Prescription costs can vary dramatically depending on where you fill them — and discount cards like SingleCare and GoodRx have become two of the most popular ways to lower prescription prices at pharmacies nationwide. Both offer free prescription discount cards that can help you save up to 80% on medication costs, but they work a little differently. This guide compares SingleCare and GoodRx across pharmacy network, mobile app features, pricing, and more to help you find the best deal for your specific prescription.
Want to skip the comparison and just find the lowest price? Use RxDiff's free prescription discount tool to compare prices across SingleCare, GoodRx, and other discount programs in one search.
Medical disclaimer: RxDiff brand content. This article is for informational purposes only. Prescription discount cards offer cash prices and are not insurance. Discount cards cannot be used simultaneously with insurance at the point of sale. Not valid with Medicare or Medicaid. Prices vary by pharmacy, location, and medication — always compare before filling.
What Are SingleCare and GoodRx?
SingleCare and GoodRx are both free prescription discount card programs that negotiate lower prescription prices with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) on behalf of consumers. Neither is insurance — instead, both provide a discount card or coupon that can be presented at the pharmacy counter to access negotiated cash prices, which are often significantly lower than the pharmacy's standard retail price.
GoodRx was founded in 2011 and has grown into one of the most widely recognized prescription discount brands in the U.S., with a website and mobile app covering millions of prescriptions. SingleCare launched a few years later — CEO Rick Bates founded SingleCare with a similar mission: making prescription drug prices more affordable for uninsured and underinsured patients, as well as for insured patients whose copay is higher than the cash price.
Both SingleCare and GoodRx offer coupons that can be used at most major pharmacy chains. Comparing prices between the two — along with other discount cards like those aggregated on RxDiff — is the best way to find the lowest prescription prices for your specific medication.
Key fact: Discount card prices for the same medication can vary significantly between SingleCare and GoodRx depending on the drug, dosage, and pharmacy. There is no single program that always offers the best deal — comparing both (and other discount cards) before each fill is the only way to consistently find the lowest price.
How Prescription Discount Cards Work
Prescription discount cards work by leveraging the same pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) networks used by insurance companies — but instead of billing an insurance plan, the discount card applies a pre-negotiated cash price. Here's the basic process:
Enter your medication name, dosage, and zip code on the SingleCare or GoodRx website or mobile app to see prices at pharmacies near you.
Download the coupon or pull it up in the mobile app — no need to create an account for either SingleCare or GoodRx to see prices, though creating an account lets you save medications.
Show the coupon to your pharmacist when filling your prescription. The discount card price replaces the standard cash price — but cannot be combined with insurance.
You pay the discounted price directly — no reimbursement process. Discount cards often provide savings even compared to insurance copays for certain generic medications.
SingleCare Overview — Pharmacy Network & Mobile App
SingleCare is a free prescription discount card accepted at most major pharmacy chains across the U.S. The SingleCare card and mobile app allow users to search for medications, compare SingleCare prices at nearby pharmacies, and download or text a coupon directly to their phone.
SingleCare's pharmacy network includes CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Costco, Kroger, Rite Aid, and thousands of independent pharmacies. The SingleCare pharmacy network is one of the most comprehensive among prescription discount cards, covering pharmacies nationwide.
- Free to use, no membership required
- Large pharmacy network including Costco and Kroger
- Simple mobile app — no account needed to search prices
- Often provides better prices than GoodRx for certain generics
- No paid membership tier for additional discounts
- Smaller brand recognition than GoodRx
- Prices can vary — not always the cheapest option
GoodRx Overview — Coupon Prices & Gold Plan
GoodRx is the most widely recognized prescription discount brand, offering free coupons through its website and mobile app. GoodRx is accepted at over 70,000 pharmacies nationwide, including all major chains. The GoodRx website and mobile app let users search for prescription medications, compare prices across nearby pharmacies, and access manufacturer savings programs for certain brand-name drugs.
In addition to free coupons, GoodRx offers a Gold plan — a paid membership ($9.99 per month) that unlocks additional discount prices on top of the free GoodRx coupon prices, particularly for generic medications.
- Largest pharmacy network — accepted nearly everywhere
- GoodRx Gold offers deeper discounts for $9.99/month
- Manufacturer coupon integration for brand-name drugs
- Highly rated mobile app with price alerts
- Free GoodRx coupon prices sometimes higher than SingleCare
- Gold plan is an added monthly cost
- Pricing can fluctuate day to day
GoodRx Gold Plan — Is the $9.99 Per Month Worth It?
For most patients filling occasional prescriptions, the free SingleCare card or free GoodRx coupon will provide significant savings without any monthly cost. The GoodRx Gold plan tends to make the most sense for patients managing multiple chronic medications where the additional discount on each fill outweighs the $9.99 per month membership cost over time.
SingleCare vs GoodRx — Price Comparison
Discount card prices can vary by medication, dosage, and pharmacy — there is no universal rule for which program offers better prices. However, general patterns have emerged from comparing SingleCare prices and GoodRx coupon prices across common generic medications:
| Medication Category | SingleCare Prices | GoodRx Prices | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common generics (e.g. lisinopril, metformin) | Often lower | Competitive | SingleCare frequently provides better prices than GoodRx for these |
| Brand-name medications | Variable | Often lower with manufacturer coupons | GoodRx integrates manufacturer savings programs |
| GoodRx Gold-eligible generics | N/A | Lowest with Gold ($9.99/mo) | Only relevant if subscribed to Gold |
| Specialty/high-cost medications | Variable | Variable | Compare both — savings can be substantial either way |
Prices fluctuate daily and vary by pharmacy and location. The best choice depends on your specific prescription — always compare SingleCare and GoodRx (and other discount cards) before filling. Use RxDiff to compare prices in your area across multiple discount programs in one search.
