Hims vs. Ziphealth for ED 2024: How Do They Compare?

With the rise of telehealth platforms like Hims and ZipHealth, accessing medication for erectile dysfunction (ED) is more convenient than ever for eligible patients. No stuffy waiting rooms with outdated magazines, no drive to your local pharmacy—everything is handled virtually from the comfort of home.

Hims and ZipHealth offer some of the same services: we both provide access to FDA-approved erectile dysfunction medications, including sildenafil citrate (generic Viagra®) and tadalafil (generic Cialis®) after an online consultation with a licensed provider. We both offer subscriptions, too. 

There are also some notable differences. At Hims, we also offer access to combination products that treat ED in addition to other medical conditions like premature ejaculation, high cholesterol, and hair loss if you’re eligible for treatment. There are also a few differences regarding product offerings beyond sexual health, dosage options, and more.

Whether you’ve been diagnosed with erectile dysfunction or suspect there’s room for improvement when it comes to your erections, this guide will answer all your questions about Hims vs. ZipHealth so you can decide which one suits you best.

Before you can access ED treatments, we need to know if you’re a suitable candidate. The first step is completing an online intake form, which asks questions about your medical history and treatment preferences. 

Collecting your health information allows providers affiliated with Hims and ZipHealth to determine the best treatment option for your needs and ensure that prescription medication is a safe option for you. If you have a health condition like heart disease or vision problems, taking ED medication may increase your risk of experiencing undesirable side effects. And some medications, like those for high blood pressure, can have harmful interactions with ED treatments, so it’s essential your provider knows this info upfront.

Both Hims and ZipHealth provide access to prescription medication for ED following an online consultation with a healthcare provider to determine eligibility.

Here’s how it works: after you submit the intake form, a provider reviews your health details and follows up with any questions, just like they would in person.

If you qualify for treatment and decide to proceed, you’ll receive your order in discreet packaging within a few days.

However, not all states have the same requirements regarding how practitioners and patients can interact through telehealth sites. In most states, the intake form and an asynchronous conversation is all that is required for the provider to determine if you’re a suitable candidate for prescription medication. If you live in one of the following states or areas, you may be required to have a video call or virtual visit with a provider before you can receive a prescription:

• Alaska

• Arkansas

• Washington, D.C. 

• Kansas

• Mississippi

• New Mexico

• North Dakota

• Oklahoma

• Rhode Island

• Vermont

• West Virginia

At Hims, you can order medication through our platform in all 50 states, as well as Washington, D.C. The Hims platform is also available in the U.K.

ZipHealth is only available in select states. You can’t order medication if you live in Arkansas, Delaware, Mississippi, North Dakota, or South Carolina.

Hims and ZipHealth provide access to some of the same FDA-approved medications, specifically the phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (or PDE5 inhibitors) sildenafil and tadalafil for eligible patients. These medications improve erections by blocking the PDE5 enzyme and increasing blood flow to the penis.

The treatments include:

• Sildenafil. Sildenafil is the active ingredient in Viagra, the very first FDA-approved ED medication. Branded Viagra is generally more expensive than other formulations of sildenafil. Sildenafil is an as-needed medication when taken for ED. You take it around 30 minutes to an hour before sex, and it lasts about four hours.

• Tadalafil. Tadalafil is the active ingredient in Cialis. Like with sildenafil, branded Cialis is generally more expensive than other formulations of tadalafil. Like sildenafil, tadalafil increases blood flow to the penis for better erections. However, it has a longer half-life—up to 36 hours in the body. It can also be taken either daily (at lower doses) or as needed before sex.

Despite these similarities, there are a few key differences between ZipHealth and Hims when it comes to our complete product lines, form factors, flavors, and more.

Brand-Name ED Medications: Hims vs. ZipHealth

Hims and ZipHealth help patients save money by offering generic versions of popular brand-name ED medications if you’re deemed eligible after a consultation with a healthcare provider.

However, some people are more comfortable taking the brand-name version of these drugs despite the extra cost. To meet this need, Hims provides eligible patients access to brand-name Viagra and Cialis if they prefer the brand-name medication.

Branded Viagra and Cialis are not available through ZipHealth.

Remember that generic medications must be bioequivalent to brand-name medications. Still, if you’ve been taking brand-name Viagra or Cialis for years and don’t want to opt for the generic version, you don’t have to.

Form Factors and Flavors: Hims vs. ZipHealth

Both Hims and ZipHealth offer standard ED pills, but eligible patients can also find ED chews and mints with various flavors on the Hims platform. These unique formulations and flavors may appeal more to those who can’t swallow standard pills.

