Best Without Insurance
Hers
Pros
- Transparent self-pay pricing
- Monthly plans starting at $12
- Home delivery
- Also prescribes birth control for noncontraceptive health needs
Cons
- Doesn’t offer emergency contraception
- Fewer birth control options than comparable providers
Key Specs
- Membership fee: No membership fee
- Accepts Insurance? No
- Delivery method: Home delivery
Hers is an online women’s health provider with an affordable and transparent self-pay pricing model, making it our top pick for online birth control without insurance. In addition to birth control, Hers offers mental health, dermatology, hair loss, and weight loss medications.
Hers has made getting a birth control prescription incredibly straightforward. New patients begin with a medical questionnaire, sharing information about their medical history and reasons for seeking out birth control. In many states, a licensed doctor or nurse practitioner will review your questionnaire and follow up using chat messaging to discuss your birth control options. In some states, a video call is required for prescribing medication, and you will be asked to schedule a visit before birth control is prescribed. More than 40 different birth control medication options are available, and your provider will work with you to find the best option for your unique circumstances.
Once you and your provider have chosen a birth control medication that meets your needs, your prescription is filled by a licensed pharmacist in Hers’ 503A FDA-regulated pharmacy and then shipped directly to your home.
Best for Home Delivery
Nurx
Pros
- Home delivery in unmarked package
- Offers Plan-B One-Step and Ella emergency contraception
- No video or audio visit required
- Prescribes more than 100 birth control options
Cons
- Self-pay can be expensive
- Not available in all 50 states
Key Specs
- Membership fee: One-time $18 consultation fee
- Accepts insurance? Yes
- Delivery method: Home delivery
Nurx takes pride in offering convenient and accessible birth control prescriptions with home delivery in unmarked packaging, which is why we chose this telehealth provider as the best online birth control with home delivery. Getting birth control through Nurx begins with a short medical questionnaire, which is reviewed by a doctor or nurse practitioner, who will then message you through the website or app to suggest an appropriate option for your medical needs.
This platform offers more than 100 different birth control options, including pills, patches, and rings as well as generics and emergency contraception. It accepts most insurance providers. Nurx charges all new patients a $25 consultation fee, which includes a full year of direct messaging with your provider. Through insurance, many birth control options cost nothing or come with an affordable copay. Nurx’s self-pay options begin at $15 a month, but some may cost $150 or more.
Many of Nurx’s providers can prescribe birth control for off-label use when they deem it medically appropriate. In addition to birth control, Nurx offers prescriptions for skin care, mental health management, hair loss, and general health needs like UTI and yeast infection treatment. Nurx also offers mail-in testing for HPV and STIs.
Best Budget-Friendly
Wisp
Pros
- Self-pay prices start at $10 per month for quarterly membership
- Offers Plan-B One Step and Ella emergency contraception
- At-home and pharmacy delivery
- Fills up to six months at a time
Cons
- No insurance accepted
- Doesn’t prescribe other women’s health medications
Key Specs
- Membership fee: Optional Wisp+ membership of $30 per quarter
- Accepts insurance? No
- Delivery method: Home and pharmacy
We chose Wisp as the best budget-friendly online birth control because this exclusively self-pay birth control option starts at as little as $10 per month. Wisp keeps prices low with its focused, limited care options. Only 15 different birth control medications are available, many of which are generic, and no other prescriptions. Wisp offers Plan-B One-Step home delivery and same-day pharmacy prescriptions for Ella emergency contraception.
Wisp is a great option for someone looking for low-cost birth control options. Getting a prescription at Wisp begins with a quiz and a short medical questionnaire. Using your results, Wisp generates medication options to choose from. Once you’ve selected your preferred option, your choice is reviewed by a doctor or nurse practitioner within 24 hours. You can choose to have your prescription filled in one-, three-, and six-month quantities, then filled the same day by a local pharmacy or shipped to your home.
Wisp can prescribe birth control for off-label uses, including migraine and headache treatment, management of mood changes associated with PMS and PMDD, and acne treatment.
Best With Insurance
PlushCare
Pros
- Partnered with most insurance providers
- Providers can treat a wide range of medical needs
- Same-day pharmacy delivery
- Urgent care offered
Cons
- No home delivery
- Doesn’t accept Medicare or Medicaid
Key Specs
- Membership fee: $19.99 per month
- Accepts Insurance? Yes
- Delivery method: Pharmacy
PlushCare is a telehealth provider that works with most insurance plans to provide access to general healthcare, including birth control prescriptions, making it our top pick for online birth control with insurance. This telehealth platform operates on a membership-based model, with a monthly fee of $19.99, which gives you access to same-day appointments with a licensed primary care physician. With insurance, each appointment will cost the same as your copay; self-pay visits cost $129 each.
