8 Best Online Pharmacies of 2023

Most Comprehensive: RedBox Rx

Key Specs

• Cost: Medical consults $0-$69; prescriptions start around $10-$25 per month
• Medical Consultation Required? In most instances
• Accepts Insurance? No. Accepts health savings account (HSA) and flexible spending account (FSA) payments
• Free shipping? Yes

Why We Chose It

RedBox Rx offers free medical consultations for birth control, hair loss, or erectile dysfunction. The service is available in all 50 states, can ship prescriptions to your home or local pharmacy, and offers consults and medication for many health concerns.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Free medical consults for many concerns
• Medical advisor reviews your information within 24 hours
• Prescriptions sent to your home or pharmacy of your choice
• Discreet packaging
• Conspicuous customer service contact and refund info

Cons

• Only for patients 18 and older
• Cannot mail prescriptions to Washington D.C. residences
• Does not fill prescriptions from outside providers
• Does not accept insurance
• Can’t treat erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation in North Dakota and South Carolina

Overview

RedBox Rx does it all, and for a low price: whether you’re experiencing erectile dysfunction, hair loss, a urinary tract infection (UTI), headaches, nausea, eczema, anxiety, depression, or need birth control, it’s got you covered. RedBox Rx is one of the few online pharmacies that goes beyond addressing sexual/reproductive health and hair/skin issues to also offer mental health and primary care prescriptions.

The company was launched in 2021 as a low-cost telehealth and pharmacy service by Hy-Vee, an Iowa-based supermarket chain. While RedBox Rx may not have been around for very long, its parent company was founded in 1930.

Licensed medical providers (physicians, nurse practitioners, or physician assistants) are available from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. CST seven days a week for live consultations. To access care, find your concern within one of the five main care categories listed on the homepage—Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Hair & Skin, Mental Health, and Primary Care—then click “get started.” You’ll be asked if you have a preferred medication or any comments for the prescriber. Then, create an account, complete a medical assessment form, and find out if a telemedicine consultation is necessary for the prescription you need prescribed. If so, you’ll be sent into the virtual waiting room while your prescriber reviews the information you submitted. Within a few minutes, you will meet with your provider, who will decide if medication is right for your situation.

Best for Subscription: Blink Health

Key Specs

• Cost: $10 monthly subscription fee for telehealth prescription services, plus cost of medication
• Medical Consultation Required: Not always; in some cases and states
• Accepts Insurance: Yes
• Free shipping? Yes

Why We Chose It

For $10 a month, you get unlimited access to messaging and consultations with licensed healthcare providers, seamless auto-refills, and low-priced prescriptions.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Subscription includes unlimited messaging with providers
• Can get new prescription via telehealth or bring your current prescription
• Over 250 birth control pill options available
• Auto-refills
• Customer service available seven days a week

Cons

• Not available in all states
• $10 monthly subscription fee
• Not for first-time users of hormonal birth control
• Only for adults

Overview

Blink Health was founded in 2014 as a way for people to save money on prescriptions, similar to GoodRx. In 2019, the service added telehealth prescribing appointments for birth control. So there are two models here: you can either bring your current birth control prescription to Blink Health to get it filled or you can get a subscription to its telehealth service and have a virtual consultation with a healthcare provider to get a new prescription. Online prescribing is available for birth control, ED, hair loss, high cholesterol, cold sores, and acid reflux.

To get a new prescription, start by choosing the medication you’re interested in. (One caveat is that Blink Health is not for first-time users of hormonal birth control, and you must choose a medication you’ve used before.) You can peruse the list of options or enter the name of your medication in the search box. Within 24 hours of submitting your request, a physician will follow up with you. Next, you’ll have a virtual medical consultation and, if appropriate, your chosen medication will be prescribed and sent to your home within three to five business days. Auto-refills are shipped every one to three months, according to your prescription.

To access telehealth, you must subscribe to the service for $10 per month. Subscriptions include unlimited messaging with healthcare providers, which can be handy if you want to try a different medication or discuss any troubling symptoms. Telehealth for birth control pills are only available in: California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas. For erectile dysfunction, you must be ages 25 to 65, and live in: California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas.