In addition to standard tablets for ED, Hims offers:

• Mints. Hims Hard Mints are chewable ED medications that contain one or more active ingredients, like tadalafil or sildenafil (or a combination of both + vitamin B12), in custom dosages. They’re available in a fresh wintergreen mint or wintergreen mint + lemon flavor. These chewable mints also come in a discreet tin case you can slip into your pocket on your night out.

• Chews. Like Hims Hard Mints, Hims Sex Chews contain tadalafil or sildenafil (or tadalafil + sildenafil + vitamin B12) in custom dosages. They come in three flavors: berry, lemon, and berry + lemon.

ZipHealth does not carry chewable ED meds or flavored tablets. Their products also come in a standard pill bottle.

Multi-Condition ED Medications from Hims vs. ZipHealth

Both Hims and ZipHealth offer access to a variety of health products beyond ED, including medications for premature ejaculation and hair loss if you’re deemed eligible for treatment. 

However, Hims also provides access to 2-in-1 sexual health treatments that target ED and other medical conditions that commonly co-occur with ED if a healthcare provider determines you’re a suitable candidate. These compounded medications contain the same active ingredients as brand-name medications, though they are not approved by the FDA

They include:

• Sex Rx + Hair Hero. Sex Rx + Hair Hero is a 2-in-1 or 3-in-1 product that contains the ED medication tadalafil in combination with the popular hair loss medications minoxidil or finasteride in custom dosages. There’s not enough evidence that hair loss and ED are directly linked, but both conditions become more common with age.

• Sex Rx + Climax Control. Many men with ED also experience premature ejaculation and want to achieve longer-lasting sex. Sex Rx + Climax Control is a 2-in-1 treatment that contains prescription tadalafil for ED and fluoxetine (the active ingredient in Prozac®), which is a common off-label treatment for premature ejaculation.

• ED + Heart Health. Did you know ED is a marker of increased risk for cardiovascular disease? ED + Heart Health is a 2-in-1 medication that contains tadalafil for ED and the statin atorvastatin (the active ingredient in Lipitor®). When taken together, these active ingredients improve your erections and regulate cholesterol, potentially lowering your risk of heart disease and stroke.

If you struggle with ED in addition to one of the health conditions above, taking a 2-in-1 product can make your daily regimen more efficient. If you are interested in treating multiple health conditions at once and are determined eligible by a provider, you can avoid multiple prescription refills.

ZipHealth does not offer 2-in-1 multi-symptom products for sexual health.

Dosage Options: ZipHealth vs. Hims

Both ZipHealth and Hims offer multiple dosage strengths. At Hims, dosages are personalized based on the customer's needs and preferences. Providers can assess symptoms and customize dosages to ensure patients get the most appropriate care.

Hims Hard Mints and Sex Chews offer even more dosage options and flavors, allowing your provider to design a personalized treatment plan.

Both Hims and ZipHealth also allow you to choose from various quantity options depending on how often you plan to take the medication, but ZipHealth does not offer as many personalized dosages.

Health Products Beyond ED: Hims vs. ZipHealth

Hims and ZipHealth are comprehensive telehealth platforms offering an extensive range of prescription products for various health issues beyond ED.

Both Hims and ZipHealth offer:

• Premature ejaculation medication

• Genital herpes medications

• Cold sore medication

• Hair loss treatments like oral finasteride (Hims also offers access to minoxidil)

• Weight loss treatments like semaglutide (Hims carries additional injectables and oral weight loss options)

Hims also offers eligible patients prescription treatments for:

• Mental health issues like anxiety and depression

• Acne and anti-aging

In addition to prescription products, Hims carries several non-prescription products, including:

• Non-prescription premature ejaculation wipes with benzocaine

• Wellness supplements

• Hair care products like shampoo and gummies

• Sexual health products like penis rings, male vibrators, water-based lube, and climax delay condoms

ZipHealth does not sell mental health products or non-prescription products, but they do offer access to medication for migraines, UTIs, yeast infections, asthma, and the flu, which Hims does not currently offer.

Hims and ZipHealth aren’t just men’s health platforms, either. Both companies have offerings for women’s health issues. At ZipHealth, men’s and women’s products are all on one site. Hims’ women’s products can be found on our partner site, Hers.

Both ZipHealth and Hims provide access to affordable generic ED medications after an online consultation with a healthcare provider. Neither company takes insurance. However, your medication costs may qualify for reimbursement under an FSA or HSA plan. 

While both platforms offer competitive pricing, treatment costs depend on the medication, dosage, and whether or not you opt for a subscription plan.

At Hims, generic sildenafil starts at $4/dose, no matter what dosage you choose. Daily tadalafil runs less than $2/dose. The online consultation and shipping costs are included, and there are numerous shipping frequencies and dosage options. The longer the subscription plan, the more you save. We’ll get back to subscription options later.

