Our 12 Top Picks for Online Pharmacies of 2024 That Will Save You Time and Money (2024)

While you've likely used a brick-and-mortar pharmacy to get your prescriptions, online pharmacies can be a convenient and efficient way to get the medications you need. Online pharmacies allow you to fill prescription medications from the comfort of your home using a pharmacy website or an app rather than having to fill them in person.

An online pharmacy can also offer you more cost savings and convenience. Your medications can be mailed to you directly and set to arrive on a fixed schedule (aka auto refills). Plus, you may be able to buy in bulk (for example, getting a three-month supply of medication at once). Some online pharmacies even offer non-prescription drugs at a discount. So, if you're looking to transition your prescription purchases from a storefront location, we've chosen the best online pharmacies to meet your needs. We collected data on the products, costs, care, shipping times, insurance practices, and reputations of over 30online pharmacy companies, including some we tested ourselves, to create our list of top online pharmacies of 2023. There are many options and few are one-size-fits-all, so here are our 12 top picks for online pharmacies for specific needs.

Our 12 Picks for Online Pharmacies of 2024

Our 12 Picks for Online Pharmacies of 2024

Our 12 Picks for Online Pharmacies of 2024

  • Our Top Picks
  • Ro
  • Hims
  • Blink Health
  • Honeybee Health
  • Pill Pack
  • Doctor Solve
  • Capsule
  • Lemonaid Health
  • GoodRx Gold
  • Optum
  • AidAccess
  • Apostrophe
  • See More (9)
  • Compare Providers

  • Guide to Choose

  • Key Considerations

  • FAQs

  • Methodology

For Hair Loss : Ro

Key Specs

  • Availability: 50 states
  • Accepts Insurance: No
  • Shipping fee: Free

Why We Chose It

Ro offers a curated but comprehensive selection of hair loss prescription products suitable to any and all genders, shipped discreetly (and free) to your home.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Hair loss prescriptions for all genders

  • Free consultation and follow-up

  • Fast, reliable shipping

  • Also carries medications for ED, birth control, and sexual health

Cons

  • Does not accept insurance

  • Some competitors may have lower prices

  • Not a full formulary

Overview

Seeing a specialist to get prescription hair loss medications can be costly and inconvenient. But Ro/Roman is here to take away that headache. Ro (or Roman, Ro’s sibling site that caters primarily to people assigned male at birth) takes a simplified approach to telehealth, offering free online consultations and prescribing for a set of common health concerns, including hair loss.

To get a prescription for hair loss, you’ll have a consultation via a simple online questionnaire about your hair loss and general health and medical history. According to Ro’s website, a provider will follow up via secure message within 24 hours to either let you know what your treatment plan will be or schedule a time to talk to you if they have questions. For people assigned female at birth, Ro offers either oral or topical Minoxidil, which is clinically shown to help slow hair loss and regrow thicker hair. The medications cost $30 and $40 for a month’s supply, respectively. For trans men and people assigned male at birth, Roman prescribes either of these treatments: finasteride (generic for Propecia) or a combination of finasteride and topical minoxidil, with prices ranging from $16 to $35 a month. This is because these meds act on balding related to testosterone.

Once you have a prescription, you can get automatic refills and will have access to free follow-up messaging with your provider. Medication ships free in discreet packaging to all 50 states, and the company’s medications come quickly with a one- to two-day processing time and free two-day shipping. While Ro doesn’t carry a full formulary, it prescribes and sends prescriptions for common health concerns including skin care, sexual health, erectile dysfunction (ED), birth control, and fertility.

For Erectile Dysfunction : Hims

Key Specs

  • Availability: All 50 states
  • Accepts Insurance: No
  • Shipping fee: Free

Why We Chose It

Discreetly packaged ED medications are among Hims’s specialties—and the company offers seven options to choose from.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Carries seven different types of treatment

  • Online consultation is free

  • Subscription for automatic refills

Cons

  • Competitor prices may be lower

  • Faced class action lawsuit for spam texts

  • Some customers report delays with shipping and customer service

Overview

Hims aims to make it easier to get an erection with a diverse selection of erectile dysfunction treatments, plus help from its medical providers in choosing the right option. The company offers seven different treatments for ED, as well as medications for a selection of other concerns, including hair loss and skin health.