Blink Health has experienced some controversy. In 2017, a former investor filed a $30 million lawsuit against the company alleging fraud, breach of contract, and other illegal actions, but a judge tossed the case out in 2022.

Best for Erectile Dysfunction: Roman

Key Specs

• Cost: Free medical consultations; $4-$90 per dose
• Medical Consultation Required: Not always; in some cases and states
• Accepts Insurance: No
• Free shipping? Yes

Why We Chose It

We love that Roman offers free initial assessments—and free unlimited follow-ups—plus fast, discreet shipping, reasonable prices, and easy refills alongside clear safety information and comprehensive FAQs for its erectile dysfunction medications.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Choose monthly or quarterly auto-refill
• Prescriptions sent to your home or pharmacy of choice
• Free consultations
• Lots of health info on website

Cons

• Can’t guarantee prescription prices if sent to your local pharmacy
• Does not fill prescriptions from outside providers
• Does not accept insurance
• Only for patients 18 and older

Overview

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to get or maintain an erection. It’s estimated that 52{2c3a8711102f73ee058d83c6a8025dc7f37722aad075054eaafcf582b93871a0} of men between ages 40 and 70 experience ED, representing 30 to 50 million men in the U.S. and 150 million men globally. Many health issues are thought to contribute to ED, including high cholesterol or blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and depression. Further about a quarter of ED cases are thought to be a side effect of various medications. All this is to say that ED is common and nothing to be ashamed of seeking help for.

Roman was designed to address all your ED needs. It was his experience with erectile dysfunction that led Zachariah Reitano to found Roman in 2017. Though it has since expanded its focus, this basis in helping men access medications for erectile dysfunction still stands out. In addition to being a great place to go for ED meds, Roman sells benzocaine wipes for premature ejaculation, topical and pill treatments for male hair loss, and testosterone level evaluations and supplements. Since its founding, the company has branched out beyond men’s health and can now address a wide range of men’s health, women’s health, and basic primary care concerns.

It offers generic and brand-name versions of Viagra and Cialis. Brand name Viagra starts at $90 per dose, with its generic starting at $4 per dose; brand name Cialis starts at $20 per dose and its generic version starts at $8 per dose. To begin, just find your condition in the website’s drop-down A-Z menu of what it treats, then click “start online visit.” You’ll answer some customized questions and then a healthcare provider will review your request within 24 hours. Your provider will then either submit your prescription or let you know that they need more information about your condition and may request a virtual consultation. In some cases, your state of residence may require a virtual consultation. If prescribed, you’ll get free, discreet two-day shipping of your medication and unlimited free follow-up appointments.

Side effects of ED medications include headaches, facial flushing, stuffy nose, and upset stomach. Rare, but serious, side effects include an erection lasting longer than 4 hours, hearing loss, and vision loss. People taking PDE5 inhibitors with nitrates, or any nitrate medications, should not take ED medications due to the risk of a life-threatening interaction.

Best for Birth Control: Lemonaid Health

Key Specs

• Cost: Medical consults mostly $25; ED medication $2 per pill, birth control pills $15/3-months

• Medical Consultation Required? Not always; in some cases and states

• Accepts Insurance? No; no HSA of FSA payments either

Why We Chose It

Lemonaid Health is a one-stop shop for people with uteruses’ health needs. The service has prescriptions for UTIs, hot flashes, and over 100 hormonal birth control options, including the ring, patch, and morning-after pill.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Extensive FAQs section with info for each diagnosis/concern
• Easy refills
• Prescriptions sent to your home or pharmacy of your choice
• Frequently offers discounts on first order of medication
• Often ships several-months supply of medication
• Most medical consults are flat rate of $25

Cons

• Does not fill prescriptions from outside providers
• Only for patients 18 and older
• Only one hair loss prescription available and it’s for men only, according to the website
• Does not accept insurance
• No free consultations

Overview

Lemonaid Health provides telehealth consultation and prescription services for a variety of health needs under the topic umbrellas of men’s health, women’s health, mental health, skin, and general health. We especially love that its medical consultations are typically a flat rate of $25, it has several low-cost treatment options for people with uteruses’ reproductive/sexual health needs. Lemonaid is especially flush with birth control options, with 100 hormonal pills, the ring, and the patch to choose from, in addition to offering the morning-after pill.

