How Much Does a Flu Shot Cost Without Insurance?

Flu season comes around every year, and getting a flu shot is one of the easiest ways to protect yourself and your community. But how much does it cost, especially if you don’t have insurance? In this guide, we’ll break down flu shot pricing, affordable options, and how to get vaccinated for little to no cost, so you can stay healthy without breaking the bank.

How Much Do Flu Shots Cost Without Insurance?

The average cost of a flu shot without insurance is:

• $20 to $70 for a standard flu shot (quadrivalent flu vaccine).

• $50 to $120 for a flu shot for seniors age 65+ (Fluad or Fluzone High Dose).

• $50 to $120 for an egg-free flu vaccine (Flublok).

Most insurance plans, including Medicare, Medicaid, and many employer-sponsored plans, cover flu shots as a preventive service. All Health Insurance Marketplace plans and other private health plans are required to cover certain vaccines, including the influenza vaccine, without charging a copayment or coinsurance if the vaccine is provided by an in-network provider, even if you haven’t yet met your yearly deductible. 

Therefore, if you have health insurance, your annual flu shot will likely be offered at no cost or with a very low copay.

Affordable Options for Flu Shots

Check with your local pharmacy for the price of a flu shot without insurance. The following list may be helpful for comparing flu shot prices between popular pharmacies in your area.

Costco

The cost of a flu shot at Costco can vary by location. Prices with the Costco Member Prescription Program discount card are as follows:

• Standard flu vaccine (Afluria, Flucelvax): $19.99

• Fluad or Fluzone High Dose for 65+ adults: $59.99

Walmart

The cost of flu shots at Walmart if you don’t have insurance is as follows:

• Standard quadrivalent flu vaccine: $41.53

• Fluad or Fluzone High Dose for 65+ adults: $104.64

Walgreens

The price of a flu shot at Walgreens varies by state. Walgreens Prescription Savings Club members get a 20% discount. Prices are as follows:

• Standard quadrivalent flu vaccine: $58.99

• Fluad or Fluzone High Dose for 65+ adults: $108.99

CVS

The prices of flu shots at CVS areas are as follows:

• Standard quadrivalent flu vaccine: $68.99

• Standard egg-free flu vaccine (Flublok): $115.99

• Fluad or Fluzone High Dose for 65+ adults: $115.99

Schedule a vaccination

You have options when it comes to getting vaccinated. CVS Pharmacy is one option available to you. Verify network coverage with your health insurance plan.

Find Appointments >

How to Get a Flu Shot Without Insurance

Walk-in

Many local and retail chain pharmacies offer flu shots on a walk-in basis. 

Walk-ins are a convenient option to get vaccinated before flu season starts. Simply go when it's convenient for you, and a trained pharmacist or pharmacy technician will administer your flu shot.

Book an Appointment

Booking an appointment on your schedule for the flu vaccine ensures that the vaccines are in stock when you visit. 

State Health Departments and Local Health Centers

Many local health centers and state health departments offer free or low-cost flu shots to people without insurance. Here are some examples:

• San Francisco

• Los Angeles

• New York City

• Texas

• Washington State

• Florida

Where to Get Free Flu Vaccines

Here are some government health programs offering low-cost or free flu vaccines:

• Medicare Part B

• VA Public Health Facilities

• Federally funded programs such as Vaccines For Children

• Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) supported health centers

• Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program

When Is the Best Time to Get the Flu Vaccination?

The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older receive a flu vaccine (if they don’t have health-related restrictions), ideally before the end of October, when flu season in the US typically starts. But even if you get the flu shot later, it will still be beneficial and protective. 

What Is a High-Dose Flu Shot?

High-dose flu vaccines contain 3-4 times the amount of flu virus antigen compared to a standard flu shot. These vaccines are recommended for seniors age 65 and older and younger adults who have had solid organ transplants, as they trigger a stronger immune response in the body against influenza viruses.

Can You Get Other Vaccines With the Flu Shot?

You may be able to get other vaccines at the same visit as your flu shot, for example, the RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) vaccine and COVID-19 vaccine, saving you additional visits to the pharmacy or doctor’s office.

Keep in mind that side effects like injection site reactions can be more severe if you get other vaccines with the flu shot. 

Additional Resources and Support

If you have health insurance, getting your flu shot from an in-network provider will likely require zero copay or coinsurance. Remember that while the flu shot itself may be free as part of preventative care, you may have to pay for the doctor’s consultation.

Visit https://www.vaccines.gov/en/ to book a vaccination appointment at a pharmacy near you. 

Enter your zip code, choose a local pharmacy, and call them or visit their website to check vaccine availability and book an appointment. 

If you want more information about the influenza vaccine, the National Library of Medicine offers language assistance with flu vaccine information in multiple languages.

Benefits of Getting a Flu Shot

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

• Flu vaccination can prevent you from getting sick during flu season. Each year, the flu vaccine is formulated to protect against the flu viruses that are in circulation based on global surveillance data.

• Vaccination can reduce the severity of the illness if you still catch the flu.

• Flu vaccines lower the risk of life-threatening influenza illness and flu-associated hospitalizations, especially in high-risk individuals such as children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems.

• Vaccination decreases the risk of serious complications in people with certain health conditions, such as diabetes, asthma, and other chronic lung diseases, and heart disease.

• Flu vaccination during pregnancy not only protects the mother but also the newborn baby for several months after birth.

• Getting the flu shot protects your loved ones by decreasing your chances of falling sick and spreading the infection to others.

The CDC estimates that each year during flu season, flu vaccination prevents :

• About 6 million influenza illnesses.

• Almost 3 million influenza-related medical visits.

• About 65,000 influenza-related hospitalizations.

• Approximately 3,700 influenza-related deaths.

Side Effects and Safety of Flu Vaccines

Most people have either no side effects or mild side effects after a flu shot. These symptoms resolve on their own in 1-3 days without treatment. 

Common symptoms reported by patients include mild fever, muscle aches, headache, cough, fatigue, and injection site reactions (redness, swelling, tenderness). 

If you want to avoid an injection, a nasal spray flu vaccine (FluMist) is available; however, this vaccine is not approved for children younger than 2 years or adults older than 49.