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Drug Info

How much is Tradjenta without insurance?

Tradjenta costs approximately $760 without insurance. Learn how to get Tradjenta at a lower price, or find cheaper alternatives.
By | Jul. 30, 2024
Three Rx pill bottles: How much is Tradjenta without insurance?

Key takeaways

  • Tradjenta is an oral medicine for Type 2 diabetes mellitus and is only available as a brand-name product.

  • While the cost of Tradjenta therapy, at about $25 per day, can seem intimidating, it actually falls in the middle of the diabetes medication cost range, with some alternatives’ prices considerably higher and others lower.

  • Discount cards and coupons can provide substantial savings on Tradenta’s out-of-pocket expenses.

  • Looking at prices and savings opportunities at competing pharmacies can pay off and be worth investing time in.

In this article:

Tradjenta (linagliptin) is an oral medication for Type 2 diabetes mellitus and belongs to the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor class. Although it has some advantages over other treatment options to lower blood sugar levels in diabetes, the drug is available only as a brand name. That means price can be an issue. The retail price of Tradjenta is around $760 for 30, 5 mg tablets, which is enough for one month. However, several factors can influence that price.

What is the generic for Tradjenta?

Linagliptin is the generic form of Tradjenta. It is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), meaning it can hit the market whenever patents for the brand name expire. Until then, the pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim has exclusive rights to manufacture Tradjenta and prohibit others from making linagliptin. A number of the company’s patents on the drug do expire in the next few years.

Is Tradjenta covered by insurance?

Insurance plan formularies can vary widely in their drug coverage and categorization of whether a covered drug is preferred or non-preferred, factors determining how much you will need to pay out-of-pocket. To determine how much Tradjenta will cost you with insurance, you must review your plan’s formulary to see if the drug is included and at what copay tier. 

How much does Tradjenta cost without insurance?

Tradjenta is taken as a 5 mg once-daily pill. The retail price is about $760 for 30 tablets, meaning that the drug costs $25 per pill and has an annual expense of $9100. If you have insurance and the drug is included in your formulary, the out-of-pocket price will likely be much less. Without insurance, the $760 monthly expense estimate could differ depending on which pharmacy you use.

It may make sense to shop around at different pharmacies for the best price. Looking into Tradjenta alternatives may be another savings option, as other DPP-4 inhibitors may be cheaper. Other prescription medications to lower blood sugar in diabetes may be less expensive and carry comparable efficacy. For example, generic metformin ER costs $4 for 90, 500 mg tablets, enough for 3 months. Your doctor will need to look into your history of allergic reactions, consider drug interactions on your medication list, and examine your history of health conditions when deciding on an alternative. The following table details some of the available options.
Drug name Price without insurance of brand-name drug  SingleCare price Savings options
Tradjenta

(linagliptin)

 $760 per 30, 5 mg tablets $515 per 30, 5 mg tablets of brand-name Tradjenta  See latest prices
Glumetza (metformin ER) $1,950 per 30, 1000 mg tablets $28 per 30, 1000 mg tablets of generic extended-release metformin See latest prices
Metformin ER  $57 per 90, 500 mg tablets $4 per 90, 500 mg tablets of generic extended-release metformin See latest prices
Glucotrol XL (glipizide ER) $340 per 90, 10 mg tablets $4 per 90, 10 mg tablets of generic extended-release glipizide See latest prices
Glimepiride $21 per 30, 2 mg tablets $3 per 30, 2 mg tablets of generic glimepiride See latest prices
Januvia 

(sitagliptin)

 $780 per 30, 100 mg tablets $360 per 30, 100 mg tablets of brand-name Januvia See latest prices
Onglyza 

(saxagliptin)

 $600 per 30, 5 mg tablets $100 per 30, 5 mg tablets of brand-name Onglyza See latest prices
Rybelsus (semaglutide) $1,300 per 30, 7 mg tablets $830 per 30, 7 mg tablets of brand-name Rybelsus See latest prices
Jardiance (empagliflozin) $840 per 30, 25 mg tablets $490 per 30, 25mg tablets of brand-name Jardiance See latest prices

Prescription drug prices often change. These are the most accurate medication prices at the time of publishing. 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. Click the link under “Savings options” to see the latest drug prices.

How to get Tradjenta without insurance

The cost of Tradjenta can be a concern, but there are options to reduce the out-of-pocket expense. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you could use the manufacturer’s patient assistance program, known as the Tradjenta Savings Program, to lower the price to $10 per prescription. Unfortunately, the criteria include having health insurance and not having government-sponsored coverage for the drug, such as from Medicare. If you do not have insurance, saving opportunities are still out there, such as these:

Get a SingleCare discount card, and simply show it to your pharmacist along with your prescription. The savings on Tradjenta can amount to a 30% discount.

Use a SingleCare coupon for Tradjenta. You should be selective on which pharmacy you use because some coupon prices can vary from about $515 to $550 for 30, 5 mg Tradjenta pills depending on the pharmacy.

Being choosy about your pharmacy can pay off. In addition to different discount offerings, full prices can also be very different among competing pharmacies.

Check with your healthcare provider for medical advice on possible alternatives. As you can see in the table above, Onglyza is a DPP-4 inhibitor like Tradjenta and can be obtained at a cheaper price with a SingleCare coupon. 

Generic versions of two diabetic drug classes, the biguanides, like metformin, and the sulfonylureas, like glipizide and glimepiride, make them the cheapest options. However, the common side effects of metformin, such as diarrhea, and the serious side effects of sulfonylureas, like hypoglycemia, may not make them good alternatives for everyone. 

On the other hand, the additional benefits of glucagon-like peptide 1 agonists (GLP-1 agonists), like Rybelsus, and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2 inhibitors), like Jardiance, could make their higher prices worthwhile for some individuals. You may want to inquire about the weight loss, heart benefits, and kidney benefits of these classes.