The Fast Facts
- ED affects up to 42% of men in the United States and can stem from physical, psychological, and emotional factors.
- Hims, Ro, and Rex MD offer telehealth access to some of the best ED meds online, including Viagra and Cialis.
- Plushcare provides same-day prescriptions and a discount card for up to 80% off ED pills at participating pharmacies.
ED is more common than you think
It affects up to 42% of men* in the USA
ED happens for many reasons
Physical, psychological, and emotional factors can affect ED
You may not need ED pills
Lifestyle changes, diet changes, and therapy could help
*ED is often associated with older men, but it affects between 24% and
**The following is not medical advice, and readers would do well to first consult a healthcare professional.
• generic and branded Cialis
• generic and branded Cialis
• generic and branded Cialis
• generic and branded Cialis
• generic vardenafil
• generic avanafil
While investigating online services and pharmacies to build our list of the best online services for ED pills, we looked at how each company met or fell short of our priorities and standards.
After completing our investigation, we awarded each company an average score out of 5 based on several factors that could influence a user’s experience with each telehealth service.
Our Medical Standards and Insights team has carefully researched and vetted over 11,000 products and services. We evaluate services for consistency with standards of care and best practices, and we look into each brand’s reputation before sharing products and services on Healthline.
To choose the services on this page, we considered all the ED treatment services that passed our vetting process. Then, we scored each service to narrow down our list even further.
Four main types of ED pills are available online:
- Viagra: This pill contains the active ingredient sildenafil. It will start working within 1 hour of taking it. A doctor will prescribe this medication in strengths of 25, 50, or 100 mg. We reviewed how easy it is to get Viagra online.
- Cialis: This pill contains the active ingredient tadalafil, and it works within 30 minutes of taking it. Unlike other medications, you can take Cialis daily at a dose of 2.5 mg. Otherwise, a doctor will prescribe it in 5-mg, 10-mg, or 20-mg doses. We tested the best places to buy Cialis online.
- Levitra: This pill contains the active ingredient vardenafil. You should take this drug at least one hour before sex. Doctors prescribe it in 2.5-mg, 5-mg, 10-mg, or 20-mg doses. We reviewed Levitra vs. other ED pills.
- Stendra: This pill contains the active ingredient avanafil. It is the fastest-acting ED pill, taking effect around 15 minutes after taking it. Doctors will prescribe it in strengths of 50, 100, or 200 mg.
Almost all ED pills on the market, including Viagra, Cialis, Levitra, and Stendra, are PDE5 inhibitors.
PDE5 inhibitors play a role in
When too much PDE5 is present in your system, you might not be able to have as efficient blood flow to your penis as you might have had in the past. This can stop you from being able to get an erection or maintain enough blood flow to keep an erection to the point of ejaculation when you have sex or masturbate.
PDE5 inhibitors also help a natural chemical called nitric oxide work more effectively in relaxing your penis muscles and allowing blood to flow more efficiently into your penis tissues for a harder and longer-lasting erection.
Discuss your medical history and medications
ED medications like Viagra can have very serious — even life threatening — side effects if combined with certain medications, specifically heart medications. Make sure you speak with a healthcare professional before starting any new pills or ED meds.
Many of the over-the-counter ED “treatments” you may find are
To avoid buying any counterfeit ED pills online, take a look at these tips.
- FDA-approved: Most ED pills contain ingredients that the FDA approves. Medications like sildenafil and tadalafil have been FDA-approved for many years. They’re generally considered safe to take in both brand-name and generic forms.
- Data and privacy: Look into whether an online service has experienced any past data breaches that exposed users’ personal information, and what steps it has taken to prevent another breach. Privacy and safety are key here.
- Use compounded drugs with caution: Some platforms, including Ro, make compounded drugs like Ro Sparks. Compounded drugs are usually made by combining two or more medications or ingredients to produce a product that is not approved by the FDA. For this reason, we do not recommend taking compound drugs, especially if they’re combined with additional vitamins, minerals, or supplements.
- Prescription necessary: All medications available for ED, even compounded medications, require a prescription. Sites or places that claim they don’t require prescriptions are most likely selling counterfeit ED meds.
- Credentials: If you buy ED pills online, make sure the healthcare professional you’re seeing, or the list of healthcare professionals available, is a board certified individual who can prescribe medication to you.
Medical Perspective“I see patients overlook whether an online pharmacy is licensed and requires a valid prescription, which is critical for safety. They also forget that counterfeit products are common online, and untreated heart conditions or medication interactions can make ED pills dangerous without proper medical screening.”
— Jennie Olopaade, PharmD, RPH
Learn more about where to buy Viagra online.
Quotes represent the opinions of our medical experts. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.
Consider talking with a doctor if you’re concerned about any long-term sexual dysfunction or underlying health conditions that might be contributing to your ED symptoms.
You may also want to consider asking a doctor about any conditions you may have that can increase your risk of side effects from taking ED pills, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, depression, anxiety, or being overweight or obese.
Also, it’s important to get medical attention if you notice any side effects of ED pills that you buy online, including:
- significant body pains and aches
- changes in your digestive system, such as constipation or diarrhea
- changes in your vision or hearing
- erections that last longer than 4 hours (priapism)
No, you cannot get legitimate ED medication without seeing a doctor.
It’s safe to buy ED pills online that are FDA-approved or contain FDA-approved ingredients.
ED pills that are not FDA-approved, or pills that contain unapproved or unlabeled ingredients, can be ineffective or dangerous.
ED pills may be unsafe if you have an underlying condition, such as diabetes, that can increase your risk of side effects from ED treatments. It is always best to talk with a doctor about any conditions you may have.
Changes to your diet or lifestyle might be able to help you get hard without ED pills.
Reducing how much you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs if you engage in these behaviors can help you have better erections. If applicable, getting in more physical activity and sleeping regularly can also help.
Anxiety and depression can also contribute to ED symptoms. Taking advantage of mental health resources like therapy can help you treat these conditions and improve your ED symptoms.
Using an online service is the easiest way to get safe, FDA-approved ED pills.
However, it is important to keep in mind that legitimate ED medications are only available by prescription, so meeting with a doctor online or in person will be your first step. Any website offering easy access to medication without a prescription is likely selling fraudulent or unsafe pills.
You may also want to visit a primary care professional (PCP) if you have any other health conditions before you use an online service to get ED pills. This can make it easier for you to understand what side effects or interactions you might experience when you take ED medication.
You cannot buy ED pills over the counter.
A licensed medical professional must prescribe all FDA-approved ED pills, either in person or through an online service. The prescriber must send the prescription to a pharmacy licensed to dispense medications in the state where you receive the medication.
It’s not safe to buy ED pills without a prescription.
ED pills can have dangerous side effects or interactions with other medications or substances. That’s why you’re required to contact a medical professional and receive a prescription before you’re legally allowed to purchase ED pills.
There’s nothing you can buy over the counter that can replicate the effects of sildenafil (Viagra) or other FDA-approved ED medications.
But there are a few alternative options that you can try, such as red ginseng, yohimbe, and L-arginine. However, research into the effectiveness of these alternatives is extremely limited, so there is a good chance that they will not be able to treat your ED symptoms as effectively.
Contact a doctor before you try any alternative treatments for ED to understand what side effects or interactions are possible.
It’s easy to buy ED pills online under the supervision of licensed medical professionals through a number of telemedicine platforms.
Hims, Ro, and Rex MD are all trustworthy, legitimate providers of ED pills and other treatments for hair loss, weight loss, and mental health conditions that can contribute to your ED symptoms.