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CVS vs. Walgreens vs. Rite Aid vs. Walmart Pharmacy: Which Drugstore is the Best?

CVS vs. Walgreens vs. Rite Aid vs. Walmart Pharmacy: Which Drugstore is the Best?

    Nowadays, with the appearance of online pharmacies, you don’t have to trudge to your local pharmacy to collect your prescription drugs or stock up on hay fever medications. These pharmacies (aka online medicine shops) are a highly convenient and effective way of getting your prescription refilled instead of doing it in person. Such as CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, and Walmart Pharmacy, each store has a pharmacy. But which is the best? We recently set out to compare prices, locations, shipping, and services at four drugstores. Let's check out which one is the best & cheapest.

Cover Photo:walgreens.com

1. CVS (www.cvs.com)

CVS Pharmacy, Inc. is an American retail corporation. A subsidiary of CVS Health, it is headquartered in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. It was founded in Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1963. CVS Pharmacy is currently the largest pharmacy chain in the United States by number of locations (9,952 of 2025 ) and total prescription revenue. Its parent company ranks as the fifth largest U.S. corporation by FY2020 revenues in the Fortune 500. CVS sells prescription drugs and a wide assortment of general merchandise, including over-the-counter drugs, beauty products and cosmetics, film and photo finishing services, seasonal merchandise, greeting cards, and convenience foods through their CVS Pharmacy and Longs Drugs retail stores and online through CVS.com. It also provides healthcare services through its more than 1,100 MinuteClinic medical clinics as well as their Diabetes Care Centers. Most of these clinics are located within or outside CVS stores.

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Source:cvs.com

Services Offered

1. Refill Prescriptions

2. MinuteClinic

3. Flu shots

4. COVID-19 vaccine, booster and records

5. COVID-19 testingand results

Locations

There are 9,952 CVS Pharmacy locations in the United States as of November 09, 2025. The state with the most number of CVS Pharmacy locations in the US is California, with 1,176 locations, which is 11% of all CVS Pharmacy locations in America.

Top 10 cities with the most number of CVS Pharmacy locations in the US.

City

State/Territory

Number of Locations

Miami 

Florida 

94 

Houston 

Texas 

93 

Chicago 

Illinois  

71 

Los Angeles 

California 

66 

New York 

New York 

66 

Washington 

District of Columbia 

63 

San Antonio 

Texas 

60 

Philadelphia 

Pennsylvania 

58 

Dallas 

Texas 

57 

Indianapolis Indiana 51
Click here to find the closest location near you. 

Shipping

1 to 2 day delivery is available at almost all of CVS Pharmacy locations. Delivery within hours is currently available in most markets (called "on-demand delivery" at checkout). Options available in your area will be displayed during checkout.

If you select 1 to 2 day and place your order …

  • By 3 PM Monday through Thursday: delivery within 1 to 2 days

  • By 3 PM Friday: delivery by Monday

  • By 2 PM Saturday: delivery by Tuesday

After 2 PM Saturday through Sunday: delivery by Wednesday. No deliveries on Sunday or courier holidays.

If you select on-demand delivery within hours, you'll receive your delivery within four hours. Orders must be submitted four hours prior to store closing to receive delivery the same day as order placement.

For customers in Manhattan, orders must be placed by 11 AM for delivery by 4 PM and by 4 PM for delivery by 8 PM.

Delivery may not be available on certain courier holidays.

Click here to find more information about shipping.

Customers Services

1. Call 1-800-SHOP-CVS (1-800-746-7287)

  • For questions and comments including feedback about CVS stores, pharmacy, policies and in-store photo department;

  • For questions and comments including member updates, rewards card, program information and ExtraBucks Rewards.

Monday-Friday 8 AM - 10 PM ET, Sat. & Sun. 10:00 AM - 6:30 PM ET. Closed major holidays.

2. Call 1-888-607-4CVS (1-888-607-4287)

  • For questions or comments including user account, password issues, orders, prescription management and photo.

Sunday-Saturday 8:30 AM - 7:00 PM ET. Closed major holidays.

3. Call 1-866-389-ASAP (1-866-389-2727)

  • For questions and comments regarding CVS in-store clinics.

4. Or you can mail all inquiries to:

CVS Corporation

Customer Relations

One CVS Drive

Woonsocket, RI 02895

For FAQs and email support, visit the Customer Care page.

Promotions

1. $15 off $65 with code SAVE15. (Ends in 21/11);

2. Free 1 to 4 day shipping with $35 + orders;

3. Join CarePass for free shipping +  $10 monthly promo reward + 20% off CVS Health brand products;

4. Shopping on CVS, don't forget to sign up at Extrabux (What is Extrabux?) , then you can get 2% super cashback from Extrabux! Sign-Up Bonus: Free to join it & get $20 welcome bonus!

