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Even with vision benefits, contact lenses can cost you a pretty penny. If you’re looking for affordable contact lenses, you likely know that your eye doctor or local optical shop is probably the most expensive way to buy them. Instead, you’ll want to buy contact lenses online to get the best deals.
There are many online stores that offer every contact lens brand you can think of, often at discounted prices or with rebates. We’ve rounded up some of the best places to buy contacts online below. Our best overall pick for best online contacts retailer is Warby Parker. However, by shopping around you can get the most savings and find a store that lets you use your insurance
to help offset the cost.
So, ready to ditch the frames and dive in? Here is where you can find contacts at an affordable price.
Read more: Best Online Glasses and Contacts Deals: Savings You’ll Have to See to Believe
Best places to buy contact lenses online
Shipping Info Free, takes 5-7 business days (most brands)Return Policy 30-day hassle-free returns or exchanges on unopened productsInsurance Accepted YesNumber of Contacts Brands Around 8
Warby Parker doesn’t just sell affordable and stylish eyeglasses — the company sells contact lenses too. You can pick from Scout, Warby Parker’s own contact lens brand, or get contacts from Acuvue, Biotrue, Air Optix, Dailies and other major brands.
A three-month supply of Scout daily contacts (a total of 90 lenses) starts at $47, which is a good deal for daily contact lenses. Depending on where you shop and the brand you use, prices online can vary from $60 to $200. You can get a six-day trial pack of Scout contact lenses to see if you like them before committing to a full supply.
Depending on your vision insurance, you may be able to use your benefits to pay for your Warby Parker contacts purchase. If your insurance company doesn’t directly work with Warby Parker, you can instead file a claim with your insurance to be reimbursed for any qualified orders.
Pros:
- Competitive pricing
- Wide variety of brands
- Accepts most vision insurance providers
Cons:
Shipping Info Free, takes 5-7 business daysReturn Policy Free returns and exchanges on unopened products (or if prescription changes)Insurance Accepted YesNumber of Contacts Brands 11
As one of the best-known contacts stores, 1800Contacts stocks all of the most popular brands, and you can even get hard contacts through its call center. One CNET editor praised the company for providing customer service that went above and beyond.
1800Contacts price-matches any competitor, so if you find a better price, you can let the company know and it will do its best to match it (with some restrictions).
Like Lens.com, you can text or email your contact lens prescription, which speeds up the ordering process. 1800Contacts also offers discount contact lenses for students and free shipping on all orders, and allows you to update your prescription through an online test (only available for adults between 18 and 55 years old). You can also buy colored contact lenses from 1800Contacts. If you need to exchange your unopened lenses for any reason, 1800Contacts will cover the shipping cost.
Pros:
- Accepts vision insurance with a valid prescription
- Ships internationally
Cons:
Shipping Info Free, takes 8 business daysReturn Policy 30-day free returns or exchangesInsurance Accepted YesNumber of Contacts Brands 20
Eyeconic has a wide array of contact lens brands to choose from, including Acuvue, Air Optix, Biotrue by Bausch and Lomb and Extreme H2O. Like others on this list, it offers free shipping and free returns.
Pros:
- Accepts VSP, MetLife and Cigna Vision vision insurance
- Consumers report having an easy checkout process
- Wide range of selections available
Cons:
Yes. 1-800 Contacts is a real online retailer. They are accredited by the Better Business Bureau and all lenses are FDA approved.
Are contacts safe to buy online?
No. It is illegal to sell contact lenses to anyone without a valid prescription.
Do you need a prescription to buy contacts online?
With so many stores to choose from, how do you pick where to buy your contacts online? Here are some things to consider:
- Price: Do some comparison shopping to figure out which store has the best price for your specific lenses. Prices can change often due to sales, promotions and manufacturer rebates, so the store that had the best deal last year might not have the lowest price now.
- Return policy: Many of the stores above allow you to return unopened boxes of contacts if your prescription changes. Check the terms of the store you’re thinking of buying from to understand your options.
- Insurance coverage: Some online contact lens stores allow you to pay through your vision insurance, some do not. If that’s important to you, look for shops that accept your benefits.
Is it expensive to buy contacts online?
