GoodRx is a popular prescription savings tool that could lower the price of your medications. Best of all? The service is free and you don’t need insurance.
What Is GoodRx and How Does It Work? Everything You Need to Know
I’ve used GoodRx coupons for more than five years and have watched the company explode in popularity.
It now advertises on TV, billboards and even on buses.
Since 2011, GoodRx says it has helped millions of people save up to 80% on the cost of their prescription drugs.
This review will help you decide if you should try the service.
Table of Contents:
- Who Should Use GoodRx Coupons?
- How Does GoodRx Work?
- Is GoodRx Really Free?
- What Happens If My GoodRx Coupon Isn’t Accepted?
- Are There Other Prescription Savings Apps?
- GoodRx Pros and Cons Summary
Who Should Use GoodRx Coupons?
GoodRx can help people with or without insurance save money on their medications. Here’s who should consider using it:
- Anyone who doesn’t have insurance
- Insured people with high copays
- People who take medicines not covered by insurance
GoodRx is a prescription savings program, not insurance. It’s free and available to anyone with a valid prescription — but not everyone will save money.
Specifically, I’m referring to people who have insurance that covers prescriptions.
If you have insurance, check the GoodRx price and compare it to your copay. Only use GoodRx if it’s cheaper than your insurance copay.
The service cannot be combined with insurance. You use either insurance or GoodRx.
You should also know that if you use GoodRx instead of insurance, the payment amount won’t automatically go toward your deductible. Learn more here.
I find that GoodRx is especially useful when you want a lower price on a medicine that’s not covered by insurance because it’s cosmetic or deemed “not medically necessary.”
Over the last five years, I’ve saved more than $1,000 using the free app and website.
How Does GoodRx Work?
You can get started with GoodRx in just a few steps with no registration required.
Start by downloading the GoodRx app or going to GoodRx.com, and enter the name and dose for your prescription.
You can search by either the brand or generic name.
GoodRx compares prices from multiple pharmacies in your area and displays the results.
This is key: You may be able to save a lot of money on your medication simply by shopping at a different pharmacy.
When you click through to the pharmacy of your choice, you’ll see the GoodRx coupon that you must provide to your pharmacist.
You can either print out the coupon or show it to the pharmacist from your phone.
GoodRx coupons do not expire and can be reused. But you can get the best price by using a new coupon every time you fill or refill a script.
In addition to its app and website, GoodRx offers a free discount card. You may have received one of these cards in the mail.
However, the discount card may not offer the latest coupon pricing. Use the app instead.
Savings Tip
When you’re at the doctor’s office and you’re prescribed a new medicine, open the GoodRx app during your appointment to compare prices.
You can then ask your doctor to fill the prescription at the cheapest pharmacy.
If you’re unable to price compare during your appointment, ask your doctor for a paper script that you can bring to the pharmacy of your choice.
Is GoodRx Really Free?
The service is free whether you use GoodRx coupons or the discount card. The company’s website says that it makes money from advertisements and referral fees.
Although GoodRx’s main service is free, it offers two premium services that cost money.
GoodRx Gold
GoodRx Gold starts at $9.99 per month and offers additional savings on many popular drugs compared to the free version of the service.
The $19.99 a month plan lets you add up to five family members — including pets.
GoodRx Gold prices are displayed at the top of the regular results, which can help you decide if the premium membership is worth it.
There is also a 30-day free trial of GoodRx Gold. You can cancel anytime.
GoodRx Care
GoodRx Care is a telemedicine service that was formerly known as HeyDoctor.
The service lets you chat with a doctor and receive short-term refills on existing medications, plus new prescriptions for some conditions.
Visits start at $19 if you have GoodRx Gold or $49 without it. No insurance is necessary.
What Happens If My GoodRx Coupon Isn’t Accepted?
GoodRx says that nearly 70,000 pharmacies in the United States accept its coupons as well as its discount card.
When I drop off my prescription, I always let them know I have GoodRx right away.
But from my experience, the pharmacist will typically ask me to display my GoodRx coupon when I go to pay — not at dropoff.
GoodRx says the prices listed on the app are “generally very accurate.”
However, you can call 1-855-268-2822 to speak with customer support if there’s a price dispute at checkout.
Before calling, make sure your pharmacist entered the information from the GoodRx coupon:
- BIN
- PCN
- Group
- Member ID
This is important: Do not pay for your prescription, go home and then contact GoodRx. Call the helpline before paying and while you’re still in the pharmacy.
GoodRx says that most pricing issues can be sorted out quickly over the phone.
Are There Other Prescription Savings Apps?
GoodRx acquired one of its main competitors, RxSaver, in May 2021.
Before GoodRx bought RxSaver, I would always compare prices with both services before heading to the pharmacy.
Now, I use another service called SingleCare to compare with GoodRx.
SingleCare is very similar to GoodRx and also doesn’t require that you register to access its prescription coupons.
However, SingleCare provides lower prices if you sign up with an email address.
GoodRx Pros and Cons Summary
The pros of GoodRx far outweigh the cons. That’s why I’ve continued to use the service for more than five years.
| Pros | Cons |
| Free and no sign-up required | GoodRx Gold required for best prices |
| Big savings on prescription drugs, especially generics | Discount card pricing may be different from coupons |
| Accepted by most U.S. pharmacies |
GoodRx is a great tool to fight the high cost of prescription drugs. If you’ve used the app to save money, add to my review in the comments below!
You might want to do a little research and update this report. New twist optional “GoodRx Rewards” sign up and get points. From what I read you must be in the app to get your coupon code to use in order to get points. Interestingly though, if you don’t log in or use an incognito browser you may see a coupon with an additional discount that will NOT show up inside the app. If you try to call and ask their very low caliber customer care agents about this, they have no clue.
I have not used GoodRx Rewards, but I’ll look into it. I have a prescription to refill this week. If you’re talking about the GoodRx discount through Fetch Rewards, I have a separate article on that partnership.