Key takeaways:
Retin-A (tretinoin) is a topical medication that’s FDA approved to treat acne. It may also be prescribed off-label to reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
One 45 g tube of 0.05% Retin-A cream costs an average of $67.37. But a GoodRx discount could lower the cost to $47.02.
Coverage for Retin-A varies widely across insurance types. If you qualify for a patient assistance program, you may be able to get the medication for free.
Save on related medications
Retin-A (tretinoin) is a topical medication that’s FDA approved to treat acne and prescribed off-label to reduce wrinkles. This medication comes as a cream or gel that’s applied to the skin.
The price of Retin-A can vary depending on many factors, including the dose, the pharmacy you choose, and your insurance status. Whether you have insurance or not, you may be able to save money on the cost of Retin-A with a GoodRx discount.
How much is Retin-A, and what affects the price?
Retin-A is a brand-name version of the medication tretinoin. Retin-A’s cost can be affected by several factors, which can lead to significant price variations across pharmacies and geographic locations. You may be able to get Retin-A at a lower price than generic tretinoin because of temporary pricing or promotional discounts at your pharmacy.
Without insurance, the average retail price of a 45 g tube of 0.05% Retin-A cream is $67.37. The average retail price of a 45 g tube of 0.025% Retin-A gel is $102.46.
Opting for generic tretinoin over brand-name Retin-A can also affect how much you pay for your prescription. Without insurance, the average retail price for a 45 g tube of 0.025% tretinoin cream is $95.50. The average retail price for 45 g of 0.025% tretinoin gel is $203.76.
The chart below contains the average retail prices for various doses, formulations, and quantities of brand-name Retin-A and generic tretinoin.
Dose and formulation | Quantity | Average retail price |
|---|---|---|
0.025% Retin-A cream | 20 g tube | |
0.025% Retin-A cream | 45 g tube | |
0.05% Retin-A cream | 20 g tube | |
0.05% Retin-A cream | 45 g tube | |
0.1% Retin-A cream | 20 g tube | |
0.1% Retin-A cream | 45 g tube | |
0.025% generic tretinoin cream | 20 g tube | |
0.025% generic tretinoin cream | 45 g tube | |
0.05% generic tretinoin cream | 20 g tube | |
0.05% generic tretinoin cream | 45 g tube | |
0.1% generic tretinoin cream | 20 g tube | |
0.1% generic tretinoin cream | 45 g tube |
Dose and formulation | Quantity | Average retail price |
|---|---|---|
0.025% Retin-A gel | 15 g tube | |
0.025% Retin-A gel | 45 g tube | |
0.01% Retin-A gel | 15 g tube | |
0.01% Retin-A gel | 45 g tube | |
0.025% generic tretinoin gel | 15 g tube | |
0.025% generic tretinoin gel | 45 g tube | |
0.01% generic tretinoin gel | 15 g tube | |
0.01% generic tretinoin gel | 45 g tube |
What factors affect the cost of Retin-A?
Your out-of-pocket costs for Retin-A may depend on factors such as:
Location: The price of Retin-A can vary from city to city. According to GoodRx research, prescription medications typically cost more in Los Angeles than in Houston, for example.
Pharmacy: Larger pharmacy chains can often negotiate lower prices for medications with manufacturers. But online and mail-order pharmacies may also provide competitive pricing and convenience.
Discounts: Prescription savings discounts like GoodRx coupons or programs offered by Retin-A’s manufacturer could lower your costs.
Insurance: With insurance, you’ll likely pay a copay or coinsurance for Retin-A. This amount will depend on your plan's formulary. Formularies place medications into tiers, with lower-tier medications usually having lower out-of-pocket costs.
Quantity: You may be able to reduce your costs if you buy Retin-A in larger quantities. But if your medication is covered by insurance, there may be restrictions on the amount you can fill at one time. There may also be different copay structures for larger quantities.
Dose: Your healthcare professional may start you with a low dose of Retin-A and then increase it when your skin gets used to the medication. In general, Retin-A doses may be priced differently. Insurance copays and coinsurance amounts may also differ based on the dose.
Does insurance cover tretinoin or Retin-A?
