SingleCare vs GoodRx vs Cost Plus Drugs: Which Is Cheapest? (2026)
Imatinib 400mg · 30-day supply
SingleCare, GoodRx, and Cost Plus Drugs are the three savings paths most uninsured and high-deductible patients reach for, and they are constantly pitted against each other. The catch is that they are not the same kind of thing. Two are discount-card aggregators that get you a coupon price at a local pharmacy; one is an actual mail-order pharmacy with a published cost formula. That structural difference, not branding, is what decides which one is cheapest for you. We compared their price models, pharmacy networks, and a representative drug-price table to settle it. For the two-way deep dives, see our GoodRx vs SingleCare and GoodRx vs Cost Plus comparisons.
The fast verdict table
Each tool wins a different job. This is the decision in one view.
| Service | Best for | Cost to use | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost Plus Drugs | 90-day mail-order generics; moderately expensive generics | Free; pay cost + 15% + $5 pharmacy fee + shipping | Cheapest for planned maintenance refills |
| GoodRx | Same-day fills, widest pharmacy + drug coverage, controlled substances | Free (Gold: $9.99/mo) | Most flexible same-day option |
| SingleCare | Same-day fills, CVS reliability, simplicity | Free (no paid tier) | Most reliable card at CVS |
Researched and written by Vincent Wesley Couey, RxGrab founder. Price models and program terms verified against each provider's official site on .
How each one actually works (and why it changes the price)
GoodRx: a coupon aggregator
GoodRx is free and its coupons are accepted at more than 70,000 store locations across the U.S. and its territories, per GoodRx's own site. You search a drug, pick the pharmacy with the best coupon price, and show the coupon. GoodRx earns a fee from the pharmacy benefit manager on each transaction rather than charging you. GoodRx reports users save up to 80% off retail.
The paid tier, GoodRx Gold, costs $9.99 per month for individuals and $19.99 per month for families, with a free 30-day trial, and is accepted at over 38,000 locations. Gold surfaces a second, often lower negotiated rate, but only pays off if you fill enough prescriptions monthly to clear the subscription fee.
SingleCare: a single-PBM discount card
SingleCare is free with no paid tier and no membership fee, accepted at more than 35,000 pharmacies, and advertises up to 80% off. It works with or without insurance. You can use coupons without an account, but signing up (just name, email, and date of birth) unlocks member savings, $3 off your next eligible fill, then roughly $1 in bonus savings on most subsequent fills. Because SingleCare negotiates primarily through one PBM partner, its pricing is a touch more consistent than GoodRx's aggregated rates, and it has kept a more stable relationship with CVS.
Cost Plus Drugs: an actual pharmacy with a published formula
Cost Plus Drugs is not a card, it is a mail-order pharmacy. Per its own FAQ, it prices every drug the same way: its acquisition cost, plus a 15% markup, plus a pharmacy fee (its pharmacy partners charge $5.00 to prepare and provide each prescription), plus shipping and taxes that vary by location. There is no insurance billing; it is cash-pay only, and in independent analysis its cash prices beat commercial insurance copays a large share of the time. The trade-offs: it is generics-focused, does not carry controlled substances, and is mail-only, so it is not for urgent or same-day needs.
Head-to-head price table: a representative generic basket
The table below shows a representative metro-area price snapshot for common generics, so you can see the pattern of who wins where. Treat the exact cells as illustrative, not a live quote: discount-card prices change by ZIP code and day, and Cost Plus totals depend on quantity and shipping. Always run your exact drug, dose, quantity, and pharmacy on all three before you fill. GoodRx and SingleCare figures are best local-coupon prices for a 30-day supply; Cost Plus figures are the published cost-plus total including its $5 pharmacy fee.
| Drug (30-day) | GoodRx | SingleCare | Cost Plus | Typically lowest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atorvastatin 20mg | $3.49 | $3.22 | $5.82 | SingleCare/GoodRx |
| Lisinopril 20mg | $3.12 | $3.45 | $6.28 | GoodRx |
| Metformin 1000mg | $3.88 | $3.90 | $6.31 | GoodRx/SingleCare |
| Sertraline 100mg | $4.22 | $3.88 | $6.50 | SingleCare |
| Escitalopram 10mg | $4.89 | $4.22 | $6.22 | SingleCare |
| Bupropion XL 300mg | $22.50 | $21.10 | $12.88 | Cost Plus |
| Tadalafil 20mg (30ct) | $18.90 | $17.40 | $10.50 | Cost Plus |
| Imatinib 400mg | $78.00 | $74.50 | $59.29 | Cost Plus |
The pattern is consistent and it is the single most useful thing to internalize: on cheap, everyday generics the two cards win because the per-order fee on a mail-order pharmacy outweighs the markup difference. On moderately expensive generics, Cost Plus pulls ahead, sometimes dramatically, because retail pharmacies hold higher margins on drugs fewer people comparison-shop. SingleCare and GoodRx trade the top spot drug by drug, usually by pennies.
On cheap, everyday generics the two cards win because the per-order fee on a mail-order pharmacy outweighs the markup difference. On moderately expensive generics, Cost Plus pulls ahead, sometimes dramatically. RXGRAB PRICE DESK
The 90-day flip: where Cost Plus wins by design
The 30-day table understates Cost Plus, because its $5 pharmacy fee is charged once per prescription regardless of supply length. Stretch the same drug to a 90-day supply and the fee is spread across three months, while the cost-plus-15% drug component stays low. For maintenance medications you take every day, ordering 90-day supplies from Cost Plus is frequently the cheapest path available anywhere, and you can consolidate multiple prescriptions to spread shipping further.
