of pizza. Then one paper plate equals half a paper plate. Don’t do that. Get the good stuff. You’re worth it. Your carpets and upholstery are worth it.

Both brands claim their plates are strong, durable, and soak-proof. Walmart’s are cheaper, and we can vouch from experience they’re largely steak-knife-resistant and microwave-safe.

Microfiber Cleaning Cloths

• Great Value (12 pack): $9.97
• Amazon Basics (24 pack): $9.99

WINNER: Amazon

We swear by microfiber cloths to clean electronics, windows, cars, and countertops. They don’t streak or leave lint behind — plus, they’re easy to wash and re-use, making them an eco-friendly option. The Amazon brand comes in at nearly half the price of Walmart’s. Sure, they are two inches shorter, but that shouldn’t be a dealbreaker.

Zipper Storage Bags

• Great Value (60 count): $6.88 — $.12 per bag
• Amazon Basics (90 count): $12.74 — $.14 per bag

WINNER: Tie

Gallon storage bags are great for packing road-trip snacks, keeping luggage safe from shampoo and other liquids, and storing your half-used avocados until they’re completely brown. (The ones with a zipper cost a little more, but they virtually guarantee no spills and can be easier to open.)

Great Value’s bags come in marginally cheaper, but Amazon’s Subscribe & Save option knocks its bags down to the same price.

Pencils

• Walmart Pen+Gear (24 count): $2.17 — $.09 each
• Amazon Basics (30 count): $5.01 — $.17 each

WINNER: Walmart

While teachers and first-time kindergarten parents swear by Ticonderoga pencils, it’s not always practical or affordable to buy the best of the best.

Our advice? As long as pencils are labeled #2 you’re fine. Get lots of them. Because the kids will lose them. (And break them.) The choice here is clear: Go to Walmart for all your pencil needs, since they are roughly half the price.

Kitchen Trash Bags

• Great Value (120 pack): $16.37 — $.15 each
• Amazon Basics (80-pack): $10.77 — $.13 each

WINNER: Walmart for quality

Families with kids also go through a ton of trash bags. Both store brands have drawstrings and a clean, fresh scent. The Amazon Basics ones are cheaper — which understandably will be the most important factor for many shoppers — but we’ve found they fall to the bottom of our trashcan.

For a few cents more, Walmart’s bags are made from flex material, providing more strength and durability.

Old-Fashioned Oats

• Great Value (2.6 Lb.): $4.12
• Amazon Saver (2.6 Lb): $4.09

WINNER: Tie

Perfect for oatmeal, cookies, granola, or preparing overnight oats in a jar, old-fashioned oats have a pretty long shelf life, too. That’s good because giant containers offer the best value.

The prices, sizes and ratings on the Amazon and Walmart brands are virtually identical. Worth noting: Prime members currently save 10% on 4 select items, plus 15% off these oats when you Subscribe & Save. Stock up and buy a few packages to donate to your local food pantry.

Jarred Pizza Sauce

• Great Value Pizza Sauce (14 oz): $1.52
• Amazon Grocery Pizza Sauce (14 oz): $1.19

WINNER: Amazon

Another pantry staple and the perfect shortcut for pasta night — it can even be a dip for mozzarella sticks.

Both store-brand options are surprisingly healthy with no added sugar, and they receive great reviews even from people who claim to be picky about their sauce. (We do wonder about the Amazon reviewer, “Sophie the Wonderdog," who drinks it straight out of the jar with a smoothie straw.) The Amazon Grocery brand is clearly the better value here, dollar for dollar.

Canned Mixed Vegetables

• Great Value (6-pack): $5.76
• Amazon Fresh (6-pack): $7.08

WINNER: Walmart

These canned mixed vegetables are virtually identical. The Walmart brand is marginally healthier, with fewer carbs and more fiber; it’s also more than a dollar cheaper.

Key Takeaways

Walmart edged out Amazon in most of our categories, including pencils and paper goods, though Amazon won in other categories such as laundry detergent and microfiber cloths.

But it was a pretty close call every time. All these products stacked up surprisingly well against national brands. None of the items on the list had fewer than 4 stars. If you’re looking to save a few bucks, these products — from either retailer — are good alternatives.