Top Online Birth Control Companies for Busy Parents With PCOS

Most Comprehensive Service: GoodRx Care

Key Specs

• Cost: $10 per month membership individual plan, $20 for family plan; $19+ doctor visits for members, $59 doctor visits for non-members; $7+ medication
• Live Medical Consultation Required? Yes
• Accepts Insurance? No

Why We Chose It

With a GoodRx Care membership, busy parents can quickly access affordable health care as well as prescriptions. It has partnerships with a wide range of pharmacies, which means there are plenty of birth control brands for someone with PCOS to choose from. 

Pros & Cons

Overview 

GoodRx has been helping people find prescriptions for the lowest possible price since 2011, and now users also have the option to meet with providers through the platform via telehealth. For parents with PCOS, this means you have access to a wide range of birth control brands and types at discounted prices, and you can connect with a provider quickly and easily at an affordable rate, as often as needed to manage your condition or adjust your medication. And you get the option to have prescriptions delivered right to your door or sent to a local pharmacy for pickup, whichever is best for your schedule.

You can schedule a $59 doctor consultation, get the prescription, then fill it through a GoodRx-partnered pharmacy or have it shipped to your home. The other option is to sign up for a GoodRx Gold membership, which comes with a 30-day free trial and allows you to see providers any time for as low as $19 per appointment and save as much as 80% on prescription prices.

The GoodRx Gold membership is $10 per month for an individual plan or $20 per month for a family plan (for up to six people total). You can access telehealth appointments for a wide range of general health concerns, making membership more worth it. And while those under age 18 can’t access telehealth, you can fill any of your child’s preexisting prescriptions at GoodRx and save money with membership. If you already have a birth control prescription, you can also transfer it to GoodRx to search for the lowest price.  

GoodRx does not work with insurance companies at this time, but its savings program often offers services and medications at an even lower price than some people can get through their insurance provider. Also, it’s important to note that in 2023, the FTC said GoodRx had leaked private patient information to Google and Facebook. However, the situation seems to have been settled in court and GoodRx has changed its business practices. 

With Insurance: PlushCare

Key Specs

• Cost: $15/month or $99/year membership fee; co-pay for consults with insurance, $129 initial consult (self-pay), $99 repeat consults (self-pay); $0 to $50 per month for birth control
• Live Medical Consultation Required? Yes
• Accepts Insurance? Yes

Why We Chose It

PlushCare allows you to pay for your virtual doctor consultations using insurance, a rarity among online birth control companies and a great way for parents to save money. Additionally, since your birth control prescription will be sent to a local pharmacy, you can use your insurance to pay for your medication as well. 

Pros & Cons 

Overview

If you’re looking for an online birth control platform where you can take advantage of your insurance, PlushCare might be your best option. Unlike most other companies, PlushCare allows members to pay for telehealth consultations through insurance, so your appointment will only be the cost of your co-pay (as opposed to the self-pay rate of $129), and it partners with several major insurance providers including Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Humana, and more. This is a great way for parents to avoid the additional cost of telehealth consultations, which can really start to add up if you need to reconnect with a health care provider several times to adjust your meds to better address your PCOS symptoms or avoid side effects.

In order to schedule a birth control consultation, you’ll have to sign up for a membership. There is a monthly charge of $15, but there is a 30-day free trial before you have to start paying. Perks of the membership include same-day appointments seven days a week, prescription discount cards, discounted lab tests, and unlimited messaging with your care team, and you can add family members to your account for free. During your consultation, you and your provider will discuss birth control options and then they will send your prescription to a local pharmacy where you can pick it up (there is no home delivery option). Limited access to PlushCare’s services is available without membership by calling 1-800-221-5140.

Without Insurance: Planned Parenthood Direct

Key Specs 

• Cost: Free consults, $20+ per birth control pack
• Live Medical Consultation Required? In some states
• Accepts Insurance? Medicaid is accepted in select states, can use insurance for prescriptions sent to local pharmacy

Why We Chose It

Planned Parenthood Direct's free medical consultations and birth control prescriptions starting at $20 make it an affordable choice for those looking to access care without insurance. And you can do it all from your phone in the company’s intuitive app—truly a boon to on-the-go parents.

Pros & Cons 

Overview 

For people looking to get birth control without insurance, Planned Parenthood Direct is the best option for affordable access. Parents will love that care is accessed exclusively through the app, so you can easily squeeze it into your schedule—whether you’re waiting for your kids in the pickup line, stuck under a sleeping baby, or on the side of the soccer field. And Planned Parenthood is another provider that can prescribe to teens ages 13 and up (with or without guardian approval, depending on state laws). 