At sign-up, new members complete a detailed health questionnaire and then schedule their first appointment with a provider. During this appointment, your provider will help you pick the best birth control option for your needs, which may include off-label uses like mood management, headache and migraine treatment, and treatment of PCOS and endometriosis.
PlushCare prescribes pills, patches, rings, and nonhormonal vaginal gel birth control. It also prescribes Plan B One-Step and Ella emergency contraceptives. PlushCare doesn’t offer home delivery, but it can send same-day prescriptions to most local pharmacies. Members receive a prescription discount card as part of the membership. Because PlushCare offers primary care and urgent care, another added benefit to using its service is being able to have multiple medical needs taken care of in one place.
Best for Variety of Options
Twentyeight Health
Pros
- Prescribes more than 100 birth control options
- Offers emergency contraception
- Prescribes to minors in many states
- Offers at-home STI testing
Cons
- Not available in all 50 states
- No same-day pharmacy pickup
Key Specs
- Membership fee: $12.99 per month
- Accepts insurance? Yes
- Delivery method: Home and pharmacy
Twentyeight Health is a telehealth platform offering home delivery of more than 100 birth control prescriptions, including the pill, patch, ring, shot, and emergency contraception, making it our pick as the best online birth control for a variety of options. Founded with the mission of providing reproductive health services that are affordable and accessible, Twentyeight Health is an easy-to-use and convenient way to get birth control, tampons and pads, prenatal vitamins, and STI treatment as well as pregnancy and COVID-19 testing.
This platform operates under a membership model. The standard care plan is $12.99 per month and offers unlimited messaging with a provider and automatic refills of your prescriptions. If needed, you can downgrade to the basic care plan for $2.99 per month, which offers prescription delivery, free shipping, and customer support. Prescriptions are an additional cost and start at $16 per month. This service accepts insurance, and many people with coverage will find their prescription is free. Self-pay is also an option.
Twentyeight Health is easy to use, asking new users to complete a health questionnaire to determine which options are best for them. Once the results of the questionnaire are reviewed by a licensed healthcare provider, birth control is prescribed and shipped to your home within three to five days. Emergency contraceptives Ella and New Day are available, and oral abortion medications mifepristone and misoprostol can be prescribed in New York and California.
Best for Variety of Care
Lemonaid Health
Pros
- Providers treat wide range of general health needs
- Affordable $25 consultation fee
- Home delivery
- Low-cost, self-pay birth control
Cons
- Doesn’t accept insurance
- Some states require video or audio appointment
Key Specs
- Membership fee: Varies
- Accepts insurance? No
- Delivery method: Home and pharmacy
Lemonaid Health is a telehealth platform offering at-home delivery of birth control prescriptions as well as a wide variety of general healthcare services, earning it our designation as the best online birth control service for variety of care. Founded in 2013, Lemonaid has established a reputation as a trusted source of online medical care. In addition to a variety of birth control options, Lemonaid providers can prescribe medications for weight loss, mental health, hair loss, men’s sexual health, UTI treatment, blood pressure, asthma, and cholesterol. This platform also offers at-home testing of STDs, A1C, cholesterol, and blood type.
We found Lemonaid Health’s model to stand out for convenience. The platform doesn’t require a video call for prescriptions. Instead, providers review a detailed health questionnaire completed by new patients. Note that some states require a video or audio visit before medication can be prescribed. If the provider determines medication is appropriate, your prescription will be shipped directly to your home. Another standout of Lemonaid Health is affordability. This platform doesn’t accept insurance, but consultation fees are only $25, and the platform specifically focuses on offering low-cost birth control options. All medications are automatically refilled, so once prescribed, it will arrive regularly at your front door.
Best for Education and Support
Planned Parenthood Direct
Pros
- Pulse, a free education resource
- Free app for period tracking
- Affordable prescriptions
- Low-cost $25 consultation fee
Cons
- Isn’t available in all 50 states
Key Specs
- Membership fee: No membership required
- Accepts insurance? Yes
- Delivery method: Home and pharmacy
We chose Planned Parenthood Direct as the best online birth control for education and support because of the sexual health education it provides — in addition to birth control and the support services offered through the PPD SpotOn app. Planned Parenthood Direct is an app-based service offering prescription birth control through home delivery or local pharmacies in 43 states. This organization accepts insurance in many states but also places a high priority on providing affordable self-pay options.
