Viagra (sildenafil) for erectile dysfunction is available in the United Kingdom over the counter and online. Buying Viagra from telehealth services may be more convenient and faster than using an NHS general practitioner, but it is likely to be more expensive.
A quick look at the best places to buy Viagra online in the United Kingdom
- Best for free visits: Hims | Skip to review
- Best for same-day prescriptions: Numan | Skip to review
- Best for fast consultations: MedExpress | Skip to review
- Best for choice of quantity: Lloyds Pharmacy | Skip to review
- Best for Click & Collect: Superdrug Online Doctor | Skip to review
- Best for loyalty points: Boots | Skip to review
People do not need a prescription to buy Viagra or generic Viagra in the United Kingdom. Pharmacists can dispense this medication over the counter (OTC).
While the National Health Service (NHS) does prescribe the generic version of Viagra (sildenafil), some people may prefer to purchase the branded medication online through pharmacies or telehealth services.
Online services generally offer a quicker and more convenient way to get Viagra online. However, it will likely be more expensive than going through a person’s general practitioner (GP) and receiving a prescription through the NHS.
Where to buy Viagra online in the United Kingdom
Many telehealth services and online pharmacies offer Viagra online. Some, but not all, may require a consultation with a healthcare professional before posting the medication or allowing people to pick it up from their local pharmacy.
The most common form of Viagra that people can buy online is Viagra Connect, a Viagra tablet that comes in 50 milligrams (mg) strength. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority reclassified this product as suitable for OTC sale in 2017.
Best for free visits: Hims
- Medication options: prescription sildenafil, nonprescription Viagra Connect
- Price: from £2.25 per use
- Prescription needed: for all ED medication apart from Viagra Connect
- Consultation required: yes
- Consultation cost: free
- Delivery: free
Hims is a telehealth company that offers consultations with licensed healthcare professionals and subscription prescription and nonprescription medication, including Viagra and sildenafil.
The service offers Viagra Connect as an OTC medication, starting from £5.83 per use. Sildenafil, the generic version of the drug, is slightly less expensive, starting from £2.25 per use. However, sildenafil requires a prescription.
Viagra Connect is only available as a 50 mg pill. Sildenafil is available in 50 mg and 100 mg strengths.
Even though Viagra Connect is an OTC option, people will need to have an initial consultation with a healthcare professional before being able to order the medication online.
People will need to complete an online questionnaire. Hims will connect them to a licensed healthcare professional who will review the questionnaire and recommend appropriate treatment. Then, the company will post the medication directly to a person’s home for free in discreet packaging.
Hims states that a person’s initial consultation is free. Any further consultations regarding the same prescription are available at no extra cost.
Pros
- offers a free initial consultation, with any extra visits with the same prescription at no extra cost
- offers free and discreet delivery
- healthcare professionals are available to answer any questions and concerns
- offers OTC and prescription ED medication
Cons
- people cannot buy Viagra Connect without signing up for a consultation
- Hims is a subscription service, which may not be appealing to those who do not want Viagra long term
Best for same-day prescriptions: Numan
- Medication options: prescription sildenafil, nonprescription Viagra Connect
- Price: from £1.95 per tablet
- Prescription required: for all ED medications apart from Viagra Connect
- Consultation required: yes
- Consultation price: free
- Delivery: free
Numan offers several ED medications, including Viagra Connect and prescription sildenafil. Like Hims, this service is subscription only.
The service offers Viagra Connect OTC starting from £9.59 per tablet. Prescription sildenafil is available starting from £1.95 per tablet. Numan does not state which doses of Viagra or sildenafil are available.
Numan requires all customers to fill out an online questionnaire, which a healthcare professional then reviews. If sildenafil or Viagra is the right fit for a person’s needs, the service will send monthly supplies direct to a person’s home for free.
Numan states that an initial consultation is free. Additionally, most people will receive a prescription the same day they complete a questionnaire.