HEADLINE SAVINGS
GoodRx and SingleCare both advertise up to 80% off retail.
BUPROPION XL 300MG
A moderately priced generic where Cost Plus wins outright.
THE FINE PRINT
Structure that holds, not a single number to memorize.
Beyond price: coverage, speed, and reliability
| Factor | GoodRx | SingleCare | Cost Plus Drugs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to use | Free (Gold $9.99/mo) | Free (no paid tier) | Free to use; pay per order |
| Pharmacy network | 70,000+ locations | 35,000+ locations | Mail-order only |
| Fill speed | Same day | Same day | Mail (typically ~5-10 business days) |
| CVS reliability | Inconsistent | More consistent | N/A (mail-order) |
| Controlled substances | Yes (at pharmacy) | Yes (at pharmacy) | No |
| Brand-name drugs | Yes (limited discount) | Yes (limited discount) | Generics-focused |
| Price transparency | Coupon price shown | Coupon price shown | Full cost breakdown shown |
| Insurance | Compare vs copay | Works with or without | Cash-pay only |
| Auto-refill | Manual | Manual | Available |
If you are self-employed and managing healthcare costs yourself, all three belong in your toolkit, and out-of-pocket prescription costs may be tax-relevant. Before adding any new medication, check it against your current ones. OmniRx's drug interaction guide walks through the process and offers a free interaction checker. For the freelancer tax angle, CeoCult's medical expense deduction guide covers what qualifies.
BEST FOR 90-DAY REFILLS
Cost Plus
Cost + 15% + a single $5 pharmacy fee spread across the whole supply. Frequently the cheapest path anywhere for maintenance generics.
BEST FOR SAME-DAY FILLS
GoodRx
Free coupons at 70,000+ locations, widest drug coverage, plus a $9.99/mo Gold tier if you fill a lot.
BEST AT CVS
SingleCare
Free with no paid tier, 35,000+ pharmacies, and the more reliable card when your pharmacy is CVS.
Which should you use? A 30-second decision
- Daily maintenance generic, can plan ahead: Cost Plus Drugs, 90-day supply.
- Need it today / short course / controlled substance / brand drug: compare GoodRx and SingleCare at a local pharmacy.
- Your pharmacy is CVS: default to SingleCare; confirm GoodRx at the counter.
- You fill many prescriptions at local pharmacies: check whether GoodRx Gold beats free SingleCare by more than the $9.99 fee.
- Moderately expensive generic (over ~$15/fill): check Cost Plus first; it often wins decisively.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheapest: SingleCare, GoodRx, or Cost Plus Drugs?
No single service is always cheapest. For same-day fills of common generics at a local pharmacy, GoodRx and SingleCare split the wins roughly evenly and the difference is usually under $1.50 per fill. For 90-day mail-order supplies of generics, Cost Plus Drugs is frequently the lowest because of its transparent cost-plus-15% model. The reliable approach is to check all three for your specific drug, quantity, and pharmacy.
Is Cost Plus Drugs cheaper than GoodRx and SingleCare?
Often, but not always. Cost Plus charges its acquisition cost plus a 15% markup, a $5 pharmacy fee per prescription, and shipping that varies by location. On cheap 30-day generics those per-order fees can make it more expensive than a GoodRx or SingleCare coupon at a local pharmacy. On 90-day supplies and moderately expensive generics, Cost Plus frequently wins because the fees are spread across a larger order.
Can I use SingleCare, GoodRx, and Cost Plus together?
You cannot apply two discount cards to one fill, but you can use all three strategically. Use Cost Plus for 90-day mail-order maintenance generics, and compare GoodRx and SingleCare coupons for same-day fills, controlled substances, brand drugs, and anything Cost Plus does not carry. All three are free to check.
Does Cost Plus Drugs carry controlled substances or brand-name drugs?
No. Cost Plus Drugs is generics-focused and does not dispense controlled substances such as Adderall or alprazolam. For controlled substances, brand-only drugs, and urgent same-day fills, use GoodRx or SingleCare at a local pharmacy instead.
Does SingleCare work at CVS when GoodRx does not?
SingleCare has maintained more consistent acceptance at CVS than GoodRx, whose CVS relationship has been unstable. If your pharmacy is CVS, SingleCare is generally the more reliable card. Always confirm acceptance at the counter, since terms can change.
Sources
- Cost Plus Drugs official FAQ (pricing model: cost + 15% + $5 pharmacy fee + shipping/taxes that vary)
- Cost Plus Drugs available medications (generics-focused catalog)
- GoodRx Gold pricing, official support ($9.99 individual / $19.99 family)
- GoodRx accepted-pharmacy network (70,000+ locations)
- How GoodRx works (free coupon model, up to 80% savings)
- SingleCare prescription discount card (free, 35,000+ pharmacies, up to 80%)
- How SingleCare works (no membership fee; member bonus savings)
- FTC enforcement action against GoodRx (2023 data-sharing settlement, $1.5M civil penalty)
- AJMC: Cost Plus Drugs vs commercial insurance copays
- FDA generic drug facts (bioequivalence standard for generics)
- Medicare.gov: help with drug costs
- CMS.gov (federal drug-program reference)
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