The morning-after pill costs between $11 and $50 at most pharmacies, depending on whether you buy a brand name or generic version. If you have health insurance, you may pay nothing at all. Here’s what to expect at the register and how to find the lowest price.
Over-the-Counter Prices
Plan B One-Step, the most recognizable brand, typically runs $40 to $50 at major drugstores. Generic versions contain the exact same active ingredient at the same dose and work identically. Brands like Take Action, My Way, and Option 2 start around $11 to $15, making them significantly cheaper. You can find these at most pharmacies, grocery store pharmacies, and online retailers. No prescription is needed, and there’s no age restriction for purchasing them.
Prices vary by store and location. Warehouse clubs and online pharmacies tend to be on the lower end, while convenience-driven purchases at smaller pharmacies may cost more. If cost is a concern, call ahead or check prices online before heading out.
Ella: The Prescription Option
Ella is a different type of morning-after pill that requires a prescription. It usually costs $50 or more at the pharmacy. Through the Planned Parenthood Direct app, ella starts at $80 with overnight shipping included. The higher price reflects a key advantage: ella stays equally effective for a full five days (120 hours) after unprotected sex, while Plan B and its generics lose effectiveness after three days.
Getting the prescription doesn’t always require an office visit. Depending on your state, a pharmacist may be able to prescribe it directly. Some providers will also send a prescription to your local pharmacy after a quick phone or video consultation, which can save time and the cost of an in-person appointment.
What Insurance Covers
Under the Affordable Care Act, most health insurance plans must cover FDA-approved emergency contraception, including both Plan B and ella, with no copay, coinsurance, or deductible when prescribed by a provider and obtained through an in-network pharmacy. This applies to marketplace plans, most employer plans, and Medicaid in many states.
There’s a catch worth knowing. Over-the-counter purchases without a prescription may not be covered automatically. To get full insurance coverage, you typically need a prescription from a healthcare provider, even for Plan B, which doesn’t legally require one. It’s an extra step, but it can save you the entire cost. The exception is plans sponsored by certain religious employers, which may be exempt from covering contraception.
Using an HSA or FSA
If you have a health savings account (HSA), flexible spending account (FSA), or health reimbursement arrangement (HRA), over-the-counter emergency contraception is eligible for reimbursement without a prescription. The IRS classifies OTC contraceptives as preventive care. This means you can swipe your benefits card at the pharmacy or submit the receipt for reimbursement later.
Low-Cost and Free Options
Planned Parenthood health centers offer sliding-scale fees based on income, and staff can work within your budget. If you don’t have insurance, they may help you enroll in a plan or connect you with programs that cover birth control costs. Community health centers, college health services, and local health departments sometimes provide emergency contraception at reduced prices or for free.
Why the Type You Choose Matters
Price isn’t the only factor worth considering. The two types of morning-after pills work differently, and timing changes the math on which one is worth the cost.
Plan B and its generics (all containing levonorgestrel) work best within 72 hours of unprotected sex. After that three-day window, effectiveness drops noticeably. They also appear to be less effective for people with a BMI above 26, based on clinical data from Oregon Health & Science University.
Ella maintains its effectiveness throughout the full five-day window and does not decline the way levonorgestrel pills do. If it’s been more than three days, or if weight is a concern, ella is the stronger option even at a higher price point. A copper IUD, placed by a provider within five days, is the most effective form of emergency contraception overall and doubles as long-term birth control, though it involves an office visit and a separate set of costs.
If you’re within the first 24 hours and looking for the most affordable option, a $11 to $15 generic levonorgestrel pill from your nearest pharmacy will do the job. The sooner you take any morning-after pill, the better it works.