Both Walgreens and Rite Aid offer similar pharmacy services, including vaccinations, prescription refills, and loyalty programs. Walgreens provides more specific information about its generic drug offerings and loyalty program benefits. Rite Aid's customer service has a concerningly high percentage of negative feedback. The choice between the two may depend on location convenience, specific insurance coverage, and individual customer service experiences.
| Attribute | Walgreens | Rite Aid |
|---|---|---|
| Prescription Filling Speed | Inconsistent, with some reviews mentioning quick processing while others cite long wait times. | Varies, some customers report quick filling times, while others experience significant delays. A previous 15-minute guarantee was not consistently achieved. |
| Prescription Cost with Insurance | Accepts most major insurance plans, including Medicare Part D, Medicaid, and commercial/private health insurance plans. Zero-dollar copays on tier one, generic prescriptions may be available on selected plans for Medicare Part D customers. Verify your insurance acceptance at your local Walgreens. | Accepts most major insurance plans, including Tricare, Elixir Insurance, Express Scripts, Caremark, OptumRx, Medimpact, Cigna, Humana, Medicaid, and Medicare Parts B and D. Contact your insurance provider or local Rite Aid to determine specific costs. |
| Availability of Generic Drugs | Offers zero-dollar copays on tier one, generic prescriptions on selected plans for Medicare Part D customers. The deepest discounts through the Walgreens Prescription Savings Club are generally on generic medications. | Information not found in the search results. |
| Vaccination Services Offered | Offers a variety of vaccinations, including those for COVID-19, flu, RSV, pneumonia, shingles, MMR, HPV, Tdap, hepatitis A & B, meningitis, typhoid, chickenpox, polio, and rabies. | Offers a wide range of vaccinations, including chickenpox, diphtheria, flu, hepatitis A and B, measles, meningitis, mumps, polio, rubella, RSV, shingles, tetanus, whooping cough, yellow fever, and COVID-19. Schedule appointments online or walk into the pharmacy. |
| Over-the-Counter Medication Selection | Sells a variety of over-the-counter products to help manage symptoms of flu, COVID-19, RSV and norovirus. They also offer a wide selection of home tests and monitoring devices. | Provides a variety of over-the-counter medications and health products. |
| Convenience of Location and Hours | With thousands of locations across the US, finding a nearby Walgreens is generally easy. Some locations may have 24-hour drive-thru pharmacies. | With over 4,500 stores in 31 states, Rite Aid has a strong presence on the East and West coasts. Check the specific store's hours to ensure it meets your needs. |
| Drive-Thru Pharmacy Availability | Many Walgreens stores offer drive-thru pharmacy service for prescription pick-ups and select front-end items. Drive-thru hours typically align with regular pharmacy hours. | Over 50% of Rite Aid locations offer drive-thru service. |
| Online Prescription Refills | Provides online prescription refills through their website and mobile app. You can refill prescriptions using your online account or as a guest. | Allows online and mobile app refills. Refill from your prescription history or by entering the prescription number. |
| Customer Service Quality | Customer service quality appears to be inconsistent, with some reviewers praising helpful and knowledgeable staff, while others report rude or unhelpful interactions and long wait times. | Customer service experiences vary, with some customers reporting positive interactions and others citing rude or unhelpful staff. Customer service is ranked #179 out of 1024 companies, with an overall score of 48.14 out of 200, based on 247 ratings, with 88.66% negative comments. |
| Insurance Acceptance | Accepts most major insurance plans, including Medicare, Medicaid, and various commercial and employer-sponsored plans. It is always a good idea to verify coverage with your local Walgreens. | Accepts most major insurance plans. Confirm with your insurer or the pharmacy. |
| Availability of Health Screenings | Offers health screenings, including wellness screenings and STD testing, with results available within a few days. | Provides health screenings like cholesterol, diabetes, and bone density tests. |
| Loyalty Programs and Discounts | Has a loyalty program called myWalgreens, where members earn Walgreens Cash rewards on purchases. Members earn 1% Walgreens Cash rewards storewide and 5% on Walgreens-branded products. The program also offers personalized deals, bonus rewards for achieving health goals, and the ability to redeem rewards on top of other coupons and sales. | Rite Aid Rewards allows earning points on purchases and prescriptions, which can be redeemed for BonusCash. Seniors get extra benefits. |