GoodRx and RxSaver by RetailMeNot are two free tools that claim to save you up to 80% on your prescription drugs, but is one better than the other?
Both of these services help you compare drug prices at pharmacies in your area and offer free coupons that will lower your out-of-pocket costs.
GoodRx vs. RxSaver by RetailMeNot Price Comparison
GoodRx and RxSaver are discount programs, not health insurance. But even if you have insurance, you should check these apps to see if the prices are lower than your co-pay. You can always ask the pharmacist to use GoodRx or RxSaver instead of insurance.
For this article, I looked up the top 50 prescription drugs from ClinCalc.com and conducted a comparison using GoodRx and RxSaver to see if there was a difference in the medication prices. The results surprised me.
From my research of the top 50 drugs, RxSaver by RetailMeNot found the lowest price 36 times, GoodRx was cheapest 13 times and there was one tie. In a few cases, the price difference was only pennies. However, I recorded a spread of several dollars or more for some of the drugs that I compared.
All of the prices reflected in the chart below were observed on November 28, 2019. I selected my Miami Beach zip code as the home location. The same dosage and count were used for an apples-to-apples comparison.
Take a look at the results:
GoodRx vs. RxSaver by RetailMeNot Prescription Drug Prices
| Prescription Drug Name | GoodRx Price | RxSaver by RetailMeNot Price |
|---|---|---|
| Levothyroxine 50 mcg, 90 count | $16.46 | $10.00 |
| Lisinopril 20 mg, 90 count | $9.99 | $9.31 |
| Atorvastatin (generic Lipitor) 40 mg, 30 count | $8.25 | $7.00 |
| Metformin Hydrochloride 500 mg, 60 count | $3.91 | $3.50 |
| Amlodipine Besylate 10 mg, 30 count | $6.29 | $3.24 |
| Metoprolol 25 mg, 60 count | $3.99 | $4.02 |
| Omeprazole (generic Prilosec) 40 mg, 30 count | $8.43 | $4.41 |
| Simvastatin 20 mg, 90 count | $7.50 | $8.82 |
| Losartan Potassium 50 mg, 30 count | $3.99 | $4.56 |
| Albuterol 3 ml of 2.5 mg, 25 count | $9.32 | $5.62 |
| Gabapentin 300 mg, 90 count | $13.01 | $7.78 |
| Hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg, 90 count | $6.64 | $5.04 |
| Acetaminophen; Hydrocodone Bitartrate 10 mg/325 mg, 120 count | $23.65 | $21.65 |
| Sertraline Hydrochloride 100 mg, 30 count | $6.52 | $5.65 |
| Furosemide 20 mg, 30 count | $3.99 | $3.60 |
| Fluticasone 50 mcg, 1 count | $12.19 | $8.62 |
| Acetaminophen Codeine 300 mg/ 30 mg, 20 count | $8.74 | $6.35 |
| Amoxicillin 500 mg, 21 count | $3.99 | $6.24 |
| Alprazolam (generic Xanax) 0.5 mg, 30 count | $7.57 | $3.64 |
| Atenolol 25 mg, 30 count | $3.99 | $2.37 |
| Citalopram 20 mg, 30 count | $3.99 | $4.00 |
| Insulin Glargine (Lantus) 100/ml, 1 count | $213.24 | $297.03 |
| Montelukast (generic Singulair) 10 mg, 30 count | $10.99 | $4.08 |
| Trazodone Hydrochloride 50 mg, 30 count | $3.99 | $4.00 |
| Pantoprazole Sodium 40 mg, 30 count | $9.96 | $11.70 |
| Escitalopram Oxalate (generic Lexapro) 10 mg, 30 count | $7.21 | $4.19 |
| Pravastatin Sodium 40 mg, 30 count | $10.99 | $6.15 |
| Bupropion (generic Wellbutrin XL) 150 mg, 30 count | $9.00 | $8.62 |
| Fluoxetine Hydrochloride (generic Prozac) 20 mg, 30 count | $3.96 | $3.48 |
| Carvedilol 25 mg, 60 count | $3.99 | $4.36 |
| Prednisone 20 mg, 10 count | $4.83 | $2.00 |
| Tamsulosin Hydrochloride (Flomax) 0.4 mg, 30 count | $7.50 | $5.13 |
| Potassium Chloride ER 20 mEq, 30 count | $11.52 | $20.94 |
| Clopidogrel Bisulfate (generic Plavix) 75 mg, 30 count | $7.50 | $4.16 |
| Ibuprofen 800 mg, 30 count | $6.31 | $4.59 |
| Meloxicam 15 mg, 30 count | $3.99 | $3.64 |
| Rosuvastatin Calcium (generic Crestor) 20 mg, 90 count | $15.27 | $18.32 |
| Tramadol Hydrochloride (generic Ultram) 50 mg, 60 count | $7.55 | $6.27 |
| Zolpidem Tartrate ER (generic Ambien CR) 12.5 mg, 30 count | $28.28 | $26.23 |
| Warfarin 5 mg, 30 count | $4.00 | $4.00 |
| Clonazepam (generic Klonopin) 0.5 mg, 30 count | $6.97 | $4.57 |
| Propranolol Hydrochloride ER (generic Inderal LA) 60 mg, 30 count | $22.80 | $15.42 |
| Glipizide 10 mg, 60 count | $3.99 | $4.97 |
| Dextroamphetamine 10 mg, 60 count | $30.04 | $27.81 |
| Cyclobenzaprine 10 mg, 30 count | $6.54 | $3.97 |
| Methylphenidate (generic Ritalin) 20 mg, 60 count | $26.44 | $18.72 |
| Duloxetine 60 mg, 30 count | $15.31 | $7.14 |
| Azithromycin 250 mg, 6 count | $9.29 | $9.25 |
| Ranitidine (generic Zantac) 150 mg, 60 count | $7.50 | $7.51 |
| Venlafaxine Hydrochloride (generic Effexor) 75 mg, 30 count | $8.10 | $6.82 |
More Details
For several years, I’ve saved money using both GoodRx and RxSaver by RetailMeNot, formerly LowestMed. The results of this comparison surprised me because GoodRx has typically found the lowest prices from my personal experience.
Of course, your results may be different. The medications you take, dosage information and your location will all impact the price that you pay using the discounts that these services find.
That’s why I suggest that you take a few seconds to check the prices using both of the tools. If you don’t want to download the mobile apps, you can always use their websites: GoodRx.com and RxSaver.com. Just make sure to set your zip code to receive accurate prices.
Here’s how GoodRx and RxSaver by RetailMeNot work:
- Search for your prescriptions on their websites or apps
- Compare prices at nearby pharmacies and get free coupons
- Show the coupon to your pharmacist to get the discount
If you use the GoodRx or RxSaver mobile apps, simply show the coupon to your pharmacist from your phone. But if you use their websites, make sure to print the coupon before you go to the pharmacy.
GoodRx and RxSaver have become very popular recently, so your pharmacist should be familiar with them by now. But in the unlikely event that the pharmacist rejects your free coupon, here are the customer support numbers to call:
Contact information
- GoodRx: 855-268-2822
- RxSaver by RetailMeNot: 855-569-6337
Finally, another reason I like GoodRx and RxSaver is because you don’t have to hand over personal information to get the prescription drug savings. That means you don’t have to provide your name, email address, phone number or Facebook login information to use them.
Just enter the name of your medication, dosage information and your location using these free tools to see if you can lower your prescription drug costs today!
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I use retail me not rd and have saved a lot of money. H[w often do these prices change? Yearly? Or should I be checking every time I refill?
I check every time I refill, but most months the prices don’t change. Just my personal experience.