If you’re looking at treatment options for certain kinds of psoriasis or arthritis, you may want to learn more about Enbrel (etanercept).

Enbrel is a prescription drug that’s used to treat:

The active ingredient in Enbrel is etanercept. An active ingredient is the ingredient that makes a drug work.

Enbrel is given as an injection under your skin. It comes as a liquid solution in the following forms:

  • prefilled single-dose syringe
  • prefilled single-dose SureClick autoinjector
  • single-dose vial, for use with a needle and syringe
  • prefilled single-dose cartridges (Enbrel Mini cartridges) for use with the AutoTouch reusable autoinjector

Enbrel is also available as a powder in a multidose vial. A healthcare professional will use the powder to make a liquid solution for injection. This form is only available to healthcare professionals. It’s given as an injection under your skin at a doctor’s office or clinic.

Keep reading for details on Enbrel and cost, and how to save money on prescriptions.

Note: For more details on Enbrel, see this in-depth article.

The price you pay for Enbrel can vary. Your cost may depend on your treatment plan, your insurance coverage (if you have it), and the pharmacy you use. It may also depend on whether you go to a doctor’s office to receive Enbrel injections instead of giving yourself doses at home.

If you use the single-dose vial form of Enbrel, you may also need to buy needles and syringes.

To find out how much you’ll pay for Enbrel, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.

Below are answers to some frequently asked questions about Enbrel and cost.

How much does Enbrel cost per month without insurance and with insurance?

The cost of medications, including Enbrel, can vary with insurance and without insurance. The price you pay for Enbrel can depend on certain factors, such as:

  • your treatment plan
  • whether you receive Enbrel injections at a doctor’s office or give yourself injections at home
  • the form of Enbrel you use
  • the pharmacy you use

If you’d like to know more about how much you may pay for Enbrel, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Is the price of Enbrel 50 mg more than that of Enbrel 25 mg?

It’s possible that the price you pay for the 50-milligram (mg) strength of Enbrel may be more than the 25-mg strength. This price can also vary based on the form of Enbrel you use. For example, the cost may depend on whether you use cartridges for an autoinjector or a prefilled syringe.

To learn more about prices for different strengths and forms of Enbrel, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. If you have insurance coverage, you can also call your insurance provider to learn more.

How does Embrel’s cost compare with Humira’s?

Enbrel and Humira (adalimumab) are prescribed to treat some of the same conditions. If both drugs are treatment options for your condition, you may be wondering whether one costs more than the other.

The price of Enbrel is similar to Humira’s. Your cost for either drug may depend on your treatment plan, whether you have insurance, and other factors.

To learn more about how much alternative treatments for your condition cost, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. If you have insurance, your insurance provider can also give you coverage and cost information for alternatives to Enbrel, such as Humira.

Enbrel is a certain kind of biologic drug. Biologic drugs are made from living organisms, so it’s not possible to make an exact copy of biologics.

Instead, biologics have biosimilars. Biosimilar drugs are similar to their “parent” biologic drugs and are considered just as safe and effective. But biosimilars tend to cost less than biologics.

Two biosimilars for Enbrel exist: Erelzi (etanercept-szzs) and Eticovo (etanercept-ykro). But they currently aren’t available on the market.

If you have questions about biosimilars that are available for your condition, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Why is there such a difference in the cost of brand-name drugs vs. generic drugs?

Years of research and testing are needed to ensure that brand-name drugs are safe and effective. This testing can make the drugs expensive. The manufacturer of a brand-name drug can sell the drug for up to 20 years. After that, other drug manufacturers can create generic versions. This competition in the market can lead to lower costs for generics. And because generics have the same active ingredients as brand-name drugs, they don’t need to be studied again. This can also lead to lower generic costs.

If you take Enbrel long term, you may be able to lower your costs in the following ways:

  • Look into getting a 90-day supply of your medication. You may be able to get a 90-day supply of Enbrel if approved by your insurance company. This could reduce your number of trips to the pharmacy and help lower the cost of Enbrel. If you’re interested in getting a 90-day supply of this drug, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance provider.
  • Use a mail-order pharmacy to get your medication. Using a mail-order pharmacy might help lower your cost for Enbrel. Plus, you could get your medication without leaving home. Some Medicare plans may help cover the cost of mail-order drugs. You may also be able to get a 90-day supply of the drug through mail order. If you don’t have health insurance, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They may be able to suggest online pharmacy options that could work for you.

If you need help covering the cost of Enbrel or understanding your insurance, check out these websites:

On these sites, you can find insurance information, details on drug assistance programs, and links to savings cards and other services.

If you have questions about how to pay for your prescription, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Also, a program called Enbrel Support may be able to help you lower the cost of Enbrel. To learn more about Enbrel Support, call 888-436-2735 or visit the program website.

If you still have questions about the cost of Enbrel, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They may be able to give you a better idea of what you’ll pay for this drug. But if you have health insurance, you’ll need to talk with your insurance provider to learn the actual cost you’d pay for Enbrel.

Examples of questions you may want to ask your doctor or insurance provider include:

  • Will the form of Enbrel I’m prescribed affect the cost?
  • How do Enbrel costs compare with other treatments for my condition?
  • What are my options if I can’t afford my medication?

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis, you may be interested in joining an online community of people who share these conditions. Visit Bezzy RA, Bezzy Psoriasis, or Bezzy PsA for more information. Also consider subscribing to Healthline’s rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis newsletters to learn more about managing these conditions.

Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.