Key Takeaways

• Prescription discount card programs offered by pharmacy benefit managers and third-party providers offer a budget-friendly option to pay for prescription medications. 

• BuzzRx, GoodRx, SingleCare, Costco, Blink Health, and American Pharmacy are the top overall prescription discount programs based on our findings.

Prescription drug costs in the United States are rising faster than most other healthcare services, including dental care, inpatient hospital care, and nursing home care. As a result, many Americans are struggling to afford their prescription medications. In addition to drug coverage under insurance plans, there are some programs sponsored by the government and drug manufacturers that can help, but these are limited in number, and not everyone qualifies for them. 

In this scenario, prescription discount card programs offered by pharmacy benefit managers and third-party providers offer a budget-friendly option to pay for prescription medications. 

These prescription discount programs offer significant savings of up to 80% to people who are uninsured. In addition, people who are insured may find that the discounted price of a drug with a prescription discount card is lower than the copay required by their insurance plan. 

However, choosing the best prescription discount program can be confusing. Please continue reading to find out the pros and cons of some of the most popular prescription discount card programs available in the US.

What are the best free prescription discount cards?

We rate the free discount card from BuzzRx as the best prescription discount card overall. Here are the key features of the program and how it compares to other prescription discount cards.

BuzzRx Prescription Discount Program

BuzzRx works directly with pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) to negotiate prices for brand name and generic prescriptions. It’s a totally free program with a large pharmacy network and can help you make substantial savings on medication prices.

Program cost: Free.

Savings: Up to 80% discount on the cash price.

Accepted at: Over 60,000 participating pharmacies nationwide.

Pros: Accepted at major chains like Walgreens, Walmart, CVS, and Rite-Aid, easy to use mobile app and website, preactivated for immediate use, no need to print coupons, unlimited use on multiple medications (both brand name and generic medications), everyone qualifies, includes pet medications and some over-the-counter drugs with a doctor’s prescription.

Cons: No home delivery (you must get your prescription filled at local pharmacies); average savings on certain medications may be less than other pharmacy discount cards.

GoodRx Discount Card

GoodRx offers multiple options for their prescription discount card. The GoodRx discount card can help you save money at big-box pharmacy chains as well as independent pharmacies. It is one of the largest discount card companies and offers some of the best prices on certain prescription medications.

Program cost: Free (basic membership); $9.99 monthly membership fee (Gold Individual Plan); $19.99 monthly fee (Gold Family Plan).

Advertised savings: Up to 80%.

Accepted at: At over 70,000 pharmacies.

Pros: Competitive pharmacy discounts with up to 90% savings on a limited number of medications. Some medications may be completely free.

Cons: A paid premium membership is required for the best discounts; specialty programs are confusing to use and are accepted at limited locations. No digital discount coupons; home delivery is only available with the gold GoodRx discount card.

SingleCare

The SingleCare prescription discount card can help you save on a wide range of prescription drugs, especially if you don’t have insurance coverage. The website and mobile app allow you to search for digital coupons at local pharmacies or use a physical card at a participating local pharmacy.

Program cost: Free.

Advertised savings: Up to 80%.

Accepted at: More than 35,000 pharmacies.

Pros: The Bonus Savings Program helps you save on future prescription refills.

Cons: This discount card is accepted at fewer pharmacies than other prescription drug discount cards.

Costco Membership Card

The Costco Member Prescription Program is designed to help eligible Costco members and their eligible dependents save money on prescription drugs.

Program cost: Free.

Advertised savings: Range from 2% to 40%.

Accepted at: Costco Pharmacies, Costco Mail Order, and certain other pharmacy chains.

Pros: Includes pet medications and compounded medications, additional discounted services such as flu shots and vaccines, same-day virtual doctor appointments, home delivery of prescribed medication, and online pharmacy.

Cons: Requires Costco membership, might not offer the lowest prices, might not be accepted at your local pharmacy.

Blink Health 

This drug discount program can help you save up to 80% on prescription medications through its website and mobile app. It is designed for people without health insurance to afford their prescribed medications. The Blink Health discount card can also help people who have health insurance plans compare prices to find out where they can get the best prices for their prescription drugs.

Program cost: Free.

Advertised savings: Average savings up to 80%.

Accepted at: Over 35,000 pharmacies.

Pros: Free home delivery and local pharmacy pickup available, online provider visits with a US-licensed medical professional to obtain selected prescriptions.

Cons: Limited acceptance, may not offer the lowest price for a prescription drug when you compare prices to other discount cards, a monthly fee of $9.95 for Blink Health subscription.

America’s Pharmacy

The America’s Pharmacy app and website allow you to look up discounted drug prices at nearby participating local pharmacies and instantly save money at big box chains and independent pharmacies.

Program cost: Free.

Advertised savings: Up to 80% pharmacy discounts on cash prices.

Accepted at: More than 59,000 participating pharmacies.

Pros: Easy to use app even for users who aren’t very tech-savvy, unlimited use, one card for one household.

Cons: The America’s Pharmacy discount card may not offer discounts on some name brand drugs.

Why get a prescription discount card?

Prescription drug discount cards can help you save substantial amounts on the prices of brand name and generic drugs. These discount programs are especially beneficial for:

• People who don’t have a health insurance plan.

• Those who have health insurance but their plan doesn’t include prescription drug coverage.

• People who have a plan with a high deductible or copay (member contribution).

• Those who are in Original Medicare or a Medigap plan that does not cover prescription drug costs.

• People who want to compare drug prices and save on prescription costs.

What to look for in the best prescription discount cards?

Some of the features you should look for when choosing a prescription discount card program include the program costs, the choice of programs available to suit your needs, advertised savings on the retail price of medications, how many pharmacies the program is accepted at, and the ease of use, for example, through a mobile app or website and a physical card versus digital coupons.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there anything better than GoodRx?

The BuzzRx discount card is one of the best prescription discount cards available, especially for people who don’t have health insurance or who don’t have prescription drug coverage under their health insurance plans. All you have to do to get instant discounts on name brand and generic medications is show your BuzzRx discount card at the pharmacy counter (there’s no need for a digital coupon). Best of all, it is a completely free discount program with a wide pharmacy network. While the GoodRx basic plan is free, some of the bigger discounts are included only in the Gold Program, which has a monthly fee of $9.99 (individual) or $19.99 (family plan).

Which is better: GoodRx or SingleCare?

Both GoodRx and SingleCare offer discounts at a wide-ranging pharmacy network. You can compare prices for your prescriptions and see which one offers lower drug costs.

Which is the cheapest pharmacy for prescription drugs?

The BuzzRx website and mobile app allow you to check the cash price of a specific prescription drug at local pharmacies near you, including major pharmacy chains like CVS, Rite-Aid, Walgreens, Walmart, and Kroger. 

Make sure your location services are turned on to locate nearby pharmacies. This completely free program is one of the best prescription discount cards available and allows you to purchase your medication at the best price.

References:

1. https://www.forbes.com/sites/saibala/2020/09/21/prescription-drug-and-healthcare-costs-are-rising/?sh=3b4cd40c367e