To get started with Hims, you’ll fill out a questionnaire about your current health, erectile dysfunction symptoms, treatments you’ve tried, and goals. Hims will then match you with a licensed provider in your state who will review your questionnaire (as a form of free, virtual consultation) and, if appropriate, prescribe you medication. Depending on your symptoms and needs, you may be prescribed Viagra, sildenafil, Cialis, tadalafil, Stendra, paroxetine, or a combination of tadalafil and sildenafil, available as mints or pills. Prices range from $3 to $139 per dose or $82 to $958 for a monthly supply, depending on the medication.

You should expect to get your medication within five to seven business days of your prescription being filled. However, some customers have reported issues with shipping delays or missing orders, so be sure to keep an eye out for the discreet Hims package and contact customer service if you suspect a problem.

For Automatic Refills : Blink Health

Key Specs

  • Availability: All 50 states and Washington D.C.
  • Accepts Insurance: Yes
  • Shipping fee: Free

Why We Chose It

Blink Health offers a no-fee subscription that provides access to over 15,000 medications—with automatic refills—for a fraction of their retail price.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • No membership or hidden fees

  • Partners with major stores and independent pharmacies

  • Offers free shipping

Cons

  • No expedited shipping options

  • Only for adults 18+

Overview

With Blink Health, you can get thousands of medications delivered and automatically refilled, so you never have to scramble to get more of your medication. Blink is an online pharmacy based in New York, with out-of-state licensure in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. It may or may not accept your insurance depending on your health plan.

Standard shipping is free, although the site does not list an expected time from order to delivery. Savings may be as high as 80% off retail prices on approximately 15,000 different medications. What makes the program unique is that it is also a prescription drug discount program and can provide you discounts on drugs in its network of more than 35,000 local, brick-and-mortar pharmacies.

If you do not have a prescription, you can take advantage of online consultations with Blink Health physicians to get selected prescriptions, such as medications for birth control, cold sores, erectile dysfunction, hair loss, and high cholesterol.

A pharmacist is available during business hours (weekdays from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET, weekends from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET) to address any questions you have. The pharmacy is recognized by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy and participates in the Pharmacy Verified Websites Program.

For Customer Service : Honeybee Health

Key Specs

  • Availability: 48 states and territories (does not ship to Alabama, Louisiana, or Montana)
  • Accepts Insurance: No
  • Shipping fee: Free

Why We Chose It

Honeybee Health offers wholesale drug prices and some of the most responsive, helpful customer service, living up to the company’s goal of creating the hometown pharmacy feel online.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Membership program offers discounted medications

  • Offers expedited and priority shipping

  • Pharmacist consultations available

Cons

  • Doesn’t accept insurance

Overview

While many online pharmacies let you pay for consultations for prescriptions or interact with providers via questionnaires, Honeybee Health has live staff pharmacists available by phone Monday to Saturday (from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT) to answer your questions. So, if you’re worried about foregoing the advice of someone behind the counter at your brick-and-mortar pharmacy, you can rest easier with Honeybee. Like a regular pharmacy, Honeybee Health only sells medications regulated by the FDA and purchases prescription drugs from licensed distributors in the United States, and is a verified online pharmacy.

Honeybee Health was founded in 2017 by a pair of pharmacists who had worked in their hometown drug store and wanted to replicate the local experience with the cost-cutting power of an online pharmacy. According to our testers and customer reviews, the company has succeeded, with timely, informative, and caring customer service. With out-of-state licensure in 48 states and territories, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, Honeybee Health works with pharmacists with over 30 years of experience.

Honeybee Health does not ship medications, like insulin, that are temperature-sensitive or require refrigeration. However, it was the first U.S.-based online pharmacy to start shipping abortion pills, in 2020. You’ll need a prescription from your medical provider, but Honeybee will fill the prescription and its pharmacists are available to help you through the process. Insurance is not accepted, but standard shipping is free with an expected delivery date within seven to 10 days of the order. Two-day expedited delivery is available for around $10.

