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GoodRx Vs. SingleCare: Battle of The Prescription Savings Cards

SingleCare and GoodRx are two of the most well-known prescription discount coupon companies. GoodRx, with its strong marketing campaigns, has made its name nearly synonymous with prescription savings. They are not the only company that provides prescription discount cards. SingleCare may not be as well known, but they are working hard to change that.

Companies that sell prescription discount cards advertise savings of up to 80% when using their websites or apps. In this article, we will put the two sites through their paces by testing their prices for the top 19 prescription drugs currently sold in the United States. 

Overall Review: How SingleCare and GoodRx Stack Up

Comparing Prices: SingleCare vs. GoodRx

Since the primary reason for using a prescription discount card is to save money on your prescription, we will begin our comparison by assessing how well the two companies compete with drug pricing. Here are the top twenty most prescribed medications in America and a comparison of the prices offered by GoodRx and SingleCare. The zip code 45432 was used to compare prices. 

To compare drug prices, check:

• Drug names: many drugs come in a variety of forms as well as brand name and generic options
• Form: choose from tablets, bottles, aerosols, capsules, etc. 
• Strength: select the medication’s strength
• Count: choose the number of doses to be administered

SingleCare displays medication pricing options, starting with the lowest price first, whereas GoodRx defaults to showing the most popular first. Change the GoodRx drop-down menu to see the medication list sorted by prices. SingleCare and GoodRx both offer the option to set discount alerts. GoodRx has a drop-down menu where you can save your most recent medication searches, and there is an option to share your search results. 

The free version of GoodRx was used to compare prices to SingleCare.

Price Comparison Table SingleCare vs. GoodRx

Below is a comparison of the prices of the top 19 drugs in the US. You can also compare GoodRx and Singlecare as well as BuzzRx, America’s Pharmacy and other discount cards using Uncovered’s personalized prescription saving tool.

Pricing Winner 

Of the top 19 drugs sold in the U.S. when priced using the zip code 45432, SingleCare was cheaper for eleven medications, GoodRx was cheaper for eight medications, and they tied once. However, GoodRx included free prescriptions through select pharmacies, while SingleCare did not. 

It is important to keep in mind that pricing varies by location and even by time of day. Therefore, a much more useful comparison is to compare the costs of your prescriptions in your location. 

Winner: SingleCare

Pricing Model

Prescription discount card companies negotiate a prescription price with pharmacies and pharmacy benefit managers. They aim to set a lower price than the cash prescription price and sometimes lower than your insurance copayment. 

The total prescription charge using the discount card is not always the lowest price. However, reputable prescription drug companies are transparent about that fact and provide the “lowest of” pricing. 

Pharmacy benefit managers such as CVS Caremark, Express Scripts, and Envision RX often offer prescription discount cards or partner with companies that do. 

The amount you pay is the sum of the following:

• the negotiated price of the prescription
• the pharmacy’s negotiated dispensing fee
• the discount card company’s negotiated fee. 

As a result of these collaborations, the pharmacy can anticipate increased sales. The prescription discount company earns a fee each time you use their discount card to pay for your prescription. 

Prescription discount card companies are in the business to make money. The more prescription discount cards they distribute and that are used, the more fees they can collect. 

GoodRx pricing model

GoodRx launched in 2011. Doug Hirsh, the company’s founder, saw the need for a platform for comparing drug prices. GoodRx works with a network of pharmacy benefit managers who negotiate with pharmacies on their behalf. GoodRx displays the pricing that the pharmacy benefit managers share with them. 

GoodRx has several revenue streams. The most lucrative for them is their prescription discount coupons. They also offer subscription services such as GoodRx Gold and Kroger Rx Savings Club, telehealth services, and a telehealth marketplace, as well as collecting advertising fees for advertising on their platform. 

SingleCare pricing model

SingleCare launched in 2014. Rick Bates is its CEO & Founder. SingleCare is a direct-to-consumer brand under the parent company RxSense. RXSense is a technology partner for private-label pharmacy benefit manager solutions. SingleCare negotiates directly with national pharmacy partners, such as CVS, Walmart, and Walgreens, to offer discount prices. Its HIPAA-compliant platform allows members to find the lowest prescription prices, build their profile, and track their prescription history. 

SingleCare partners with several nonprofits to help decrease prescription costs. They list their current partners as United way, 211, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, and Mental Health America. 

Premium Memberships

Good Rx Gold is GoodRx’s monthly membership program that offers additional medication discounts. Individual plans cost $5.99 per month, while family plans cost $9.99 per month. The family plan provides discounts to five family members, including parents, children, and pets. According to GoodRx, their plan includes over 1,000 prescriptions for less than $10.00 per month.

SingleCare offers members-only bonus savings if users create a free account. They offer an extra $5.00 off your next prescription purchase. 

After creating the account, the five-dollar discount is applied when pricing your medications. If you choose Walmart or CVS, you must use their respective cards to get your discount. 

Ease of Navigation

Both SingleCare and GoodRx are easy to navigate. Users enter their medication name in the search engine as well as their location, check the strength and quantity and then compare prices. SingleCare lists its pharmacies by lowest pricing, GoodRx by popularity. There is a drop-down menu to select arrange by lowest pricing on GoodRx’s website. 

GoodRx shows three columns of pricing: using their free coupons, the price using their Savings Club, and mail order. Interestingly, the Savings Club is frequently not the lowest price. 

GoodRx arranges medications in many ways for an easier search. Besides the search function, they provide the option to browse by medication, medication class, or see the top 20 most common medications. 

SingleCare offers a drop-down menu to select between brand names and generics and then the format of the medication, the strength, and the quantity. Prices are displayed in order of lowest to the highest prices. 

SingleCare makes its entire program formulary list available as a PDF. Users can search through the list to see if their medication is included, though it is easier to use the search feature on the website or app. 

Medication information is available from both SingleCare and GoodRx. SingleCare offers a price history, answers to frequently asked medication questions, news and research, and drug insert information. Drug information, a list of side effects, Medicare pricing information, reviews, alternative medication options, recent news, and images are all available on GoodRx.

App Comparison

Both GoodRx and SingleCare offer a mobile app. 

The GoodRx app can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play or enter your phone number on the GoodRx website, and a download link will be texted to you. The app allows users to search and compare prices, save their prescriptions, set alerts for lower prices, and get prescription discount coupons to show your pharmacist. 

The SingleCare App can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play, or you can enter your phone number on the SingleCare website, and a download link will be texted to you. Users can use the app to search for medications, save prescriptions, pull up digital coupons to show the pharmacist, and check their bonus buck balances. 

Final Thoughts

Both SingleCare and GoodRx offer discount prescription coupons that can help you save money on your prescriptions, especially if you do not have insurance, have a high-deductible plan, or are in the Medicare donut hole.

Unfortunately, there is no clear winner in terms of pricing, so the only way to get the best possible pricing is to check both apps regularly. If you take multiple medications, you may erode your savings if you need to drive to multiple pharmacies. Check for a basket of medication pricing at a single pharmacy to save your driving time and decrease the risk of drug interactions by filling all your medications at the same pharmacy. 

Using prescription discount cards can save you money, and the savings can be substantial. However, since the prices change frequently, users should frequently check GoodRx and SingleCare or set up price alerts on their prescriptions to get the best pricing.