How to get free birth control without insurance

In this article:

• How to get birth control without insurance
• How much is birth control without insurance?
• Price comparison table
• How to get discounted or free birth control

In this article

• How to get birth control without insurance
• How much is birth control without insurance?
• Price comparison table
• How to get discounted or free birth control

You’ve seen your healthcare provider, you have the contraception prescription, but you don’t have the money. It’s an all-too-common scenario for many. Now multiply that worry and uncertainty by 12 if you need to refill a birth control prescription every month. “Affordable birth control,” for many women, really has to mean “free birth control.” Fortunately, that is possible. The birth control options women need are available even without insurance and at a fraction of the cost, or even for free.

Birth control coupons & resources

How to get birth control without insurance

Let’s start with the basics. Even without insurance, anyone with a prescription for birth control can purchase it at a pharmacy. That means a trip to the doctor’s office is required. Patients who don’t see a healthcare provider regularly can make an appointment at a family planning, Planned Parenthood, public health, or Title X clinic.

For most birth control methods, the healthcare provider visit will be simple. The healthcare provider will ask a few questions about your medical history and take a few vital signs. Tests aren’t necessary unless you have one or more risk factors, like high blood pressure, a history of smoking, or an irregular menstrual period.

For more complex birth control methods, such as IUDs, diaphragms, or implants, more work will have to be done, such as a Pap smear for women 21 and older, sexually transmitted infection testing if appropriate, pelvic exam, or insertion of the birth control device (IUD or arm implant). Additional checkups and a removal procedure might also be necessary. These procedures will cost more.

But how do you actually get free birth control without insurance? It depends on the method chosen.

How to get OTC birth control  

You can get over-the-counter (OTC) birth control, such as condoms, progesterone-only pill (The O Pill), spermicide, and the “morning-after” pill, simply by taking a quick trip to the drugstore. Family planning and STI clinics may provide condoms and spermicide for free. You may be able to simply walk in and request these birth control methods.

How to get prescription birth control

Birth control pills, patches, vaginal rings, and some medical devices, such as a cervical cap, will require taking a prescription to a pharmacy and picking it up there, although some clinics may provide the medicine or device on-site. You may even be able to get free birth control pills and devices at these clinics based on your income.

The more complex, long-term prescription birth control methods, such as arm implants and IUDs, must be inserted by a healthcare professional in a medical office.

How much is birth control without insurance?

The cost of birth control without insurance varies greatly and depends on the type you choose. Whether you have insurance or not, getting birth control at an affordable price takes a bit of know-how.

The cost of birth control by type

The cost of birth control varies by method. Condoms are typically very affordable but can only be used once. Birth control pills can cost $9 to $50 every month without insurance or SingleCare discounts. Longer-term birth control, such as diaphragms, vaginal rings, IUDs, implants, and hormone shots, can cost from $100 to $1,800.

Doctor visits and physical exam costs

In order to get birth control, you need to pay for your visit to your healthcare provider, unless you go to a free clinic. If you have insurance, your visit may be covered as a preventive visit during your annual wellness exam. If you don’t have insurance, you can expect an additional cost for this visit, which also varies by provider. If you are paying cash for your visit, let the billing office know, and they may be able to charge you a lower “cash price.” 

Some pharmacies offer consultations that cost less than $50. Public health clinics, 340B providers, and Title X clinics may charge patients as little as $0 depending on income, but you usually can expect to pay around $20 or $25. A specialist, such as a gynecologist, might cost a couple of hundred dollars per visit. It’s advisable to call ahead and compare costs before booking an appointment.

Tests and procedure costs

For complex devices, such as IUDs, diaphragms, or arm implants, you’ll pay more for the additional examinations and tests. These birth control methods may require additional follow-up visits and a removal procedure that increases the cost. IUDs may last for up to 10 years, diaphragms last for years, and arm implants last three years. 

Upfront cost of birth control vs. long-term value

Some birth control methods, such as men’s condoms, spermicide, and emergency contraception, can be purchased over the counter without paying to see a healthcare provider. But because these are one-time only contraceptives, the cost of repeatedly buying them can add up over time. It is not advisable to use emergency contraception as your only form of contraception. Longer-term birth control, such as IUDs, diaphragms, and birth control shots, may be a better value over time than short-term methods.

For example, men’s condoms cost less than a dollar each, although this varies by brand. No doctor visit is required. However, this cost could add up over the course of a year. More expensive, longer-term contraception may cost just as much or less. A diaphragm might cost $200 and lasts for as long as it is in “good condition,” including the doctor visits. A 10-year IUD might cost $1,300, including doctor visits. Also, for long-term birth control, both the doctor visits and the medication or device are more likely to be provided at a low cost or something close to free at a public health clinic for patients who meet the income qualifications.

Is birth control free without insurance?

Without insurance, you may be able to get free birth control at a local health clinic if you meet its income requirements. With insurance, birth control costs nothing. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) mandates that all health insurance plans cover women’s birth control, including surgery, and not charge a copay for the doctor visits or the birth control method prescribed. Insurance does not have to cover every brand of medication or device, but at least one option in every category of birth control is covered, except for men’s condoms.