For Bundling : Pill Pack

Key Specs

  • Availability: All 50 states and Washington D.C.
  • Accepts Insurance: Yes
  • Shipping fee: Free

Why We Chose It

Amazon Pharmacy’s Pill Pack conveniently bundles your medications in individual packets for morning, noon, and evening.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Expedited delivery available

  • Automatic refills

  • Support from a pharmacist available

Cons

  • First order can take two weeks

  • Does not provide medication in bottles like Amazon Pharmacy

Overview

Pill Pack, run by Amazon Pharmacy, not only fills prescription medications but can include over-the-counter medications and vitamin supplements as well. The company bundles your medications into convenient packets to take at specific times of the day, so you will no longer need a pillbox or have to sort your own medications.

Automatic refills will be delivered on a 30-day cycle, rather than a 90-day cycle. This allows the pharmacy team to make timely adjustments to your medications if there are any changes to your treatment regimen. The company accepts insurance, and shipping is free, with the first delivery guaranteed to arrive within two weeks.

A pharmacist is available to you 24 hours a day, seven days a week to address any questions you have. The service is based in Manchester, New Hampshire, and is licensed nationwide, although it does not deliver to Hawaii. You also can't get pills in bottles via this service, but you can over at Amazon Pharmacy.

For Referrals : Doctor Solve

Key Specs

  • Availability: All 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico
  • Accepts Insurance: Doesn’t accept insurance from outside Canada
  • Shipping fee: $10+

Why We Chose It

You can get $25 off of your medications when you refer others to Canada-based DoctorSolve, which dispenses prescription, non-prescription, and pet medications.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Also offers non-prescription and pet medications

  • $25 credit for a referral

  • Savings as high as 70% on prescription medications

Cons

  • Shipping fee

  • Shipments can take 21 days

Overview

Established in 1999, DoctorSolve is based in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, and has earned the trust of over 200,000 patients. The pharmacy has a bonus referral program, too, earning you around $25 in credit for each referral and saving your friend about $25 on their first order too.

The pharmacy dispenses prescription, non-prescription, and pet medications. Most people save between 40% and 50% on prescription drugs and the savings can go as high as 70%. A pharmacist is available during business hours (weekdays from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. PT and weekends from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT) to address any questions you may have.

Medications can arrive from the company's Canadian dispensary, but can also come from international fulfillment centers that are approved by the regulatory bodies in their respective countries (India, Mauritius, New Zealand, Turkey, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States).

Shipping is around $10 per package (not per drug), although additional charges may be applicable for overweight packages. Deliveries are expected within 21 days. Up to a three-month supply is deliverable at one time, all sales are final, and refunds are not allowed. However, exchanges may be possible if a product arrives damaged or defective.

For Same-Day Delivery : Capsule

Key Specs

  • Availability: Delivers in New York City, Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Nashville, Philadelphia, Tampa, and Washington, D.C.
  • Accepts Insurance: Yes
  • Shipping fee: Free

Why We Chose It

Residents of more than a dozen major U.S. cities can enjoy free, same-day delivery of their prescription medications and easy tracking of refills with Capsule’s app.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Free same-day delivery

  • Automatic refills

  • Pharmacist support

Cons

  • Only available in select cities

Overview

Founded in 2015, Capsule considers itself a "pharmacy of the future." It sets itself apart from chain pharmacies by promising same-day medication deliveries and access to its friendly, knowledgeable pharmacists from the convenience of your phone.

The company prides itself on making the process of obtaining your prescription as seamless as possible. You won't need to wait in any lines; the app automatically tracks refills; and you can text, call, email, or chat with your pharmacist anytime. Plus, Capsule handles all the coordination between your doctor and your insurance company, so you won't need to deal with them directly.

If you need to transfer prescriptions from your old pharmacy, Capsule will handle the process within one day. Any doctor can send a prescription to Capsule, and you don’t need to set up an account ahead of time. You can schedule your delivery to best suit your needs.

Capsule offers free, same-day delivery. Your co-pay won't change while using the service. However, currently, Capsule only delivers within New York City, Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Nashville, Philadelphia, Tampa, and Washington, D.C.