About 20% of Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace plans cover brand-name Retin-A cream and gel in various doses, with more than 1 in 10 requiring prior authorization. Generally, about two-thirds of commercial plans cover both forms of Retin-A, with some requiring prior authorization and mandating step therapy.
Up to 1 in 10 Medicare plans cover Retin-A cream and gel, but most Medicaid plans cover both forms. Overall, fewer plans cover Retin-A Micro — a gel that releases tretinoin more slowly, which can produce fewer side effects and may work better for sensitive skin.
If you have insurance, review your plan for coverage details, restrictions, and out-of-pocket costs. You may find your plan only covers Retin-A for noncosmetic conditions.
How different insurance plans cover Retin-A
The tables below show how coverage for Retin-A products compares across different insurance types, along with the likelihood of having prior authorization and step therapy requirements.
Insurance type | Enrollees covered for Retin-A 0.025% topical cream | Enrollees required to get prior authorization | Enrollees required to do step therapy |
|---|---|---|---|
22.3% | 13.4% | 0% | |
Commercial plans (excluding ACA plans) | 67.2% | 18.3% | 9.9% |
Medicare (original Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans) | 9.9% | 9.7% | 0% |
Medicaid, including state-run and managed care plans | 97.4% | 59% | 5.1% |
Source: Managed Markets Insight & Technology, LLC™, as of January 10, 2026. (See methodology below.)
Insurance type | Enrollees covered for Retin-A 0.1% topical cream | Enrollees required to get prior authorization | Enrollees required to do step therapy |
|---|---|---|---|
ACA plans | 22.2% | 13.3% | 0% |
Commercial plans (excluding ACA plans) | 67.4% | 18.3% | 10.7% |
Medicare (original Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans) | 9.9% | 9.7% | 0% |
Medicaid, including state-run and managed care plans | 97.4% | 59.4% | 5.1% |
Source: Managed Markets Insight & Technology, LLC™, as of January 10, 2026. (See methodology below.)
Insurance type | Enrollees covered for Retin-A 0.025% topical gel | Enrollees required to get prior authorization | Enrollees required to do step therapy |
|---|---|---|---|
ACA plans | 25.6% | 13.3% | 0% |
Commercial plans (excluding ACA plans) | 67.8% | 17.6% | 9.9% |
Medicare (original Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans) | 9.9% | 9.7% | 0% |
Medicaid, including state-run and managed care plans | 97.3% | 56.9% | 3.5% |
Source: Managed Markets Insight & Technology, LLC™, as of January 10, 2026. (See methodology below.)
Insurance type | Enrollees covered for Retin-A Micro 0.1% topical gel | Enrollees required to get prior authorization | Enrollees required to do step therapy |
|---|---|---|---|
ACA plans | 19.6% | 11.9% | 0.6% |
Commercial plans (excluding ACA plans) | 51.2% | 32.1% | 10.7% |
Medicare (original Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans) | 5.9% | 5.7% | 0% |
Medicaid, including state-run and managed care plans | 95.5% | 68.1% | 3.2% |
Source: Managed Markets Insight & Technology, LLC™, as of January 10, 2026. (See methodology below.)
How to get Retin-A covered by insurance
Here are ways to increase the chances of your insurance plan covering Retin-A:
Review your plan details. Look at your formulary and other plan documents, such as your summary of benefits and coverage.
Get a prescription for Retin-A. Schedule an appointment with your healthcare professional to learn about the benefits and side effects of Retin-A and to request a prescription.
Talk with your prescriber about coverage. Once you get a prescription, your healthcare professional can verify whether your health plan covers Retin-A. If it’s not covered for your condition, they can explain to your insurance company why the medication is medically necessary or suggest alternatives.
Secure prior authorization, if needed. Your insurance provider may want you to get prior authorization before covering Retin-A. In this case, your prescriber may need to explain why it's preferable to alternatives.
Find out if step therapy is necessary. If Retin-A is not a preferred medication on your formulary, you may have to try a preferred medication first.
Request a formulary exception or appeal. If needed, you can request a formulary exception for Retin-A. Then, if it still isn't covered, you can talk to your prescriber about filing an appeal. This process generally involves writing a letter to your insurance company detailing your health condition and why you believe the medication should be covered.
Ways to save on Retin-A
Here are six ways you may be able to save on Retin-A — whether you have insurance or not.
