10 Companies Making Birth Control Access Easy (As It Should Be)
Ready access to birth control is an integral part of both individual and community health. From empowering humans to champion bodily autonomy, to alleviating the emotional and economic burden of unintended pregnancies, contraceptives are a medical necessity.
Despite this, Power to Decide reports that approximately 19 million (that's one in eight!) American women who are of reproductive age live in a contraceptive desert, or an area where access to birth control is limited or nonexistent. However, the actual number of individuals without any contraceptive access is undoubtedly more, since this statistic does not account for non-cisgender people who struggle to receive adequate healthcare.
Contraceptive deserts exist for many reasons. But even for those who don't live in these areas, commitments to work, school, or family may take up time to visit a physician, which is vital for obtaining birth control can make it difficult to get birth control. Even worse, as adversaries of reproductive healthcare torpedo legal frameworks that protect reproductive rights, these deserts may grow, making birth control harder to obtain. However, some companies are launching a counter-attack by providing accessible birth control services online.
Nurx has choices for everyone
Nurx, available in 37 states, offers over 50 brands of birth control. Among this plethora of choices include generic brand pills, with costs starting at around $15. All of Nurx's birth control options (including the pill, shot, patch, ring, and morning-after pill) use hormonal methods, which are known to alleviate cramps, reduce flow, and stabilize mood.
With Nurx, customers don't need a prior prescription, and with insurance, some could pay as little as $0 per month for their order (outside of the medical consultation, which is non-refundable and non-insurable). Though some reviews claim the process is unreliable or tedious, the feedback is generally positive.
To get birth control, all new and existing customers must fill out a health form to be reviewed by one of Nurx's healthcare professionals. Nurx deems this a medical consultation and charges $25 fee. Some may find this worth it as it avoids inconvenient and potentially awkward in-person interactions with a provider (though users do gain unlimited access to healthcare professionals via chat after receiving a prescription). Once this review is completed, the company ships monthly contraception refills for the year, at no added delivery cost. It also comes in discreet, logo-free packaging — which could be a beneficial for people who do not want to disclose they are using birth control.
Lemonaid encourage holistic reproductive healthcare
Founded in 2013, Lemonaid offers birth control prescriptions after a phone or video consultation (depending on state law). Unfortunately for window-shoppers, an appointment is the only way to access detailed information directly from Lemonaid Health since its website requires an account and appointment setup to learn more about its contraceptive offering. This allows the company to provide uniquely accurate information to each client. The appointment costs $25 and require a blood pressure reading. Thankfully, Lemonaid does not charge a consultation fee if their professionals are unable to write a prescription that works for you.
Although Lemonaid does not accept insurance, it does offer competitive prices on popular brands. If a client does land on one of Lemonaid's contraceptive options — the pill, patch, or ring — they must order three months' worth of it at a time. For example: one order would consist of three packs of the birth control pill starting at $15 per pack, but Lemonaid promises free delivery in as few as two business days. Moreover, the service automatically sends refills, which is helpful for those who may forget to re-fill or re-order prescriptions on their own.
Pandia Health prioritizes their patients
Pandia Health offers over 120 generic and brand name contraceptive options in the form of the pill, patch and ring that can be delivered free to your home, along with automatic refills. On top of that, if you have health insurance through one of the providers it accepts, the cost of the birth control could be completely free. Not to worry though; for those without insurance, Pandia's birth control starts as low as $15.
After filling out an online evaluation, customers with an existing prescription can continue receiving the same medication. Clients in need of a new prescription must pay $20 for a doctor's evaluation, but this service is only available in 13 states. Once registered with Pandia, clients have access to Pandia's patient care team, who are available via call, text or online chat – even on weekends! An overwhelming amount of its customers commend its customer service.
In addition to answering any questions, Pandia's clinicians will also personally reach out to clients on occasion regarding their birth control and health status – a lovely feature for busy people who need external reminders to check in with their bodies from time to time.
Alpha is committed to wholesome care
According to its website, Hello Alpha offers the pill, patch, shot, and ring for prices as low as $15 a month, along with free shipping and automatic refills in 13 states. The company also provides same-day delivery for emergency contraception -– which could benefit those who want to minimize the stress that comes after an unexpected encounter.
Hello Alpha currently accepts insurance, but the website says this only covers the cost of the medication. However, customers can rest assured they will bewell-informed of the payments they must make beforehand. To get access to contraception, customers must fill out a $15 health questionnaire, which will be assessed by a healthcare provider who will then curate a treatment plan based on their demographic markers and birth control needs.
Alpha offers unlimited messaging with its healthcare practitioners for members, though some reviewers claim they've had to endure long wait times for responses. Despite being an online health service, Alpha understands the importance of physical visits to medical clinic. It sends reminders to clients to undergo annual physicals and check in with general practitioners, keeping up their commitment to wholesome quality healthcare.
Wisp is available country-wide
Accessing healthcare isn't easy from remote locations. But Wisp delivers in all 50 states– even Alaska – for clients 18 and over. In addition to emergency contraception, Wisp offers the hormonal pill for purchase in 30 or 90 day supplies.
One draw with Wisp is that users have the option of searching for birth control based on their desired formula (such as lower hormone levels), specific side effects they'd like to avoid, and non-contraceptive benefits (such as reducing acne). In-house doctors then assess customers' choices and get back to clients within a day via phone or web chat to discuss further. Once a prescription is written, birth control can be delivered free to homes, or sent to a pharmacy of choice.
