How to get a finasteride prescription online

Finasteride 1 mg is a prescription drug, but getting it no longer means booking an office visit. Online providers have a licensed clinician review a health questionnaire, and if finasteride is appropriate, the prescription goes to a pharmacy that mails the tablets to you. As of October 2026, the providers we track charge $17 to $55 a month for it, taking each provider’s lowest regular price (promotions counted at the price they return to).

Here is what each step involves, what it costs, and what to check before you pay.

Who finasteride is for

The Propecia label approves finasteride 1 mg for male pattern hair loss in men only. In its trials of 1,879 men aged 18 to 41 with mild to moderate thinning, 14% of men on finasteride had further hair loss at 12 months against 58% on placebo.

It is not approved for women or children, and women who are or may be pregnant should not handle crushed or broken tablets because of the risk to a male fetus. If you are a woman with thinning hair, see the best hair loss treatments for women instead.

How an online prescription works

1. Answer a questionnaire. You describe your hair loss, sometimes with photos, plus your health history and current medicines. It usually takes a few minutes.
2. A clinician reviews it. A clinician licensed in your state decides whether finasteride is appropriate. Lemonaid says its team reviews within 24 hours. Some states require a phone or video visit, and Rex MD and Lemonaid both say so.
3. The prescription is filled. The provider’s partner pharmacy fills it and ships the tablets, often free. Rex MD advertises free 2-day delivery, and Strut Health says orders typically arrive within 2 business days.
4. Refills arrive on a schedule. Most providers ship monthly, every 3 months, or let you prepay for longer. Hims and Strut include ongoing check-ins or follow-ups at no extra cost.

Be honest on the questionnaire. Mention any history of depression, prostate problems or a raised PSA, because finasteride lowers PSA and its label lists mood and sexual side effects.

What it costs in October 2026

These are the published prices for oral finasteride at the online providers we track, read on October 18, 2026.

Scroll sideways to see the full table

Rex MD has the lowest regular price: its FAQ quotes “as low as $18 per month supply,” and its hair growth page shows $13.50 during a 50%-off promotion. Hims and Strut Health price month by month, and Keeps bills for three months at a time.

Insurance rarely comes into it. Most plans treat hair loss as cosmetic, and the providers above are self-pay.

What to check before you pay

• Generic tablet or compounded capsule. Generic finasteride 1 mg tablets are FDA-approved. Happy Head says its products are compounded to order, and compounded drugs are not FDA-approved.
• The price after any promotion. A first-order discount or sale price can change at renewal. Rex MD, Keeps and PeterMD all show promotional prices.
• How often you are billed. Monthly, every 3 months, or a prepaid 6- or 12-month supply all change what you pay up front.
• Refund and cancellation terms. Keeps and PeterMD say all sales are final, and Strut gives no refunds once medication leaves the pharmacy. Happy Head refunds your most recent month within 6 months if you are unsatisfied.
• Whether the provider is certified. Most providers here display LegitScript certification, a third-party program that checks online healthcare companies against licensing and pharmacy rules; it isn’t a rating of the care.

Warning signs when you shop

Legitimate online providers have a few things in common. Be wary of any seller that falls short:

• No clinician review. Finasteride is prescription-only. A site that sells it without a questionnaire reviewed by a clinician licensed in your state is not a licensed telehealth service.
• No pharmacy named or licensed. The prescription should be filled by a licensed US pharmacy. LegitScript certification is a quick check.
• Vague product details. You should be able to see whether you are getting generic 1 mg tablets or a compounded capsule or blend, and the strength.
• Prices that hide the billing period. “From” prices can depend on a multi-month plan. Look for the price per order and how often you are billed.
• No way to cancel online. Check the cancellation and refund terms before entering a card.

Finasteride also has limits a good provider will tell you about: the label says its effect on receding temples has not been established, and it was tested in men with mild to moderate thinning.

What to expect after you start

The label says daily use for 3 months or more is usually needed before you see a benefit. In the trials, the share of men whose hair growth was rated as increased rose from 65% at 12 months to 80% at 2 years. If you stop, the effect reverses within 12 months.

The label also lists side effects to watch for. In the first-year trials, decreased libido (1.8% vs 1.3% on placebo), erectile dysfunction (1.3% vs 0.7%) and ejaculation disorder (1.2% vs 0.7%) were slightly more common than on placebo. Postmarketing reports include depression, suicidal ideation and sexual problems that continued after stopping. Contact your clinician about any mood change or lasting sexual side effect. Our finasteride side effects guide covers each one.

Many men add minoxidil, which works differently and helped the most men when combined with finasteride in a 450-man study. See finasteride vs minoxidil.

Oral or topical?

Some providers offer finasteride in a scalp spray or solution, usually mixed with minoxidil. Topical finasteride is compounded, not FDA-approved, and the subject of an April 2025 FDA alert about side effects reported with products sold by telemedicine platforms. It also costs more, $35 to $63.20 a month. See topical vs oral finasteride.

The bottom line

Getting finasteride online takes a questionnaire, a clinician review and a few days for delivery. Generic 1 mg tablets cost $18 to $55 a month at regular prices at the providers we track, and several current prices are promotions, so check the renewal price, billing period and refund terms before you pay.

Compare every provider on our cheapest finasteride list and hair loss hub, and read the oral finasteride page for the full label details.