Viagra® is the brand name for sildenafil citrate. It’s an FDA-approved prescription medication that’s used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED).

Viagra is a very safe drug for ED treatment that can sometimes be costly. But there are plenty of ways you can save money on Viagra prices.

Keep in mind that there’s a generic and much cheaper version of Viagra, sold as sildenafil. It has the same active ingredient and it’s just as effective as brand-name Viagra.

What is Viagra?

Viagra is a phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitor. That means that it affects how an enzyme called PDE5 works.

Blood usually flows into the spongy tissue of your penis and causes an erection when you’re aroused. PDE5 can restrict blood flow into the penis. This restricted blood flow can keep you from getting an erection or keeping one long enough to ejaculate during sexual activity if you have ED.

Viagra stops PDE5 from effectively performing its normal function of restricting blood flow. This helps blood flow more easily into your penis so that you can get hard and stay hard longer.

Viagra and sildenafil are usually prescribed in the form of oral tablets — brand-name Viagra looks like a little blue pill. Oral tablets are the only version of Viagra approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

How much does Viagra cost?

Brand-name Viagra prices start at $110 per pill from Motivated.

Generic Viagra (sildenafil citrate) is usually available at a much lower price. You can expect to pay as low as $3 per pill from Motivated to start for generic Viagra with a prescription from a U.S.-licensed medical provider.

Viagra prices can range widely depending on:

• where you purchase Viagra from
• whether you have an in-person or online consultation
• whether you buy brand-name Viagra or generic Viagra
• how much Viagra you buy at one time

Viagra prices can change drastically depending on whether you have health insurance coverage for Viagra or not.

Some insurance plans will only cover generic medications like sildenafil. Others may cover brand-name Viagra at the lowest price if a healthcare provider prescribes it to treat a diagnosis of erectile dysfunction (ED).

Why is Viagra so expensive?

Viagra is a brand-name medication produced by Pfizer, one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies. Pfizer held an exclusive right to produce Viagra until 2020.

Pfizer still holds the patent for Viagra. But Pfizer also produces a cheaper generic Viagra version along with several other companies, including Mylan and Teva Pharmaceuticals. Pfizer settled lawsuits with these two companies in order to allow them to produce generic Viagra, too.

Since only Pfizer can manufacture the brand-name version of Viagra, they can keep Viagra prices high in order to make a profit from the wide recognition of this famous brand.

Is Viagra covered by insurance?

Viagra might be covered by insurance if a doctor prescribes it to you to treat a diagnosis of ED.

Your insurance plan might only cover generic Viagra if your plan won’t cover Viagra at the high prices that it’s usually offered for.

If your insurance plan doesn’t cover Viagra or sildenafil, you can submit documentation to your insurance company to get it covered for a compelling reason.

You can try submitting either a prior authorization or an appeal for coverage for Viagra or sildenafil.

Viagra isn’t covered by most Medicare insurance plans. But, if you’re interested in learning about whether Viagra may be covered by your specific plan, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Price for Viagra prescription

You can get brand-name Viagra from Motivated with a prescription starting at $110 per pill. You can also get generic Viagra from Motivated for as low as $3 per pill.

You will need a prescription to order brand-name Viagra or sildenafil. You can use a telehealth provider to get a prescription for brand-name Viagra or generic Viagra from a licensed medical provider.

Getting a prescription for Viagra from a telehealth provider can save you time in getting an appointment with a primary care provider. Using a telehealth provider can also save you money by helping you access affordable Viagra prices — with Motivated, you can also get free shipping on your orders.

You can also try affordable monthly plans that help lower the cost of generic Viagra. The most affordable plans from Motivated start at $40 per month for 4 pills delivered each month — and the longer your plan with Motivated, the more you save:

• 3 months: save up to 45% with sildenafil 3-month plans
• 6 months: save up to 55% with sildenafil 6 month-plans
• 12 months: save up to 65% with sildenafil 12-month plans

Sildenafil vs Viagra: A cost comparison

Viagra can be much more expensive than generic Viagra (sildenafil) because of its brand-name recognition.

But generic Viagra works exactly the same as brand-name Viagra — both are FDA-approved PDE5 inhibitors with the same active ingredient and dosages available.

In some cases, you might save up to 95% on the cost of Viagra by purchasing the generic version from a telehealth provider that can help you access generic Viagra even without insurance coverage.

Generic Viagra is a great option to save on the high costs of brand-name Viagra if you’re not concerned about the brand recognition of Pfizer’s original Viagra. Your doctor or pharmacist will be sure that you’re getting the same dosage when you switch to the generic version.

Viagra alternatives prices

One of the most common Viagra alternatives is called Cialis® (tadalafil).

Cialis and tadalafil are both PDE5 inhibitors like Viagra. They tend to last longer and Cialis prices can be more affordable than brand-name Viagra.

Here’s how the prices of brand-name Cialis and generic Cialis stack up on Motivated when you take it as needed:

• Cialis: from $105 per pill (from $25 per pill for daily use)
• Generic Cialis (tadalafil): from $3.50 per pill (from $1 per pill for daily use)

Other Viagra alternatives that are worth considering include:

• Levitra® (vardenafil), a PDE5 inhibitor that’s sometimes known to have stronger effects than Viagra
• Stendra® (avanafil), a PDE5 inhibitor that sometimes works more quickly and stays in your bloodstream longer than Viagra

You might also find that some PDE5 inhibitors work better for you or work better in different situations. The efficacy of the different PDE5 inhibitors may vary whether you’re taking it right before sex or taking it regularly to make sure you’re always ready.

It doesn’t hurt to try a few options to experiment with what works best for you.

Tips for getting cheap Viagra

There are plenty of ways you can help save yourself money on a Viagra prescription — whether you have insurance coverage or not.

Here are some tips for getting cheap Viagra:

• Go generic. Use generic Viagra instead of brand-name Viagra — generic Viagra is also an FDA-approved PDE5 inhibitor and uses the same active ingredient
• Buy in bulk. Buy larger quantities of Viagra or sildenafil at a time to get higher discounts
• Use patient assistance programs (PAPs). These programs are sometimes offered by drug manufacturers and can help you cover the cost of Viagra or sildenafil
• Get a telehealth consultation. Get an online consultation with a U.S.-licensed provider through Motivated or other telehealth providers — and receive an online prescription for brand-name or generic Viagra within 2 hours from Motivated
• Save on shipping costs. Receive free 2-day shipping in discreet packaging from Motivated that doesn’t show what’s inside
• Get ongoing help from professionals. Keep in touch with a medical professional to make sure you get the most from your prescription — you can get 24/7 Health Concierge access from Motivated provided by US-licensed doctors for ongoing support and answers to any treatment-related questions

Does Viagra interact with any medications?

Viagra can interact with some common medications and cause serious side effects.

Talk with a doctor if you’re taking any of the following meds before you get a prescription for Viagra or sildenafil:

• Alpha-blockers used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
• Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure
• Antifungal drugs used to treat fungal infections
• Diuretics (water pills) used to treat high blood pressure or conditions that cause you to retain fluid
• Erythromycin (Ery-Tab) used to treat common bacterial infections in the respiratory tract and skin
• Guanylate cyclase (GC) stimulators used to treat heart failure or pulmonary arterial hypertension
• Nitrates used to treat chest pain to improve blood flow to the heart
• Ritonavir used to treat the symptoms of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)