As much as 66% of the United States adult population uses prescription drugs. And according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 46% take at least one prescription drug every month. With so many people in need of prescription drugs, it is disturbing to see the cost of medications rising faster than inflation. Affordability has become such an issue that many people are not taking their medications as prescribed. According to a 2019 Kaiser Family Foundation Health Tracking Poll, approximately one in four adults finds it difficult to pay for their medication. Looking more closely, 19% do not fill their prescription, 18% take an over-the-counter drug instead, and 12% cut their pills in half or skip doses. Prescription discount cards are a one way to tackle this problem. Prescription discount cards help people save money on their medications by negotiating with pharmacies for bulk purchases, then passing savings on to consumers. The discount program then receives a payment from the pharmacy whenever someone uses their card to obtain a prescription. These cards are free to use and are especially beneficial for those without insurance. We've rounded up the best prescription discount cards for you to choose from. Best Prescription Discount Cards Best Prescription Discount Cards Final Verdict Compare Providers Guide to Choosing the Best Prescription Discount Cards Methodology Key Specs Why We Chose It GoodRx offers significant savings and a network of more than 70,000 pharmacies, plus the convenience of an easy-to-use app. Pros & Cons Pros Free to join Comprehensive coverage of drugs Accepted at more than 70,000 pharmacies Has a mobile app Cons Premium membership required for extra discounts Overview GoodRx is a free program that offers multiple ways to save on your prescription drugs. Anyone is eligible to participate, so long as they are 18 years old and reside in the United States or its territories. Children can also be added to their parent's or guardian's accounts. The program covers most FDA-approved drugs, both brand-name and generic, and can even help decrease the cost for certain pet medications. GoodRx also offers specific guidance for Medicare D beneficiaries to help them make decisions on how to save money on their prescriptions. Keep in mind coupons may provide larger discounts than cards at times. The company's website and mobile app allow you to search by drug name for the lowest prices in your local area. You can print or present a coupon from the mobile app to get the lowest rate at your designated pharmacy or use the GoodRx discount card at any of its 70,000+ participating pharmacies. Through GoodRx, medications may be discounted as much as 80% from the retail price. For access to the steepest discounts, the company also offers a premium service called GoodRx Gold that costs around $10 per month for an individual and about $20 per month for a family up to six people (GoodRx Gold is not available in the state of Washington). With GoodRx Gold, you get a 30-day free trial to see if membership works for you, exclusive savings of up to 90% on prescriptions, and free delivery. Members also receive discounts on services offered in the GoodRx app, like telehealth appointments,andco-paysareas low as $19 per visit. GoodRx is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and has an A- rating. GoodRx only lists pharmacies verified by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. Key Specs Why We Chose It The Optum Perks prescription discount card is accepted at pharmacy chains and local pharmacies across the U.S., and there’s no membership required. Pros & Cons Pros No enrollment or membership required Accepted at 64,000 locations, including local pharmacies Official prescription discount program of AARP Cons Not the best prices compared to other programs Overview Optum Perks (formerly Script Relief, LLC) offers a free prescription discount card to get savings at more than 60,000 pharmacies throughout the U.S. The prescription discount card service has partnered with the pharmacy benefits manager, OptumRx, to obtain lower rates on medications. Optum Perks has saved consumers more than $1.7 billion on prescription medications. Over 18.6 million people have used the company's discount card, and more than 64,000 pharmacies in the U.S. accept Optum Perks (not just pharmacy chains, but local pharmacies, too). You don't need to enroll in any program or sign up for a membership to receive your card. Simply search for the discount online, find a pharmacy near you where you can present it (via a coupon or discount card), and print, email, or text your coupon card for your pharmacist to receive your discount. The company even now offers discounts for pets’ medications. While the card is not insurance, it makes sense to bring both your insurance card and Optum Perks coupon when you pick up your prescriptions to see which option is more cost-effective. Coupons are accepted at Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, and Walmart. Key Specs Why We Chose It Families can enjoy up to 80% off retail prices with SingleCare, plus earn additional savings toward Rx fills. Pros & Cons Pros Savings of up to 80% Bonus savings program Accepted at 35,000 pharmacies Cons Smaller retail footprint than other programs Overview SingleCare is a free program available to U.S. residents. Family accounts can include children, but anyone 18 years or older is encouraged to open their own account. Search engines on SingleCare's website and mobile app allow you to search for coupons in your local area based on pharmacies in the program’s network. You also have the option to use a discount card at participating drugstores. SingleCare's network includes 35,000+ pharmacies nationwide, and prescription medication coverage is broad, with savings up to 80% off retail prices. SingleCare provides discounts for a limited number of pet medications as well, namely medications that also have a human formulation. What makes SingleCare unique is its Bonus Savings program. When you register for it, you'll earn money towards future prescriptions. The program even offers around $5 in savings for enrolling. Since 2014, the program has saved users over a billion dollars. SingleCare is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and has an A+ rating. SingleCare is also verified by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. Key Specs Why We Chose It ScriptSave WellRx is accepted at more than 65,000 pharmacies nationwide, and its app and website let you search prices on your prescription medications. Pros & Cons Pros Free to join Works at more