4 Websites You Should Check Before Buying Prescriptions

If you aren’t shopping around for your prescription medication or otherwise seeking a lower price, you’re probably paying too much.

Think of it this way: You wouldn’t book a flight before comparing prices at a few different airlines. So why settle on your prescription drug costs?

As when done with flights, comparison shopping for medication can be as simple as checking a few key websites. The following sites, some of which also have mobile apps, are among the best for saving money on prescriptions. Use them, and you may never pay full price for your prescriptions again.

1. PharmacyChecker

PharmacyChecker says it can help you save up to 90% on prescription medications.

The website lists drug prices from online pharmacies in the U.S. and abroad. To find the best price for a specific prescription medication, enter the name of the drug into the search box on the PharmacyChecker homepage.

PharmacyChecker also created a verification program for online pharmacies. To view a pharmacy’s ratings or verification information, click on its profile — the “i” symbol — after searching for a medication.

Being verified means PharmacyChecker has confirmed the pharmacy’s licensing and standards of practice. They also monitor the pharmacy for continued compliance.

2. GoodRx

If this bright yellow website doesn’t get your attention, its savings will. GoodRx says it has helped Americans save $20 billion on health care and prescription drugs.

How do they do it? GoodRx collects and enables you to compare prices from pharmacies across the country.

All you have to do is enter a drug name in the search bar on the GoodRx homepage. GoodRx will then show you the prices of that drug at various pharmacies and, in the case of some pharmacies, generate a coupon for you to use on your prescription.

To see prices at particular pharmacies in your immediate area, click on “Set your location” and enter your ZIP code.

3. Blink Health

Blink Health negotiates prices with certain pharmacy chains, and then tells you what your prescription would cost at those pharmacies if you buy it through Blink Health’s website.

As the company explains in a blog post:

“We cut out the middleman and offer group-discount prices directly to individuals. We work directly with drug manufacturers and pharmacies to negotiate lower prices, and pass those lower prices on to our customers.”

No coupon is necessary — just visit the pharmacy to pick up your medication after paying for it online, or have it shipped to your home.

To search for your medication, visit the Blink Health homepage and enter the drug name into the search box. You can select the drug form — such as capsules or tablets — and the strength and quantity you need. Then, select a pharmacy and proceed to checkout.

4. Gift card marketplace websites

Gift card marketplaces like Raise sell gifts cards for less than their face value. For example, you could buy a gift card worth $50 for $40. Essentially, that means buying a discounted gift card gives you free money to spend.

Discounted gift cards can be purchased for many popular pharmacy chains, such as CVS.

To learn more about using discounted gift cards to save on prescriptions, check out “5 Ways I Slashed My Drug Costs up to 50%.”