Amazon vs Costco vs GoodRx vs Walmart
Four cash-pay ways to cut prescription costs: Amazon Pharmacy + One Medical, Costco Pharmacy + Sesame, the GoodRx card + Companion, and Walmart’s $4 generics program. 0penRX is independent and takes no commission. Figures are the vendors’ own prices (linked in the tables) — confirm before you sign up.
Start with your situation
Pick what you’re trying to do — it points you to the right rows below (or the right page). The full four-way breakdown follows.
What it costs
Platform fees and doctor-visit fees are different things — every cell says which one you’re paying.
| Amazon + One Medical | Costco + Sesame | GoodRx + Companion | Walmart | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Join the platform | $99/yrOne Medical w/ Prime ($139/yr or $14.99/mo); $199/yr without. RxPass +$5/mo (Prime only) | $0pharmacy open to non-members. Member extras (Sesame pricing, member Rx) need a membership: $65/yr ($130 Executive) | $0free card. Companion $14.99/mo or $119.88/yr (7-day trial); Gold $9.99/mo | $0no membership for the $4 list or Better Care booking. Optional Walmart+ ($98/yr or $12.95/mo) adds free delivery only |
| See a doctor online | $024/7 virtual care included with membership. Without one: On-Demand Care from $29 message / $49 video (30+ conditions; self-pay, insurance not accepted; FSA/HSA; messaging not in every state) | $29/visitvia Sesame (members); $79 therapy; non-members from ~$37 (independent physicians; not in Puerto Rico) | $19/visitwith Companion or Gold, in addition to the monthly fee (none included); no membership $39–$70/visit | MarketplaceBetter Care (sponsored), no membership: Teladoc $89 first visit, Wheel from $39/visit, Doctor on Demand $99, Curai $29/mo. Varies by provider, location, insurance |
| See a doctor in person | $250–$400200+ One Medical offices; no membership to book; self-pay ($0–$50 insured); varies by condition | Via Sesamein-person cash visits — primary/urgent care, dental, dermatology — bookable by location (same-day from ~$44; price varies by provider). Costco itself has no doctor clinics | Nonevisits are online only (text, phone, video) | Noneclinics closed in 2024 (eye exams — see the vision row below) |
| Fill a prescription | $5/moRxPass: 50+ common generics, flat fee by mail. Prime Rx: up to 80% off generics / 40% brand at 60,000+ pharmacies | Cash priceno membership; most insurance accepted. Member Rx program terms unpublished — ask at the pharmacy | Up to ~80% offfree card at 70,000+ pharmacies; Companion adds 200+ free generics, hundreds more under $10 | $4 / $10~100 select generics: 30-day from $4, 90-day from $10 (higher tiers apply; exclusions and state caveats below) |
| Cover the family | +$66/yrper extra One Medical member, up to five (Prime price) | No planpharmacy needs none; member extras follow the membership | Gold family $19.99/moup to 5 extra people; Companion is individual-only | No planper-prescription and per-visit pricing for anyone |
What you actually get
| Amazon + One Medical | Costco + Sesame | GoodRx + Companion | Walmart | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online doctor visits | Yes24/7, included with membership | Yesvia Sesame ($29 for members) | Yes$19/visit with a plan | Yessponsored marketplace from $39/visit (varies by provider); incl. mental health; no plan needed |
| In-person doctor visits | Yesat 200+ One Medical offices (billed separately) | Yesvia Sesame — in-person cash visits by location (Costco itself has no doctor clinics) | No | No |
| Dental | No | No | Discounts onlyAetna Dental Access, typically 15–50% off; you pay the dentist. Not insurance | No |
| Eye exams & vision | No | YesIndependent Doctors of Optometry at most warehouses; exam needs no membership (price set by the optometrist; none published). Glasses/contacts require membership | Discounts onlyvision discounts on glasses, contacts, laser surgery & exams; contacts via NB Contacts | Yesin-store Vision Centers (exam price set locally; none published). Online Rx-glasses, free fittings, 60-day guarantee |