than 65,000 pharmacies, including local and independent pharmacies Easily print out your free discount card Cons Average savings are less than other programs Overview ScriptSave WellRx is a free program available to people in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Guam. A simple search on its website can help you locate discounted rates for a breadth of prescription medications in its network of 65,000+ pharmacies. All you need to do is present your discount card to the pharmacy of your choice. Discounts on prescriptions, including some pet medications, may be as high as 80%, but on average are in the 65% range. You can also text, print, or email your savings card, so you have it available when you need it. ScriptSave is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and has an A+ rating. The program is verified by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. Key Specs Why We Chose It Blink Health has convenience on its side: It lets you pick up your prescription at a pharmacy near you, but it also has its own online pharmacy that offers free home delivery. Pros & Cons Pros Offers free home delivery Accepted at more than 35,000 pharmacies Savings up to 80% off retail prices Cons Monthly subscription to use Blink Health doctors Overview Blink Health is a free service and is available to residents of the United States. Like other prescription drug services, Blink Health allows you to look for the best-discounted rates on its website and mobile app. Savings may be as high as 80% off retail prices, and they provide discounts on over 15,000 widely-prescribed medications. What makes the program unique is that it allows you to pick up your medication from one of the 35,000+ pharmacies in its network—but it also offers free home delivery. Because all payments are made online, prescriptions you pick up from your local drugstore are scanned from the Blink app on your phone. If you do not have a prescription, you can take advantage of online consultations with Blink Health physicians to get selected prescriptions (i.e., medications for birth control, cold sores, erectile dysfunction, hair loss, and high cholesterol). Blink Health, LLC is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and has an A+ rating. The program is also verified by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. If you don’t have health insurance or your insurance doesn’t cover your medications, a prescription discount card can be a money-saver, giving you access to discounts and savings at pharmacies across the U.S. The discount programs here are all worth a look, butGoodRxrises above the rest. Not only is it the most widely accepted prescription discount program (it’s accepted at more than 70,000 pharmacies), but it also offers the best prices and most significant savings on widely prescribed medications. For a fee, its premium membership program also delivers additional savings and convenience features. An online search will bring up a long list of medication discount programs. When selecting one for yourself, you will want to focus on finding one tailored to the specific medications you need. You may even want to sign up for different cards for different drugs to get the most overall savings. Consider the following factors when making your choice: Prescription drug discount cards can be helpful for the uninsured and the insured alike. Find one that works for you, but make sure you are using a reputable service that will actually save you money. No one needs to pay more than necessary. Prescription drug discount cards are distributed by companies that also work as pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), which are the middlemen between drug manufacturers, your health plan (if you have one), your pharmacy, and you. Because they have significant purchasing power, PBMs are able to negotiate prices with drug manufacturers. You pay the retail price of the drug, minus the discount. A discount card cannot be used in conjunction with your insurance but, sometimes, your drug discount card may afford you a better price on a medication than your insurance would. Prescription drug discount cards act like coupons and allow you to bypass insurance altogether. That means no deductibles. It may help to talk to your pharmacist to discuss your options. Prescription discount cards can be used to save on both brand-name and generic medications. Medication eligibility will vary from company to company. Check with each drug program for their list of eligible medications to make sure the ones you need are covered. We reviewed six different prescription drug companies to compile our list of the best prescription discount cards. We evaluated each company based on features and services, including savings and pricing, the extent of their pharmacy network, medication coverage, home delivery, mobile app ease of use, and membership requirements. Most companies on our list offer savings of up to 80% or more and provide home delivery. Additionally, most are accepted at 60,000 or more pharmacies. Additional reporting byStephanie Valera. Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Health Policy Institute. Prescription drugs. Martin CB, Hales CM, Gu Q, Ogden CL.Prescription drug use in the United States, 2015–2016. NCHS Data Brief. 2019;(334). Kaiser Family Foundation. Prices increased faster than inflation for half of all drugs covered by Medicare in 2020. Kaiser Family Foundation.KFF health tracking poll – February 2019: prescription drugs. Better Business Bureau. GoodRx. Better Business Bureau. SingleCare. Better Business Bureau. ScriptSave. Better Business Bureau. Blink Health LLC. By Tanya Feke, MD See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback?Best Prescription Discount Cards of 2024
Best Overall : GoodRx
Best for Local Pharmacy : Optum Perks
Best for Future Savings : SingleCare
Best On-the-Go : ScriptSave WellRx
Best for Home Delivery : Blink Health
Final Verdict
Compare the Best Prescription Discount Cards
Prescription Discount Cards Savings Accepted At Home Delivery GoodRx Best Overall Up to 80% (up to 90% with GoodRx Gold) 70,000+ pharmacies Yes, with GoodRx Gold Optum Perks Best for Local Pharmacy Up to 80% 64,000+ pharmacies Yes SingleCare Best for Future Savings Up to 80%, with additional savings on refills 35,000+ pharmacies Yes, with GeniusRx ScriptSave WellRx Best On-the-Go 65% average 65,000+ pharmacies No Blink Health Best for Home Delivery Up to 80% 35,000+ pharmacies Yes Guide to Choosing the Best Prescription Discount Cards
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do Prescription Drug Discount Cards Work?
