The Difference Between SNAP and WIC, and How to Get Both

SNAP and WIC side by side

	SNAP	WIC
Full name	Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (once called food stamps)	Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children
Who it serves	Low-income households of any age or family type	Pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, infants, and children up to their 5th birthday
Federal income test	Gross income at or below 130% of poverty and net income at or below 100% (most households)	Income at or below 185% of poverty (states may set it lower)
Health check	No	Yes, a free nutrition assessment by WIC staff
Work rules	Yes, for many adults	No
What you get	A monthly dollar amount on an EBT card	A monthly food package on an eWIC card, plus nutrition counseling, breastfeeding support and referrals
What you can buy	Almost any food for the household	Only WIC-approved foods in your package
Where to apply	Your state SNAP agency	A local WIC agency or clinic

What WIC covers

WIC gives each person enrolled a monthly benefit from one of seven food packages, based on their life stage. You use your eWIC card at WIC-approved grocery stores and farmers' markets.

WIC foods include fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, eggs, cheese, yogurt, beans, peanut butter, whole grain bread and cereal, canned fish, baby food and infant formula. WIC encourages breastfeeding. For mothers who do not fully breastfeed, it provides iron-fortified formula, and special formulas are available when a doctor prescribes them for a medical condition.

Part of each WIC package is a cash-value benefit for fruits and vegetables. USDA adjusts that amount every year for inflation, so ask your WIC office what it is right now. Your state publishes its own list of approved brands and sizes.

WIC also offers services SNAP does not:

• One-on-one nutrition counseling, including shopping advice and help with picky eaters or food allergies
• Breastfeeding support staff
• Referrals to medical care, mental health care, food banks and other community services

What SNAP covers

SNAP can buy almost any food for the household, including fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, dairy, bread, cereal, snack foods, non-alcoholic drinks, and seeds and plants that grow food.

SNAP cannot be used for:

• Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes or tobacco
• Food or drinks with cannabis or CBD
• Vitamins, medicines and supplements (anything with a "Supplement Facts" label)
• Foods that are hot when you buy them
• Pet food, cleaning supplies, paper products, hygiene items and cosmetics
• Live animals, except shellfish and fish removed from water

Some states now also block soda, candy or other sweetened drinks. USDA has approved these "food restriction waivers" for a number of states, each with its own list and start date. Check your state on the SNAP Food Restriction Waivers map before you shop.

How much SNAP pays

Your monthly SNAP amount depends on household size and income. SNAP expects a household to spend about 30% of its own net income on food, so your benefit is the maximum amount for your household size minus 30% of your net income.

Household size	Maximum monthly SNAP (Oct. 1, 2026 to Sept. 30, 2027)
1	$306
2	$562
3	$808
4	$1,023
5	$1,217
6	$1,463
7	$1,616
8	$1,841

These amounts are for the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C. Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands have different amounts. A household with any net income gets less than the maximum.

Who qualifies for WIC

To get WIC, you must meet four requirements.

1. You must be in a group WIC serves: a woman who is pregnant, postpartum (up to 6 months after the end of a pregnancy) or breastfeeding (up to the baby's first birthday), or an infant or child up to their 5th birthday.
2. You apply through a WIC agency in the area where you live.
3. Your household's gross income (before taxes) must be at or below your state's WIC limit.
4. You must have a nutrition risk. WIC staff give every applicant a free, simple health check. Medical risks such as anemia, being underweight or past pregnancy problems count, and so does a poor diet.

If you or the children in your care already get SNAP, Medicaid or TANF, you may automatically meet the WIC income rule.

Here are the federal maximum WIC income limits, effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, for the 48 contiguous states, D.C., Guam and the territories. Most states use these amounts, but a state may set lower ones.

Household size	Yearly income	Monthly income
1	$29,526	$2,461
2	$40,034	$3,337
3	$50,542	$4,212
4	$61,050	$5,088
5	$71,558	$5,964
6	$82,066	$6,839
7	$92,574	$7,715
8	$103,082	$8,591
Each extra person	+$10,508	+$876

If you are pregnant, WIC lets you count each expected baby in your household size. Alaska and Hawaii have higher limits, listed in the WIC Income Eligibility Guidelines 2026-2027.

Who qualifies for SNAP

SNAP looks at your whole household, meaning the people you live with who buy and cook food together. Spouses and most children under 22 are counted together even if they cook separately.

SNAP income limits

Most households must pass both a gross income test and a net income test. Gross income is your total countable income before deductions. Net income is what's left after deductions such as 20% of earned income, a standard deduction, child care needed for work, and high housing costs.

These limits apply from Oct. 1, 2026 through Sept. 30, 2027 in the 48 contiguous states, D.C., Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Household size	Gross monthly income (130% of poverty)	Net monthly income (100% of poverty)
1	$1,729	$1,330
2	$2,345	$1,804
3	$2,960	$2,277
4	$3,575	$2,750
5	$4,191	$3,224
6	$4,806	$3,697
7	$5,421	$4,170
8	$6,037	$4,644
Each extra person	+$616	+$474

A household with someone 60 or older or with a disability only has to meet the net limit. If everyone in your household gets SSI or TANF, you may count as "categorically eligible." Most states also use broader rules that let more households qualify, so apply even if you are close to these numbers.

USDA lists the resource limit as $3,000 in countable resources, such as cash or bank accounts, or $4,750 if someone is 60 or older or has a disability. Your home, most retirement plans, and the resources of people on SSI or TANF don't count. Many states use higher limits.

SNAP work rules and the 2025 law

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed July 4, 2025, changed SNAP work rules and which noncitizens can get SNAP. USDA says it is still updating its public pages, so ask your state agency how the changes apply to you.