Real-world tip: For many common generic medications, SingleCare and GoodRx offer prices within a few dollars of each other — but for some specific drugs, the difference can be $10-$30 or more. Since both are free to use and take less than a minute to check, comparing both before every fill is worth the small time investment.
Participating Pharmacies — CVS, Walgreens, Costco & Kroger
Both SingleCare and GoodRx maintain large pharmacy networks covering pharmacies nationwide. Here's how their participating pharmacies compare:
- CVS Pharmacy
- Walgreens
- Walmart Pharmacy
- Costco Pharmacy
- Kroger Pharmacy
- Rite Aid
- Thousands of independent pharmacies
- CVS Pharmacy
- Walgreens
- Walmart Pharmacy
- Costco Pharmacy
- Kroger Pharmacy
- Rite Aid
- 70,000+ pharmacies nationwide
In practice, both SingleCare and GoodRx are accepted at virtually all the same major pharmacy chains — including Costco and Kroger, which are popular for their already-low cash prices. The participating pharmacies overlap heavily, so pharmacy access is rarely the deciding factor between the two. Price comparison for your specific prescription is more important than network size.
💊 Search your prescription and compare discount card prices at pharmacies near you — free.
Compare Prices at RxDiff →Mobile App Comparison — SingleCare vs GoodRx
Both SingleCare and GoodRx offer highly rated mobile apps available on iOS and Android. Here's how their mobile app features compare:
- Search prices without creating an account
- Save medications for quick access
- Digital coupon — show directly at pharmacy
- Simple, streamlined interface
- Price alerts for saved medications
- Search prices without creating an account
- Gold membership management
- Manufacturer coupon integration
- Price drop notifications
- Telehealth and care services integration
Both the SingleCare and GoodRx mobile apps allow users to search for prescription prices without creating an account — making it easy to do a quick price check before heading to the pharmacy. GoodRx's website and mobile app additionally integrate telehealth services and manufacturer coupons, which may be useful for patients on brand-name medications.
Home Delivery Options Compared
For patients managing ongoing prescriptions, free home delivery can be a meaningful convenience factor. Here's how SingleCare and GoodRx compare on home delivery:
GoodRx: GoodRx partners with certain mail-order and online pharmacies to offer free home delivery on eligible prescriptions, particularly through its Gold membership and telehealth integrations. Availability depends on the medication and pharmacy partner.
SingleCare: SingleCare's primary focus is retail pharmacy discount pricing rather than home delivery — though some participating pharmacies (such as those with their own mail-order programs) may offer home delivery independently of the SingleCare discount.
If free home delivery is a priority, compare options directly with your pharmacy or consider mail-order pharmacy services in addition to checking SingleCare and GoodRx prices for retail pickup.
SingleCare vs GoodRx — Which Is Best for You?
The best choice depends on your specific prescriptions, how often you fill them, and which pharmacy you prefer. Here's a quick guide to help you decide:
Occasional prescriptions
Either SingleCare or GoodRx's free coupon will likely offer significant savings. Compare both for your specific medication — it takes less than a minute.
Multiple chronic medications
Consider GoodRx Gold ($9.99/month) if the additional per-fill savings outweigh the membership cost across all your prescriptions.
Shopping at Costco or Kroger
Both SingleCare and GoodRx work at these chains — but Costco and Kroger's own cash prices are sometimes already competitive. Compare all three.
Brand-name medications
GoodRx's manufacturer coupon integration may offer better prices for certain brand-name drugs compared to SingleCare's standard discount pricing.
Ultimately, considering SingleCare and GoodRx side by side for your specific prescription is the only reliable way to find the best deal — discount cards often provide better prices than insurance copays for generics, but which card wins varies by drug. For the fastest comparison across SingleCare, GoodRx, and other discount programs simultaneously, use RxDiff's free prescription price tool.
FAQ — SingleCare vs GoodRx
Both SingleCare and GoodRx offer free prescription discount cards that can help you save up to 80% on medication costs. The best choice depends on your specific prescription and pharmacy — prices vary by drug and location, so it's worth comparing both before filling. SingleCare and GoodRx are both free to use and require no membership. Use RxDiff to compare prices from both programs side by side.
Yes, GoodRx offers a Gold plan for $9.99 per month that provides additional discounts beyond the free GoodRx coupon prices. SingleCare does not currently offer a similar paid membership tier — SingleCare's discount card is free to use for all users. GoodRx Gold tends to be most valuable for patients filling multiple chronic medications regularly.
Both GoodRx and SingleCare are accepted at most major pharmacy chains including CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Costco, and Kroger. Both have large pharmacy networks covering pharmacies nationwide, and the participating pharmacies overlap heavily. Search for your prescription on both apps to confirm participating pharmacies near you — network size is rarely the deciding factor between the two.
Yes — discount cards like SingleCare and GoodRx can be used instead of insurance at the pharmacy counter, and discount cards often provide better prices than insurance copays for certain generic medications. However, they cannot be combined with insurance for the same prescription — you must choose one or the other at checkout. Compare your insurance copay against the discount card price using RxDiff to find the best deal for each prescription.
Compare SingleCare, GoodRx & More — Free
Use RxDiff's free prescription discount tool to find the best prescription prices across multiple discount programs and pharmacies nationwide.
Compare Prescription PricesDiscount cards cannot be used simultaneously with insurance. Not valid with Medicare or Medicaid. Prices vary by pharmacy, dose, and quantity.