What finasteride costs if you have no insurance

One medicine, two strengths, two uses

MedlinePlus, a health site from the National Library of Medicine, says finasteride treats two conditions. One is benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, which means the prostate gland has grown larger and can make urinating harder. The other is male pattern hair loss, a slow thinning of the hair on the scalp. The 5 mg tablet is the one labeled for BPH, and the 1 mg tablet is the one labeled for hair loss in men. In the United States you need a prescription for either one.

The two strengths are priced separately, and different people buy them. A man with BPH may have insurance that pays for the 5 mg tablet. A man who uses it for hair loss often pays out of pocket, since Medicare drug plans exclude drugs used for hair growth.

What a fill of finasteride costs

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a federal health agency, reports what Medicare drug plans and their members spent on each drug. In 2024, generic finasteride averaged $13.04 per fill, across more than 7.3 million fills. That figure adds the plan's share and the member's share, so it is not a cash price. It still gives a sense of what a typical fill costs at the counter.

We looked for a county, state or public hospital price list that includes finasteride and did not find one. That means we cannot give you a government cash price for the 1 mg tablet, which is the one most people pay for themselves. A pharmacist can quote it in a minute. The steps later in this page show you what to ask.

What pharmacies pay for each tablet

Medicaid, the joint federal and state program for people with low incomes, publishes a weekly survey of what pharmacies pay their suppliers. It is called NADAC, short for National Average Drug Acquisition Cost. Here is what it found for the week of October 21, 2026.

• A generic 1 mg tablet cost pharmacies about 4.4 cents each, or about $1.31 for 30 tablets.
• A generic 5 mg tablet cost about 6.9 cents each, or about $2.06 for 30 tablets.

Your price at the counter will be higher, because the pharmacy adds a dispensing fee and has its own costs to cover. We show these numbers so you can tell when a quote looks far out of line. Your doctor chooses the strength and the number of tablets.

The brand-name versions cost far more

Brand-name versions of both strengths are still sold. In the same survey week, pharmacies paid about $5.70 for each brand-name 5 mg tablet. They paid between $3.59 and $3.97 for each brand-name 1 mg tablet. Medicare plans and their members spent an average of $335.24 per fill of the brand-name 5 mg product in 2024. The generic version averaged only $13.04 per fill.

The FDA says a generic must match the brand-name drug in strength and quality, and that generics tend to cost less. If a prescription names the brand, ask your doctor or pharmacist whether the generic is right for you.

How to find your real price

Prices differ from one store to the next, so a few calls are the best way to learn what you will pay. Online prescribing services also sell finasteride, often with a monthly fee. Compare their total monthly price with your local pharmacy's price, and check what the fee includes.

1. Ask your prescriber for the strength and the number of tablets, and write them down.
2. Ask three pharmacies what they would charge in cash for that exact prescription.
3. Ask whether a hospital outpatient pharmacy or health center pharmacy near you posts its own generic price.
4. Pick the lowest total price, including any fees.

For a script to read on the phone, see our guide on asking for the cash price. Our guide on prescriptions without insurance lists more ways to compare.

Another men's health treatment with its own price guide is testosterone therapy.

Help with the visit and the refills

Community health centers set their fees on a sliding scale tied to your income. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) says these centers can buy outpatient drugs at lower prices through a federal program called 340B. The agency does not say how much of that saving is passed on, so ask what the center charges. You can find a center with our guide on community health centers or our health center finder.

If the reason is an enlarged prostate, our guide on the cost of tamsulosin without insurance covers another medicine for that condition. A cash-pay doctor with a monthly membership can handle visits and renewals. Direct primary care usually costs $50 to $200 a month, and you can search for a cash-pay doctor near you.

Safety notes

MedlinePlus says to keep taking finasteride and not to stop without talking to your doctor. For hair loss, it says the medicine only slows the loss while you take it. Hair that grew back may be lost within a year after you stop. If cost is the problem, talk with your prescriber before you run out.

MedlinePlus lists sexual side effects such as less desire or trouble with erections. It also lists breast changes, and new or worsening depression or thoughts about harming yourself, as reasons to call your doctor right away. If you are thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. It is free, confidential and open at all hours.

The FDA label says finasteride lowers a blood test called PSA. Doctors use that test to screen for prostate cancer, so tell your doctor that you take finasteride. Women who are or may be pregnant should not touch crushed or broken tablets. In an emergency, please call 911 or go to the closest emergency room. This page gives general information and is not medical advice.

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