Lemonaid Health is now a decade old, having been founded in San Francisco back in 2013. In 2021, the company was acquired by DNA testing giant 23andMe. Among the things Lemonaid Health says it can help with are: ED, premature ejaculation, anxiety, insomnia, seasonal affective disorder, smoking cessation, migraine, genital herpes, asthma, acid reflux, high blood pressure or cholesterol, hypothyroidism, UTIs, hot flashes, and acne. The company also works with local labs to offer low-cost tests for STIs, A1C blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels, and blood type. Overall, customers appear satisfied with the service.

First, you indicate which medication you are interested in, then fill out some information about your medical history. Lemonaid Health will review your submission and respond within 24 business hours. The company’s business hours are M–F 5 a.m.–5 p.m. and weekends 5 a.m.–4 p.m. PT. Many patients won’t be required to have a live video or phone consult, but some conditions require them and some states have regulations requiring them. If medication is prescribed, it can be sent to your home in discreet packaging or called into your pharmacy of choice. Lemonaid Health keeps costs low by not working with insurance and offering many generic options, in addition to some brand-name prescriptions, so it’s a great option for people without insurance. Birth control pills are $15 for a three-month supply.

Hormonal birth control contains synthetic forms of the hormones progestin and estrogen, or just progestin, to prevent ovulation. Averting pregnancy isn’t the only purpose of birth control; it can also lighten periods and reduce menstrual cramps, acne, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), anemia, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) symptoms, and endometriosis symptoms. Hormonal birth control is available as pills, a vaginal ring, dermal patch, and other formats. If taken as directed, birth control pills are 99{2c3a8711102f73ee058d83c6a8025dc7f37722aad075054eaafcf582b93871a0} effective at preventing pregnancy; with non-perfect use, they’re 91{2c3a8711102f73ee058d83c6a8025dc7f37722aad075054eaafcf582b93871a0} effective.

Common side effects include nausea, mood changes, worsening migraines, breast tenderness, and weight gain. Rare, but serious, side effects include blood clots, heart attack, high blood pressure, and stroke. Women who use tobacco products or have clotting disorders or high blood pressure or cholesterol run a higher risk of serious side effects. Progestin-only birth control is less likely to cause serious side effects.

Best for Generics: Sesame Care

Key Specs

• Cost: Medical consults begin at $40, discount with subscription; generic prescriptions $5/month
• Medical Consultation Required: Yes, video appointment
• Accepts Insurance: No; accepts HSA/FSA payments and will provide superbill for potential insurance reimbursement
• Free shipping? Yes

Why We Chose It

While Sesame has a higher appointment cost than many other online prescribing services we reviewed, that consultation gets you access to its pharmacy of generics that mostly cost $5 a month.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• $5 monthly supply on most generics
• Same-day or next-day appointments available
• Can read doctor bios before booking
• Choose your appointment time
• Auto-refills
• Clear pricing

Cons

• Video appointments required
• Appointments can get pricey: from $40 to over $100
• Only for patients 18 and older

Overview

If you’re OK paying a bit more to see a doctor, Sesame Care‘s medication costs can’t be beat. For instance, generic Cialis for erectile dysfunction is $5 for 30 tablets; generic Yasmin birth control is $5 for 28 tablets; generic Lexapro for anxiety/depression is $5 for 30 tablets.

There are several ways to get started with Sesame: you can enter a term in the search bar on the main page, such as a symptom, specialty, or condition. Or, underneath the search bar, you’ll find buttons for “I need to see a doctor urgently” or “I need a prescription refill.” Scroll down the page and you can access care by clicking through lists of the top-booked appointment types like “UTI consult” and “ED consult,” specialties, symptoms, and $5 medications. Further down the page, you will find a selection of doctor bio boxes, with headshots, clear prices, and upcoming available appointment times. There’s even a toggle button you can flip on the website if you only want to see a list of doctors who have availability within the next two hours. You can also search for a specific doctor, if you want.

Before booking, you can read more about providers on their bio pages, even customer reviews. Each doctor also has a selection of color-coded tags on their profile, such as “Available today,” “Highly rated,” and “Loyal patients,” but the one you’ll want to look for is the “$5 Meds” tag, meaning this doctor can prescribe generic $5/month medications via SesameRx. During your visit, the doctor will listen to your concerns and decide if medication is appropriate. If prescribed, your medication will arrive at your home via USPS within two to four days in discreet packaging.

