GoodRx Review: Is It Worth It?
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March 1, 2024
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GoodRx is a prescription discount service that compares prices among pharmacies and helps you save on your monthly prescription costs. The company offers a free discount card or a monthly subscription plan for $5.99 a month for an individual (or $9.99 a month for a family). GoodRx is not insurance, but a prescription-discount service that helps you save on common medications.
In this review, I’ll discuss why getting discounts through the GoodRx app can add up in the long term, ultimately saving you hundreds of dollars on prescriptions. You may find you’ll often save more using your GoodRx discount than you would with the coverage your insurance provides.
For a list of other prescription-discount cards and senior prescription programs, visit our guide to senior discounts on prescriptions.[/tips]
GoodRx Pros
- Free to use: The free GoodRx discount card helps you save on prescriptions at more than 70,000 pharmacies in the United States. There’s no expiration date on the card.
- Handy smartphone app: You can download the free GoodRx mobile app, browse prescriptions, and compare prices without signing up or entering your personal information. You also don’t need to print coupons; simply show the mobile app to your pharmacist.
- Pharmacy comparisons: GoodRx may save you up to 80 percent on prescriptions by helping you find the lowest-cost pharmacy in your area. You may be able to get the medications you need for free or as little as $4 even without insurance when using GoodRx.
- Bookmarked prescriptions: When using the GoodRx mobile app or desktop version, you can save your prescriptions and receive notifications via the latest savings alerts.
GoodRx Cons
- Discount card arrival time: After signing up for the free discount card, you’ll get a notice saying the physical card will arrive within four weeks. If you don’t want to wait that long, you can print and use your temporary virtual GoodRx card.
- Incessant notifications to upgrade to GoodRx Gold: While using the free version of GoodRx, you’ll constantly receive pop-ups suggesting you upgrade to GoodRx Gold, the company’s paid version.
How Does GoodRx Work?
With skyrocketing costs, many seniors struggle to pay for prescription drugs. More than half of seniors aged 65 and older take four or more prescription drugs, and 23 percent of seniors on prescriptions say it’s difficult to afford them, according to this study by KFF.
GoodRx helps you find the biggest discounts and lowest prices on popular prescription drugs for diabetes, acid reflux, and other health conditions. Its free prescription-discount service enables you to browse nearby pharmacies and find the best savings and discounts — often at a much better price than what insurance coverage offers.
GoodRx can help you and your family members (or pets) save up to 80 percent on prescription costs at virtually any pharmacy in the U.S. — with or without insurance. The company offers a free discount card and free coupons you can search for on its mobile app. For more savings, you may want to look into GoodRx Gold, its monthly subscription plan.
GoodRx supports its free services with referral fees and by selling ads on its website. To learn more about prescription discount cards, take a look at my 2024 guide to discount cards.
How Much Does GoodRx Cost?
GoodRx is free. There’s no sign-up required to browse prescriptions and find free GoodRx coupons using its desktop or mobile app (with a prescription from a doctor). If you’d like to get more savings on a consistent basis, you may want to upgrade to the paid GoodRx Gold plan. It starts at $5.99 a month for an individual or $9.99 a month for up to six family members, including pets.
The below chart outlines what prescription medications typically cost with GoodRx compared to what they cost with no coverage. I looked up the popular generic prescription drug Escitalopram and compared the pricing with no coverage, a GoodRx discount card, and a GoodRx Gold plan.
Prescription Costs With GoodRx*
| Pharmacy | No coverage | GoodRx discount card | GoodRx Gold |
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| CVS Pharmacy | $55 | $34 | $28.72 |
| Costco | $13 | $8 | $3.93 |
| Vons Pharmacy | $66 | $9.77 | $3.93 |
*Prices reflect the cost of Escitalopram, the generic form of Lexapro.
GoodRx Gold
If you want to save up to 90% on your prescriptions, then you may want to consider upgrading to a GoodRx Gold monthly plan. You can start a free 30-day trial and cancel any time for a full refund.
GoodRx vs. GoodRx Gold
| GoodRx | GoodRx Gold |
|---|---|
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Using GoodRx
Downloading the GoodRx app was fun and simple. After downloading the app on my iPhone, I was given the option to create a free account. I didn’t feel pressured to go through the hassle of entering my personal information, so I clicked “No, thanks.” I then shared my location so I could find the prices at nearby pharmacies.
FYI: Read our article on medication management to learn about maintaining a complex medication regimen.
Searching for Medications
When you’re searching for medications, the app will automatically list a few popular prescription searches, including Lipitor (atorvastatin) and Zoloft (sertraline). I appreciated this feature because it made it easier to click on a popular prescription instead of typing out the full name.
If you have trouble spelling, then the app will figure it out for you and help you find the best options. For instance, I misspelled Omeprazole (generic Prilosec) as “Omoprixole,” but the app led me to a few prescription options for the correct spelling.