For Birth Control : Lemonaid Health

Key Specs

  • Availability: All 50 states
  • Accepts Insurance: No
  • Shipping fee: Free

Why We Chose It

Lemonaid Health will prescribe and ship nearly any birth control pill or patch to your home at a low cost.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Three months’ supply shipped at a time

  • Affordable consults for prescribing

  • Large selection of birth controls

  • Available in all 50 states

Cons

  • Does not accept insurance

  • Only for patients 18 and older

  • Does not accept outside prescriptions

Overview

A wide array of birth control options are available affordably and direct to your door through Lemonaid Health. The company—now owned by the home genetic testing company 23andMe—offers most brands of combination estrogen and progestin pills, progestin-only pills, and birth control patches available today. The company also provides medications for a number of other common health concerns, including prescriptions for erectile dysfunction, insomnia, smoking cessation, hot flashes, high blood pressure, acne, cholesterol, and urinary tract infections. It even goes a step further and provides at-home testing for sexually transmitted infections, blood, and blood sugar.

To use Lemonaid Health, you must book a consultation with one of its providers. The good news is that an appointment costs just $25, regardless of whether you have insurance. In most states, the consultation can be done via a questionnaire asking about your current health and medical history. Still, in some states (like Arkansas and New Mexico) a video consultation is required. Once a physician, nurse practitioner, or other provider has written the prescription, Lemonaid will mail you the birth control of your choice (most popular birth controls are available through Lemonaid). That single consultation will be enough to last you the year.

The company does not accept insurance, but keeps costs pretty low, with most birth control prescriptions costing just $15 a month. The company will send you three months worth of your contraceptive—shipped free—at a time, so you’ll be billed $45 for the 90-day supply. You can opt for automatic refills for the year, too. After your four deliveries of birth control, you’ll need to book another consultation to set yourself up for another year of birth control.

For Budget : GoodRx Gold

Key Specs

  • Availability: 49 states and Washginton, D.C. (not available in Washington state)
  • Accepts Insurance: No
  • Shipping fee: Free

Why We Chose It

Medications are up to 90% cheaper and ship 100% free to you through GoodRx Gold.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Delivers more than 1,000 commonly used medications

  • Savings of up to 90%

  • Discounts for family plans

Cons

  • Requires monthly or annual subscription

  • Does not accept insurance

Overview

GoodRx made a name for itself as one of the best prescription discount cards out there. In 2018, it joined the ever-growing number of companies to offer telehealth and medication delivery through its premium subscription service, GoodRx Gold.

The service stands out for offering discounts of up to 90% off prescription medications (an even deeper discount than is available through GoodRx). And, while it offers telehealth appointments so you can get a prescription, GoodRx Gold also accepts prescriptions written by your doctor or other provider and transferred from your previous pharmacy; most competitors don't. Unfortunately, GoodRx Gold does not offer automatic refills, but the app can remind you when it’s time to refill.

To join GoodRx Gold as an individual costs $10 a month or $90 a year. Or, you can sign up your entire family (up to six members, which can include friends and even pets), for $20 a month or $180 a year. With either plan, you’ll get a free month-long trial. More than 1,000 prescription medications cost less than $10.

It must be noted that GoodRx has settled a dispute with the Federal Trade Commission for $1.5 million after a complaint was filed against the company, alleging that it shared private user data with platforms like Facebook without informing clients and sold data on both clients and prescription medications.

For Flexibility : Optum

Key Specs

  • Availability: All 50 states
  • Accepts Insurance: Yes
  • Shipping fee: Free

Why We Chose It

Have insurance through UnitedHealthcare, or a plan that lists OptumRx as your PBM? You can get medication delivered with free shipping. Don’t have insurance, or have a different plan? You may still find great medication prices through Optum Store.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Works without insurance

  • Also works with many insurance plans

  • Savings of up to 80% on prescriptions

  • Reliable temperature-controlled shipping

Cons

  • Sparse website does little to clarify who is eligible

  • Does not accept insurance outside of UnitedHealthcare or other plan that lists Optum as its PBM

Overview

OptumRx is the pharmacy benefits manager (PBM) arm of insurance behemoth UnitedHealthcare, so if your healthcare plan is through that company, you might just get the best of both worlds. OptumRx is also the PBM for a number of other school and employee plans. The size of its parent company likely helps Optum offer both insured and uninsured users deeply discounted prices on medications: up to 80% less than the list price for drugs, the company says.

OptumRx can add the convenience of telehealth to the broader coverage of insurance plans. If you already have a prescription for your medication, simply search for it in the Optum Store. If the company carries your medication, you’ll be asked whether you have insurance and to provide that information. If you need a prescription, you can schedule a telehealth visit (which often requires no more than filling out a questionnaire for a provider’s review) for a flat rate of $55, but you must sign up for an account first. And if your pharmacy benefits are managed by OptumRx, you can log in with your information to set up home delivery, if you like.

