Is GoodRx cheaper than my insurance?

Asked by: Dr. Aubrey Brekke  |  Last update: February 1, 2025
Score: 4.1/5 (4 votes)

Sometimes, insurance isn't the best deal — because of high deductibles or high copays, or because maybe your drug isn't covered at all. In many cases, GoodRx prices actually beat insurance prices (a copay or coinsurance charge). The good news is you can use GoodRx instead of insurance.

Is it better to use insurance or GoodRx?

When it comes to prescriptions, GoodRx can absolutely help out a lot with the cost. You might be able to get certain drugs cheaper than you would with the copay from insurance, and sometimes insurance might be cheaper. It varies, but it's equitable.

Can I use GoodRx even if I have insurance?

Yes, it works. You can either get a card or print out the coupons (reusable and never expire). However, whatever prescriptions you use GoodRx for will not count for your deductible if you have insurance (since you will use that program to get the price instead of your insurance).

How often does GoodRx beat insurance?

GoodRx Beats Insurance Copays 37% of the Time for Top Drugs. You have insurance, so you must be paying the lowest possible price for your prescription, right?

Does GoodRx really save you money on prescriptions?

For the 200 most-filled medications in the U.S. , the average GoodRx user saves about $72 per prescription when averaging the estimated savings for users who would have paid cash and users who would have paid commercial insurance copays. These savings can be put towards things like nutrition, housing, and education.

The Truth about GoodRx | Does it actually save you money on prescriptions?

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What is the disadvantage of GoodRx?

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.

Why do pharmacies 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.

What's the catch in using GoodRx?

Keep in mind that you cannot use GoodRx and insurance at the same time. However, you can use GoodRx instead of insurance or government-funded programs, such as Medicare or Medicaid, to pay for your prescription medications. GoodRx is not insurance.

Who is cheaper than GoodRx?

Bottom Line. 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.

Who pays the difference when using GoodRx?

By using GoodRx in place of your insurance, you're paying for the cash price of a medication, rather than the insurance price. While a medication may be cheaper this way, the fact of the matter is you're still not using your insurance—which you already pay for.

Can a pharmacist refuse GoodRx?

Are pharmacies required to accept GoodRx coupons? Participating pharmacies are required to accept GoodRx through contracts with their pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). An exception is for controlled medications. Accepting a GoodRx coupon for a controlled medication is always at the discretion of the pharmacist.

Does Costco take GoodRx?

GoodRx is accepted at more than 70,000 pharmacies nationwide — including major chains like CVS, Rite Aid, Costco, VONS, and Albertsons!

Can I use GoodRx if I'm in the donut hole?

Key takeaways:

You may want to consider using GoodRx instead of Medicare when Medicare doesn't cover your medication, when you won't reach your annual deductible, or when you're in the coverage gap phase (“donut hole”) of your Medicare plan.

Can I use my insurance and GoodRx at the same time?

However, GoodRx cannot be combined with your insurance or any federal or state-funded program such as Medicare or Medicaid. GoodRx is not insurance. If you choose to use a GoodRx coupon or your GoodRx Gold membership, it's important to ask the pharmacist not to run your prescription through your insurance or Medicare.

What is an insurance donut hole?

The donut hole was a temporary limit on what the drug plan would cover for drugs.

Why are prescriptions cheaper without insurance?

Unlike other businesses, the prescription drug industry has another barrier to entry: insurance companies. Pharmaceutical manufacturers must negotiate drug prices with insurance companies. This changes the costs dramatically.

What is the best prescription discount program?

Top-Rated Prescription Discount Cards
  • GoodRx. GoodRx is one of the most widely known prescription discount card programs, accepted at more than 70,000 pharmacies across the U.S. You can save up to 80 percent on medications using the free GoodRx card. ...
  • WellRx. ...
  • America's Pharmacy. ...
  • Choice Drug Card. ...
  • SingleCare. ...
  • ValpakRx.

Who is GoodRx's biggest competitor?

According to Similarweb data of monthly visits, goodrx.com's top competitor in December 2024 is drugs.com with 27.1M visits. goodrx.com 2nd most similar site is singlecare.com, with 3.4M visits in December 2024, and closing off the top 3 is pharmacychecker.com with 260.2K.

Why is GoodRx tanking?

GoodRx, a pharmacy discount app, is facing numerous challenges including shrinking business, trouble with customers and the FTC, and the departure of its founders. The company's pivot to direct relationships with retail pharmacies may not be successful, and its subscription plan is shrinking.

Why are pharmacies dropping GoodRx?

Three independent pharmacies have filed separate lawsuits accusing GoodRx, which markets a prescription drug discount card, of conspiring with several pharmacy benefit managers to fix reimbursement fees, the latest skirmish over the opaque pharmaceutical supply chain in the U.S.

Is GoodRx cheaper than insurance?

You may be able to save more with GoodRx than you do with your insurance or Medicare! Many insurance and Medicare plans have high deductibles or limited formularies that don't cover the drugs you need. GoodRx may be able to find you a lower price than your insurance co-pay.

How does GoodRx make money without insurance?

Coupons and Partnerships: GoodRx derives a substantial portion of its revenue from their coupon services. By providing users with coupons that offer discounts on medications, GoodRx encourages consumers to fill their prescriptions at partner pharmacies.

What is the GoodRx scandal?

According to the FTC's complaint, GoodRx violated the FTC Act by sharing sensitive personal health information for years with advertising companies and platforms—contrary to its privacy promises—and failed to report these unauthorized disclosures as required by the Health Breach Notification Rule.

Who stopped accepting GoodRx?

But throughout much of 2022, GoodRx was embroiled in a dispute with Kroger. The dispute became public in the spring of that year when Kroger suddenly stopped accepting GoodRx discounts.

What prescription card is better than GoodRx?

Is there anything better than GoodRx? The BuzzRx discount card is one of the best prescription discount cards available, especially for people who don't have health insurance or who don't have prescription drug coverage under their health insurance plans.