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You can get all kinds of things online, and in some states, that includes reproductive healthcare. Telehealth platforms like Nurx and Favor (formerly The Pill Club) are making it easier than ever to get the birth control you want delivered right to your door.
Both Nurx and Favor are designed for convenience. You’ll complete an online health profile and work with a medical team member in your state to get the prescription you need for birth control. Then, your medications are shipped to you.
While these platforms shouldn’t be considered a replacement for your regular doctor, they do streamline access to birth control. If telehealth is something you’re considering, here’s how Nurx and Favor stack up.
| Nurx | Favor | |
|---|---|---|
| Available birth control | pill, patch, ring, shot, emergency contraceptive | pill, ring, emergency contraceptive |
| Accepts insurance | yes | yes |
| Birth control cost | $–$$$ | $ |
| Initial consultation/annual fee | $15 | $15 |
| Customer ratings | good | good |
| U.S. state availability | 37 states | 49 states |
Nurx and Favor both offer online birth control, but the processes are slightly different. Here’s how they work.
Nurx
Nurx offers telemedicine services for all kinds of healthcare concerns. If you’re using Nurx for birth control, you’ll begin by choosing which form suits you best.
If you’re not sure what kind of birth control you want, Nurx has a questionnaire you can complete for guidance. However, if you have a lot of questions about what will work best for you, you may want to have a face-to-face meeting with your doctor first instead of an online option.
Once you’ve decided on the right form of birth control for you, you’ll complete a short form about your health history and pay $15 for a medical consult. This fee includes unlimited messaging with the Nurx medical team for a full year.
The licensed medical professionals at Nurx will review your information and write a prescription if it’s medically appropriate. Then, the Nurx pharmacy will fill your prescription, and a 3-month supply of your birth control will be shipped to you for free in discreet packaging. Refills are automatic, but you can cancel anytime.
Favor
While Nurx offers a variety of telehealth services, Favor is a female-founded platform for sexual wellness, skin care, and menstrual care. It was previously known as The Pill Club, but it rebranded in 2022 and expanded its services.
Favor’s birth control subscription service is designed to streamline the process of getting a prescription for birth control pills by offering medical, pharmacy, and patient care teams all in one place.
You can use Favor if you have an existing prescription or you need a new one. After creating an account and completing a profile, you’ll answer a few simple questions relating to your health history.
The Favor medical team will review your information and communicate with you via text message. If your state’s telehealth regulations mandate a video-audio or face-to-face interaction, a video call will be scheduled.
If the medical team approves your profile, they’ll write a prescription for the best birth control pill based on your preferences. Favor offers more than 120 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved brands.
If you have insurance, your cost could be as low as $0. If you’re paying without insurance, a 1-year supply starts at $6.99 per pack. Either way, you’ll pay a $15 medical fee, which is required annually for all birth control subscriptions.
Here’s what to know about the birth control options on both platforms.
Nurx
Nurx prescribes more than 50 generic and name-brand birth control options. There are five types of birth control available:
- pill
- shot
- ring
- patch
- emergency contraceptives
Favor
Favor primarily offers birth control pills, with more than 100 brands available. The hormonal birth control ring is also an option, along with emergency contraceptives. Favor will also include an internal (female) condom upon request as an add-on to your birth control.
Your birth control also comes with a complimentary care package, which includes a mix of goodies. These vary and may include a sweet treat, stickers or art, and featured samples.
Costs on both platforms vary depending on whether you have insurance and what you’re getting.
Nurx
If you have insurance, prices start at $0 for every form of birth control at Nurx, including emergency contraceptives. If you don’t have insurance, here’s where prices start:
- $15 per pack of pills
- $75 per shot, which you’ll need every 3 months
- $150 per ring, which is replaced monthly
- $180 per patch, which is replaced weekly
- $45 per emergency contraceptive pill, which is taken as needed
Remember, you’ll also need to pay a $15 consultation fee, which isn’t covered by insurance. That covers unlimited messaging with the Nurx medical team about your birth control for 1 year. If you have prescription changes or questions, you’re covered.
Favor
With insurance, you’ll pay $0 for your online consultation and prescription. That includes ongoing care, emergency contraception, and internal condoms. If you don’t have insurance, here’s what you can expect:
- $15 for the online consultation, which includes personalized care
- $6.99 per pack for a 1-year supply of birth control pills
- $10.66 per pack for a 3-month supply of birth control pills
There is no commitment, and you’re free to cancel anytime.
Like telehealth in general, both platforms are designed for convenience. Both Nurx and Favor require a brief health history, which you’ll provide by answering a few questions. Your information will be reviewed by their medical teams. If it’s medically appropriate, you’ll receive a prescription for your birth control. Then it will be shipped right to your door.
Feedback relating to the ease of use for both platforms is generally positive.
Nurx
Nurx has a generally positive reputation, but it has had its share of issues. An article published in The New York Times in 2019 reported on returned but opened prescription birth control pills that Nurx reshipped to new customers.
The company released a statement to explain it had ended that practice in 2018 and that only a small fraction of its 1 million orders since 2015 had been affected.
