How We Check Prices
Where our prices come from, how often we check them, and how we make them comparable.
What We Compare
Every drug page compares the cash price of the same medication at the pharmacies we list, side by side with the U.S. list price. We show the brand and its generics separately, by strength, so you can compare the exact product your doctor prescribed.
Where Our Prices Come From
- From each pharmacy’s own website. We read the prices pharmacies publish for U.S. customers. Pharmacies don’t send us price lists, and they can’t pay to change a price or its place on the page.
- Checked every two weeks. Every price shows the date we last checked it. If a pharmacy marks a pack out of stock or on back order, we hide it until it’s available again.
- Kept on permanent record. Each check is saved to a price log, with the date, pack, maker, country and shipping fee, so we can show how prices change over time.
Every Price Shows Where It Comes From
A price only appears when we know where that pack was made and where it ships from. Many pharmacies sell several versions of the same drug from different countries, so this helps you know exactly what you’re buying. When the pharmacy names who makes the pack, such as Bristol-Myers Squibb or a specific generic company, we show the maker too.
Drug names can differ by country. Farxiga is sold as Forxiga in Canada and the U.K., for example, and Trintellix as Brintellix. We list these under the U.S. name and show the name on the pack, and we double-check brand and generic labels because pharmacies sometimes mix them up.
How We Calculate the 90-Day Cost
To make prices comparable, we turn each pack into the cost of a 90-day supply at the usual dose, plus shipping:
- Price per unit = pack price ÷ number of tablets, capsules or inhalers in the pack.
- 90-day cost = price per unit × the units needed for 90 days, plus the pharmacy’s shipping fee for each order that takes.
- Currency: all prices are in U.S. dollars. When a pharmacy prices in Canadian dollars, we convert to U.S. dollars at a recent exchange rate.
Your own cost depends on your dose and the pack you choose, so always confirm the final price on the pharmacy’s site before you order.
The U.S. Price We Compare Against
The U.S. price on each drug page is the drug maker’s published list price for a comparable supply, with its source and date. Most people with insurance pay less than list price. When a U.S. option costs less than buying abroad, such as a manufacturer savings program or a lower U.S. cash price, we show it first.
What We Don’t Do
- We don’t sell medication, fill prescriptions or handle orders.
- We don’t take payment to rank a pharmacy higher. Results are sorted by price.
- We don’t give medical advice. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before you change where or how you fill a prescription.
Found a Price That Looks Wrong?
Email support@edrugsearch.com with the drug, strength, pack size, pharmacy and a link if you have one. We check every report and correct mistakes. See also how we choose pharmacies and our editorial policy.