You don’t have to subscribe to Sesame to access telehealth prescribing services, but you can join if you want. Subscriptions cost $11 per month or $99 per year and will save you $20 on all telehealth visits and grant you one free blood test per year.

Sesame’s doctors can treat over 120 conditions, including:

• Acid reflux
• Allergies
• Anxiety
• Arthritis
• Asthma
• Birth control
• Depression
• Diabetes
• Erectile dysfunction
• Hair Loss
• Infertility
• Insomnia
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Mood disorders
• Seizure
• UTI

Best for Hair Loss: Ro Pharmacy

Key Specs

• Cost: Free medical consultation; hair loss medications range from $16 to $35 a month
• Medical Consultation Required: Not always; in some cases and states
• Accepts Insurance: No
• Free shipping? Yes

Why We Chose It

Ro makes accessing care for your hair loss easy and affordable and offers four different treatment options. Consults are free and medications range from $16 to $35 a month.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Free online consultation
• Free, discreet shipping
• Auto-refills
• Four hair-loss treatment options
• Live consultation may not be required

Cons

• Only generics for hair loss
• Can’t guarantee prescription prices if sent to your local pharmacy
• Does not fill prescriptions from outside providers
• Does not accept insurance

Overview

Ro was founded in 2017 as Roman, a men’s-health focused telehealth and prescription service. Its main concerns were the common, but potentially embarrassing conditions of erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, and hair loss. The company hoped to make it easier and cheaper to access medications to address these issues by doing so online. This grounding in men’s health shines through.

Ro offers four different treatment options for hair loss. Finasteride and topical minoxidil (generic Propecia and Rogaine) for $35 a month, finasteride alone for $20 a month, topical minoxidil alone for $16 a month, or oral minoxidil (generic Loniten) for $30 a month. These drugs come with some warnings: finasteride is not appropriate for all people with testicles and should not be used by people with uteruses or handled by pregnant people; oral minoxidil is a boxed warning drug and is considered off-label for hair loss.

To get started with Ro, choose your condition/concern or medication of choice from the website’s drop-down A-Z menu. Next, you’ll answer some customized questions. Within 24 hours, a healthcare provider will review your request. The provider will then either submit a prescription for you or reach out to tell you they need more information about your case and must meet with you either online or by phone. In some cases, your state of residence may require a live video consultation. If prescribed, you’ll get free, discreet two-day shipping of your medication and unlimited free follow-up appointments.
Within a few years of its founding, Ro branched out beyond traditional men’s health and can now address: genital herpes, weight management, excessive sweating, acne, allergies, anxiety, depression, SAD, cold sores, dandruff, eczema, hot flashes, skin aging, tobacco use, and vaginal dryness. It also offers a wide range of vitamins, supplements, and at-home health testing kits.

Best for Temperature-Sensitive Shipping: Optum Rx

Key Specs

• Cost: Medical consults free to $55; medications range in price.

• Medical Consultation Required: Yes for new prescriptions or refills, no if transferring a prescription

• Accepts Insurance: No for telehealth visits, but can use FSA/HSA; yes for transferred prescriptions, only United Healthcare

• Free shipping? Yes

Optum Rx’s temperature-controlled, cold chain packaging not only meets but exceeds international standards. This means you can feel confident that your temperature-sensitive medications were not exposed to higher temperatures during transit that might render your prescriptions unuseable.

