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You may have heard about BlueChew and Hims, but you might not know the difference. Read our side by side comparison of the two brands and see which one sounds best to you.
Since the first treatments hit the market more than 20 years ago, erectile dysfunction (ED) medications have become a multibillion dollar industry. There are many treatments available, and with the popularity of online and mail order services in recent years, two emerging leaders are BlueChew and Hims.
Both companies offer several different ED treatments and a similar business model, but exactly what are the differences between BlueChew and Hims, and which one might be right for you?
Founded in 2017, Hims is a telemedicine platform that offers medical services and treatments related to sexual health and mental health.
Hims connects its customers with licensed medical professionals who can give diagnoses and prescribe medications during a virtual appointment, including ED medications. Then, you can receive monthly deliveries of your Hims prescriptions.
BlueChew is another telemedicine platform founded in 2014 that offers online medical services and monthly subscriptions for ED medications. You’ll meet with a licensed medical professional during a virtual visit and receive a prescription for an ED medication.
BlueChew specializes in chewable forms of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved ED medications, such as sildenafil, tadalafil, and vardenafil.
All prices are accurate at the time of publishing.
Hims
Pricing for Hims ED products will vary depending on your dosage and if you order from the website or have the prescription sent to another pharmacy. Costs will range from a few dollars per pill to close to $1,000 for a monthly supply of a name-brand ED medication.
BlueChew
As of this writing, BlueChew offers each of its three products in four tiers: Active, Busy, Popular, and Pro. See the breakdown below.
Hims
The ordering and consultation process for Hims is very similar to BlueChew’s. The main difference is that after filling out the form on the Hims website, you can get an immediate video, phone, or online chat consultation with a doctor.
Once they have determined the right medication for you, they will write a prescription that you can use to order either from the Hims website or take to your preferred local or mail-order pharmacy.
BlueChew
Starting an order with BlueChew requires going to its website.
There, you will select your preferred medication and plan and fill out a medical profile. The questions cover basic information about your age and health. It also has more specific ones that help the doctors make sure BlueChew’s medications will be safe for you to use.
You will also have to send them a picture of you holding a photo ID to verify your identity. Most medical reviews take just 1–2 days. After that, you will get a supply of pills sent each month. You can also choose to have your prescriptions filled at a compounding pharmacy near you.
Hims
Hims has been available since 2017 — and parent company Hims & Hers, Inc. — enjoys the same A+ rating from the BBB that BlueChew does. There are lots of negative reports from Hims customers who were unhappy about canceled or delayed appointments or persistent charges for medications they don’t want.
Hims has many more customer reviews online, but they’re mixed. Overall, Hims holds a rating of 3.89 out of 5 stars from over 3,100 customer reviews.
BlueChew
BlueChew has been in business since 2014 and has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), even though customers seem to give it an average of 1 out of 5 stars. Most of the customer complaints seem to be related to shipping issues.
As of this writing, BlueChew has very few customer reviews available online other than the glowing ones on its own website. Five people submitted reviews to the Better Business Bureau site, giving BlueChew 1 out of 5 stars.
| BlueChew | Hims | |
|---|---|---|
| Products | chewable sildenafil, tadalafil, and vardenafil tablets | generic and name-brand treatments for erectile dysfunction; also premature ejacul*tion, hair loss, and skin care products; online mental health and primary care |
| Recent price ranges | $20–$120 per month | $3–$139 per dose, $82–$958 per month |
| Available since | 2014 | 2017 |
| Where to buy | BlueChew website and compound pharmacies | Hims website and nationwide pharmacies |
| Insurance coverage | none; might be able to use health savings account (HSA) funds | none; might be able to use HSA funds |
| Availability | all U.S. states except North Dakota and South Carolina | all 50 U.S. states |
| FDA approval | active ingredients only; products not approved | yes |
| Returns accepted | no | no |
If you have other conditions you want to address, like hair loss or skin concerns, you might want to try Hims because it has a much bigger product line.
If you live in North Dakota or South Carolina, the choice has been made for you since only Hims products are available in those two states.
If you have trouble swallowing whole pills, BlueChew’s chewable tablets might be best for you. BlueChew will likely also be less expensive for most ED treatment options.
You don’t need to bring a prescription to BlueChew or Hims to buy the products. With both services, you will have an online consultation with a doctor who will write a prescription that you can fill on the website or at a pharmacy of your choice. With BlueChew, you’ll have to use a compounding pharmacy.
BlueChew sells custom formulations of existing medications. While the active ingredients are FDA approved, the tablets you get from BlueChew are not.
Hims ED treatments are all FDA approved, unlike some of its products used to treat other conditions like hair loss.
Both Hims and BlueChew offer a confidential and safe way to get treatment for erectile dysfunction. Hims offers many other products as well, but BlueChew has been around a few years longer.
BlueChew’s pricing is generally lower, although both will vary depending on where you choose to get your prescriptions filled and which medication you want.
