GoodRx catch: What you're not being told about prescription discount cards

When you see GoodRx, a prescription discount card service that shows lower drug prices at pharmacies across the U.S., it feels like a win. You type in your medication, get a coupon, and walk away with a cheaper pill bottle. But here’s the truth: GoodRx isn’t insurance. It’s a middleman that negotiates cash prices with pharmacies—prices that often change daily, and sometimes aren’t even the lowest available. And while you’re saving a few bucks here and there, the real players—pharmaceutical companies, pharmacy benefit managers, and GoodRx itself—are making money off your search for relief.

Many people don’t realize that GoodRx doesn’t cover brand-name drugs the same way insurance does. It only works on cash prices, meaning if your insurance gives you a better rate, you can’t use the card. Worse, some pharmacies quietly raise their cash prices just so GoodRx can show a "discount" that still leaves you paying more than you would with insurance. This isn’t fraud—it’s a loophole in how drug pricing works. The same system that lets you find a $10 coupon for metformin also lets drug makers inflate list prices so those discounts look bigger. And if you’re on a fixed income or juggling multiple prescriptions, these small savings add up to nothing when the real cost is hidden in the fine print.

Other prescription discount cards, like SingleCare or Blink Health, operate the same way. They’re all built on the same broken model: profit from confusion. You’re not getting a deal—you’re getting a different price tag in a system designed to confuse patients. That’s why medication affordability is so hard to solve. It’s not about coupons. It’s about transparency, negotiation power, and access to generic alternatives. If you’re trying to cut costs, you’re better off asking your pharmacist for the cash price before using any card, checking patient assistance programs from drug makers, or seeing if your local clinic offers free samples. Real savings come from knowing your options, not from clicking "print coupon."

Below, you’ll find real stories and breakdowns of how these programs actually work—what they hide, what they promise, and what you can do instead. No fluff. No ads. Just what you need to know to stop overpaying for your meds.