Head to head
Sildenafil vs Tadalafil: Real Cost Per Dose in 2026
The two generic PDE5 inhibitors that between them cover most of the ED market. The clinical difference is duration; the price difference depends almost entirely on which door you buy through.
The short answer
Both are inexpensive generics — roughly $0.20–$0.57 a tablet at itemised cash pricing — and both cost 15 to 45 times that through subscription telehealth. Tadalafil's long duration makes daily low-dose use possible, which changes the monthly math; sildenafil is taken ahead of activity. Which suits you is a clinical question, and the nitrate contraindication applies to both.
The differences that matter
| Sildenafil | Tadalafil | |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | Hours — taken before activity | Long half-life; daily low-dose option exists |
| Cash floor per tablet | ~$0.22 (100 mg) | ~$0.20 (5 mg) |
| Cheapest monthly (daily use) | Not typically dosed daily | ~$11/mo delivered at the cash floor |
| Subscription per-dose range | $3.53–$10 | $8–$12 as-needed; $60–$100/mo daily |
| Flat-rate generic programmes | Covered by Amazon RxPass ($5/mo flat) | Not on RxPass |
| Contraindication | Nitrates — absolute | Nitrates — absolute |
Sources
Run your own numbers with the GLP-1 cost calculator, check whether you're overpaying with the price checker, or see every comparison we publish.
Comparisons of approved uses, mechanisms, and published trial averages — not medical advice, and averages are not individuals. Which medication suits you is a decision for you and a licensed clinician. Prices carry the verification dates shown. Some links may earn commissions; comparisons are computed from data, never compensation — disclosure.