You can get birth control online by filling out a health questionnaire on a telehealth platform, getting a prescription from a licensed provider, and having it shipped to your door, often within a few days. One option, Opill, doesn’t require a prescription at all. The process you follow depends on the type of contraception you need and whether you have insurance.
How the Process Works
Most telehealth birth control platforms follow the same basic steps. You create an account, answer questions about your health history, and a licensed provider reviews your responses. If everything checks out, they write a prescription and either ship the medication directly or send the prescription to a pharmacy of your choice. The whole process can take as little as a few hours from sign-up to prescription.
One key medical detail you’ll need: a recent blood pressure reading. Hormonal birth control carries a small risk of blood clots, and high blood pressure increases that risk. If you’re new to birth control or restarting it, most platforms will ask you to check your blood pressure within three months and submit the reading before they extend your prescription. If you’re already on a hormonal method and just switching brands, a recent normal blood pressure reading is usually enough to get a one-year refill right away.
You don’t need a video call in most cases. The majority of these services use asynchronous messaging, meaning you submit your information and a provider reviews it on their end. Some platforms offer optional video or phone consultations if you want to discuss your options in more detail.
What You Can Get Online
The most commonly prescribed methods through telehealth are combination pills, progestin-only pills, the patch, and the vaginal ring. These are all self-administered, which makes them well suited for mail delivery. You won’t be able to get an IUD or implant online since those require an in-person procedure for insertion.
Emergency contraception is also available through several platforms. Nurx offers it for $0 with insurance or $25 to $45 without, with delivery in two to four days. Planned Parenthood Direct carries ella, a prescription-only emergency contraceptive that works up to five days after unprotected sex, starting at $80 with overnight shipping included. Orders placed before 1 PM ET on weekdays ship the same day. Weekend orders ship the following Monday.
The Over-the-Counter Option: Opill
If you want to skip the prescription process entirely, Opill is an FDA-approved daily birth control pill available without a prescription. It’s a progestin-only pill, sometimes called a minipill, which means it doesn’t contain estrogen. You can order it directly from opill.com or buy it at most major retailers.
Pricing is straightforward: $19.99 for a one-month supply, $49.99 for three months, or $89.99 for six months. Shipping is free, and in some areas delivery arrives in as little as 30 minutes through partnered delivery services. Because no prescription is needed, there’s no questionnaire, no provider review, and no waiting period. You add it to your cart and check out like any other product.
The tradeoff is that progestin-only pills need to be taken at the same time every day to maintain effectiveness. A wider window isn’t built in the way it is with combination pills. If consistency is a challenge for you, a combination pill prescribed through telehealth may be a better fit.
What the Major Platforms Cost
Pricing varies depending on whether you use insurance and which platform you choose. Here’s how some of the most popular services break down:
- Nurx: $28 consultation fee, no subscription fee. Your birth control cost depends on your insurance or the specific medication. Many generic pills are covered at no cost with insurance.
- Hers: No separate consultation fee. Subscription starts at $12 per month, which covers the provider visit and medication together.
- Wisp: No consultation fee. Subscription starts at $15 per month for birth control.
- Twentyeight Health: Designed with affordability in mind, with delivery in two to three days and next-day shipping in many areas.
If you have insurance, your out-of-pocket cost for the actual medication may be zero. Under the Affordable Care Act, most insurance plans are required to cover all FDA-approved contraceptive products without cost sharing when your provider determines they’re medically appropriate. That includes the pill, patch, ring, and the clinical services needed to prescribe them, such as patient education and counseling. The consultation fee charged by the telehealth platform itself, however, is not always covered, so check with your insurer before assuming the entire process is free.
Delivery Timelines
Most platforms ship within a few days of your prescription being approved. Nurx typically delivers in two to four days. Twentyeight Health and PRJKT RUBY average two to three days, with next-day options available for an extra fee. GoodRx works a bit differently: instead of shipping from their own pharmacy, they send your prescription within hours to a pharmacy or mail-order service you choose.
If you’re already running low on your current prescription, plan ahead. Even the fastest platforms need at least one to two business days from the time you complete your questionnaire to when a package arrives. Refills are easier since most services auto-ship on a recurring schedule once your prescription is active, and some deliver every 14 days to keep you well stocked.
How to Verify a Platform Is Legitimate
Stick with platforms that use licensed providers in your state and partner with licensed pharmacies. A reliable signal is LegitScript certification, which verifies that a telehealth business holds proper licensing in every jurisdiction it serves, complies with prescribing and dispensing laws, and only provides medications that hold FDA approval. Most well-known platforms like Nurx, Hers, and Planned Parenthood Direct meet these standards, but if you encounter a lesser-known service, checking for LegitScript certification or verifying the pharmacy’s license through your state board of pharmacy adds a layer of protection.
Red flags include sites that offer birth control without any health screening, platforms that don’t ask about your medical history or current medications, and services based outside the United States that ship unregulated products. If a site doesn’t ask about your blood pressure or medication allergies, it’s cutting corners that could affect your safety.
Which Option Fits Your Situation
If you want the fastest, simplest route and don’t mind a progestin-only pill, Opill gets birth control to you without any medical gatekeeping. If you prefer a combination pill or want a provider to help you choose the right method, a telehealth platform like Nurx, Hers, or Wisp walks you through the decision and handles ongoing refills. If you already know what you want and have a preferred local pharmacy, GoodRx can get a prescription sent there within hours.
For emergency contraception specifically, Planned Parenthood Direct’s overnight shipping for ella is the fastest prescription option available online. Over-the-counter emergency contraception (levonorgestrel-based, like Plan B) is also available at most pharmacies and online retailers without a prescription, though it’s most effective within 72 hours.