Pros & Cons


Pros

• Temperature-controlled shipping exceeds standards
• Some consultations free
• Can get telehealth prescriptions/refills or transfer prescriptions
• Accepts insurance for transferred prescriptions
• Telehealth can be used by minors with parent/guardian present

Cons

• Primary care consults expensive: $55
• Insurance not accepted for telehealth appointments
• FAQs and website could be easier to navigate

Overview

Most medications can be stored at typical indoor temperatures without adverse effects, but cannot withstand temperatures above 93° F. Some medications must be kept at very specific temperatures in order to maintain effectiveness and safety. Pharmacies rely on “cold chain,” systems of cold storage facilities, refrigerators, and cold packaging, to maintain medicine temperatures during shipment. But how can you be sure your medication was safely shipped? One study found that at some point during transit, nearly all mail-order pharmacy shipments were exposed to temperatures outside the recommended range. In the winter, packages spent 68{2c3a8711102f73ee058d83c6a8025dc7f37722aad075054eaafcf582b93871a0} to 87{2c3a8711102f73ee058d83c6a8025dc7f37722aad075054eaafcf582b93871a0} of their transit time in unsuitable temperatures; in summer, 27{2c3a8711102f73ee058d83c6a8025dc7f37722aad075054eaafcf582b93871a0} to 54{2c3a8711102f73ee058d83c6a8025dc7f37722aad075054eaafcf582b93871a0} of their transit time.

Luckily, Optum Rx’s cold chain packaging exceeds international standards. It ships all temperature-sensitive medications in meticulously designed temperature-controlled packaging that the company has spent years researching and testing. Optum Rx has even developed a proprietary method for shipping medications when temperatures outside are 0° F to 32° F to prevent medications from freezing.

Optum Rx is another two-model company, that is, you can either transfer your existing prescriptions to its online pharmacy service, or you can access telehealth and have a provider prescribe you medication through the service. On the website, you can access telehealth consultation, prescribing, and refill services for common primary care concerns, mental health, birth control, erectile dysfunction, and hair loss. Appointment costs range from free to $55. For instance, birth control consults are free; general telehealth appointments are $55. The best news about Optum Rx is that you can book a telehealth visit for your kids: children under age 18 can be seen by its virtual providers so long as the parent/guardian is present for the appointment. While you cannot use insurance to cover the cost of telehealth, you can use United Healthcare to help pay for prescriptions you transfer to Optum Rx. You can also purchase an array of tests and other over-the-counter products in the online store.

Most User-Friendly: LetsGetChecked

Key Specs

• Cost: $39 general health consults; free to request ED meds and birth control, which cost about $2 to $5 per pill and $10 to $20 per month, respectively.
• Medical Consultation Required: Not typically, can be requested
• Accepts Insurance: No
• Free shipping? Yes

Why We Chose It

A reliable name in at-home testing, LetsGetChecked now offers online pharmacy services for two of the most commonly prescribed medications: ED and birth control. The prescription request process is free, easy, and straightforward, and it may not even require a live physician consult.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Free assessments for birth control and ED meds
• Live medical consultations available
• Auto-refills
• Choose how many months of medication you want to pay for

Cons

• Not available in all states
• Only ED meds and birth control shipped to home; other meds prescribed in telehealth consults sent to local pharmacy
• Only for adults ages 18 and up

Overview

If you’re looking for birth control or erectile dysfunction medications, LetsGetChecked is an easy-to-use online prescribing option that won’t require a live consult in most cases. First, you complete a comprehensive online health assessment and medical history information, then someone from the clinical team at LetsGetChecked will review your request. You can request a live consultation with a healthcare provider to discuss medication options, side effects, or other concerns if you want, but it’s not required. If approved, your prescription request is then filled and shipped for free to your home in discreet packaging.

LetsGetChecksed offers nine of the most common birth control pill options to choose from, and though it doesn’t accept insurance, its low prices make up for that, with prescription costs ranging from $10 to $20 per month. For erectile dysfunction, there are three options, ranging from a little over a dollar a pill to just under $5 a pill. You can choose to pay for a three, six, or 12-month auto-renewing prescription of birth control pills, and a one, three, six, or 12-month auto-renewing prescription for ED medications. (A maximum 90-day supply is dispensed at any one time.) It calls this auto-fill feature a subscription. Subscriptions automatically renew at the end of each payment period but can be canceled anytime.
For other health issues, the company offers $39 telehealth consultations for a range of women’s and men’s health, sexual health, and general health needs. Any prescriptions that result from these consultations will be sent to your local pharmacy. LetsGetChecked also sells several kinds of at-home health tests, such as hormone tests for people with uteruses and testicles, STD tests, and general health tests. LetsGetChecked cannot prescribe medication to residents of: Alaska, Arizona, Delaware, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Washington D.C., and West Virginia.