Viagra Prices: A Complete Guide to How Much Viagra Costs

Widely known as the “little blue pill,” Viagra®, which contains the active ingredient sildenafil, is one of the most popular prescription medications for treating erectile dysfunction (ED).

When Viagra first became available in the late 1990s, prices for Viagra tablets were generally quite high. Prices remained high throughout the 2000s as Pfizer, the company that developed and produced the medication, maintained exclusive rights to Viagra.

Today, Viagra is widely available in its generic form as sildenafil at significantly more affordable prices.

Below, we’ve explained how Viagra pricing works, as well as the difference in pricing between the brand name version of Viagra and generic sildenafil (generic Viagra).

We’ve also explained the other costs that go into a pack of Viagra, from a healthcare provider’s visit to insurance and more.

What is Viagra?

Viagra is one of the most popular medications on the market for treating erectile dysfunction. It was first approved by the FDA in March of 1998, and has since been used, in brand name and generic forms, by millions of men to treat ED. 

Sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, belongs to a class of medications referred to as PDE5 inhibitors. It works by inhibiting the actions of an enzyme referred to as phosphodiesterase type 5, which controls the flow of blood to certain areas of tissue in your body.

One of these areas is the erectile tissue of your penis. By inhibiting PDE5, the sildenafil used in Viagra relaxes the smooth muscle tissue of blood vessels that supply blood to your penis. This makes it easier for blood to flow into your penis, creating an erection.

Erections are all about healthy blood flow. When you’re sexually aroused, your nervous system signals to your penis, prompting blood to flow into your corpora cavernosa (a pair of sponge-like areas of tissue inside your penis).

This blood is held inside your penis by a fibrous membrane called the tunica albuginea, allowing you to stay hard during sex.

Viagra doesn’t cause you to become aroused, meaning you’ll still need to be sexually stimulated in order for it to work.

However, by improving blood flow to your penis, medications like Viagra make it much easier to get and stay hard if you’re prone to ED.

Viagra isn’t the only treatment option for ED, nor is it the only PDE5 medication that’s available right now. Other ED medications include:

• Cialis®. This medication contains the active ingredient tadalafil. It has a longer half-life than other ED drugs, allowing it to treat ED for up to 36 hours on one dose and giving it a reputation as a “weekend pill” for treating erectile dysfunction.

• Levitra®. This medication contains the active ingredient vardenafil. It lasts for a similar amount of time to Viagra and is normally used as a one-night ED treatment.

• Stendra®. This newer medication contains the active ingredient avanafil. It acts quickly and can provide relief from ED in as little as 15 minutes. It also has a lower risk of side effects than other ED medications. 

Advantages of Viagra

Compared to other medications available to treat ED, Viagra and generic sildenafil offer several unique advantages:

• Viagra is widely available and well known. Viagra has the longest track record of any widely-used ED medication, making it a good option if you’re looking for something that has a proven history of working well. Because of its huge popularity, Viagra is widely available online, from pharmacy chains and from local pharmacies.

• Viagra is a short-acting ED medication. Compared to long-lasting medications such as Cialis, Viagra has a relatively short half-life. A single dose will usually provide relief from ED for approximately four hours. While this may be a disadvantage for some, it’s also an advantage, especially if you’re prone to side effects from ED medications and want to avoid a treatment that lingers in your body for several days.

Generic Viagra is affordable. Viagra is no longer only available as a brand-name drug, with its expired patent allowing generic drug manufacturers to produce and sell its active ingredient sildenafil. Because it’s available as a generic medication, Viagra is now much more affordable than it used to be in the 1990s and early 2000s. 

How Much Does Viagra Cost?

The price of Viagra can vary widely based on factors such as your location, insurance status, the medication’s dosage and the pharmacy from which you purchase medication. In general:

• Prices for brand name Viagra can range from a few hundred dollars to $1,000 or more for a 30-day supply.

• Prices for generic sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, can range from as little as $20 to $50 or more for a 30-day supply.

Viagra vs. Generic Sildenafil Pricing

Viagra contains the active ingredient sildenafil -- a PDE5 inhibitor that works by increasing the flow of blood to your penis.

For several decades, the pharmaceutical company Pfizer had exclusive rights to manufacture and sell sildenafil as Viagra. However, as with other brand-name drugs, these exclusive rights eventually expired, ending Pfizer’s control of the manufacture and sale of sildenafil. 

Today, it’s legal for other companies to produce and sell sildenafil with their own brand names, packaging and pricing.

Like with other generic medications, generic sildenafil is significantly less expensive than brand name Viagra. For example, we offer sildenafil online from $30 per month, whereas brand name Viagra is available for $425. 

Other Viagra Pricing Factors to Keep in Mind

Viagra is a prescription medication, meaning you’ll need to factor in the cost of seeing a licensed healthcare provider if you don’t already have a valid prescription.

