Key takeaways:
Viagra (sildenafil) is a popular prescription medication used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED).
Without insurance, the average price for 30 tablets of brand-name Viagra 50 mg is $2900.34. To save money, you can ask your prescriber about a generic version, a 90-day supply, or alternative ED medications.
GoodRx may be able to help you save over 95% off the average retail price of generic Viagra at certain pharmacies. You can also order directly through GoodRx for ED.
Save on related medications
Viagra (sildenafil) is a prescription-only medication used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). It became the first FDA-approved medication of its kind in 1998 and is still often a first-choice option for people with ED today. Viagra comes as a tablet you take by mouth and works by increasing blood flow to the penis.
The cost of Viagra can vary depending on your location, the pharmacy you choose, and other factors. Without insurance or discounts, 30 tablets of brand-name Viagra 50 mg costs an average of $2900.34.
Fortunately, there are ways to save. You can now purchase 30 tablets of sildenafil 50 mg at a discount with a GoodRx coupon. You can also get an online prescription for generic Cialis (tadalafil) or generic Viagra using GoodRx for ED.
Search and compare options
Does insurance cover Viagra?
Insurance companies are usually stricter about covering brand-name medications like Viagra than covering lower-cost generics. Even if your plan didn’t cover Viagra in the past, it may cover the generic version, sildenafil, now. Your copay will depend on your specific plan, so check with your insurer to find out how much you’re responsible for out of pocket.
If your plan doesn’t cover sildenafil, you can try to appeal for an exception. This usually involves working with your healthcare professional to submit a letter explaining why the medication is medically necessary. In some cases, you may also need to submit a prior authorization form or go through step therapy before you can get the medication covered.
How different insurance plans cover Viagra
The tables below show how likely brand-name Viagra and generic sildenafil are to be covered under different types of insurance, as well as whether prior authorization or step therapy may be required.
Insurance Coverage for Viagra
Insurance type | Enrollees covered for brand-name Viagra 50 mg | Enrollees required to get prior authorization | Enrollees required to do step therapy |
|---|---|---|---|
Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans | 18.8% | 13.9% | 0% |
Commercial (not including ACA) plans | 43.8% | 14.3% | 5.5% |
Medicare, including original Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans | 1% | 0% | 0% |
Medicaid, including state-run and managed care plans | 54.3% | 43.3% | 0.2% |
Source: Managed Markets Insight & Technology, LLC™, as of September 11, 2025. (See methodology below.)
Insurance Coverage for Generic Sildenafil
Insurance type | Enrollees covered for generic sildenafil 50 mg | Enrollees required to get prior authorization | Enrollees required to do step therapy |
|---|---|---|---|
ACA plans | 53.3% | 32.5% | 0.4% |
Commercial (not including ACA) plans | 91.4% | 12.6% | 0% |
Medicare, including original Medicare and Medicare Advantage | 15.7% | 0.4% | 0% |
Medicaid, including state-run and managed care plans | 88.5% | 35.8% | 0% |
Source: Managed Markets Insight & Technology, LLC™, as of September 11, 2025. (See methodology below.)
Does Medicare cover Viagra?
Medicare rarely covers brand-name Viagra, but nearly 1 in 6 plans cover generic sildenafil. Your chances of having coverage are higher if you have a Medicaid, an ACA, or a commercial health plan. About 1 in 5 people with ACA marketplace plans have coverage for brand-name Viagra, and a little over 2 in 5 people with commercial insurance are covered.
What’s the difference between Viagra and generic sildenafil?
Viagra and its generic work the same way, because they contain the same active ingredient: sildenafil. At the same doses, they are equally safe and effective. The FDA rigorously reviews all generics to ensure that they work just like the brand-name medications that preceded them.
If you’ve been taking Viagra and decide to switch to generic sildenafil, you’ll notice that the pill looks a bit different. Viagra comes as a little blue pill; sildenafil typically comes as a little white pill.
Revatio, a medication approved to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in children and adults, is another brand-name version of sildenafil. Revatio comes in different forms:
10 mg/mL oral liquid suspension
Intravenous injection given by a healthcare professional
How much does Viagra (sildenafil) cost? The cost of Viagra varies based on several factors, but here’s how much you might pay with and without insurance.
Use your flexible spending account (FSA) dollars. You may be able to use your FSA to pay for Viagra and other health expenses before your money expires.
Wondering about ways to save on erectile dysfunction medications? Here are some options to consider.
Viagra price vs. sildenafil price
Here are average retail prices for 30 tablets of Viagra and 30 tablets of sildenafil in different doses.
Dose | Average retail price for Viagra (brand name) | Average retail price for sildenafil (generic) |
|---|---|---|
25 mg | ||
50 mg | ||
100 mg |
Ways to save on Viagra
Below, we discuss five ways you can save on Viagra, whether you have insurance or not.