According to the ZipHealth.co website, plans start at $1.50/dose for generic sildenafil (for the lowest dose, the highest quantity of 64 pills, and the longest subscription only). Costs go up with increased dosage and lower pill quantities. Daily tadalafil runs less than $2/dose similar to Hims. The online consultation is included in the price, but shipping costs $4.95.

Though sildenafil is less expensive at ZipHealth, pricing depends on the dosage, and there are fewer shipping frequencies available.

Hims also helps you cut costs if your provider recommends treating multiple health conditions at once with a compounded medication. You can avoid having to fill more than one prescription at your local pharmacy if you’re prescribed one of Hims’ 2-in-1 or 3-in-1 compounded medications for ED, hair growth, premature ejaculation, and heart health.

Hims offers free, fast shipping and multiple shipping frequencies (which we’ll cover in the next section).

ZipHealth does not offer free shipping.

Both Hims and ZipHealth offer:

• Discreet packaging to maintain your privacy

• Ability to cancel or change orders online

At Hims, we ship anywhere within the United States, including Washington, D.C. The Hims platform is also available in the U.K., offering some of the same medications. ZipHealth is only available in select states.

When you order medication on the ZipHealth or Hims platforms, you can sign up for a subscription to ensure you never run out of your medication. You can change or cancel your subscription online at any time.

While subscription options and shipping frequencies vary depending on the medication and quantity selected, there are a few differences between both platforms.

Hims ships:

• Monthly

• Every 3 months

• Every 5 months

• Every 6 months

• Every 12 months

ZipHealth ships:

• Monthly

• Every 2 months

• Every 3 months 

• Every 6 months 

• One-time purchases

Hims also offers a few different options in dose quantities. Depending on what your provider has prescribed, you can order 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, or 16 doses per month for as-needed medications or 30 doses a month for daily tadalafil.

ZipHealth allows you to order the following dose quantities: 8, 16, 24, 32, or 64 for as-needed medications in addition to daily tadalafil.

While both platforms offer various dosing options, you can order fewer dose quantities with Hims if you plan on using the medication less frequently.

Have a question about your order or ED medication in general?

At Hims, we offer:

• 24/7 customer support

• Free, unlimited follow-up messaging with providers  

• Easy-to-use online portal

• Educational resources on various health topics on the blog

ZipHealth offers:

• Customer support Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET

• An email submission form for help within 48 hours

Though it has fewer customer service options, ZipHealth reviews are generally positive.

Providers Affiliated With Hims vs. ZipHealth

Hims-affiliated providers are all licensed and must undergo a rigorous vetting process when onboarded. Licensing verification and ongoing training are required, and provider credentials are available on our website.

ZipHealth-affiliated online doctors and providers are also licensed healthcare professionals. Licensing credentials are only available for three providers on their website.

Erectile dysfunction is one of the most common sexual health issues, affecting around 30 million men in the U.S. Telehealth platforms like Hims, ZipHealth, Roman, and BlueChew cut the time and hassle out of accessing erectile dysfunction treatments so you can get back to having the sex life you deserve after a consultation with a healthcare provider.

While both Hims and ZipHealth provide access to some of the same products, there are some notable differences to consider when selecting which one to use:

• Product Offerings. Both ZipHealth and Hims offer eligible patients access to generic Viagra (sildenafil) and generic Cialis (tadalafil). At Hims, we also provide access to brand-name versions of these medications and 2-in-1 medications that treat multiple conditions in one convenient product if you’re deemed eligible by a healthcare provider.

• Dosage Options. Both Hims and ZipHealth offer multiple dosage options. However, Hims has more dosage strengths and dosing options, especially with sildenafil and tadalafil. This flexibility allows your provider to design a personalized treatment plan that suits your needs best.

• Subscription Options. Hims and ZipHealth offer a range of shipping frequencies, but ZipHealth also offers one-time purchases.

• Formulations. Both ZipHealth and Hims carry standard, flavorless ED tablets. Hims also offers chewable ED medications in mint, lemon, and berry flavors. This can be useful for those who can’t swallow standard pills.

• Accessibility. Hims is available in all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C. ZipHealth is only available in select states.

• Pricing. ZipHealth’s products start at a lower price point, but the price increases depending on dosage strength, quantity, and frequency selected. Prices at Hims also vary depending on the subscription and quantity chosen, but not dosage strength. There are also different dosing options and combination medications that can help lower costs.

Is ZipHealth legit? Yes. Is Hims legit? Yes. But knowing the differences between our two platforms will hopefully help make it easier to choose the one that suits you best.

Curious to learn more about how to treat erectile dysfunction or other sexual health issues with Hims? Get a recommendation today from a healthcare professional to start building your plan.

Quick note: This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or endorsement of one brand over another.