The cost of visiting a licensed healthcare provider to talk about ED treatment may vary based on your location, insurance plan and other factors. You can either visit your primary care provider or talk to a specialist in men’s reproductive health, such as a urologist.

A more affordable option is to talk to a licensed healthcare provider online about treating erectile dysfunction with Viagra or similar medication.

If you have erectile dysfunction and think Viagra or generic sildenafil could be helpful options for you, you can talk to a healthcare provider online with our telehealth service. If appropriate, you’ll receive a prescription for Viagra, generic sildenafil or another ED medication.

In addition to the cost of seeing a healthcare provider, there are several other factors to keep in mind when comparing Viagra prices:

• Shipping and handling charges. These can vary based on where you’re located and how you choose to purchase Viagra. If you purchase Viagra from your local pharmacy instead of online, you obviously won’t need to factor these into the price.
  

• Time and convenience. Buying Viagra online doesn’t just save you money -- it’s also a good way to reduce the amount of time you spend buying mediation, especially if you’re located far from your local provider’s office and/or pharmacy.
  

• Dosage. Viagra is available as a 25mg, 50mg and 100mg tablet, while generic sildenafil is sold in a variety of dosages from 20mg to 100mg. Pricing for Viagra can vary based on the strength of the medication. When you’re purchasing Viagra, check that you’re getting the correct dosage. Make sure to follow your healthcare provider’s instructions when taking Viagra, generic sildenafil or any other forms of ED medication.
  

• Authenticity. Some low-cost Viagra sellers, especially online medication vendors, may sell counterfeit Viagra tablets. These over-the-counter ED drugs can contain unlabeled ingredients, some of which may be unsafe or improperly dosed.In some cases, these counterfeit Viagra tablets don’t even contain the active ingredient sildenafil. Be careful when you see Viagra, generic sildenafil or other ED medications available for sale without any need for a prescription, at an extremely low price or from a vendor in a foreign country. To protect yourself from scams and unsafe medication, look for signs that a healthcare vendor is reputable, such as Better Business Bureau® accreditation or a LegitScript® Seal of Approval. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Viagra Pricing

Is Viagra Covered by Insurance?

Some insurance providers may cover Viagra or generic sildenafil. If you have health insurance and want to use Viagra to treat erectile dysfunction, it’s best to contact your insurance provider to find out more about medication coverage.

How Much Does Viagra Cost at Walgreens, CVS and Other Pharmacies?

Pricing for Viagra and sildenafil at Walgreens, Walmart, CVS Pharmacy, Kroger Pharmacy and other retail pharmacies can vary based on numerous factors, including your location, insurance provider, current discount offers and more.

If you have a prescription for Viagra and want to fill it at your local pharmacy or at a pharmacy chain, it’s best to call the nearest pharmacy location for the exact price before you visit.

Is Viagra the Only Medication for Treating Erectile Dysfunction?

Although Viagra is the most well-known medication for treating erectile dysfunction, it’s not the only treatment option that’s available. 

Several other FDA-approved medications are also available to treat ED, including Cialis (which contains the active ingredient tadalafil), Levitra (vardenafil) and Stendra (avanafil). 

All of these medications are PDE5 inhibitors that function in the same way as Viagra to improve blood flow to your penis. Our guide to the most common ED medications covers how they work, their unique advantages and more in greater detail. 

How to Pay the Lowest Price for Viagra

With the right approach, you can significantly reduce the amount you spend for Viagra, generic sildenafil or other ED medications. Try the following techniques for better value for money:

• Stick to generics. Generic sildenafil contains the exact same active ingredient as brand name Viagra and is equally as effective at treating ED. Sticking to generics allows you to take advantage of low generic drug prices and save money while treating ED.

• Check your insurance coverage. Insurance coverage for brand name Viagra can vary from provider to provider. However, many insurance companies do provide coverage for generic ED drugs. To save money on generic sildenafil or other ED medications, make sure to contact your insurance provider before making a purchase at your local pharmacy.

• Use patient assistance programs (PAPs). Some drug companies offer assistance for eligible patients. For example, Pfizer offers an RxPathways program for people in need of discounted or free prescription drugs.

• Look for Viagra coupons. Many pharmacies offer coupons and promotional discounts for Viagra, generic sildenafil and other medications. If you buy Viagra locally, try asking at your pharmacy to see if any discounts are available.

• Use telehealth to your advantage. Finally, consider getting your Viagra online. Using our telehealth service, you can access both brand-name and generic Viagra, as well as other ED medications, with affordable pricing and discreet home delivery. 

In Conclusion

Viagra varies in price based on your location, your healthcare provider and your choice of either brand-name Viagra or generic sildenafil. 

We offer brand-name Viagra from $70 per use and generic sildenafil from just $4 per use, giving you the option to access ED medication at an affordable price. 

Interested in learning more about treating ED? Our guide to what to expect from ED medication explains how erectile dysfunction drugs like Viagra work, as well as side effects that you should be aware of when treating ED.