In the app, you can get a free provider assessment or consultation (a video session is required in select states) and order birth control pills to be delivered to your home for as little as $20 per pack—no insurance needed. There are 10 birth control pill brands to choose from, and they are mailed in either three- or six-month packs (which can be automatically refilled for up to a year). If you don’t want birth control pills, you can get a prescription for the ring or patch, but you will have to pick your order up in person at a local pharmacy. If you have questions about your medication, you are able to message your provider at any time through the app. 

Planned Parenthood Direct is currently unavailable in Alabama, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Carolina, South Carolina, and West Virginia. 

For Teens: Nurx

Key Specs 

• Cost: $25 consultation; $15+ per month for Rx (self-pay); free shipping
• Live Medical Consultation Required? No
• Accepts Insurance? Yes (but does not submit claims for consultations at this time)

Why We Chose It 

Nurx is one of the few online birth control companies that will provide services to patients as young as 13, and with over 50 medication options, teens looking for help with PCOS can easily find the best fit for their body. Since it is a reputable company, parents can feel confident that their child is getting appropriate and safe care. 

Pros & Cons 

Overview 

If your teen has PCOS or needs birth control, it can be difficult to find an online provider due to age restrictions. However, Nurx will treat patients as young as 13 years old (though some states require parental consent for birth control or only allow independent access at older ages, like 14 or 16). Nurx is easy to use and affordable and offers more than 50 different brands of birth control, so your teen will likely find a good fit. 

To get a prescription, your teen will need a provider consultation, which costs $25 (and you cannot use insurance to cover the cost). The provider will ask your child some questions and recommend a birth control that will address their needs. If you have insurance, you can use it to pay for birth control, but if not, you can get it for as low as $15 per month. Patients have the option to order birth control pills, the ring, patch, or shot through Nurx. Prescriptions are shipped to your home (for free) in three, six, or twelve-month supplies and will auto-renew for a full year. 

Since finding the best birth control to treat PCOS can take some trial and error, Nurx allows patients to message their provider as much as and any time they want for a year (after paying the $25 consultation fee). If your teen wants to change their birth control brand or type, they can simply send in a message to their provider to get that process started. 

Currently, Nurx is unavailable in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Vermont, and West Virginia. 

For Fast Delivery: Lemonaid Health

Key Specs

• Cost: $25 consultation; $15+ prescription
• Live Medical Consultation Required? In some states
• Accepts Insurance? Only for prescriptions sent to local pharmacy; FSA/HSA payment accepted 

Why We Chose It 

With Lemonaid Health, parents will have one less thing to stress about. After a consultation, you’ll receive your birth control shipment within two to three business days, and with auto-refill, the next shipment will always arrive before you need it so there’s no gap in treatment. 

Pros & Cons 

Overview 

Lemonaid Health offers more than 100 brands of birth control, including pills, the patch, and the ring, and your first shipment will arrive within two to three business days after your prescription is approved. If you need to get your medicine quicker, you can also request to have the prescription sent to your local pharmacy for same-day pickup—handy if the pharmacy is on the way home from school drop-off. Additionally, birth control is shipped in a three-month supply and set to auto-renew for a full year, so your next pack will always arrive before your current supply is gone to ensure you never miss a dose.

You’ll need to set up a consultation with a provider in order to get a birth control prescription through Lemonaid. A consultation costs $25 and consultation requests are usually answered within 24 business hours. Your provider can write a prescription for birth control pills, the patch, or the ring, which can cost as low as $15 per month. Lemonaid Health does not accept insurance for the consultation fee or mail-order prescription delivery services. However, if you want to pay for your medication with insurance, you can have it sent to a local pharmacy where you can pick it up in person. 

For Customer Service: Pandia Health

Key Specs 

• Cost: $25 evaluation; $15+ per pack
• Live Medical Consultation Required? No
• Accepts Insurance? Yes

Why We Chose It

If you’re a parent who only has time to reach out to customer service outside of typical business hours, you’re in luck. At Pandia Health, customer support is available 17 hours a day, Monday through Friday. 

Pros & Cons

Overview 

If you’re a parent who feels more comfortable using a service when you know customer service is responsive and available, then Pandia Health might be a good choice, especially if you need a little flexibility in when help is available. Pandia’s customer service team is available 17 hours a day, Monday through Friday, from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. PT. Pandia says people under the age of 18 can access services from Pandia Health within state laws.

To get a new birth control prescription, you’ll need to set up a $25 consultation, which will consist of a questionnaire and possibly a video chat, depending on your situation. From there, your provider will write a prescription, if appropriate, and set it up to ship directly to you for a full year. After your first consultation, you get unlimited access to medical experts for a full year, and a member of your clinical team will periodically check in with you to make sure your prescription is still meeting your needs. 

