In short
- BlueChew sells only compounded tablets that dissolve in the mouth, and they aren’t FDA-approved. Hims sells FDA-approved generic sildenafil and tadalafil, brand-name Viagra and Cialis, and compounded chews.
- Per dose as of October 2026: BlueChew’s sildenafil tablet from $3.53 and tadalafil from $4.47; Hims’s generic sildenafil from $4 per use and tadalafil from $6 per use.
- Hims sells daily tadalafil from $40 a month and brand-name Viagra at $139 per use; BlueChew sells neither, and its 4-drug GOLD tablet started at $7.30 on Oct 27, 2026.
- Neither charges a separate membership for ED. BlueChew plans start at $20 a month, Hims plans at $22 a month.
- Both received FDA warning letters on Sept 9, 2025: BlueChew over its compounded sildenafil and tadalafil claims, Hims over its compounded semaglutide claims.
- On Oct 27, 2026, Trustpilot showed BlueChew at 4.1 from 3,264 reviews and Hims at 2.9 from 9,667 reviews.
BlueChew and Hims cost about the same per dose of sildenafil, but they sell different things: BlueChew sells only compounded tablets that dissolve in the mouth, none of them FDA-approved, while Hims sells FDA-approved generic sildenafil and tadalafil, brand-name Viagra and Cialis, and its own compounded chews. As of October 2026, BlueChew’s sildenafil tablet started at $3.53 and Hims’s generic sildenafil at $4 per use.
The prices below come from each company’s own pages, and we compare them on price per dose, what is FDA-approved, care, billing and what the FDA has said about each.
BlueChew vs Hims at a glance
| BlueChew | Hims | |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs it | Dermacare LLC, Chicago | Hims & Hers Health, Inc., San Francisco |
| What it sells for ED | Compounded dissolving tablets only | FDA-approved generic and brand-name tablets, plus compounded chews |
| Lowest monthly plan | $20 a month | $22 a month (generic sildenafil) |
| Separate membership | No | No |
| Daily tadalafil | Not offered | From $40 a month |
| Brand-name Viagra or Cialis | Not offered | Viagra $139 per use; daily Cialis $958 a month |
| Care | Provider review, usually within 24 hours | Provider review, check-ins and unlimited messaging |
| LegitScript | Certified seal shown | Certified |
| FDA warning letter | Sept 9, 2025 | Sept 9, 2025 |
| Trustpilot (Oct 27, 2026) | 4.1 from 3,264 reviews | 2.9 from 9,667 reviews |
BlueChew’s prices are as of October 2026 and were re-read on Oct 27, 2026; Hims’s are as of October 2026. Hims shows starting prices and says the final price depends on the product and plan.
Price per dose
This is the comparison most people want. Starting prices for one dose:
| Drug | BlueChew (compounded) | Hims |
|---|---|---|
| Sildenafil | $3.53 a tablet (SIL) | $4 per use, FDA-approved generic |
| Tadalafil, as needed | $4.47 a tablet (TAD) | $6 per use, FDA-approved generic |
| Vardenafil | $4.34 a tablet (VAR) | Not in our data |
| Four-drug combination | $7.30 a tablet (GOLD, Oct 27, 2026) | Not offered |
| Compounded chews | All of the above | Sildenafil or tadalafil chews from $30 a month |
On sildenafil, BlueChew is 47 cents a dose cheaper at the starting price; on as-needed tadalafil, $1.53 cheaper. Both companies say the price changes with strength and how many doses you buy, so the gap at your dose may differ. For context, FDA-approved generic sildenafil cost $1.60 to $6.25 a dose at the online providers we checked in October 2026, so neither is the cheapest per dose.
The strengths aren’t like for like. BlueChew’s pages show 45 mg for SIL and 9 mg for TAD, strengths that don’t exist as FDA-approved tablets, and they’re absorbed under the tongue. FDA-approved generic tablets come in the label strengths: 25, 50 and 100 mg of sildenafil, and 2.5, 5, 10 and 20 mg of tadalafil.
Compounded vs FDA-approved
This is the bigger difference between the two.
BlueChew sells only compounded products. A compounding pharmacy prepares each tablet for your prescription, and none is FDA-approved; they are not Viagra, Cialis or Levitra and not generics of them. The FDA doesn’t review compounded drugs for safety, effectiveness or quality, and they weren’t part of the trials behind the approved tablets. BlueChew’s GOLD tablet goes further, mixing sildenafil, tadalafil, apomorphine and oxytocin; see BlueChew GOLD.
Hims sells mostly FDA-approved tablets. Its generic sildenafil and tadalafil contain the same drugs as Viagra and Cialis, and the FDA requires a generic to deliver the same amount of drug to the body as the brand. It also sells brand-name Viagra and Cialis. Its sildenafil and tadalafil chews are compounded and aren’t FDA-approved, so check which one you are ordering.
If you want the version that was tested in trials, the approved tablet is the one. In trials of Viagra, 63% to 82% of men on 25 to 100 mg reported improved erections, against 24% on placebo, according to the Viagra label.
