Amazon is a retail juggernaut, but they’ve been lacking a solid toe-hold in the healthcare arena. Their prescription drug service, Amazon Pharmacy, has historically offered Levitra and vardenafil at lower prices, but the savings have been mixed.
Amazon doesn’t mess around when it comes to outpricing the competition, and Amazon Pharmacy is no different. Their prices on erectile dysfunction drugs like Levitra and its generic, vardenafil, are generally lower than the industry average. However, we’ve seen its prices vary widely over a period of time, and even observed Amazon stop carrying Levitra altogether.
A Quick Word on the Numbers
Amazon Pharmacy drug price quotes can be difficult to compare, as the listed price isn’t always for the same quantity. So, we’ll be standardizing the data by calculating and reporting the price per tablet, dividing the price listed on Amazon by the listed quantity.
Average price across the retail pharmacy sector is also listed for comparison. We conduct monthly pricing surveys of 13 major retail and online pharmacies to get these prices.
Below is a table that summarizes the prices you can expect from Amazon Pharmacy for brand-name Levitra and generic vardenafil. Keep in mind that these are the cash prices without insurance; if you have prescription insurance coverage, your cost may be substantially lower if these drugs are included in your plan.
NOTE: Amazon doesn’t appear to carry Levitra in September 2023, but we will keep you updated if that changes.
| Drug | Strength | Price | Quantity | Price/Tablet | Average Retail Price/ Tablet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Levitra | 10 mg | N/A | 30 | N/A | Unavailable |
| Levitra | 20 mg | N/A | 30 | N/A | Unavailable |
| Vardenafil | 10 mg | $25.20 | 10 | $2.52 | $8.81 |
| Vardenafil | 20 mg | $50.30 | 10 | $5.03 | $17.56 |
Levitra and Generic Vardenafil Prices at Amazon Pharmacy
Amazon abruptly stopped carrying Levitra in February 2022, and it’s still not clear when — or if — it will return. Meanwhile, generic vardenafil prices have dropped relative to the industry average.
Vardenafil 10 milligrams
This month, vardenafil 10 milligrams is $2.52, a savings of $6.29 off the industry average of $8.81.
Vardenafil 20 milligrams
While 20 milligrams of generic vardenafil is twice the price of a 10 milligram pill, making any savings through pill-splitting minimal. At $5.03, however, Amazon’s price is well below the industry average of $17.56.
Levitra: The Facts
First put on the market by Bayer Pharmaceuticals in 2003, Levitra is a PDE5 inhibitor, similar to Viagra (sildenafil) and Cialis (tadalafil). It works as a vasodilator by blocking a specific enzyme in the body, allowing more blood to flow into the penis and helping you achieve and keep an erection.
The active ingredient in Levitra is vardenafil, which is also used to describe generic versions of the drug. Generic drugs have the precise amount of the same active ingredient and have to achieve the same effects in order to be approved by the FDA. The differences come in the inactive ingredients, like colorings, flavorings, and other aspects that don’t affect the active drug itself.
There are also some indications that vardenafil may help with premature ejaculation (PE), although there’s still more study to be done. It’s not currently prescribed for PE, but men concerned about PE as well as ED may start with a regimen of vardenafil to see if it helps.
If you’re taking nitrates, or other medications to mitigate hypertension, you shouldn’t take any PDE5 inhibitor, as you may be at risk of a life-threatening drop in blood pressure, called hypotension.
PDE5 inhibitors shouldn’t be combined due to similar risks, and it’s recommended that you discontinue any herbal supplements you may be taking for ED before starting a PDE5 inhibitor. Many of these, especially imported products, have been found to be tainted with pharmaceuticals that may interact with PDE5 inhibitors.
Levitra is also available in a formulation that dissolves on the tongue, called Staxyn or Levitra Soft. These are not interchangeable with the pill form, and if you’re prescribed one, don’t use the other without first consulting with your doctor.
Is Amazon the Right Pharmacy for You?
On a day-to-day basis, Amazon might be the best deal, at least in terms of dollars and cents. Yet Amazon is as vulnerable to supply chain issues and other concerns as other pharmacies — possibly more so — and the sudden disappearance of Levitra at the beginning of 2022 says as much.
This disappearance has yet to be adequately explained, and Amazon users were given no warning it was going to happen. In the months since, communication on this issue has been seen as inadequate, especially as other online pharmacies have had no disruption that we can find in their supply chains.
More generally, as we’ve been tracking Amazon’s prices, we’ve noticed wild swings in price from month to month. Sometimes, prices will double; other times, they’ll halve; and in still others, they’ll track with our industry average.
Once again, none of this is clearly explained, before or after the fact, by Amazon. Their attitude appears to be that their prices are good enough that you can take them or leave them, despite the fact that some drugs are actually cheaper from other pharmacies.
Finally there’s the question of privacy. Although Amazon is compliant with all laws regarding medical privacy, you are still shopping in a popular online marketplace, and your search history and other data may not be covered by medical privacy laws.
Make ED a Thing of the Past
If you’re experiencing the frustrating symptoms of erectile dysfunction, eDrugstore.com is your one-stop shop for affordable treatment. Not only can we connect you to a telehealth physician licensed in your state for a free, confidential consultation and prescription, we can also ship your prescription right to your door for no extra charge. In addition to Levitra, we carry Viagra, Cialis, and other popular ED medications. Browse our medication guide and set up your free consultation today.
Elizabeth Nichols is an experienced and flexible author with extensive experience in both popular media and academic publishing. She specializes in health, medical and travel writing.