Birth control is shipped in one-, three-, six-, or 12-month supplies and your next shipment is always scheduled to arrive before you’ve finished your current pack (with the exception of a 12-month supply; you must consult a health care provider once a year to have your birth control prescription renewed). The option to get all the medication you need for the year sent to you upon prescribing is fantastic for parents with too much on their plates. If you have insurance, you can use it to pay for your medication, but if you self-pay, prescriptions start at around $15 per month. If you want to transfer an existing prescription to Pandia Health, the customer service team makes the process quick and easy. 

At this time, to access telemedicine and get a new prescription through the platform, you’ll need to live in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming. Pandia has plans to expand to more states in 2023. If you live outside of these states, you can transfer an existing prescription to Pandia Health and they will fill and ship it to you for free. 

Most Options: Twentyeight Health

Key Specs 

• Cost: $26 annual fee (includes provider consultation); $18+ for birth control (self-pay)
• Live Medical Consultation Required? Yes
• Accepts Insurance? Yes

Why We Chose It

At Twentyeight Health, providers can prescribe over 100 different birth control options, including pills, the patch, the shot, or the ring, starting at $18 per month. If you need to try several formulations or delivery methods, just think of all the time you’ll save using this online service rather than traipsing to your doctor’s office every time you need a change.

Pros & Cons 

Overview

Parents will appreciate that Twentyeight Health gives you access to more than 100 birth control options—including pills, patch, shot, or ring—starting at as low as $18 per month, especially if they’re helping their teen who’s just beginning to use birth control. Trial and error is a big part of starting birth control for the first time, so more options is good. Few online companies offer such variety. This many choices at an online provider means you won’t find yourself in the doctor’s office every few months while you troubleshoot the best birth control for your body. Choices are especially important if you’re still looking for the best birth control formulation or delivery method to help control your PCOS symptoms with minimal side effects. 

To get a new birth control prescription, you sign up, pay the $26 consultation fee, and fill out a health questionnaire (or set up a telehealth appointment, depending on your situation). Your provider will then write you a prescription, if appropriate, and Twentyeight Health will ship you a one-, three-, six-, or 12-month supply of your medication. Your consult fee also gets you unlimited messaging with a health care provider for a full year. The service is one of the few that explicitly states patients as young as 13 can use the service (guardian consent may be required in some states). 

Your prescription will be put on auto-renew for a year and you’ll get an email alert two weeks before your next batch ships out (if you want to make changes, you’ll need to request them within 24 hours of that email). Patients wanting to transfer an existing prescription will need to go through the same process, but instead of the provider selecting a medication for you, they’ll just look over what you’ve already been prescribed to ensure it’s still a good fit. 

Twentyeight Health accepts insurance for the cost of prescriptions, but not the consult fee. Twentyeight Health is currently not available in Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

For Medical Support: Blink Health

Key Specs 

• Cost: $10 for consultation and first month membership; $10 monthly membership; cost of prescription varies 
• Live Medical Consultation Required? Yes
• Accepts Insurance? No

Why We Chose It 

Blink Health prides itself on ensuring every patient has access to a high-quality, board-certified doctor who is licensed in their state. Parents will appreciate that you can message your doctor at any time to ask questions or raise concerns as they arise, instead of having to wait for a scheduled telehealth appointment. 

Pros & Cons

Overview 

If access to your health care providers on your schedule is one of your top priorities as a parent needing birth control, consider Blink Health. Membership buys you unlimited messaging with a physician who is licensed in your state. Direct access to medical providers isn’t guaranteed at all online birth control pharmacies, but if you (or your kid) have PCOS, you’ll want to be able to discuss any persistent symptoms, side effects, or whether a different birth control formulation might work better for you.

Getting a prescription through Blink Health is similar to other online birth control platforms. You’ll fill out a medical questionnaire that your provider will review and then follow up on with you within 24 hours. If your provider determines a prescription is appropriate, Blink Health will ship it to you for free and put it on auto-renew, so you don’t have to worry about it for a full year. When your prescription runs out, you can go through the same process to get it renewed at no additional cost. 

Blink Health does not accept insurance for its telehealth birth control prescribing program; however, if you have insurance and an existing birth control prescription you can move your prescription over to BlinkRx, which will fill and ship your medication every month and ensure you pay the lowest possible price based on your insurance plan. Memberships are $10 per month, plus the cost of your prescription—with the exception of the first month, which is $10 and includes a provider consultation (select medications are also included for the first month). Currently, telehealth services are available for women ages 18 to 49 who live in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Washington, Wyoming.