Pros
- healthcare professionals will review a person’s questionnaire to make sure the medication is the right option
- claims to approve prescriptions the same day a person fills out a questionnaire
- offers free and discreet delivery
Cons
- Numan is a subscription-only service which may not appeal to everyone
- people cannot buy Viagra Connect without approval from a healthcare professional
Best for fast consultations: MedExpress
- Medication options: prescription sildenafil and Viagra, nonprescription Viagra Connect
- Price: from £1.41 per tablet
- Prescription required: for all ED medications apart from Viagra Connect
- Consultation required: yes
- Consultation fee: free
- Delivery: from £2.90
MedExpress is an online doctor and pharmacy company that offers several medications for ED and other conditions. People can purchase prescription sildenafil and Viagra as well as OTC Viagra Connect through this service.
Prescription sildenafil and prescription Viagra are available in 25 mg, 50 mg, or 100 mg doses. Sildenafil starts from £1.41 per pill, and Viagra starts from £6.88 per pill.
Viagra Connect — the OTC option — is only available in 50 mg and costs £4.17 per pill.
Like many other services, MedExpress requires a consultation before posting any medication. According to the company, this consultation takes around 2 minutes, and afterward, a healthcare professional will either write a prescription or a person can buy Viagra Connect.
MedExpress states that the consultation with a healthcare professional is free.
Pros
- offers prescription sildenafil and Viagra in various doses
- offers free consultations
- healthcare professionals will ensure a person receives the best medication for their needs
Cons
- people cannot buy Viagra Connect without having an initial consultation
Best for choice of quantity: Lloyds Pharmacy
- Medication options: nonprescription Viagra Connect and Aronix
- Price: from £5.49 per tablet
- Prescription required: no
- Consultation required: no, but pharmacists must approve each order
- Delivery: £3.49
Lloyds Pharmacy sells Viagra Connect, the OTC version of Viagra, and Aronix, an OTC version of sildenafil. These medications are only available in 50 mg doses.
The company offers a pack of 4, 8, or 16 tablets of Viagra Connect, starting from £11.95 per box, which works out to £5.49 per tablet.
Aronix is available in a pack of 4 or 8 tablets, starting from £14.99 per box, working out to £3.75 per tablet.
People can only purchase one box of Viagra Connect or Aronix at a time through the website. Pharmacists will need to approve the order before posting to a person’s house.
Delivery costs £3.49 and takes 2–3 working days. Lloyds Pharmacy warns that a person age 18 or over will need to sign for the delivery. If an adult is not available to sign for delivery, they can reroute the package to their local parcel shop or change the delivery date on the courier’s website.
Pros
- no need to have an initial consultation with a healthcare professional
- a pharmacist reviews all orders before posting
- offers a choice of amount of Viagra Connect pills
Cons
- people can only purchase one box at a time
- does not offer free delivery
- only an adult can sign for the package
Best for Click & Collect: Superdrug Online Doctor
- Medication options: prescription sildenafil and Viagra, nonprescription Viagra Connect
- Price: from £10.99 per pack
- Prescription required: for all ED medications apart from Viagra Connect
- Consultation required: yes
- Consultation fee: £25 per visit, plus a £7.95 prescription processing fee
- Delivery: free
Superdrug Online Doctor is a telehealth service that offers ED medication, including prescription sildenafil and Viagra, and nonprescription Viagra Connect.
Prescription sildenafil starts from £14.99, and prescription Viagra starts from £19.99 for 4 tablets. Viagra Connect is available starting from £10.99 per pack.
Prescription sildenafil and Viagra are available in 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg doses. Viagra Connect is only available in a 50 mg dose.
People will need to sign up to Superdrug Online Doctor before being able to use this service. Even if a person wants to purchase Viagra Connect, they will need a consultation with a healthcare professional. Each consultation costs £25 and lasts 10 minutes.
If the healthcare professional prescribes ED medication, people will need to pay a £7.95 prescription processing fee.