Shipping to all 50 states is free, and you can even trust Optum’s proprietary shipping methods to send you medications that have to be temperature-controlled. Plus, Optum offers a set-it-and-forget-it option with automatic refills.

For Abortion Care : AidAccess

Key Specs

  • Availability: All 50 states
  • Accepts Insurance: No
  • Shipping fee: Total cost, including shipping, is $105 to $150

Why We Chose It

AidAccess discreetly ships abortion medication to all 50 states and has physicians and healthcare providers available to support you.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Ships abortion pills even to states with restrictive laws

  • Emphasizes privacy

  • Financial assistance available

Cons

  • Shipping to states with restrictive laws may be slow

  • Must live 60 minutes or less from hospital

  • Medication comes from overseas and is not inspected by U.S. agencies

Overview

Access to safe abortion has been steadily eroded across much of the U.S. in the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned. Bodily autonomy is a human right, and the nonprofit AidAccess offers abortion medication to ensure it across all 50 states, with an emphasis on protecting clients’ privacy.

AidAccess is based in Austria but began quietly shipping abortion medications mifepristone and misoprostol to the U.S. in 2018. The nonprofit now ships generic medications to all 50 states. You’ll answer screening questions to fulfill the online consultation requirement. Unfortunately, you must live with an hour's drive of a hospital to receive pills from AidAccess, in case you have any complications. You can also order the pills to have on hand even if you’re not pregnant, though AidAccess prioritizes those who are currently pregnant.

Technically, AidAccess can only ship pills directly to addresses in Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington. However, if you live in live in other states, Aid Access will work with European doctors who will send the pills in discreet packaging to you. But, if you live in one of these states, be aware that international shipping can take up to three weeks, which may be prohibitive, depending upon how long you’ve been pregnant (according to the FDA people should not take abortion pills if it has been more than 70 days since their last period).

The service—including shipping—costs between $105 and $150, based on where you live. If you can’t afford this cost, AidAccess has the option to apply for financial aid.

For Dermatology : Apostrophe

Key Specs

  • Availability: 49 states and Washington, D.C. (not available in North Carolina)
  • Accepts Insurance: No
  • Shipping fee: Free

Why We Chose It

Apostrophe provides expert dermatology care and prescriptions—and all you have to do is snap a few selfies to get treatments for common concerns.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Treatments for acne, wrinkles, rosacea, melasma, and hair and eyelash thickening

  • Easy consultations with questionnaire and photos

  • Consultation fee applied toward first medication order

Cons

  • No video consult available in states where it isn’t required

  • Parental consent required for those under 18

  • Limited number of prescription treatments

Overview

When you’ve had enough of breakouts and skin concerns, the wait to see a dermatologist can feel too long. In the U.S., the average wait time to see a skincare expert was nearly 35 days last year—longer than patients waited to see cardiologists, orthopedic surgeons, OB-GYNs, or primary care physicians. Online pharmacy and dermatology telehealth company, Apostrophe cuts the impatience out of patient care.

Once you sign up, answer a questionnaire and snap a few photos of your skin, the company claims it will write your prescription for your new skincare regimen within 48 hours. A dermatologist will review your answers and pictures and determine the best course of treatment for you. You’ll then receive your medications and instructions, with a three-month supply in each free shipment. You can also subscribe and sign up for automatic refills, so you’ll never have a gap in care.

The initial consultation, which is done purely through a questionnaire, photos, and messaging—unless you live in a state that requires a video consult—costs $20. However, once you place your first order of medications, that fee will be applied to your prescription costs (so the consultation will ultimately be free). Just beware: if your dermatologist recommends multiple products, the cost can add up.

Apostrophe offers popular, clinically proven treatments for acne, rosacea, wrinkles, melasma, and hair or eyelash thickening, as well as over-the-counter products like sunscreen (which it calls ‘Screen). Prices vary based on what products a dermatologist recommends for you. Topical medications start at $25 for a three-month supply, while oral medications cost $15 or more a month. Prescription medications include oral spironolactone and topical clindamycin and tretinoin.