How Do Prescription Drug Discount Cards Work With Insurance?
When Should I Use a Prescription Drug Discount Card?
It's always wise to compare how much you would pay for a prescription using your drug discount card or under your insurance plan. If you are on Medicare, it may be useful to use a prescription drug discount card instead of your Part D benefits when you are in a period of decreased coverage known as the donut hole—but keep in mind that Medicare may not allow you to take advantage of certain discounts due to federal anti-kickback laws.What Types of Medications Can I Use a Prescription Discount Card For?
Methodology
Dr. Feke is a board-certified family physician, patient advocate and best-selling author of "Medicare Essentials: A Physician Insider Explains the Fine Print."
FAQs
Is there anything better than GoodRx? ›
On the other hand, SingleCare usually provides better prices than GoodRx. So, if price matters most to you and you live near pharmacies in SingleCare's network, you'll likely save the most money with them.
Which is better, SingleCare or GoodRx? ›SingleCare and GoodRx make prescription drug prices more affordable for consumers. Both companies have identical aims, but SingleCare generally offers lower pricing and free delivery. The tradeoff is the extra features GoodRx offers in its paid plans and affordable telehealth appointments.
Are pharmacy discount cards worth it? ›Rx Discount Cards Don't Always Save You Money
One of the catches with prescription coupons is that in order for you to take advantage of them, you have to pay out of pocket. These out-of-pocket prices, though discounted, can actually end up being higher than the insured prices for identical or equivalent medications.
Predictability. GoodRx's prices “fluctuate frequently — daily, weekly or monthly” the company's website says. So it might be hard to predict what you'll pay and where you'll have to go for your medications from month to month.
What is the catch to GoodRx? ›Here's the deal: Paying with a GoodRx coupon is considered an “out-of-network” purchase, and it's up to the insurance company to decide if they'll pay you back — or whether they'll count it toward your deductible.
Why do pharmacists not like GoodRx? ›“Pharmacies hate GoodRx's system since they lose money from the potential profit, they would have made from cash paying customers and then also lose money when they pay a fee for selling to a patient who might have used their pharmacy anyway,” says Dr. Fein.
Who is GoodRx's biggest competitor? ›The closest competitor to goodrx.com are drugs.com, singlecare.com and mayoclinic.org.
Is a SingleCare card legit? ›If you're worried that SingleCare is a scam, rest assured it's not! Even though our prices may seem too good to be true, they're legit. We want you to have the best prescription price, and we can do that by partnering directly with pharmacies.
How much does SingleCare cost per month? ›How much does the SingleCare card cost? It is always free to use because we believe everyone should have access to lower prices for medications.
Is SingleCare really free? ›Is SingleCare free for patients? Yes, SingleCare is always totally free for anyone! How do I use it? Generate your own discount card or use one the patient provides.
How do you get a SingleCare card? ›
- Print your card from singlecare.com.
- Download the SingleCare app on your smartphone.
- Call SingleCare at 800-960-6918 to have a card mailed to you.
Monthly Program Cost | Average App Rating | |
---|---|---|
Blink Health | Free- Variable* | 4.6 stars |
RxSaver | Free-$60 | 4.6 stars |
Costco's CMPP | Free* | 3 stars |
WellRx | Free | 4.4 stars |
Unlike manufacturer copay cards, GoodRx coupons have no eligibility requirements, no activation step, and no restrictions on how many times the coupon can be used.
Why did I get a SingleCare card in the mail? ›Most likely it was addressed to a previous tenant who lived at your address. The good news is the card is not tied to any personal information, so feel free to use the card to start saving on your own prescriptions or dispose of it at your discretion. Sign up for your own account at singlecare.com.
Is GoodRx better than Part D? ›GoodRX is not a replacement for your Part D drug plan but it can be a useful tool to help save money on your medication costs. Although there is no guarantee you will save money there is simply no harm in trying since it is a free service!
Does GoodRx really save you money on prescriptions? ›With GoodRx, you can find savings of 80% or more on your prescriptions. Because drug prices vary wildly between pharmacies, you will need to search for your prescription on GoodRx for an exact price. Click here to learn how you can find prices for your prescription.
Is an AARP prescription discount card free? ›The card is free, pre-activated and ready to use. This card is the only prescription discount card endorsed by AARP - available to everyone. No need to be an AARP member — these prescription discounts are available to all.
Is gold GoodRx worth it? ›GoodRx Gold costs $9.99 per month for individuals and $19.99 per month for families. With this subscription, you gain access to better savings of up to 90 percent. Whether you go with the free GoodRx card or a paid plan, GoodRx can help you save hundreds of dollars per year on your out-of-pocket prescription costs.