The Times article reported that Nurx executives had tried to revise a birth control policy for customers over age 35. Usually, state medical laws prevent this. In response, Nurx hired new leadership staff.
At the Better Business Bureau, Nurx has an A+ rating. It’s been accredited since the beginning of 2022. It has a 2.1 rating out of 5 from an average of 285 customer reviews.
Favor
Favor has a positive reputation. The company has only been accredited with the Better Business Bureau since the end of 2021, but it has an A+ rating. It has a 3.29 rating out of 5 from an average of 219 customer reviews. A company representative responded to all feedback, whether it was positive or negative.
It can be helpful to see what real customers think of their experiences. Here’s what people are saying about Nurx and Favor.
Nurx
There are more than 5,000 reviews relating to birth control on the Nurx website, and they’re overwhelmingly 5 stars. Customers praise the ease and convenience.
But not everyone is thrilled with their experience at Nurx. There are 1-star reviews on the Nurx website and on Trustpilot, a third-party review platform, that mention customer service issues and poor communication. Out of 167 reviews on Trustpilot, Nurx has a 3.7 rating.
Favor
Favor began as The Pill Club in 2016, and feedback has been largely positive ever since. Happy customers find the service simple, convenient, and affordable.
But there are a number of complaints about poor customer service as well, especially on Trustpilot. Out of 49 reviews, the company has a 1.6 rating. Still, Favor replied to 100 percent of the negative reviews with apologies, feedback, and a phone number to call for further assistance.
Nurx and Favor aren’t your only options for online birth control. Here’s what else to explore.
Wisp
Wisp is another telehealth platform designed to offer convenient and affordable access to sexual health and wellness care, including prescription birth control pills.
In a side-by-side comparison, Wisp costs less than Nurx and Favor, with no consultation fee and birth control that starts at $5 per month for a 90-day supply. Plus, the first month is free if you choose a quarterly subscription.
Birth control from Wisp comes with free delivery or same-day pickup at a local pharmacy. In addition to multiple options for birth control pills, Wisp also provides emergency contraceptives.
SimpleHealth
SimpleHealth is a telehealth service that offers a range of services for women, including birth control. For $15 per year, you can get unlimited access to birth control care. Without insurance, birth control starts at $7 per month.
Options for birth control through SimpleHealth include generic and brand-name pills and the hormonal birth control ring. Emergency contraception and the internal condom are also available.
Like other telehealth platforms, SimpleHealth requires a brief health history, which is then reviewed by someone from the medical team. If a birth control is medically warranted, it will be prescribed and shipped to your door.
Hers
Hers is a telehealth platform designed for women. In addition to prescription and over-the-counter medications and personal care products, it also supplies birth control pill. Plans start at $12 per month, and Hers offers a wide variety of option.
To get a prescription, you’ll complete an online intake form. Then, you’ll have a free online consultation with a physician to zero in on the right birth control pill based on your health history and current needs. If a prescription is medically appropriate, your birth control will be delivered to your door, with automatic refills.
Nurx
To get started with Nurx, you’ll choose your preferred birth control method. Then, you’ll answer a few health questions on the online intake form and pay the $15 consult fee to request your prescription. A licensed healthcare professional will review your profile and write a prescription if it’s medically warranted.
Favor
At Favor, you’ll also get started by completing an online health profile. It should only take a few minutes. Their medical team will review your information and get back to you with recommendations for the best options and a prescription if it’s medically appropriate.
Choosing the right birth control method is a personal decision. Your options can largely be grouped into lifestyle, barrier, hormonal, and medical methods. As you consider your options, it can be helpful to consider the following:
- Reliability. How reliable does your birth control method need to be?
- Budget. What can you afford to spend on birth control?
- Symptom management. In addition to reducing your chances of pregnancy, are you also hoping to manage other symptoms?
- Future plans. Do you plan on having children in the future?
- STI risk reduction. Do you want your birth control to reduce the risks of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) as well as pregnancy?
Why use online birth control?
Online birth control has a few advantages. It’s convenient, accessible, and affordable. You may also find that you have more choices than you would at your local pharmacy.
Are Nurx and Favor covered by insurance?
Yes, both platforms take insurance. Favor also accepts select Medicaid plans in some states, as well as flexible spending accounts (FSA) and health savings accounts (HSA).
Do I need a doctor to sign up for online birth control?
In most U.S. states, no. If you’re looking for a birth control prescription, you can use an online platform like Nurx or Favor, but you’ll need to check that service is available in your state.
Both Nurx and Favor (formerly The Pill Club) are good options for accessing prescription birth control online. Favor is best for those who know they want the pill or ring, while Nurx has a wider range of options if you’re considering another form of birth control.
Jessica Timmons has been working as a freelance writer since 2007, covering everything from pregnancy and parenting to cannabis, chiropractic, stand-up paddling, fitness, martial arts, home decor, and much more. Her work has appeared in mindbodygreen, Pregnancy & Newborn, Modern Parents Messy Kids, and Coffee + Crumbs. See what she’s up to now at jessicatimmons.com.