The general work rules still apply to most people ages 16 to 59 who can work. You must register for work, take a suitable job if offered, join a work or training program if the state assigns one, and not quit a job or cut your hours below 30 a week without good reason. People caring for a child under 6, people who can't work for health reasons, and people already working 30 hours a week are among those excused.

Adults who can work and have no dependents face a stricter rule. Unless they work or join a work program at least 80 hours a month, they can get SNAP for only 3 months in 3 years. The 2025 law made this rule apply to more people:

• Before the law, it covered ages 18 to 54. It now also covers older adults who used to be exempt, so ask your state SNAP agency whether it applies to you.
• Parents are exempt only if they are responsible for a child under 14. Before, the cutoff was under 18.
• The law removed the exemptions for veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and young adults who were in foster care at 18. People in those groups must now meet the rule unless another exemption applies.
• Pregnant women, people medically certified as unable to work, and American Indians and Urban Indians (as defined in federal law) are exempt.

WIC has no work requirement, and these changes do not affect it.

Noncitizens and SNAP

The 2025 law limits SNAP to U.S. citizens and nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), Cuban and Haitian entrants, and people living here under a Compact of Free Association. Other SNAP rules still apply. If one person in your household can't get SNAP, the rest of the household can still qualify, though the agency will count part of that person's income.

How to apply

Applying for SNAP

1. Find your state on the SNAP State Directory of Resources. Each state has its own form, and many let you apply online.
2. Submit the application as soon as you can. If you're approved, benefits are paid back to the date you applied.
3. Complete an interview, usually by phone or in person, and send proof of things like income and expenses.
4. Watch for a notice. Most states decide within 30 days.

If your household has very little money, you may get SNAP within 7 days. For example, you may qualify for this faster service if you have less than $100 in cash and the bank and less than $150 in monthly gross income, or if your income and cash together are less than your rent and utilities.

If you can't go to the office yourself, you can name someone in writing to apply and do the interview for you. For more detail, see our guide on how SNAP works and how to apply.

Applying for WIC

1. Check whether you're likely to qualify with the WIC Eligibility Tool.
2. Contact a WIC agency in your area by phone or online. You can find one on the How to Apply for WIC page.
3. Go to your appointment, in person or virtual. The office will tell you what to bring. This may include:
   • Each person enrolling, including babies and children under 5
   • ID for each person, such as a driver's license, birth certificate or crib card
   • Proof of address, such as a recent bill
   • Proof you get SNAP, Medicaid or TANF, or proof of income such as recent pay stubs or your last tax return

Our guide to enrolling in WIC walks through the visit in more detail.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Picking only one program. Getting SNAP doesn't stop you from getting WIC, and being on SNAP can make you income-eligible for WIC.
• Skipping SNAP because your income is close to the limit. Deductions can bring your net income down, and many states use higher limits.
• Putting off your SNAP application. Benefits start from the date you apply, so every week you wait is a week of benefits you don't get.
• Missing your SNAP renewal. You'll get a notice before your certification period ends, and your benefits stop if you don't recertify.
• Letting a SNAP denial you think is wrong stand. You have 90 days from the decision to ask for a fair hearing by phone, in writing or in person.

If you need help with a denial or appeal, free legal aid may be available through LawHelp.org. To see which other programs you might qualify for, try our benefit finder.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get SNAP and WIC at the same time?

Yes. They are separate programs, and you can be in both if you meet each one's rules. Being on SNAP can make you automatically income-eligible for WIC.

Can a dad, grandparent or foster parent sign a child up for WIC?

Yes. Infants and children under 5 qualify on their own, so the adult caring for them can apply for them. USDA notes that becoming a foster parent is one of the life changes that can make a family eligible.

My child just turned 5. Can we still get help?

Your child's WIC benefits end at their 5th birthday. SNAP has no age limit, so your household can still get SNAP if you qualify.

Can I buy baby formula with SNAP?

Yes. SNAP covers any food for the household, which includes formula and baby food. WIC covers only the formula brand your state contracts with, unless a doctor prescribes a special formula.

Does SNAP have a work requirement for parents?

Most adults 16 to 59 who can work must meet the general work rules. Caring for a child under 6 excuses you from them. The stricter 80-hours-a-month rule doesn't apply if you're responsible for a child under 14.

Do I need Medicaid to get WIC?

No. Medicaid is just one way to show you meet WIC's income rule. If you're pregnant, see our guide on how to enroll in Medicaid, since being on Medicaid can make WIC easier to get.

Sources

• SNAP Eligibility, USDA Food and Nutrition Administration, accessed October 2026
• SNAP Work Requirements, USDA Food and Nutrition Administration, accessed October 2026
• What Can SNAP Buy?, USDA Food and Nutrition Administration, accessed October 2026
• SNAP Food Restriction Waivers, USDA Food and Nutrition Administration, accessed October 2026
• SNAP State Directory of Resources, USDA Food and Nutrition Administration, accessed October 2026
• SNAP Eligibility for Non-Citizens, USDA Food and Nutrition Administration, accessed October 2026
• One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, USDA Food and Nutrition Administration, accessed October 2026
• Public Law 119-21 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act), Sections 10102 and 10108, U.S. Government Publishing Office, accessed October 2026
• WIC Eligibility, USDA Food and Nutrition Administration, accessed October 2026
• WIC Income Eligibility Guidelines 2026-2027, USDA Food and Nutrition Administration, accessed October 2026
• WIC Frequently Asked Questions, USDA Food and Nutrition Administration, accessed October 2026
• WIC Benefits, USDA Food and Nutrition Administration, accessed October 2026
• WIC Food Packages, USDA Food and Nutrition Administration, accessed October 2026
• How to Apply for WIC, USDA Food and Nutrition Administration, accessed October 2026