2. Walgreens (www.walgreens.com)

Walgreen is an American company that operates as the second-largest pharmacy store chain in the United States behind CVS Health. It specializes in filling prescriptions, health and wellness products, health information, and photo services.

As of August 31, 2020, the company operated 9021 stores in the United States. It was founded in Chicago, Illinois, in 1901. The Walgreens headquarters office is in the Chicago suburb of Deerfield, Illinois. 

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Source:walgreens.com

Services Offered

1. Refill Prescription

2. Prescription Status

3. COVID-19 Testing

4. Schedule Flu & COVID-19 vaccines

5. Pharmacy Chat

6. Photo Services

Locations

As of August 31, 2020, the company operated 9021 stores in the United States. 

State/TerritoryNumber of LocationsState/TerritoryNumber of Locations
Alabama 151    

Maine 

79   

Oklahoma 

116 

Alaska 

11   

Maryland 

154   

Oregon 73 

Arizona 

234   

Massachusetts 

249   

Pennsylvania 

115 

Arkansas 79   
Michigan 232   Rhode Island 46

California 

586   

Minnesota 

153   

South Carolina 

150 

Colorado 

169   

Mississippi 

83   

South Dakota 

14 

Connecticut 

116   

Missouri 

208   

Tennessee 

271 

Delaware 62  
 Montana 13   Texas 701 

Florida 

820   

Nebraska 

56   

Utah 

56 

Georgia 270    
Nevada 83   Vermont 32 

Hawaii 

17   

New Hampshire 35   
Virginia 204 Idaho 38   
New Jersey 280   Washington 
135

Illinois 

574   

New Mexico 

70   

West Virginia 

94 

Indiana 188   
New York  564   Wisconsin 226 

Iowa 

72   

North Carolina 356   
Wyoming 10 

Kansas 

70   

North Dakota   

1   

Washington D.C. 

14 

Kentucky 

171   

Ohio   

242   

Puerto Rico 

105 

Louisiana 172        
U.S. Virgin Islands 1

Shipping

Same Day Rx Delivery is now available at more than 8,000 Walgreens stores. To use Same Day Rx Delivery or 1-2 business day delivery, you must be opted into Prescription Status Alerts. It will appear as an option if order is before that store's cutoff time for the day. Certain health plans do not cover, or participate in, Same Day Rx Delivery. Check with your health plan for further details. Excludes California.

  • 1 Same Day Prescription Delivery is available on eligible prescriptions only. Most prescription orders are available to be delivered to the patient's home same day. Orders must be received by 4 p.m. to be eligible for Same Day Rx Delivery. Please note that while most prescriptions are expected to be delivered same day, some deliveries may not be eligible for delivery due to prescription type, delivery address, holidays, weather, or other delivery constraints.

  • 2 1-2 Business Day Prescription Delivery is available on eligible prescriptions only. Most prescription orders are available to be delivered to the patient's home in 1-2 business days. Orders received by 10 a.m. on Friday, as well as requests made during the weekend, for 1-2 day delivery have an expected delivery day of Wednesday. Prescriptions are not delivered on Sundays or holidays. Please note that while most prescriptions are expected to be delivered in 1-2 business days, some deliveries may not be eligible for delivery due to prescription type, delivery address, holidays, weather, or other delivery constraints. Free delivery available for a limited time only and excludes same-day delivery.

  • 3 Daily delivery is Monday through Sunday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Orders must be placed by 6 p.m., but hours may vary by store location. Some deliveries may not be eligible for same day due to delivery address, holidays, weather or other delivery constraints. Deliveries must be either entirely accepted or rejected. No partial order acceptance permitted. Please note that an individual's signature or presence may not be required upon delivery. Prescriptions not eligible but may be available through Rx Same Day Delivery. Age-restricted items are not eligible for delivery. Other exclusions may apply. 

Customers Services

1. Phone

Choose one of the following phone numbers depending on the nature of your question:

  • Walgreens.com Inquiries: 1-877-250-5823;

  • Store Inquiries:1-800-WALGREENS or 1-800-925-4733;

  • Corporate Inquiries: 1-847-914-2500;

  • Customer Relations: 1-800-WALGREENS or 1-800-925-4733.

2. Live Chat

Yes, you can. Follow Your Account and click on the red "Need Help? Live Chat" button near the top of the page. Agents are available from 7 A.M. - 1 A.M. EST.

NOTE: If you do not see the "Need Help? Live Chat" button and it is between 7 A.M. - 1 A.M. EST, all agents are busy. Wait briefly, then refresh the page. You do not need to be logged in to your Walgreens account to chat - the chat button appears on the sign in page during the same hours.

3. Postal Mail

Mailing addressis:

Walgreen Co.

200 Wilmot Road

Deerfield, IL 60015 

4. Email

In order to ensure the privacy, safety, and accurate delivery of your message, Walgreens.com uses electronic text submission forms. When you fill out and submit a Contact Us form, it is the same as sending an email.