Superdrug Online Doctor offers free next-day Click & Collect at any Superdrug Pharmacy location, and free standard delivery. Otherwise, people will need to pay a fee of £3.99 for next-day delivery.
Pros
- offers prescription sildenafil and Viagra in multiple doses
- offers Viagra Connect, a nonprescription alternative
- guarantees next-day delivery or collection in a person’s local Superdrug Pharmacy
Cons
- people cannot purchase Viagra Connect without paying a £25 consultation fee
- the company does not offer free next-day delivery
Best for loyalty points: Boots
- Medication options: nonprescription Viagra Connect
- Price: from £11.99 per pack
- Prescription required: no
- Consultation required: no, but pharmacists must approve the order
- Delivery: free on orders of £25 or over
Boots only offers Viagra Connect at a dose of 50 mg per pill. As with other retailers, Boots will only post the medication once a pharmacist has reviewed a person’s order.
People can choose from packs of 2, 4, 8, or 12 tablets, starting from £11.99 per pack.
If a person has a Boots Advantage Card, they can collect points on their purchase. If someone collects enough points, they can purchase products from the store using these instead of a card or cash.
People can choose to Click & Collect or pay for standard, next-day, or named-day delivery. Click & Collect costs £1.50 or is free if a person spends £15 or more on an order. Delivery starts from £3.95 or is free on orders of £25 or over.
Pros
- people can collect points on their purchase
- offers a choice of amounts of Viagra pills
- no need to attend a virtual consultation with a healthcare professional
Cons
- does not offer free delivery or free Click & Collect services unless an order is over a certain amount
Comparison of where to buy Viagra online
The table below shows how telehealth services and online pharmacies in this article compare on medication options, cost, and more.
| Medication options | Prescription required? | Consultation required? | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hims | prescription sildenafil Viagra Connect | only for prescription pills | yes | from £2.25 per use free consultations |
| Numan | prescription sildenafil Viagra Connect | only for prescription pills | yes | from £1.95 per tablet free consultations |
| MedExpress | prescription sildenafil and Viagra Viagra Connect | only for prescription pills | yes | from £1.41 per tablet free consultations |
| Lloyds Pharmacy | Viagra Connect | no | no, but pharmacists must approve the order | from £5.49 per tablet |
| Superdrug | prescription sildenafil and Viagra Viagra Connect | only for prescription pills | yes | from £10.99 per pack £25 per visit |
| Boots | Viagra Connect | no | no, but pharmacists must approve the order | from £11.99 per pack |
How we chose
Medical News Today is dedicated to only including telehealth services and online pharmacies that pass our rigorous vetting standards. We consider:
- Medication options: Where possible, we include services that offer prescription and nonprescription Viagra options.
- Consultation price: Using a private service rather than the NHS means people may have to pay to visit a healthcare professional. Where possible, we choose companies that offer free or more affordable consultations.
- Medication price: Viagra may be more expensive to buy online rather than receiving a prescription via the NHS, especially for residents of Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Where possible, we chose companies that offer less expensive options.
- Delivery: We only include companies that have clear delivery charges and timelines. All companies offer fast and discreet delivery.
How to choose a safe online pharmacy
Buying Viagra online instead of using an NHS surgery or high-street pharmacy does come with some risks. It is important to check that the pharmacy a person uses meets all U.K. regulations.
It is always best to buy any medication from a service or retailer that has a healthcare professional who can check a person’s medical history or has the knowledge to dispense medication responsibly. Many drugs, including Viagra, can interact with other medications, leading to potentially dangerous side effects.
If a person chooses an online pharmacy, it is important to make sure that the service they use:
- is registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council
- is registered with the Care Quality Commission
- has healthcare professionals registered with the General Medical Council
How much does Viagra cost in the United Kingdom?
Prescriptions are free for residents of Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. If a person goes through the NHS in England to get Viagra or sildenafil, it will cost £9.65. However, some people may be eligible for free prescriptions.
