Our Picks
Just like food delivery services have made restaurant pickups a thing of the past, pharmacy runs are becoming obsolete, too. These services take the hassle out of picking up medications by bringing them straight to you. That means, no more trips to the pharmacy, no more waiting in line, and often -- savings. We've done the research for you and rounded up the best prescription delivery services to help you find the perfect fit.
Amazon Pharmacy, launched in 2020, is an online pharmacy that offers prescription refills and free delivery for Amazon Prime members. Amazon uses your health insurance to help pay for your medications and also offers a prescription savings benefit for those without health insurance. Amazon Pharmacy lets customers compare prescription costs for their medications with an insurance co-pay, without insurance and the Prime Discount, to determine the least expensive option.
PillPack is a medication delivery service owned and operated by Amazon that offers free delivery and accepts most types of health insurance. PillPack also accepts most forms of Medicare, and Medicaid programs in New Hampshire, Ohio and Texas and several specific plans nationwide. The service does not cost more than what you pay for medication, which is a great deal considering the extra benefits you get compared to a standard pharmacy service.
Once prescriptions are set up to be filled through PillPack, the co-pay must be paid for the medications, and they will be shipped monthly.
Besides offering free delivery, those extra benefits include organizing and separating your medications for each day. Every day's pills are placed into a convenient single-serve pack, and the time they are supposed to be taken is even printed on the front. This is a huge perk if you take a lot of medications and spend time sorting them, and also if you have difficulty remembering what time the pills should be taken.
If you are a caretaker, this can also be a huge time saver. Multivitamins or probiotics can even be added to your packs so everything you need to take is in one place.
CVS Pharmacy offers one- to two-day delivery and same-day prescription delivery (on-demand) in most cities. Same-day delivery is usually fulfilled within hours, which is great for when meds are needed ASAP.
CVS does charge a delivery fee for prescriptions, but some health insurance plans may cover it for eligible prescriptions, including Medicare Part D. You can also add other essentials, like tissues or cough drops, to your prescription order and they will be delivered at no extra cost. If you join CVS' membership program, CarePass for $5 a month, you get free delivery for your prescriptions, plus free one- to two-day delivery for other items.
Note that ordering items from CVS.com is not the same service as prescription delivery, so those will take several days or longer to ship. If you use Target's pharmacy service, CVS Pharmacy at Target, you can get free one- to two-day home delivery as well, since Target partners with CVS to fill your prescriptions.
Capsule provides free same-day delivery and the service costs no more than what you already pay for your medications. The catch is that it's not available everywhere. It's currently available in New York City, Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis, Westchester County and parts of New Jersey.
If you use a different pharmacy and want to change to Capsule, the pharmacists can transfer everything in the same day so you get your meds delivered when they're needed.
NowRX is only available in Northern California and Orange County. The service uses technology like artificial intelligence, robotics, advanced software and logistics to help speed up delivery time. Delivery is free, and medicine can be received the same day if the order is placed before 5 p.m. Even better, delivery drivers will drop off your medicine at your door in an environmentally friendly car to help offset the environmental impact of extra cars on the road.
Now RX has an app to make the ordering, delivery and refill process even easier. It also offers a referral program where you get Visa gift cards for every friend you refer who signs up. There are no fees for using NowRx -- most major forms of insurance are accepted (except Kaiser and Medicaid) and your regular co-pay covers all costs.
AllianceRx is Walgreens' combined specialty and home delivery pharmacy. For non-specialty medications, you can get free next-day delivery with Walgreens Express. AllianceRx is what you would request if you have chronic health conditions or specialty medications you know you will need to be filled for the foreseeable future. Walgreens Express is your best bet for individual or one-time prescriptions you need now.
With AllianceRx, you can get up to 90 days of your prescriptions filled, plus automatic refills. Because it can cover up to three months of medication, the delivery takes about 10 days since it is delivered by standard mail for free.
Walmart Pharmacy offers free standard shipping for prescriptions, but you will have to wait five to seven days for your medications. If you need your medications faster, you can pay an additional $8 for second-day delivery or $15 for overnight delivery. Walmart has an app to help make the prescription management and refill process easier and more efficient.
Walmart Pharmacy takes most forms of major insurance and Medicare.
ZipDrug is a home delivery service designed for Medicaid insurance holders. The service's goal is to help provide more affordable medications to Medicaid members and improve the rates as they take their prescribed medications by offering an easier service alternative to regular pharmacies.
According to ZipDrug, offering free home delivery and better service improves the chance that patients will take their medications as prescribed. It also works with pharmacies to reward them when they ensure patients continue to take their medications.
The company even works with independent pharmacies over big chain pharmacies to help improve customer service. ZipDrug's delivery service is free and there is no cost for Medicaid holders to use the service. One drawback is that it is only currently available in 24 states.