Key takeaways
- Generic Viagra (sildenafil) costs $2 to $10 per dose and is FDA approved to treat pulmonary hypertension plus erectile dysfunction.
- Branded Viagra costs $90 to $139 per dose and only is approved to treat erectile dysfunction.
- Try REX MD for cheaper generic Viagra, starting at $2 per dose. For stronger, but still affordable, options, check out Hims.
If you’ve searched for places to buy Viagra online, you’ve surely also noticed its price tag. Since Viagra is a brand-name medication, the price of Viagra is very high and may not currently fit within your budget.
But a generic version (and the active ingredient) of this popular medication, sildenafil, is widely available from several drug manufacturers at a fraction of the cost.
Here’s more about this cheaper Viagra alternative and whether it’s as effective as the brand-name drug. (Spoiler: It is.)
Viagra vs. Generic Viagra
Viagra, aka the “little blue pill”
produced by Pfizer and contains sildenafil
Sildenafil
the active ingredient
Generic Viagra = sildenafil
drug manufacturing can vary
While generic sildenafil and Viagra are equally safe and effective phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, they have one key difference: price.
Viagra costs $90 to $139 per tablet. Generic sildenafil can range from $2 to $10 per pill, depending on the manufacturer and dose.
| Services | Healthline score | Price for sildenafil* | Dosage available for sildenafil* | ED medications available |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hims | 4.3 / 5 | starting at $4 per dose | 25 mg to 100 mg | ? branded Viagra ? sildenafil ? branded Cialis ? generic Cialis |
| REX MD | 3.9/5 | starting at $2 per dose | 20 mg to 100 mg | ? branded Viagra ? sildenafil ? branded Cialis ? tadalafil ? generic daily Cialis |
| Roman | 4 / 5 | $4 to $10 per dose | 25 mg to 100 mg | ? branded Viagra ? sildenafil ? branded Cialis ? generic Cialis ? generic daily Cialis |
| Lemonaid | 3.9 / 5 | $2 per dose | 20 mg | ? sildenafil ? tadalafil |
| Optum Perks | 4.2 / 5 | varies based on dosage and pharmacy | varies by pharmacy | varies by pharmacy |
* Price is accurate at the time of publishing.
Viagra and sildenafil are both used to treat ED, but only sildenafil (Revatio) is FDA approved to treat pulmonary hypertension.
You should not take Revatio instead of Viagra or alongside Viagra to treat ED.
In the United States, sildenafil for ED or pulmonary hypertension requires a prescription. The United Kingdom allows for over-the-counter (OTC) sales of the drug, in part to discourage the market from making fake sildenafil.
Avoiding fake Viagra
Viagra and other ED medications are some of the most counterfeited drugs. It’s important to talk with a doctor to seek treatment and get medications through a pharmacy.
Sildenafil is available at most retail pharmacy locations and several reputable online retailers, so there’s no need to buy sildenafil from companies that the FDA does not regulate.
*You need a prescription to get Viagra. Anywhere that says otherwise is not legitimate.*
Sildenafil may cause side effects, most of which are minor and temporary. Some of the most common are headaches, flushing, heartburn, tingling in your limbs, and sensitivity to light.
However, it is possible you may experience more serious side effects. If you experience any of the following, call a doctor or 911 immediately:
- priapism (an erection that is painful or lasts longer than 4 hours)
- blurry vision or a sudden and severe loss of vision
- diminished hearing
- ringing in your ears
- dizziness or lightheadedness
- fainting
- shortness of breath
- chest pain
- itching or burning during urination
- rash
Nitrates and blood pressure interactions
Like any other medication, sildenafil can have potentially serious interactions with other drugs, alcohol, and even some foods.
One of the most serious interactions can come from combining PDE5 inhibitors with nitrates or compounds containing nitrates. Several studies, including a 2018 study, find that using PDE5 inhibitors with nitrates can cause a life threatening drop in blood pressure.
To reduce the risks of a dangerous interaction, tell a doctor about any medications you’re taking before starting any new drug.
If you take other medications for high blood pressure, you may be at risk of experiencing a dangerous drop in blood pressure. Severe drops in blood pressure can also result in less oxygen moving through your organs.
Other adverse interactions
- Other ED medications: Combining ED medications can lower your blood pressure, causing fainting, dizziness, and, in rare cases, heart attacks.
- Alcohol: Combining alcohol and sildenafil can lower your blood pressure too much. Avoid alcohol if you’re taking sildenafil.
- Grapefruit: Grapefruit and grapefruit juice are the only foods that interact with generic Viagra. These products can raise the levels of sildenafil in your body but can also delay the time it takes for the drug to take effect.
- Cytochrome P450: Medications known as cytochrome P450 (CP450) inhibitors and substrates can delay the effects of sildenafil and increase your chances of experiencing side effects. CP450 inducers, such as modafinil, reduce the effects of sildenafil if taken at the same time. Some of these medications are:
- cimetidine
- clopidogrel
- chloramphenicol
- fluvoxamine
- omeprazole
- modafinil
While you may be familiar with Viagra and its effectiveness, you might be understandably cautious about a generic version of Viagra.
If you have questions about how well generic Viagra works or where to buy it from a reputable source, it’s a good idea to meet with a doctor or another healthcare professional.
If you’re experiencing symptoms of ED and considering a generic version of Viagra, a doctor can prescribe a generic alternative to ensure that it’s safe and FDA approved.
It’s important to avoid any generic alternative not prescribed by a doctor and fulfilled by a reputable pharmacy. Prescriptions not filled through legitimate channels may not be FDA approved, may have inaccurate labeling on the packaging, and may have ineffective or potentially harmful ingredients.
Sildenafil (generic Viagra) is the nonbranded version of the popular ED drug. It’s virtually identical to the brand-name drug, except that the pills may be a different color (instead of blue, like Viagra), and they cost a lot less.
Generic Viagra usually costs anywhere from $2 to $10 per tablet, depending on the dose, manufacturer, and pharmacy.
This is the general price you can find through subscription services such as Roman, Hims, and Lemonaid.
You may encounter a wider price range when filling a prescription at your local pharmacy. Your price can vary even more depending on whether you use a discount card from the pharmacy or a third party and whether your insurance provider covers generic Viagra.
Before purchasing your medication, it’s always worthwhile to inquire about the price from several pharmacies or companies to find the best price for your budget.
In the United States and most other countries, generic Viagra is only available with a prescription.
However, many new telehealth services make it easier to get a prescription without making an in-person appointment with a doctor.
There are also a few OTC alternatives to Viagra that may be worth exploring.
If a doctor prescribes 100 mg of sildenafil or Viagra, it’s safe to use — as long as you’ve told a doctor about your medical history and any other medications you’re currently taking.
A 100-mg dose is on the high end of the available doses and may be necessary only for people with more severe ED symptoms.
In most cases, if you’re new to taking ED medications, a doctor will likely start you on a lower dose and may increase it if you don’t get your desired results.
A frequent misunderstanding about ED medications is that a higher dose will produce better results. The?truth is that a higher dose won’t make your erections any harder or help you maintain an erection any longer after the point of orgasm if a lower dose can effectively address your ED symptoms.
Additionally, a person who takes ED medication when they’re not experiencing ED symptoms will likely not experience any changes, even if they take a high dose.
In fact, if you take the medication without a prescription or do not take it as a doctor prescribes, you could experience very serious side effects if it negatively interacts with other medications you may be taking.
Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate) works the same way as Viagra but comes at a lower cost.
While Pfizer still manufactures the “little blue pill,” other companies, globally and in the United States, make sildenafil. It may look different, but it’s still an effective treatment for ED.