Compare Online Pharmacies

CompanyAvailabilityAccepts InsuranceShipping
Ro For Hair LossAll 50 statesNoFree
Hims For Erectile DysfunctionAll 50 statesNoFree
Blink Health For Automatic RefillsAll 50 states and Washington, D.C.YesFree
Honeybee Health For Customer Support48 states and U.S. territories (not available in Alabama, Louisiana, or Montana)NoFree
PillPack For BundlingAll 50 states and Washington, D.C.YesFree
DoctorSolve For ReferralsAll 50 states and Puerto RicoNo (outside of Canada)$10
Capsule For Same-Day DeliveryNew York City, Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Nashville, Philadelphia, Tampa, Washington, D.CYesFree
Lemonaid Health For Birth ControlAll 50 statesNoFree
GoodRx Gold For Budget49 states (not available in Washington state)NoFree
Optum For FlexibilityAll 50 statesYesFree
AidAccess For Abortion CareAll 50 statesNoTotal cost, including shipping, is $105-$150
Apostrophe For Dermatology49 states and Washington, D.C. (not available in North Carolina)NoFree

Guide to Choosing the Best Online Pharmacy

How to Compare the Best Online Pharmacies

Once you’ve established that the online pharmacies you’re interested in are accredited and safe, there are still many factors to consider in choosing the best one for you, including:

  • Availability: Some online pharmacies don’t prescribe in or ship to every state. Be sure the one you choose works in your state.
  • Medications: Search the online pharmacy’s website to see if it carries your medications. If you can’t do so without signing up, contact customer service.
  • Cost: Online pharmacies often offer discounted medication prices, but see that you get the best price, and don’t forget to add up potential shipping, consult, or subscription fees.
  • Insurance: If you don’t have insurance, you may want to choose a company that offers discounts. If you do, you may save money with online pharmacies that accept yours.
  • Shipping fees: Shipping costs mostly range from $0 to $10, but don’t forget to check the cost so you won’t be surprised by the bill. Remember that expediting will cost extra.
  • Processing speed: Most companies ship medications in a matter of days, but check reviews to be sure they’re true to their word. Also, look into whether expediting is offered.
  • Prescribing and medical consults: If you don’t yet have a prescription or have questions about yours, look for an online pharmacy with medical consultations.
  • Automatic refills: You can bypass the stress of ordering refills with automatic services from some online pharmacies, but be sure they’re reliable.

Key Considerations

Is There Medication You Can’t Get From an Online Pharmacy?

That depends on the online pharmacy and is changing. Most online pharmacies do not prescribe or refill controlled substances, like Adderall, Xanax, or oxycodone. During the pandemic, rules prohibiting providers from prescribing these types of drugs without seeing a patient in person were waived. Now, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has proposed new rules that will require an in-person visit for anything more than a 30-day supply of controlled substances to be filled by an online pharmacy. These drugs also have to be specially labeled, so many online pharmacy companies have already elected not to deliver them.

Online pharmacies also may not fill short-term prescriptions, such as those for antibiotics. And not all online pharmacies have the capability to safely ship medications that need to be temperature-controlled, such as insulin. Still other online pharmacies specialize in medications for only a select few health concerns or conditions.

What’s Something You Should Check Before Using an Online Pharmacy?

The online pharmacy industry has exploded in the last several years, and your head may be spinning from all the choices. First and foremost, be sure that whichever online pharmacy you choose is legitimate, safe, and secure. You can start by making sure that the online pharmacy of your choice is a Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Site (VIPPS), meaning it's accredited by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP).

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What Makes a Good Online Pharmacy?

    The best online pharmacies are accredited by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy and are licensed in every state in which they trade. They require a prescription for any controlled substance and have a licensed pharmacist to answer questions (rather than support staff).

  • What Types of Online Pharmacies Are There?

    Online pharmacies can be broadly categorized as:

    • Mail-order pharmacies are operated by pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) on behalf of health insurers or providers.
    • Independent online pharmacies operate solely on the Internet, either domestically or internationally.
    • "Click-and-mortar" pharmacies are an online extension of a storefront pharmacy or retail chain.
    • Rogue pharmacies are not licensed to sell in the United States and put you at risk of counterfeit or tainted drugs
  • How Many Online Pharmacies Are There?

    Studies suggest that between 30,000 and 50,000 online pharmacies operate in the United States, while scores of others operate abroad. The vast majority do not meet the standards of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy or comply with federal or state pharmacy laws.