Some issues cannot be resolved via email. If this is the case, the Contact Us category page will instruct you to call Customer Service at 1-877-250-5823.

Promotions

1. Extra 20% off $40+ health & wellness with code HEALTH20;

2. Buy 2 get 3rd FREE skin care;

3. 25% off contacts with code CYBER25;

4. FREE shipping at $35+;

5. FREE shipping on all prescription refills;

6. FREE Ship to Store;

7. FREE Same Day Delivery on $50+;

8. FREE Same Day Pickup on Prints, Photo Books and more;

9. Shopping on Walgreens.com through Extrabux, then you can get up to 6% super cashback

3. Rite Aid (www.riteaid.com)

The Rite Aid Corporation is a well-known drugstore chain that operates in the United States. It has grown prolifically and has become the third largest retailer in its niche within the nation. They're known for offering reasonable prices on a variety of sundries which are sold in their stores.Since 1962, Rite Aid Corporation has been building a strong presence on both the East and West Coasts, making them one of the nation's leading drugstore chains. The company operated 2451 stores in the United States. Rite Aid pharmacy offers products and services to help you lead a healthy, happy life.

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Source:riteaid.com

Services Offered

1. Refill Your RX

2. COVID-19 Testing

3. Schedule Flu Shots

4. Schedule COVID-19 vaccine

Locations

2451 Rite Aid Stores in the United States. 

Click here to find out the number of locations of your state.

Shipping

You can choose from a variety of shipping options for your order.  

Continental US Street and PO Box

Shipping Service 

Estimated Delivery Time 

Per Shipment   

Standard   3-5 days    $6.95 or free w/$34.99 purchase 
The times listed above are in business days (Monday to Friday, excluding national holidays). Please note that they can only begin to investigate lost orders shipped via standard shipping once 10 business days have passed since the date of shipment.

Click here to read the full Shipping Policy.

Customers Services

If you need help , you can:

1. Chat online

2. Send a message

3. Or call customer care (1-800-748-3243)

Customer Care Hours

Day

Hours

Mon-Fri:

8am - 8pm ET

Saturday:

9:30am - 6pm ET

Sunday:

CLOSED

Promotions

1. Join wellness+ rewards to get discounts & rewards;

2. Enter your zip code to find weekly deals;

3. Shopping on Rite Aid through Extrabux, then you can get 4% super cashback

4. Walmart Pharmacy (www.walmart.com)

Walmart Pharmacy is an American pharmacy chain with locations spread across the country. You can use the online services to have a prescription filled or to transfer a prescription from another pharmacy. For refill prescriptions, you can either have your healthcare provider call in or directly drop same at Walmart pharmacy. Simply login to your account to obtain refills online. You can select up to 10 to be refilled at one time. Once signed in, you can click the refill now option to review current prescriptions and to order one using Visa, MasterCard or American Express. Besides web, you can also download the Walmart app for iOS and Android to refill your prescriptions.

When your prescription is ready for pickup, Walmart sends an email notification or text message. Low-cost prescriptions are available in packages starting with $4 giving a 30 day supply and $10 giving a 90 day supply. You can get supplies for allergies, antibiotic treatments, arthritis, asthma, diabetes, viruses and nutritional health. Additionally, Walmart also has speciality medications for rare and complex conditions like cancer, HIV, infertility, psoriasis and hepatitis. Other services you can find at Walmart Pharmacy include health packages and insurance plans. There are also Vision Centers for quality prescription glasses or contact lenses.

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Source:walmart.com

Services Offered

1. Refill Your RX

2. COVID-19 Testing

3. Schedule Flu Shots

4. Schedule COVID-19 vaccine

5. Vision center

Locations

Enter a location to find a nearby Walmart store. Enter ZIP code or city, state.

Shipping

Get convenient prescription delivery to your home or office, with free standard shipping on all orders with their mail order pharmacy service. Call 1-800 2REFILL to get started.

Customers Services

Contact Walmart Pharmacy: Find below customer service details of Walmart Pharmacy, including phone and email. Besides contact details, the page also offers a brief overview of the company.

Head Office

Walmart, Inc

702 S.W. 8th St.,

Bentonville, AK 72716

Customer Service

  • Phone: 1-800-WALMART

  • Phone: 1-800-925-6278

  • Email: specialty@walmart.com (speciality meds)

Promotions

1. Free standard shipping on all orders with mail order pharmacy service;

2. Shopping on Walmart Pharmacy through Extrabux, then you can get up to 4% super cashback

Which Drugstore is the Best?

Each of these four pharmacies has its own advantages and disadvantages, and the price may not necessarily be the lowest, depending on the product. So if you need any product, you can compare it on the four websites and buy it at which one is the most cost-effective one.

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2021-11-19 01:113208