1. Download a GoodRx discount
You don’t have to use insurance to save on Viagra. If your copay is too high or you don’t have insurance coverage at all, a GoodRx discount could help. Here’s what you could potentially pay for 30 tablets of Viagra or sildenafil at different doses using a GoodRx coupon.
Dose | GoodRx price for Viagra (brand name) | GoodRx price for sildenafil (generic) |
|---|---|---|
25 mg | ||
50 mg | ||
100 mg |
To get a GoodRx coupon for generic Viagra, just search for “sildenafil” and enter your prescribed dose and quantity on www.goodrx.com or in the GoodRx mobile app. Then, click on “set your location” to find coupons for pharmacies in your area. Even if you have insurance, it’s worth it to compare prices.
You can also access generic Viagra for as low as $18 per month through GoodRx for ED.
2. See if you’re eligible for the manufacturer savings card
A manufacturer savings card (also called a copay savings card) is a type of program offered by pharmaceutical companies to help lower your out-of-pocket costs at the pharmacy. Pfizer, the maker of brand-name Viagra, offers a savings card for eligible individuals.
If you qualify for the Viagra savings card, you could save up to 50% on as many as 12 prescriptions of the medication per year at participating pharmacies. If your pharmacy is not part of the program, you may still qualify for savings by submitting a reimbursement request.
This savings offer covers up to 50% of your copay or out-of-pocket cost, whichever is less. You can save up to $350 per prescription, with a total maximum savings of $4,200 in one calendar year. This offer may be changed or discontinued at any time.
To qualify, you must:
Be 18 years or older with a valid Viagra prescription
Have commercial insurance that does not fully cover the cost of the medication
Not be enrolled in any government-funded health programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, or state assistance programs
3. Ask your healthcare professional for a 90-day supply
With most things, buying in bulk is cheaper in the long run. Pharmacies may charge less outright for larger quantities of medication. If you have insurance, your savings may also come in the form of fewer copays, because larger prescriptions mean you’ll need to make fewer trips to the pharmacy.
To get a larger quantity of medication than you were originally prescribed, you’ll likely need to request a new prescription from your prescriber or ask your pharmacist to combine refills if you have extra. You may also need to get approval from your insurance company to cover it.
4. Talk to your prescriber about Viagra alternative medications
Whether or not you have insurance, it’s always smart to ask your healthcare professional about alternatives to the medications you’re prescribed. This will give you an opportunity to learn about the pros and cons of each option and see if you can save with another, similar medication.
Alternatives to Viagra include Cialis (tadalafil), avanafil (Stendra), and vardenafil (Levitra). All three medications treat ED in a similar way: relaxing the blood vessels supplying the penis so an erection can occur.
5. Tap into your tax-advantaged health account
If you have a health savings account (HSA), health reimbursement arrangement (HRA), or flexible spending account (FSA), you can use those pretax dollars to pay for prescription medications like Viagra. You can swipe your HSA or FSA card at the pharmacy counter, or save your receipt and submit it for reimbursement later.
FSA funds generally expire at the end of the plan year, while HSA funds roll over year to year and remain available whenever you need them.
Frequently asked questions
No, Viagra is not available over the counter. You will need a prescription from a licensed healthcare professional to get Viagra or its generic form, sildenafil. However, some telehealth services, like GoodRx for ED, can evaluate symptoms of ED and prescribe generic sildenafil during a virtual consultation.
Viagra is not usually available for free, especially since there is a lower-cost generic version available. You may be able to save on your medication by downloading a GoodRx coupon or choosing the generic version. In rare cases, assistance programs or clinical trials may offer free medication.
No, Viagra is not available over the counter. You will need a prescription from a licensed healthcare professional to get Viagra or its generic form, sildenafil. However, some telehealth services, like GoodRx for ED, can evaluate symptoms of ED and prescribe generic sildenafil during a virtual consultation.
Viagra is not usually available for free, especially since there is a lower-cost generic version available. You may be able to save on your medication by downloading a GoodRx coupon or choosing the generic version. In rare cases, assistance programs or clinical trials may offer free medication.
The bottom line
Viagra (sildenafil) is a popular prescription medication for erectile dysfunction. Without insurance, brand-name Viagra 50 mg costs an average of $2900.34 for 30 tablets. You can see if you qualify for the Viagra savings card, try the generic version, or ask about alternatives to save money. Whether or not you have insurance, you can also use a GoodRx coupon to potentially reduce your out-of-pocket costs.
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 September 2025.
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
AuroMedics Pharma. (2021). Sildenafil - sildenafil citrate injection, solution [package insert].
Major Pharmaceuticals. (2022). Sildenafil citrate - sildenafil citrate tablet [package insert].
Medicaid.gov. (n.d.). Managed care.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (1998). Drug approval package: Viagra (sildenafil citrate).
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2025). Generic drugs: Overview and basics.