People who buy Viagra online privately will likely pay more. Many telehealth services charge a fee for a consultation with a healthcare professional, and the price of the medication will depend on which pharmacy or telehealth service a person uses.
Many pharmacies will also charge a dispensing fee if someone decides to buy privately rather than going through the NHS. If a person uses a pharmacy that offers home delivery, they may need to pay for postage.
Buying Viagra with private insurance
Generally, U.K. insurance companies will not cover the cost of branded Viagra but may include generic Viagra or sildenafil in their policies.
Many telehealth services do not accept insurance, which means people will need to pay the full cost of any consultation fees.
People will need to contact their insurance company to discuss whether it will cover the cost of Viagra or sildenafil.
Does the NHS prescribe Viagra?
The NHS will only prescribe sildenafil if a person has erectile dysfunction or pulmonary hypertension.
In most cases, the NHS will only prescribe the generic version of Viagra, sildenafil. Sildenafil is the main ingredient in Viagra and works in the same way. Generic drugs are less expensive than branded versions, so it is more cost-effective for the NHS to only offer generic medication.
However, GPs or other healthcare professionals who operate within the NHS will prescribe Viagra in exceptional circumstances.
How much does Viagra cost using the NHS?
Prescriptions are free for residents of Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
Most people in England will need to pay for their NHS prescription for Viagra or sildenafil. The current fee is £9.65 per prescription item.
The NHS offers a Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC) that reduces the cost of medications if a person has several prescriptions. A PPC costs £31.25 for 3 months or £111.60 for 12 months.
However, some people may be eligible for free prescriptions. According to the NHS Business Services Authority, the following people will not have to pay for medication:
- children under the age of 16, or children ages 16–18 years in full-time education
- people age 60 and over
- people in receipt of income-based benefits or Pension Credit
- families with an annual income of less than £15,276 and who receive Child Tax Credits either alone or alongside Working Tax Credits
- people who have a medical exemption certificate
- people who qualify for an HC2 certificate
- people who receive War Pension Scheme or Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments
Viagra safety and side effects
Viagra is generally safe so long as a person uses the drug in the way a healthcare professional prescribes. People should not take more than one tablet per day, with a maximum dosage of
Some common side effects a person may experience include:
- headaches
- skin flushing and rash
- indigestion
- nasal congestion
- back pain
- muscle aches and pains
- nausea
- dizziness
Some people cannot use Viagra. People who are taking nitrates cannot also take Viagra as it can cause life threatening low blood pressure.
People with other conditions, such as high blood pressure from other causes, heart conditions such as pulmonary veno-occlusion, ischemic optic neuropathy, and inherited degenerative eye conditions, cannot use Viagra.
Frequently asked questions about buying Viagra online
Yes, people do not need a prescription to buy Viagra in the United Kingdom. Pharmacists can dispense this medication OTC.
However, in some cases, a pharmacist will not be able to dispense Viagra until a person has had a consultation with a healthcare professional. For example, if a person has medications that could interact with Viagra, they will need to receive a prescription from a healthcare professional.
Yes, some people can get Viagra for free.
People in Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland do not have to pay for their prescriptions. While the NHS requires most people to pay £9.65 per prescription item in England, some individuals will be exempt.
People who are of certain ages, in receipt of certain benefits or tax credits, on a low income, or enrolled in certain schemes may be eligible for free prescriptions.
People can check their eligibility on the NHS Business Services Authority website.
Yes, it is safe to buy Viagra online so long as a person uses a reputable pharmacy. People should look for pharmacies that:
- are registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council
- are registered with the Care Quality Commission
- employ healthcare professionals registered with the General Medical Council
Summary
Viagra is a medication that can help people have and maintain erections. In the United Kingdom, people can either receive a prescription and medication through the NHS, buy Viagra OTC from pharmacies, or receive a private prescription.
While buying OTC medications or using private services may be quicker than using NHS services, it will likely be more expensive.