Wisp doesn't accept insurance, which can be worrisome, since normally, purchasing brand-name birth control without insurance is highly costly based on Planned Parenthood's assessments. However, Wisp is able to offer highly competitive pricing for 15 different forms of the pill by providing access to generic options of popular brands. Depending on the client's subscription, prices start as low as $5 and range up to a maximum of $29 per month. On top of that, the company offers a card that allows access to discounts at certain pharamacies for those who opt for the pickup option over delivery. A subscription may well be worth it as most of their customers have overwhelmingly positive feedback to write about Wisp's care.
Hers offers contraception for needs beyond preventing pregnancy
Although Hers does not currently accept insurances, it offers comparably lower prices for its birth control at around $12 per month supply. This could be a good option for people who do not want a household insurance provider to report that they are using contraception, or those looking to avoid dealing with the time and effort of going through insurance.
Hers is also keen on helping customers who want birth control for reasons other than preventing pregnancy. The platform's team can provide information for those looking for a pill to help alleviate cramps, balance mood disturbances, or banish acne.
Hers requires customers to submit a health survey online. A doctor must review the questionnaire and approve the request, at which point the client can order pills for one month or a longer period of time.
The Pill Club advocates for everyone's sexual health rights
The Pill Club offers everyone across the U.S. transparent pricing and services for over 120 types of birth control. Plans start as low as $0, depending on insurance. According to the website, the company currently accepts all major insurance plans, but without insurance, medication rates are an estimated $6.99 per month if committing to a year supply. Customers can even buy extra pill packs to skip their period, though these requests need to be pre-planned as the company cannot fulfill urgent orders. It is also one of the few online companies that provides non-hormonal birth control in the form of internal condoms.
The Pill Club also appears committed to inclusion. Its company blog publishes sexual health insights and news for all people who menstruate. The website also provides helpful information about sexual health and contraception for clients to peruse.
Like many other options, The Pill Club customers must fill out a profile to be reviewed by healthcare professionals. If one becomes a client, they also gain access to The Pill Club's care team via text. Those who need something more intimate also have access to free follow-up online consultations.
GoodRx provides timely aid at affordable prices
Need contraception right away? GoodRx offers same day pick-up. A consult costs $59, however, per the website, the company offers a discount card and coupons for its prescription service, which can help make it more affordable. All a client needs to do is type in their prescription and the GoodRx engine suggests a list of drugstores within close proximity to their physical location where they can use the coupon. The company states some users may be able to earn up to 90% worth of savings using this service. Although some reviewers claim to have experienced inconsistency with the effectiveness of their coupons, for the most part, pharmacies across America seem to accept them.
For those who want to commit to GoodRx as their birth control service of choice, the company offers individual ($10 per month) and family membership ($20 per month) plans. Customers have the option of the pill, patch, ring, and shot which you can get prescribed after submitting your health information online which will be reviewed by a healthcare practitioner. With a membership, the consult costs $19 and medication starts at $7 a month. However, renewing members need to undergo a paid consult annually, since GoodRx's prescriptions are usually written for a year's worth of refills.
Twentyeight Health supports minors' sexual healthcare
Sexually active teenager often experience difficulty finding birth control. Some adolescents may not want their guardians or community members to know they are sexually active. Meanwhile, others may not be able to physically access a healthcare clinic that is willing or able to give them contraception.
Twentyeight Health combats the barriers youth face with accessing contraception by advertising safe and lawful information about birth control to teens ages 13 and above. Along with sexual health education, the company offers over 100 brands of the pill, patch, ring, shot, morning-after pill, as well as internal condoms. Customers can access the birth control after a $26 consultation with a doctor, though there is the option of undergoing the evaluation via questionnaire or direct messaging. Once a prescription is written, products are shipped within 3-5 business days. Patients area also granted access to confidential messaging services with a healthcare provider at their desire. Clients can use pharmacy pickup for their birth control if that is their preferred method of delivery, but the company promises discreet packaging for home delivery.
The company does accept insurance, including Medicaid, so individuals may be able to get contraceptives at little to not cost to themselves. Otherwise, birth control pills start at $18 per pack.
Planned Parenthood remains tried and trusted
Though the press focuses on Planned Parenthood for its pro-choice and abortion activism, its services reach far wider. It engages in advocacy and outreach work promoting inclusive sexual education and reproductive rights. So it's unsurprising that as part of its mission, it offers online health services for clients seeking birth control.
After downloading the Planned Parenthood app, clients submit information about their health for a clinician to assess, cutting down unwanted interaction time in healthcare settings. Once your submission is reviewed, the company's physicians proposes a birth control option in as little as one business day.
Planned Parenthood offers one of the widest range of options for online birth control from the pill, implant, ring, patch, shot, sponge, cap, emergency pills, and more starting at $15 per month including free shipping and discreet delivery. However, patients also have the option of picking up their prescription at a local Planned Parenthood Clinic if they desire. With this many choices, it can be confusing to figure out which one to try. If you're not ready to sign up on their app, or are just researching their options, try their quiz which narrows options down based on their effects. Planned Parenthood does accept some insurance plans, including Medicaid in select states, however its online birth control services are not available across the country. If it cannot provide a delivery service to your jurisdiction, you can find the nearest available center that is able to serve your needs.