Daily tadalafil and brand names
Hims sells daily tadalafil from $40 a month. That’s a low dose (2.5 or 5 mg on the Cialis label) taken every day so you don’t have to time a pill around sex. BlueChew’s TAD tablet is prescribed for as-needed use, and it doesn’t offer a daily plan. Hims also sells brand-name Viagra at $139 per use and daily Cialis at $958 a month, for people who want the brand; BlueChew doesn’t sell brand names.
Care and billing
BlueChew: a licensed provider from one of five provider-owned medical groups reviews your profile, usually within 24 hours, and approved orders ship within 24 hours. Its pages don’t describe scheduled follow-ups. You can switch drugs from your account. Plans renew automatically and each cycle covers medication, shipping and tax. It takes no returns on prescription products, and you cancel with Put On Hold or by email at least 24 hours before renewal; its terms say 48 hours. It serves every state except North Dakota.
Hims: a licensed provider reviews your online assessment, and the subscription includes periodic check-ins, unlimited messaging, free shipping and an app to manage your plan. Its terms say subscriptions renew unless you cancel at least 2 days before renewal, and it doesn’t refund partly used periods, though it may refund case by case. It doesn’t bill insurance.
Neither charges a separate membership fee for ED treatment.
What the FDA said to each
On Sept 9, 2025, the FDA sent warning letters to both companies, among others that day.
- The BlueChew letter quoted four claims about its compounded sildenafil and tadalafil, including “SIL: Same active as Viagra,” and said they implied its products were the same as FDA-approved drugs.
- The Hims letter was about two claims for its compounded semaglutide, a weight-loss drug, one of which compared it with Ozempic and Wegovy. It wasn’t about its ED products.
A warning letter is a formal notice, not a fine or a recall. See our BlueChew review and is Hims legit for more.
Reviews
On Oct 27, 2026, Trustpilot showed BlueChew at 4.1 out of 5 from 3,264 reviews (66% five-star, 17% one-star) and Hims at 2.9 from 9,667 reviews (38% five-star, 29% one-star). Hims’s profile covers all its categories, including weight loss and hair loss, not only ED. Trustpilot says it doesn’t fact-check reviews.
Which one fits
- Choose BlueChew if you can’t or won’t swallow a pill and accept a compounded, unapproved product. Its single-drug tablets start a little cheaper per dose than Hims’s generics.
- Choose Hims if you want an FDA-approved tablet, daily tadalafil, brand-name Viagra or Cialis, or ongoing check-ins and messaging.
- Choose neither if price per dose matters most: other providers sell FDA-approved generic sildenafil for less. Among providers we list, MyDrHank sells generic sildenafil from $25 a month and generic tadalafil from $30 a month, as of October 2026.
Other options
Our best online ED providers list ranks the providers we list on price per dose, care, options, transparency and experience. For one drug, see the sildenafil and daily tadalafil lists. For how the drugs compare, read sildenafil vs tadalafil and the cheapest generic sildenafil online.
Highest-scored erectile dysfunction providers
The three erectile dysfunction providers with our highest overall scores right now.
- 02Happy Head
Treating hair loss and ED with one daily capsule
Rated 7.8 out of 10, Good
Price $71/mo
Visit site for Happy Head (opens in a new tab) - 03RxSpan MD
Vardenafil with round-the-clock messaging
Rated 7.8 out of 10, Good
Price $60/mo
Visit site for RxSpan MD (opens in a new tab)
Questions, answered
Is BlueChew or Hims cheaper?
Hims vs BlueChew: which is FDA-approved?
Are BlueChew and Hims legit?
How does Ro compare with BlueChew?
Can I switch from BlueChew to Hims?
Sources
- BlueChew: SIL sildenafil page and plan prices (read Oct 18, 2026 and Oct 27, 2026)
- BlueChew: TAD tadalafil page (read Oct 27, 2026)
- BlueChew: VAR vardenafil page (read Oct 27, 2026)
- BlueChew: GOLD page (read Oct 27, 2026)
- BlueChew: FAQs and return policy (read Oct 27, 2026)
- BlueChew: terms and conditions, last updated Sept 23, 2026 (read Oct 27, 2026)
- Hims: erectile dysfunction plans (read Oct 18, 2026)
- Hims: sildenafil prices (read Oct 18, 2026)
- Hims: tadalafil and Cialis prices (read Oct 18, 2026)
- Hims: Viagra price (read Oct 18, 2026)
- FDA warning letter to Dermacare LLC dba BlueChew (Sept 9, 2025)
- FDA warning letter to Hims & Hers Health, Inc. dba Hims (Sept 9, 2025)
- Trustpilot: bluechew.com reviews (read Oct 27, 2026)
- Trustpilot: hims.com reviews (read Oct 27, 2026)
- Hims: terms and conditions, renewal and refunds (read Oct 27, 2026)
- Ro: erectile dysfunction (read Oct 27, 2026)
- Viagra (sildenafil) prescribing information (Viatris, DailyMed, rev. 11/2023)
- Cialis (tadalafil) prescribing information (Eli Lilly, DailyMed, rev. 3/2026)