Hims Hair vs. Happy Head for 2024: How Do They Compare?

When it comes to stopping hair loss, every minute counts — after all, it’s much easier to keep the hair you have than to regrow what’s already lost. Fortunately, telehealth has revolutionized the way men can tackle male pattern baldness, making it faster and more convenient. Rather than waiting an average of 34.5 days for an in-person dermatologist appointment, telehealth services like Hims and Happy Head can connect you with a healthcare professional who can prescribe the right treatment for you in just a day or two, and sometimes even sooner.

After deciding to embrace the convenience of telehealth, you’ll need to choose which platform is best for your needs: Hims or Happy Head.

In this article, we’ll break down the key differences and similarities between Happy Head and Hims (yep, that’s us), including unique treatment options, pricing, subscription models, and customer service, to help you make an informed decision for your hair loss needs.

Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice nor endorsement of one brand over another.

Both Hims and Happy Head begin with similar intake forms, asking questions about how long you’ve been experiencing hair loss, where you’re experiencing hair loss, and your sex assigned at birth.

Happy Head’s intake form covers topics such as allergies, medication use, and household members’ pregnancy status (this question is relevant because pregnant individuals are advised against handling finasteride or dutasteride, due to potential birth defects in male fetuses).

Hims includes these questions but goes further by asking more personalized questions, such as your hair goals, styling habits, and how you prefer to wear your hair. We also provide brief explanations (“Why We Ask”) to clarify the purpose of certain questions.

Both Hims and Happy Head may ask you to upload photos of your hairline for the doctor's evaluation. If further verification is required, they may ask for additional documentation, like your photo ID. 

If you’re experiencing male pattern baldness — a condition affecting up to 50 percent of men by age 50 — you’ll be glad to know there are treatments available that can enhance blood flow to your hair follicles or reduce your body’s levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the hormone responsible for hair loss. It’s just a matter of getting a prescription for the right medication.

Hims and Happy Head both operate across all 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C.

With Hims and Happy Head, you can fill your prescription at your local pharmacy if you prefer (just email customer service to get this process started). 

We take a holistic approach to health, covering weight loss,  mental wellness, sexual health, and skin health in addition to hair loss. If you’re seeking treatments for multiple concerns from a single brand, Hims is a one-stop shop for many aspects of men's health. Happy Head only focuses on hair health.

In addition to prescription products, Hims and Happy Head both offer over-the-counter (OTC) products that don’t require a prescription, like topical minoxidil, and other hair-care products.

While there is some overlap between the products available from Hims and Happy Head, the brands do not have identical offerings. Both offer access to:

• Oral finasteride (the active ingredient in Propecia®)

• Topical minoxidil solution (the active ingredient in Rogaine®)

• Combination treatments of topical finasteride and minoxidil (Hims offers this as a spray or a solution; Happy Head offers a solution). These are off-label, compounded treatments that are personalized to a customer’s unique health needs and prescribed at a provider’s discretion.

• Hair loss and erectile dysfunction combination treatments

• Thickening shampoo and conditioner (ingredients differ)

• Hair supplements

• Oral minoxidil (We offer access to this as a compounded chewable; Happy Head provides access to it as a pill).

There are notable differences between similar products. For example, Happy Head sells an 8% minoxidil solution, while Hims’ minoxidil solution is 5%. 

We also offer access to a prescription serum containing minoxidil and other ingredients. Our Rx Hair Loss Serum contains 0.3% finasteride and 6% minoxidil, plus essential oils.

Happy Head's minoxidil and finasteride solution contains 0.3% finasteride, 8% minoxidil, .001% retinoic acid, and 1% hydrocortisone.

If you’re looking for a minoxidil solution that only contains minoxidil as an active ingredient, you won’t find that at Happy Head. Instead, all of their topical minoxidil solutions blend minoxidil with other ingredients (retinoic acid, for example). Hims’s minoxidil solution contains only minoxidil as an active ingredient (like Rogaine).