I selected the brand, form (capsule), dosage, quantity, and nearby pharmacy locations I wanted to search, and clicked the blue Search Prices button at the bottom. It took me to a list of nearby pharmacies with astonishing price differences. If I were a GoodRx Gold subscriber, I’d pay as little as $4.21 for 30 capsules of 40 mg Omeprazole, compared, for example, to $15 at Walmart. I clicked on the $7.70 discount at my nearest Costco and received a free GoodRx discount, along with the pricing, prescription name, and member ID. All I had to do was save it or click the Share button and email, text, or add it to my iPhone Wallet for when I would need to show it to the pharmacist. It was that simple.
Pharmacy Locations
The GoodRx mobile app lets you compare prescription prices with other nearby pharmacies. I searched for Sildenafil (generic Revatio) to see what listings popped up in Los Angeles. There was a CVS Pharmacy just 0.2 miles from me selling it for $26.25 with a free GoodRx discount coupon, but a Costco just a few more miles away had the same prescription for as little as $12.99.
I didn’t realize what a huge difference my location and a GoodRx Gold subscription could make until I saw the price disparities using the pharmacy location feature. The free GoodRx version also provides ample savings, so I suggest sticking with it for a while to see how frequently you purchase prescriptions before you upgrade to the paid GoodRx Gold.
Refill Reminders
If you forget to refill your prescriptions in time, GoodRx has a solution. Its iPhone app helps you set up refill reminders, which is super helpful and convenient.
Pill Identifier
GoodRx has streamlined identifying prescriptions using its new Pill Identifier feature, which is available on both desktop and mobile. This is what the desktop version looks like:
Simply type the prescription you’re looking for or search by markings on the pill or its shape and color. (If the spelling is incorrect, the app will figure out the right spelling.) This feature helps you identify pills that may have slipped out of the bottle or case.
If you’ve ever wondered what the markings on a pill mean, this feature helps get rid of the confusion. I searched for “I white tablet” because I had a loose pill I couldn’t figure out. Some suggestions that popped up were “erythromycin” and “Advil Junior Strength (ibuprofen junior strength).” This eliminates the guessing game for so many seniors who take multiple prescriptions.
FYI: Are you looking for more savings? Check out my comprehensive list of senior discounts.
Can GoodRx Be Used With Medicare?
You can’t use GoodRx with Medicare, but you can use it as a substitute for Medicare prices. If you have Medicare but want to use GoodRx discount prices instead, make sure you’re using a GoodRx coupon instead of having the pharmacist run the prescription through your Medicare. You’ll need to let the pharmacist know you’re paying using GoodRx discounts instead of using Medicare.
Can GoodRx Be Used With Insurance?
You can’t use both GoodRx and insurance at the same time, but you can use a GoodRx discount instead of your health insurance or Medicare if the prescription cost is significantly lower.
Final Thoughts on GoodRx
I was excited about GoodRx’s unique features — everything from the streamlined search menu to the refill reminders to the pharmacy locator. I was surprised to learn about the additional services available through GoodRx Care. The telehealth service provides affordable online health care by connecting you with a doctor even if you don’t have insurance.
I’ve saved hundreds of dollars on prescriptions simply by showing my GoodRx discounts to my pharmacist, and I wouldn’t mind upgrading to the GoodRx Gold plan for more savings. If you’d like to save hundreds of dollars on prescriptions, GoodRx does an accurate price comparison and shows a list of nearby pharmacies. As a free prescription-discount service, GoodRx makes it easy and convenient to get lower-priced prescriptions at a pharmacy or delivered straight to your door.
GoodRx is one of my favorite prescription discount cards of 2024.
I would recommend GoodRx if you want
- Lower prescription costs: Use GoodRx free discounts to save on prescriptions at pharmacies across the U.S. There can be a price difference of $100 or more among pharmacies for the same drug. I was able to purchase prescriptions at significantly lower prices — usually even lower than what I would pay with private insurance coverage.
- The convenience of online GoodRx Care: With GoodRx Care, you can be connected to a doctor online starting at $19. You can discuss your health needs, and they can prescribe medication that will be sent to a nearby pharmacy for pickup or delivery. You don’t need insurance for the additional service.
- Free coupons: There’s nothing better than getting free coupons without subscribing to a special service. You can save up to 80% on your prescriptions with GoodRx free coupons — without entering any personal information.
I wouldn’t recommend GoodRx if you want
- Medicare and insurance pricing: ou won’t be able to use GoodRx with insurance or Medicare, but you can use it in place of insurance.
GoodRx Frequently Asked Questions
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Is GoodRx considered insurance?
No, GoodRx is not insurance. The savings and discounts you receive are based on pharmacy retail prices. I’d use GoodRx in place of insurance coverage for prescriptions that are significantly less than what you would pay through your insurance. To find the best prices, ask your pharmacist to use your GoodRx coupon.
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Is GoodRx free?
Yes, GoodRx is free and easy to use. There’s no registration required, except when you upgrade to GoodRx Gold.
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What pharmacies accept GoodRx coupons?
Pharmacies that accept GoodRx include Walgreens, Walmart, Costco, CVS Pharmacy, and more than 70,000 pharmacies in the U.S.