How much does birth control cost without insurance? Compare prices
Type	Prescription needed?	Popular brand name	Efficacy	Average out-of-pocket cost	Lowest cost with a SingleCare coupon
Birth control pills	Yes	Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo (combination pills)	93%–99%	$126 per pack of 28 tablets (a month’s supply)	$9 at Kroger
Emergency contraception (“morning after” pills)	No	Plan B One-Step	89%–95%, depending on when it’s taken	$48 per Plan B tablet	$20 for generic levonorgestrel at Kroger
Birth control shots	Yes	Depo Provera	94%	$134 (works for 3 months)	$31 for generic Depo Provera at Walmart
Implants	Yes	Nexplanon	>99%	$1,533 per implant (works for 3 years)	$1,249 at Kroger
Transdermal patch	Yes	Xulane	91%	$273 per box of three patches ( a month’s supply)	$77 for generic norelgestromin-eth estradiol at CVS
IUDs	Yes	Kyleena	>99%	$1,633 per IUD (works for up to 10 years)	$1,235 at Kroger
Vaginal rings	Yes	NuvaRing (Annovera is the only other FDA-approved birth control ring)	91%	$239 per NuvaRing (a month’s supply)	$38 for generic etonogestrel-ethinyl estradiol at CVS
Diaphragms (with spermicide)	Yes	Caya	92%–96%	$111 per diaphragm (works as long as it fits well and is in good condition)	$77 at Kroger
Cervical cap	Yes	Femcap	71%–86%	$97 per cap (works as long as it fits well and is in good condition)	$73 at Kroger
Female condoms	No	FC2 (the only FDA-approved internal condom)	79%–85%	$603 for 2 boxes of 12 FC2 condoms	$472 for 2 boxes of 12 FC2 condoms at Kroger
Male condoms	No	Durex Realfeel	83%–95%	$12 per box of 10 Durex Realfeel condoms	$8 per box of 10 Durex Realfeel condoms at Kroger
Birth control sponge	No	Today	76%–88%	$17 per box of 3 of Today sponges	$12 per box of 3 Today sponges at Kroger

Prescription drug prices often change. These are the most accurate medication prices at the time of publishing in ZIP code 23666 as of Jan. 7, 2026. The listed price without insurance references the price of brand-name drugs (unless otherwise specified). The listed SingleCare price references the price of generic drugs if available. 

How to get discounted or free birth control

There are eight reliable ways to get discounts or free birth control, with or without insurance.

1. SingleCare

First, patients with or without insurance can rely on SingleCare for all of their prescription drugs. These coupons are free, reusable, and easy to use. Just search for your birth control method on the SingleCare website or app to compare prices at pharmacies near you and choose the coupon for the pharmacy of your choice. SingleCare coupons can reduce the price of prescribed birth control by as much as 80%. This works for injections and IUDs as well. Ask the clinic or hospital where you receive your birth control if they will accept a SingleCare coupon.

2. Generic versions

The majority of birth control methods have generic and brand-name options. Like most medications, brand-name birth control usually costs more than generic versions. Ask your healthcare provider if they can prescribe a generic birth control instead of the brand-name version if cost is a concern.

3. 90-day supplies

Buying in bulk can save pharmacy customers a lot of money in the long run. The cost of a 90-day supply of birth control may be higher at checkout, but you’ll save on the cost of multiple copays for filling smaller prescriptions more frequently.

4. Health insurance

Even the cheapest insurance plan reduces the out-of-pocket cost of birth control down to $0. That includes the healthcare provider’s visit and the birth control medication or device itself.

5. Medicaid

Medicaid provides healthcare coverage to eligible low-income individuals, including older adults, people with disabilities, pregnant women, and many families with children. Eligibility rules vary by state. Most enrollees pay no premiums or very low premiums. Medicaid also covers all FDA-approved contraceptive methods without cost-sharing for most beneficiaries.

6. 340B health care organizations

Many 340B-eligible hospitals and clinics offer birth control at discounted prices. 340B hospitals and clinics are safety-net healthcare providers that qualify for federal discounts on prescription drugs and serve people with low incomes or limited access to healthcare. Many safety-net clinics also use sliding-fee scales to offer low-cost or free birth control pills, injections, and implants at low or no cost, depending on your income. You can find a 340B hospital or clinic by searching the federal HRSA 340B database online or by looking for community health centers and family planning clinics near you. 

7. Community or public health centers

Your community may have nonprofit health clinics, public health centers, or family planning clinics providing discounted or free reproductive health services. For a nominal fee, usually $25 or less, you can be seen by a healthcare provider, prescribed an appropriate birth control method, and sometimes receive the contraceptive method you need, such as a shot, implant, or intrauterine device.

Clinics that focus on women’s health, sexual health, or STIs (sexually transmitted infections), as well as Title X clinics, are the most reliable venues to find discounted or free birth control. 

8. Planned Parenthood clinics

Planned Parenthood clinics accept Medicaid and most health insurance plans. For patients without either, these clinics often provide a discount on birth control depending on income.

Bottom line: Birth control can be affordable

Choosing the best birth control for you is a personal decision to be made under the guidance of a healthcare provider. They can help you choose a birth control method that’s affordable or even free. If you don’t have insurance, SingleCare can also help you save. Sign up for a free prescription discount card to save on your phone and show your pharmacist every time you pick up your prescription. 

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