Happy Head offers access to an oral minoxidil pill (unlike its topical counterpart, oral minoxidil requires a prescription). We also offer access to oral minoxidil —  we have two oral minoxidil chewables (called “hair hybrids”) blended with hair supplements, and one contains finasteride.

Each brand also offers some unique products and ingredients.

Happy Head offers the following additional ingredients for men:

• Dutasteride (a prescription medication that is FDA-approved to treat an enlarged prostate and sometimes prescribed off-label for hair loss)

• Latanoprost (a topical treatment that’s used primarily as a prescription eye drop medication but is sometimes prescribed off-label for hair growth)

They also offer a dermaroller tool, which can be purchased separately or in certain bundles with other products. However, there’s no conclusive clinical evidence that dermarollers help with hair growth.

While Happy Head has many products, many contain different arrangements of the same ingredients. 

We offer access to the following unique products:

• Finasteride + Minoxidil + Supplement  Blend Chewable

• Minoxidil + Supplement Blend Chewable

• Volumizing shampoo and conditioner

• Biotin gummies

• Dandruff detox shampoo (containing pyrithione zinc)

• 4-in-1 hair regrowth spray (combining finasteride, minoxidil, biotin, and ketoconazole)

Overall, Hims’ product offerings fall into a lower price range than Happy Head’s. Neither brand accepts insurance. We accept payment through FSA and HSA accounts, but Happy Head does not.

Hims Hair pricing ranges from $15 to $59 per month. Happy Head’s pricing ranges from $22 (for oral minoxidil) to $179 per month. Its customized products, such as a combination of finasteride and minoxidil, can cost between $79 and $179 per month, depending on the specific ingredients and concentrations. Oral treatments like SuperCapsules with a mix of finasteride, minoxidil, and vitamin D3 are priced at $79 to $89 per month.

When comparing brands, it’s helpful to look at the prices of similar products:

• Hims’ topical minoxidil solution costs $15 a month. A similar Happy Head product blends topical minoxidil with retinoic acid, and costs $59 a month. 

• Happy Head offers a topical finasteride and minoxidil solution for $99 per month. It’s a liposomal formulation. (“Liposomal” refers to a delivery method where the active ingredient is encased in fat — it could theoretically enhance the absorption of finasteride, but more research is needed.) Our topical finasteride and minoxidil spray (which is not liposomal) costs $35 per month.

• Hims’ Thick Fix shampoo contains saw palmetto (a plant-based ingredient that can partially block DHT, research suggests)and costs $19. A similar thickening shampoo from Happy Head costs $36.

Happy Head offers 60% off your first order for prescription products only. Hims does not have a first-order discount but regularly offers promotions for bundling two or more products or reactivating a subscription.

Happy Head allows for product customization, meaning customers can adjust the concentration of ingredients or remove a specific ingredient altogether. However, Happy Head advises that it’s “typically recommended not to change the formula unless you are allergic to one of the Active Ingredients.”

We offer a custom experience through our intake form. Compounded products available through Hims come in a variety of form factors (pills, chewables, sprays, etc.) and dosage strengths so that a provider can choose the product that fits your unique needs.

Both brands offer bundle options to save money when purchasing multiple products. Hims offers a non-prescription bundle (that does not require a consultation with a healthcare provider), including topical minoxidil solution, thickening shampoo, and biotin for $37.

We also offer access to “The Hair Loss Duo” bundle starting at $32 per month, including topical minoxidil solution and oral finasteride. Research suggests that these two ingredients paired together are more effective than either used alone.

The Hims Hair Power Pack includes four products (oral finasteride, topical minoxidil serum, Thick Fix shampoo, and biotin gummies). It starts at $60 per month. 

A similar bundle option from Happy Head, the Hair Growth Gift Set, includes thickening shampoo, thickening conditioner, hair supplements, and $50 off your first topicalRx solution subscription) retails for $98 a month.

Happy Head offers several other bundle options, such as SuperCapsule™ and topical dutasteride and minoxidil solution ($178 per month); SuperCapsule and topical finasteride and minoxidil solution ($158 per month); topical dutasteride and minoxidil plus a dermaroller ($89 for the solution, and $39 for the dermaroller); and topical finasteride and minoxidil plus a dermaroller ($79 per month for the topical, and $39 for the dermaroller).