Pulse, Planned Parenthood Direct’s free sexual health education publication, regularly publishes informational articles. PPD also offers free access to SpotOn, a period tracking app. It only saves your information to your phone or the cloud, but the app itself doesn’t store any personal data.
Similar to other online birth control services, PPD asks new members to complete a healthcare questionnaire, which is then reviewed by a provider who can prescribe birth control. Prescriptions can be sent directly to your home in many states or to a local pharmacy in 43 states. This organization also offers at-home STI testing, UTI medications, and emergency contraceptives.
Best for Quick Care
Optum Perks
Pros
- No appointment needed for same-day care
- 5- to 10-minute appointments
- Affordable $25 consultation
- Prescription discount program for uninsured or underinsured patients
Cons
- Doesn’t prescribe to minors
- Doesn’t accept insurance
Key Specs
- Membership fee: No membership required
- Accepts insurance? No
- Delivery method: Home and pharmacy
Optum Perks is a prescription discount program that doesn’t require an appointment for virtual visits. Visits take an average of 5 to 10 minutes, which is why we picked Optum Perks as the best online birth control for quick, to-the-point care. The providers at Optum Perks prescribe a wide range of medications, including birth control, for home delivery or to be filled at one of more than 60,000 pharmacies the platform has partnered with in the United States.
Optum Perks offers a wide range of birth control options, including patches, pills, and rings. Once a prescription is approved by a licensed provider working with Optum Perks, it can be delivered to your home in three to five business days.
Why Trust Everyday Health
Mary Sauer
Author
Mary Sauer is a freelance health and parenting writer whose work often covers mental health (especially maternal mental health), grief, and caregiving. Her work has been published by the Washington Post, Verywell Mind, Parents, Vice's Tonic, and ARC Poetry Magazine. She's also the managing editor of the upcoming Salt Tooth Press and an MFA student at University of Missouri, Kansas City.
Sauer is a mom of four and lives in Kansas City, Missouri. She enjoys hiking, trying new coffee shops, and shopping at used bookstores. At home, she spends her precious free time reading, rewatching Fleabag, and gardening.
Kara Smythe, MD
Medical Reviewer
Kara Smythe, MD, has been working in sexual and reproductive health for over 10 years. Dr. Smythe is a board-certified fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and her interests include improving maternal health, ensuring access to contraception, and promoting sexual health.
She graduated magna cum laude from Florida International University with a bachelor's degree in biology and earned her medical degree from St. George’s University in Grenada. She completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. She worked in Maine for six years, where she had the privilege of caring for an underserved population.
Smythe is also passionate about the ways that public health policies shape individual health outcomes. She has a master’s degree in population health from University College London and recently completed a social science research methods master's degree at Cardiff University. She is currently working on her PhD in medical sociology. Her research examines people's experiences of accessing, using, and discontinuing long-acting reversible contraception.
When she’s not working, Smythe enjoys dancing, photography, and spending time with her family and her cat, Finnegan.
Orlando de Guzman
Fact-Checker
Orlando de Guzman is a writer and editor with expertise in health and environmental news. He has a background in investigative and science journalism and has worked on documentary films about war and trauma, health, sanitation, and the changing climate around the world. His interest in health and medicine started after an early career as a medical and legal translator.
De Guzman is a longtime health and fitness enthusiast who is interested in nutrition, diet, and mental health. He participates in endurance sports and cross-trains in several traditions of martial arts from Southeast Asia. De Guzman is interested in how the progressively complex movements of martial arts training can improve cognition and mental well-being, especially for those with PTSD and for those approaching middle age and beyond.
De Guzman has a dual B.A. in communications and international studies from the University of Washington in Seattle. He is committed to factual storytelling and evidence-based reporting on critical choices that affect our planet.
Olivia Campbell
Editor
Olivia Campbell is the New York Times bestselling author of Women in White Coats: How the First Women Doctors Changed the World of Medicine and Sisters in Science: How Four Women Physicists Escaped Nazi Germany and Made Scientific History. She is a freelance editor at Dotdash Meredith and a freelance journalist. Her work has appeared in The Atlantic, National Geographic, New York Magazine, Health, Parents, History, and The Guardian, among other outlets.
Campbell received a journalism degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and a master's in science writing from Johns Hopkins University, where she now acts as a thesis advisor. She is a member of the National Association of Science Writers.
Campbell lives outside Philadelphia with her husband, three children, and two cats.