Cialis (tadalafil) is a brand-name prescription medication. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved it for use in adult males.* It’s approved to:
- treat erectile dysfunction (ED)
- manage symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or
- treat ED and manage symptoms of BPH together
For more information about Cialis’s uses, refer to this article.
Drug details
Here are some details about Cialis:
- Drug form: oral tablet
- Generic version: tadalafil
Read on to learn about Cialis and cost, as well as how to save money on prescriptions and find the best price.
* Sex and gender exist on spectrums. Use of the term “male” in this article refers to sex assigned at birth.
As with all medications, the cost of Cialis can vary. Factors that may affect the price you’ll pay include:
- your treatment plan
- your insurance coverage
- the pharmacy you use
- whether Cialis has a savings program (see the “Financial and insurance assistance” section below)
To find out what the cost of Cialis will be for you, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.
Note: If you have insurance, your insurance company may require prior authorization before it covers Cialis. This means the company and your doctor will discuss Cialis in regard to your treatment. The insurance company will then determine whether the medication is covered. If a drug requires prior authorization and you start treatment without the prior approval, you could pay the full cost of the medication. You can ask your insurance company whether Cialis requires prior authorization.
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about drug cost and Cialis.
What’s the cost per pill of Cialis 20 mg? How does this compare with the cost of other strengths (2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg)?
Cialis comes in several strengths: 2.5 milligrams (mg), 5mg, 10 mg, and 20 mg. The Cialis cost per pill and daily cost depend on several factors, such as:
- the strength prescribed by your doctor
- whether you have insurance
- your treatment plan
- the condition Cialis is being used to treat
- the pharmacy you use if you’re paying out of pocket
- if you’re eligible for any cost-savings programs
In some cases, the cost of the Cialis 20-mg strength may be the same as the other strengths. For example, if you have insurance with a set copay, your cost will likely be the same, no matter what strength you’re prescribed.
The cost of Cialis also depends on how often you’re taking the medication. If your doctor prescribes Cialis for erectile dysfunction, you might take it daily or only as needed. So your cost may be higher if you’re taking the 20-mg strength daily compared with taking the 2.5-mg strength as needed.
For more information about the cost of Cialis, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can provide details about what you can expect to pay based on your treatment plan and other factors. If you have insurance, your plan provider can also answer questions about the Cialis daily cost.
How much does Cialis cost with insurance?
The Cialis cost with insurance depends on your plan and benefits. For example, the cost may vary based on whether you have to pay a part of the cost or whether you have a set copay. You may also have to meet certain insurance requirements with some plans before the drug is covered. This can include prior authorization. For more information, refer to the “Cialis price” section above.
Your cost with insurance also depends on whether you qualify for any cost savings for Cialis. To learn more, refer to the “Financial and insurance assistance” section below.
The cost may also depend on what condition Cialis is being used to treat and your treatment plan.
For more details about how much Cialis will cost with insurance, talk with your plan provider.
The active ingredient of Cialis is tadalafil. It’s available as the generic drug tadalafil. A generic drug is considered to be as safe and effective as the original drug. And generics tend to cost less than brand-name drugs.
If your doctor has prescribed Cialis and you’re interested in taking tadalafil instead, talk with your doctor. They may have a preference for one version or the other. You’ll also need to check with your insurance provider, as it may only cover one or the other.
To find out how the cost of this generic drug compares with the cost of Cialis, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.
WHY ARE COSTS DIFFERENT FOR BRAND-NAME DRUGS VS. GENERIC DRUGS?Brand-name drugs can be expensive because of the research needed to test their safety and effectiveness. The manufacturer of a brand-name drug can sell it for up to 20 years. When the brand-name drug’s patent expires, multiple manufacturers can create generic versions. This marketplace competition may lead to lower costs for generics. Also, because generics contain the same active ingredients as brand-name drugs, they don’t require the same costly testing.
If you take Cialis long term, you may be able to lower its cost in the following ways.
Getting a 3-month supply
You may be able to get a 90-day supply of Cialis. If approved by your insurance company, getting a 90-day supply of the drug could reduce your number of trips to the pharmacy and help lower the cost. If you’re interested in this option, check with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.
Using a mail-order or online pharmacy
Cialis may be available through a mail-order pharmacy or an online pharmacy. Legitimate online pharmacies may be an option to get Cialis for erectile dysfunction (ED) treatment in a convenient and discreet way.
Using a mail-order or online pharmacy may allow you to receive your medication without leaving home. However, your cost may vary based on the pharmacy you choose and your treatment plan. Keep in mind that online pharmacies used to fill ED prescriptions may not accept insurance. So online prices for Cialis may be higher than the price of getting Cialis through a mail-order pharmacy.
Online pharmacies may also offer telemedicine services, which provide medical consultations with doctors who can prescribe Cialis for ED. The service can also ship the drug in discreet packaging right to your door. Examples of online pharmacies include:
If you’d like to use an online pharmacy to fill Cialis prescriptions, be sure to use reputable and legitimate pharmacies that require a prescription. Your doctor or a pharmacist can help verify which online pharmacies are safe for you to use.
If you’d like to use a mail-order pharmacy, some Medicare plans may help cover the cost of mail-order medications. You may also be able to get a 90-day supply of the drug via mail order. You can check with your plan provider to find out whether you can get a 90-day supply of Cialis.
If you don’t have health insurance, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They may be able to suggest online pharmacy options that could work for you.
If you need financial support to pay for Cialis, or if you need help understanding your insurance coverage, help is available. For example:
- Some websites provide details about drug assistance programs, ways to make the most of your insurance coverage, and links to savings cards and other services. Two such websites are:
To learn more about saving money on prescriptions with or without insurance, check out this article.
Now that you’ve learned about cost and Cialis, you may still have some questions. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist, who can provide personalized guidance about cost issues related to Cialis. However, if you have health insurance, you’ll need to talk with your insurance provider to learn the actual cost you would pay for Cialis.
Here are some other resources you may find helpful:
- Medicare drug coverage. To learn about Medicare coverage for drugs, see these articles about Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, drug coupons and Medicare, and the Medicare drug list.
- More details. For details about other aspects of Cialis, refer to this article.
- Dosage. Learn about Cialis and dosage by viewing this article.
- Side effects. For details about Cialis’s side effects, see this article. You can also look at the Cialis prescribing information.
- Interactions. You can find out more about what Cialis interacts with by visiting this article.
- Information about your condition. To learn more about the conditions Cialis is prescribed for, our men’s health hub may be helpful.
Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.