The term “form factor” refers to the physical form in which a product is made available. While narrower in terms of ingredients, the Hims Hair offering includes a wider variety of form factors, including compounded chews, sprays, foam, pills, and serums.

For example, Hims offers topical minoxidil in a solution or a foam. Happy Head offers only a topical solution (applied with a dropper), which is blended with aloe and hydrocortisone to reduce potential side effects of minoxidil, like redness or irritation, according to the brand. 

While irritation from minoxidil is rare, research suggests the likely cause of irritation is propylene glycol, not minoxidil itself. Our minoxidil foam does not include propylene glycol, making it a good choice for people with sensitive skin or those who have experienced irritation from minoxidil in the past.

Prescription products from Hims ship free, and OTC products have a $5 shipping fee. Happy Heads products ship free. Hims ships via FedEx, DHL, or USPS and is available in the United States as well as the United Kingdom through Hims UK. Happy Head ships via USPS ground and does not offer its products outside the U.S. 

Hims offers flexible subscription options, allowing customers to choose from three-, six-, or 12-month plans (with some products offering a five-month option). 

Products ship for free on a recurring schedule, and subscribing with Hims often saves you money. For instance, the Hair Loss Duo is $39 per month on the three-month plan but drops to $32 per month on a 12-month plan.

Happy Head also utilizes a convenient subscription model, allowing customers to select between three- and six-month plans. Unlike Hims, however, opting for a longer subscription period does not reduce the monthly cost. Both Hims and Happy Head offer the ability to pause or skip deliveries. 

One feature that sets Hims apart is our app, which offers 24/7 live chat support with a care team. Customers can also reach out via email and typically receive a response from customer support within 24 hours.

Happy Head does not have an app (though there is a similarly named app, “Happy Head,” which is completely unrelated to the brand). Instead, customers submit a request for support through the website. 

Both Hims and Happy Head give customers access to healthcare providers. Existing Happy Head patients can connect with a dermatologist through the patient portal. 

With Hims, users can review messages from their provider or ask any questions related to their treatment through the secure messaging portal in their Hims or Hers account. 

To contact a provider in the Hims app, tap the "Care" button at the bottom and select the treatment about which you would like to message your provider (if you have more than one). You will be taken to a page where you last messaged your provider, which is helpful for keeping track of communication. You’ll receive a response within 24 hours, but often sooner.

Hims has a partner brand, Hers, that caters to women’s health with products for hair health, weight loss, mental health, sexual health, and skin. Happy Head also offers access to products for women, all available on the same website. Customers can filter products to find those designed for women.

Here are the key takeaways when comparing Hims vs. Happy Head:

Intake Process Differences: Both Hims and Happy Head begin with similar intake forms asking about hair loss history, but Hims asks more personalized questions about hair goals and styling habits, and provides context through a "Why We Ask" explanation. Happy Head does not provide this extra context.

Product Variety and Customization: Both brands offer similar core products like finasteride and minoxidil, but Hims stands out with unique offerings like compounded chewables, and a 4-in-1  hair regrowth spray, while Happy Head offers formulations with additional off-label ingredients like dutasteride and latanoprost.

Pricing and Convenience: Hims generally has more affordable pricing, ranging from $15 to $59 per month. In contrast, Happy Head’s customized products can cost up to $179 per month. Hims also allows prescriptions to be filled at local pharmacies, an option not available with Happy Head.

If you’re experiencing male pattern baldness (aka androgenetic alopecia) or noticing thinning or receding hair, you may be interested in learning more about Hims offerings for slowing or even reversing hair loss. Connect with a healthcare professional online who can assess your hair loss and help you decide what hair loss medication or treatment plan is best for you. 

For more brand comparisons, check out our guide to Hims vs. Keeps and Nutrafol vs. finasteride.

Quick note: This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice nor endorsement of one brand over another.