| Labs & blood work | Yesdrop-in draws at every office (established patients); billed by Labcorp/Quest | Members onlyvia Sesame — $72 check-up incl. a standard lab panel | Discounts onlynational savings on lab testing; pre-negotiated diagnostic imaging (RadiologyAssist & ColonoscopyAssist) | Nopharmacy offers COVID/strep/flu test-and-treat only |
| Prescription delivery | YesRxPass and Amazon Pharmacy deliver by mail | YesInstacart same-day, mail refills, locker pickup (select locations) | Nothe card works at local pharmacies for pickup | Yessame-day in 49 states (free with Walmart+), plus a $10 90-day mail service |
| Key limitations | Prime required for best prices. RxPass: generic-only, no Medicaid/CHIP, not shipped to CA or WA. | Member Rx program terms unpublished; Sesame member pricing is via independent physicians and unavailable in Puerto Rico. | Not insurance; savings vary by drug and store. Companion: individual-only, new (May 2026); dental/vision/lab benefits unavailable in Vermont and Washington, discounted visits unavailable in Oklahoma (per its terms); benefits can change or end without notice. | List drugs only; not in North Dakota; pricier in some states (incl. CA, MN); first fill in person; no opioid discounts. |
Not compared here: Amazon’s Health Benefits Connector condition programs (diabetes, blood pressure, mental health, weight) — Amazon markets them as “often $0,” but the $0 is paid by your insurance plan or employer, so they are not a cash-pay option.
Figures are the vendors’ own prices, linked in the table headers above — confirm before you sign up.
Common questions
Do I need Amazon Prime to use RxPass and One Medical?
Yes. RxPass ($5/mo) and the $99/yr One Medical price both require an Amazon Prime membership ($139/yr or $14.99/mo). Without Prime, One Medical costs $199/yr. The free GoodRx card and GoodRx Companion need no Amazon account.
Does Amazon RxPass cover brand-name drugs?
No. RxPass covers 50+ common generic medications only; brand-name, insulin, and controlled substances are excluded.
Is GoodRx Companion available to families?
No. GoodRx Companion ($14.99/mo) is individual-only, for adults, with no family plan.
Can I use the free GoodRx card with no insurance or signup?
Yes. The free GoodRx discount card works at 70,000+ pharmacies with no insurance and no signup; savings vary by drug and pharmacy.
Is Walmart's $4 generics list still active in 2026?
Yes. Walmart's Prescription Program covers about 100 select generics with 30-day supplies starting at $4 and 90-day supplies starting at $10 (some tiers cost more), with no membership or insurance required. It is not available in North Dakota, and prices are higher in some states, including California and Minnesota.
Does GoodRx Companion include free doctor visits?
No. The $14.99/mo membership gives access to $19-per-visit online care — the visit fee is charged in addition to the monthly fee. Without any membership, GoodRx Care visits cost about $39 to $70 per visit.
Do I need a Costco membership to use the Costco pharmacy?
No. Costco states its pharmacy is open to members and non-members — you can fill prescriptions with cash prices or most insurance without joining. A membership ($65/yr) unlocks extras such as $29 Sesame virtual visits and the member prescription program.
Is GoodRx legit if I have no insurance?
Yes. The free GoodRx card is a cash-discount card (not insurance) accepted at 70,000+ pharmacies with no signup; per GoodRx, network pharmacies are contractually required to honor the prices. It cannot be combined with Medicare, Medicaid, or other government programs, and Walmart takes no discount cards on opioid prescriptions.
What is the cheapest way to see a doctor online without insurance?
Among these four platforms: GoodRx Care is $19 per visit with a Companion or Gold membership ($39–$70 without one); Sesame runs cash visits from about $37 (from $29 with Costco-member pricing); Amazon On-Demand Care starts at $29 by message / $49 by video with no membership. Prices vary by condition and provider — compare before booking.