Walmart has the lowest price for both Cialis and tadalafil among the three major pharmacies covered in this blog post as of May 2023. However, despite the lower per-pill prices at conventional pharmacies, ordering online from eDrugstore can save you time and money when you take into consideration all that you get for your money.
Based on their 2022 prescription drug revenues, CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart are America’s three largest retail pharmacy chains. These ubiquitous chains usually offer among the lowest prices on popular prescription drugs, including erectile dysfunction (ED) medicines.
And so it is with Cialis and tadalafil, the second most popular brand-name ED drug and its generic equivalent, which has been on the market since 2018.
Cialis And Tadalafil Prices At Walmart, CVS, and Walgreen
Based on currently posted prices for a 20 milligram tablet of Cialis, Walmart continues to have the best deal of the three major retailers in May 2023 for this popular ED drug from Eli Lilly and Company with a price of $73.64. This brings the cost of a 10 milligram dose — the recommended starting dose — from Walmart to $36.82.
Walgreens’ price remains at $76.23 for 20 milligrams of Cialis, while CVS’s has declined 42 cents to $74.93.
The same is true of tadalafil. A 20 milligram tablet of tadalafil at Walgreens currently costs $26.56, while CVS has stayed at $18.32, and Walmart continues to have the lowest prices for generic tadalafil, at $2.19 for 20 milligrams and $1.10 for 10 milligrams. Over time, however, there have been substantial price swings at Walmart, so these low prices may not last.
Cialis and Tadalafil: The Facts
First approved for medical use in 2003, Cialis is most commonly used to treat erectile dysfunction, but it’s also approved for use on benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).
Tadalafil is the active ingredient in Cialis, and also the name used for generic medications. Generic and brand-name medicines share the same dose and quality of active ingredient and will have the same medical effects. What’s different is the inactive ingredients in the formulation. As of this writing, all formulations are for oral use.
Regardless of the formulation, tadalafil blocks an enzyme called phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5). PDE5 breaks down certain chemicals in the body, which narrows the blood vessels. By preventing this, Cialis keeps the vessels open, allowing more blood to flow into the penis and making it easier to get an erection and have firmer erections.
Cialis generally becomes active in the body a half hour after taking it and can have effects for up to 36 hours afterward, compared to four hours for sildenafil (Viagra.)
Due to this action, it’s not recommended to take any PDE5 inhibitor with any other vasodilator or blood pressure medication. Similarly, dosages prescribed for other purposes shouldn’t be used to treat erectile dysfunction, as they can be much lower or much higher than needed.
Dosages of tadalafil to treat PAH, for example, can be as high as 40 milligrams, more than double the highest strength for a pill designed to treat ED.
The most common side effects of tadalafil are:
- Headaches
- Stomach pain and indigestion
- Acid reflux and belching
- Flushing
- Nasal congestion
- Muscle ache, including back pain
Muscle aches and back symptoms generally occur 12 to 24 hours after taking tadalafil and resolve after a maximum of 48 hours. These symptoms are due to tadalafil acting on blood vessels across the body.
If you have an erection for more than four hours, see a doctor immediately, as this may cause damage to the penis. If you have heart disease, liver disease, vision or hearing concerns, or any concern about your body processing medication, speak with your doctor before taking any PDE5 inhibitor. PDE5 inhibitors also act on other enzymes, which can have unexpected effects.
Review other medications you’re taking before using tadalafil, as some medications can interact with it and reduce how long it stays in the body. This is particularly true of medicines broken down by the liver.
Ordering Online Could Be Cheaper
Should you decide instead to order your Cialis or tadalafil online, the cost per dose will be higher, but the price you pay per pill will get you far more than you’ll receive from conventional pharmacies in terms of both time and money.
Consider eDrugstore’s Complimentary Extras
When you buy a pill at a conventional pharmacy, you pay the posted price, and you get the pill. That’s pretty much it. However, when you order online from eDrugstore, the price per pill has a number of extras built in.
If you already have a doctor’s prescription, you can fax it or scan and email it along with your order to eDrugstore. That will save you the time and travel involved with filling a prescription at a brick-and-mortar pharmacy.
If you don’t yet have a prescription, eDrugstore can set up a complimentary online consultation with a U.S.-licensed physician who can authorize a prescription if appropriate. That can mean substantial savings.
Shipping Is Free
Once you place your online order, eDrugstore packages your shipment discreetly and sends it off, free of cost, to your home, workplace, or any other destination that works for you. If it’s your first shipment from eDrugstore, we’ll toss in a complimentary pill splitter.
Based in Tempe, Arizona, eDrugstore has been in business since the late 1990s. In addition to Cialis and tadalafil, the online facilitator offers a full range of all available erectile dysfunction medications — both brand-name and generic. To learn more, visit our erectile dysfunction page.
Dan is a long-time freelance writer focusing on technology, science, health, and medicine, with a lifelong interest in physics, biology, and medicine. His work has taken a particular focus on scientific studies “beyond the headlines,” reading the study to more closely examine the results.