Medication Cost Compare
Illustrative monthly cost from retail price, discount %, and days supply.
About this calculator
Prescription discount programs (manufacturer coupons, pharmacy discount cards, and services like GoodRx) can substantially reduce what a patient pays in cash for a medication compared to the full retail cash price. This calculator takes a single fill's retail price and days supply, converts it to a standardized 30-day (monthly) cost, then applies a discount percentage to estimate the discounted monthly cost and the resulting annual savings if that discount were used for every fill. The retail-to-monthly conversion simply scales by (30 / days supply), so a 90-day fill's total retail price is divided by three to get an equivalent monthly figure, letting fills of different lengths be compared on the same monthly basis.
This is an ILLUSTRATIVE estimate, not a live price quote: actual cash and discount-program prices vary by pharmacy, by region, and change frequently, and insurance copays (not modeled here at all) are often lower than any cash price. For a real purchasing decision, compare current prices directly at specific pharmacies or discount-card services for the exact medication and quantity needed.
Medical Disclaimer
This calculator is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about your health. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of results from this tool.
Inputs
Results
Est. monthly (disc.)
$66.00
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter the Retail cash price for your prescription fill.
- Enter the Discount program % offered by a coupon or discount card, and the Days supply the fill covers.
- Review the Est. monthly (disc.) and Monthly at retail outputs to see the estimated cost difference.
- Check the Annual savings vs retail figure to see what the discount could be worth over a year at the same dosing schedule.
- Treat these as illustrative estimates — confirm actual prices with your pharmacy or discount card service before purchasing.
How the result changes with Days supply
| Days supply | Est. monthly (disc.) |
|---|---|
| 15 | $132.00 |
| 23 | $86.09 |
| 45 | $44.00 |
| 75 | $26.40 |
What each input means
- Retail cash price
- Pharmacy list price for fill.
- Discount program %
- Coupon / discount card savings.
- Days supply
- Prescription length.
What each result means
- Est. monthly (disc.)
- Estimated 30-day cost after applying the discount program savings.
- Monthly at retail
- What a 30-day supply would cost at the full retail cash price.
- Annual savings vs retail
- How much you could save per year by using the discount program instead of paying retail.
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input ParametersRetail cash price = 120, Discount program % = 45, Days supply = 30 = 3 input(s) provided
- Calculate Est. monthlyEst. monthly = monthlyRetail * (1 - disc)66 = $66
- Calculate Monthly at retailMonthly at retail = (retail / days) * 30120 = $120
- Calculate Annual savings vs retailAnnual savings vs retail = round((monthlyRetail - monthlyDisc) * 12 * 100) / 100648 = $648
Engine last updated . Checked against 3 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators. Built by Paul Gunder, a software engineer, not a licensed financial, medical, or legal professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does this calculator turn a 90-day supply price into a monthly cost?
It scales the entered retail price by 30 divided by the days supply entered -- so a 90-day fill's total price is divided by 3, and a 14-day fill's price is multiplied by roughly 2.14, to estimate what an equivalent 30-day supply would cost. This lets fills of different lengths (and their resulting discounted costs) be compared on a consistent monthly basis.
Is the annual savings figure based on real discount program data?
No -- it is a straightforward projection of the discount percentage you enter, applied to twelve months of the estimated monthly retail cost. It illustrates how much a given discount percentage could be worth over a year at a steady price and dosing schedule, but it is not pulled from any specific pharmacy's or discount program's actual, current pricing.
Does this calculator account for insurance copays?
No -- it only compares a cash retail price against a cash discount-program price. Insurance copays are often lower than either cash figure and are not modeled here at all. If a medication is covered by insurance, comparing the copay against a cash discount card price directly (some pharmacies let a discount card be used instead of insurance when it's cheaper) is a separate comparison this calculator does not make.
Why might the discount percentage I see at the pharmacy differ from what I entered here?
Real discount programs set percentages that vary by medication, pharmacy, and region, and they change over time as negotiated pricing shifts. The discount percentage in this calculator is an input you supply as an estimate -- to get an accurate monthly cost, check the actual price quoted by a specific pharmacy or discount card service for the medication and quantity you need, then enter that discount here.
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