GoodRx Coupons Beat Prices at Online Pharmacies 92% of the Time

As drug prices remain high, some consumers are turning to unsafe online pharmacies for their medications. In fact, just this week, the FDA cracked down on prescriptions coming in from Canada. For many drugs, however, people don’t have to resort to online pharmacies to get affordable medications.

According to a recent analysis from the GoodRx Research Team, for 10 of the most popular prescription medications, GoodRx beats prices at online pharmacies 92% of the time with an average savings of $30. So using a GoodRx coupon is usually cheaper and safer. 

The numbers in this analysis are based on a selection of online pharmacies, many of whom are from Canada. Only one of these pharmacies, HealthWarehouse, is approved by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP), which means that the pharmacy promotes safe practices and has the proper pharmacy licensure and prescription requirements. The other pharmacies in this sample are non-NABP approved, and one of them does not require a prescription to dispense a medication.

How do GoodRx prices stack up against online pharmacies?

A snapshot of the typical GoodRx price for 10 popular prescription drugs compared to the average price at 13 popular online pharmacies reveals the steep savings that GoodRx offers. Here are a few examples:

• Popular drug amlodipine (Norvasc), used to treat high blood pressure, costs an average of $58.39 at online pharmacies and $11.81 with a GoodRx coupon. 

• Similarly, sildenafil (Viagra), which is used to treat erectile dysfunction and is one of the most counterfeited drugs in the world, is more than $10 cheaper on average with GoodRx.

So how do GoodRx prices compare to each online pharmacy on an individual basis? In most cases, GoodRx prices are lower than all online pharmacies selling the medication. A 30-day supply of losartan (Cozaar) for high blood pressure has an average price of $13.64 on GoodRx, yet prices range from $15 to over $200 at online pharmacies.

Similarly, four tablets of sildenafil have an average price of $11.98 at GoodRx and range from $12 to $61 at online pharmacies. Roman offers four tablets for about $8, but this does not include the membership price that is added to the cost of the drug. 

What about safety?

While saving money is great, so is safety. According to the FDA, 97% of online pharmacies are “illegitimate and unsafe.” Officials warn that some sites that seem legitimate may actually be selling fake medications or engaging in identity theft or malware practices. In some cases, the medication you receive may not contain the correct ingredients and could have unintended and potentially harmful health effects.

Filling through GoodRx means that you can pick your medication up at a licensed, NABP-approved pharmacy. There you are able to talk to your local pharmacist about your health, medication regimen, side effects, or any other concerns you may have. You can also be sure that you are receiving a medication that is safe and has undergone official clinical trials through the FDA.

So what does all of this all mean? Shop around. While this research is limited to prices for 10 of the most popular medications at a select number of online pharmacies, the savings extend to most drugs. If you find that your drug is cheapest through an online pharmacy, be sure to check its legitimacy with the NABP, and follow these guidelines from the FDA. 

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Co-contributors: Diane Li and Lauren Chase

Methodology

The GoodRx Research Team compared the typical GoodRx coupon price to prices for online pharmacies for the same form dose and quantity. The typical GoodRx price is based on the price of the 20th percentile of GoodRx claims, which is the price at which 20% of GoodRx claims are cheaper.

We manually searched the following online pharmacies for their prices: YouDrugstore.com (not NABP approved), PrescriptionPoint.com (not NABP approved), HealthWarehouse (NABP approved), DrugMart (not NABP approved), GlobalCareRx (not NABP approved), Planet Drugs Direct (not NABP approved), Maple Leaf Meds (not NABP approved), Canada Pharmacy Online (not NABP approved), Doctor Solve (not NABP approved), ADV Care (not NABP approved), hims (not NABP approved), Roman (not NABP approved), and US Drugs (not NABP approved, no prescription needed).