1. Use a free GoodRx discount
GoodRx offers discounts for various medications, including Retin-A. Download the GoodRx app or log on to www.goodrx.com to take advantage of savings.
With a GoodRx discount, you could pay as little as $46.89 for a 45 g tube of 0.025% Retin-A cream. Or you could pay as little as $54.86 for a 45 g tube of 0.01% Retin-A gel.
2. Compare pharmacy prices
While on the GoodRx app or website, you’ll notice how prices for Retin-A vary among pharmacies. See how much the costs differ between locations and decide if moving your prescription to a new pharmacy makes sense.
3. Compare generic vs. brand-name prices
Brand-name medication prices are usually much higher than generic medication costs. This is why insurance plans often prefer generics over brand-name medications. But Retin-A may cost less than generic tretinoin, so reach out to your insurance plan or pharmacy for details.
4. Look into patient assistance programs
Bausch Health, the manufacturer of Retin-A, has a patient assistance program that offers consumers savings on certain medications. But Retin-A is not currently among the eligible medications included in the Bausch Health Patient Assistance Program. There may be an independent patient assistance program available to you that helps cover the cost of Retin-A.
5. Consider alternative medications
Other topical acne treatments may cost less than Retin-A out of pocket or be covered by your insurance company. Clindamycin (Cleocin-T) and erythromycin are prescription topical medications that treat acne. Benzoyl peroxide and Differin gel (adapalene) are two over-the-counter options.
6. Buy a 90-day supply
The quantity of Retin-A you purchase at one time can impact costs. Generally, pharmacies offer lower unit prices for medications when you purchase them in larger quantities. So consider filling a 90-day supply instead of a 30-day supply for possible savings.
Frequently asked questions
Retin-A must be used long term for continued benefits.
If you’re seeing Retin-A available for a lower price than generic tretinoin, it could be due to temporary pricing or promotional discounts at your pharmacy. If you have insurance, your plan may also cover these medications differently.
Each tube of Retin-A has an expiration date, which appears on the packaging. It's safe to use until then, but once it expires, toss it out and get a refill. Expired medication can be less effective and potentially unsafe.
Retin-A must be used long term for continued benefits.
If you’re seeing Retin-A available for a lower price than generic tretinoin, it could be due to temporary pricing or promotional discounts at your pharmacy. If you have insurance, your plan may also cover these medications differently.
Each tube of Retin-A has an expiration date, which appears on the packaging. It's safe to use until then, but once it expires, toss it out and get a refill. Expired medication can be less effective and potentially unsafe.
The bottom line
Without insurance, a 45 g tube of Retin-A 0.05% cream costs an average of $67.37. What you actually pay will depend on factors such as the pharmacy you choose, your location, and whether you have insurance coverage. Sometimes, brand-name Retin-A may cost less than generic tretinoin.
You could save money on Retin-A by using a GoodRx discount and researching prices at different pharmacies.
Why trust our experts?
Methodology
We obtained national prescription coverage data for each medication from Managed Markets Insight & Technology (MMIT). The data reflects health insurance coverage as of January 10, 2026.
We calculated the percentage of enrollees in plans that cover each medication by dividing the number of enrollees covered for the medication within a specific insurance channel (e.g., ACA, Medicare, Medicaid) by the total number of enrollees in all plans within that channel.
We determined the percentage of enrollees in plans with a prior authorization requirement by calculating the proportion of enrollees in plans that required prior authorization for the medication within each channel.
Finally, we measured the percentage of enrollees in plans with a step therapy requirement by calculating the proportion of enrollees in plans that imposed step therapy requirements for the medication in each channel.
These estimates, derived from national MMIT coverage data, provide insight into health insurance coverage for each medication. They take into account restrictions such as prior authorization, step therapy, and quantity limits. The percentages are expressed relative to the total number of enrollees covered by various insurance channels, including ACA plans, commercial (excluding ACA) plans, Medicare, and Medicaid (both state-run and managed care plans).
References
Balado-Simó, P., et al. (2025). An updated review of topical tretinoin in dermatology: From acne and photoaging to skin cancer. Journal of Clinical Medicine.
Bausch Health Patient Assistance Program. (n.d.). Eligible Bausch Health medications. Bausch Health.
Medicaid.gov. (n.d.). Managed care.