  • What Are the Pros of an Online Pharmacy?

    Research suggests that one in three people living in the United States has used an online pharmacy, drawn by such benefits as:

    • Convenience
    • Time savings
    • Lower prices
    • Wider range of choices
    • Bulk buying options
    • Confidentiality

    Learn MoreHow to Save Money With Online Pharmacy

  • What Are the Cons of an Online Pharmacy?

    As convenient as online pharmacies are, there are also drawbacks, such as:

    • Safety: Because some online pharmacies are "blinded," you don't know where they are based and may end up buying unsafe drugs.
    • Health inspections: Wholly online pharmacies do not undergo the same health inspections as brick-and-mortar ones.
    • Drug interactions: Switching between pharmacies may lead to serious interactions if medication information is not shared.
    • Privacy: Privacy policies can vary, and some pharmacies may not protect your financial or medical records.
  • How Do I know If an Online Pharmacy Is Safe?

    According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), you can identify a safe online pharmacy if it:

    • Requires a prescription from a doctor or licensed health professional
    • Is licensed by your state board of pharmacy
    • Has a state-licensed pharmacist to answer your questions
    • Is in the United States with a real street address

    Learn MoreIs It Legal to Import Drugs From Mexico?

Methodology

An internet search will bring up a long list of online pharmacies. To ensure that this list rounds up the very best online pharmacies for various priorities, we reviewed over 30 online pharmacies with the help of a subject matter expert with over a decade of healthcare experience. We checked each for credibility (with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy and its Canadian counterpart). Other factors we considered when creating this list included the cost of medications, states and ages served, medications provided, availability of healthcare professionals to answer questions, quality customer service, customer reviews, savings and benefits each site offers, and whether shipping times offered a real, reliable convenience.

Our 12 Top Picks for Online Pharmacies of 2024 That Will Save You Time and Money (13)

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.

  1. NIH. Minoxidil and its use in hair disorders: a review.
  2. Federal Trade Commission. FTC enforcement action to bar GoodRx from sharing consumers’ sensitive health info for advertising.

  3. FDA. Questions and Answers on Mifepristone for Medical Termination of Pregnancy Through Ten Weeks Gestation.
  4. Merritt Hawkins. Survey of physician appointment wait times and Medicare and Medicaid acceptance rates.

  5. Drug Enforcement Agency. DEAannounces proposed rules for permanent telemedicine flexibilities.

  6. National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. Accredited digital pharmacies.

  7. Food and Drug Administration. How to buy medicines safely from an online pharmacy.

  8. Chordiya SV, Garge BM. E-pharmacy vs. conventional pharmacy. Int J Comprehen Advanced Pharmacol. 2018;3(4):121-3. doi:10.18231/2456-9542.2018.0027

  9. Desa C. Online pharmacies: boon or bane?. Indian J Pharmacol. 2016:48(6):615-6. doi:10.4103/0253-7613.194865

  10. Fittler A, Bosze G, Botz L. Evaluating aspects of online medication safety in long-term follow-up of 136 internet pharmacies: illegal rogue online pharmacies flourish and are long-lived. J Med Internet Res. 2013;15(9):e199. doi:10.2196/jmir.2606

  11. Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies. 2020 national survey on American perceptions of online pharmacies.

Our 12 Top Picks for Online Pharmacies of 2024 That Will Save You Time and Money (14)

By Natalie Rahhal
Natalie Rahhal is a journalist with eight years of experience covering primarily health and science, including as U.S. health editor for the Daily Mail.

Edited byAlly Hirschlag

See Our Editorial Process

Meet Our Medical Expert Board

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?

Our 12 Top Picks for Online Pharmacies of 2024 That Will Save You Time and Money (2024)

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Jerrold Considine

Last Updated:

Views: 6301

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (58 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Jerrold Considine

Birthday: 1993-11-03

Address: Suite 447 3463 Marybelle Circles, New Marlin, AL 20765

Phone: +5816749283868

Job: Sales Executive

Hobby: Air sports, Sand art, Electronics, LARPing, Baseball, Book restoration, Puzzles

Introduction: My name is Jerrold Considine, I am a combative, cheerful, encouraging, happy, enthusiastic, funny, kind person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.