Prescription Drug Cost Calculator

Compare brand vs generic and insurance vs GoodRx pricing for medications.

By Konstantin Iakovlev · Updated September 2026 · Source: FDA — Generic Drug Facts

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Best Option

GoodRx Price: $18.00

Annual Savings vs Brand

$2,184.00

Price Comparison

GoodRx Price$18.00/mo ($216.00/yr)
Generic (no insurance)$25.00/mo ($300.00/yr)
With Insurance (copay)$30.00/mo ($360.00/yr)
Brand (no insurance)$200.00/mo ($2,400.00/yr)

Use the Prescription Drug Cost Calculator above to calculate your results. Enter your values and see instant results — all calculations run in your browser.

Disclaimer: This calculator is for informational purposes only and does not constitute tax, financial, or legal advice. Results are estimates based on the information you provide and current rates. Always consult a qualified tax professional or financial advisor for advice specific to your situation.

How It Works

Filling a prescription can mean wildly different prices depending on the path you take to pay. Weighing brand-name against generic options, and stacking your insurance coverage up against popular discount programs like GoodRx, helps you land on the cheapest way to fill a given prescription, and that comparison can add up to hundreds of dollars over a year.

You enter four monthly prices for the same prescription: the brand-name cash price, the generic cash price, your insurance copay, and the discount-card price your pharmacy quotes through GoodRx or a similar program. The tool ranks the four, names the cheapest, and turns the gap into an annual figure, including how much the cheapest option saves against paying cash for the brand. It holds no price database of its own, so the answer is only as current as the quotes you type in.

Prices swing noticeably from one pharmacy to the next, sometimes even within the same zip code, so it pays to check a few locations rather than settling on the first quote. Insurance isn't automatically the cheaper route either, since discount programs frequently beat it on certain generics. And bear in mind that some brand-name drugs still have no generic equivalent, which limits how far you can shop the price down.

Example: Simvastatin (Generic Zocor)

  1. 1 You need a 30-day supply of simvastatin 20 mg. Your pharmacy quotes $120 cash for brand-name Zocor and $15 cash for the generic, your plan's generic copay is $30, and a discount card prices the generic at $8.
  2. 2 Enter the four prices. The calculator ranks them: discount card $8, generic cash $15, insurance copay $30, brand $120.
  3. 3 The discount card is cheapest at $8 a month, or $96 a year. That is $22 a month ($264 a year) less than your copay and $1,344 a year less than paying cash for the brand.
  4. 4 In this scenario, the discount card saves you $22 a month over your insurance, though a discount-card purchase usually does not count toward your deductible. Always verify the GoodRx price with your specific pharmacy before filling, as prices can fluctuate.

Source: FDA — Generic Drug Facts · Last updated: September 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

Are generic drugs as effective as brand-name drugs?
Yes. The FDA requires generics to have the same active ingredient, dosage, strength, and quality as brand-name drugs. They must demonstrate bioequivalence. The FDA notes that a single generic competitor is associated with price reductions of about 30%, and five competing generics with drops of nearly 85%.
Is GoodRx cheaper than using my insurance?
Sometimes. GoodRx and similar discount cards can beat insurance copays, especially for common generics. Compare your insurance copay with the GoodRx price at your pharmacy before filling. Using GoodRx means the purchase does not count toward your deductible.
How can I reduce my prescription drug costs?
Ask your doctor about generic alternatives, use GoodRx or similar discount programs, check manufacturer patient assistance programs, consider mail-order pharmacies for maintenance medications, and compare prices across pharmacies as prices vary significantly.

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