Vardenafil vs Sildenafil (Levitra vs Viagra): Labels and Cost
Vardenafil vs sildenafil (Levitra vs Viagra), plus vardenafil vs tadalafil: what the FDA labels say, which online programs sell vardenafil, and dated prices.
By Julian Caraulani · Last updated
ComparisonReviewed by Dr. A. Goher, MBBS
- FDA-approved and compounded
- LegitScript seal ID shown
- 49 states (not AR)
Below: what each label says, how vardenafil compares with tadalafil too, and where vardenafil is priced, with read dates. We give no doses. Your prescriber picks the drug and the strength.
Levitra vs Viagra: what is the same
Both drugs block the PDE5 enzyme. That lets more blood flow into the penis when you are aroused. Neither causes an erection on its own. Our list of ED drug brand and generic names matches each brand to its generic.
The vardenafil patient guide says the tablets "help increase blood flow to the penis and may help men with ED get and keep an erection satisfactory for sexual activity" (vardenafil label, read 14 November 2026). The Viagra label says it "helps a man with erectile dysfunction get and keep an erection only when he is sexually excited" (DailyMed: Viagra label).
Both share the same top warning. The vardenafil guide says "Do not take vardenafil hydrochloride tablets if you" take nitrates (vardenafil label). Nitrates are heart drugs such as nitroglycerin. With any ED pill, they can cause a big drop in blood pressure.
Levitra vs Viagra: what is different
| Vardenafil (Levitra) | Sildenafil (Viagra) | |
|---|---|---|
| FDA-approved for ED | Yes | Yes |
| Label timing | About 60 minutes before sex | About 1 hour before sex |
| Food | May be taken with or without food | A high fat meal slows it |
| Dissolving form | Yes, an approved tablet that melts in the mouth | No approved dissolving form for ED |
| Extra heart warning | Avoid with some heart rhythm drugs | Not on the label in the same way |
| Programs that sell it plain | Few | Most |
Sources: the vardenafil label and the Viagra label on DailyMed, read 14 November 2026.
Food is the clearest difference. The vardenafil label says the tablets "may be taken with or without food" (vardenafil label). The Viagra label says "When VIAGRA is taken with a high fat meal, the rate of absorption is reduced" (Viagra label). In plain words, a heavy meal can slow sildenafil down.
The heart rhythm point matters for some men. The vardenafil label tells men born with a long QT heart rhythm, or taking certain rhythm drugs, to avoid it. If you take any heart medicine, raise this with the prescriber.
- FDA-approved and compounded
- LegitScript seal ID shown
- 49 states (not AR)
Vardenafil vs tadalafil
Tadalafil (generic Cialis) lasts much longer than either one. The Cialis label says it "was shown to improve erectile function compared to placebo up to 36 hours following dosing" (DailyMed: Cialis label). A placebo is a dummy pill. Tadalafil is also approved for daily use, which vardenafil is not. Vardenafil is closer to sildenafil: a plan-ahead pill. Our sildenafil vs tadalafil guide compares those two in detail.
Where vardenafil is sold, and the price
Plain generic sildenafil is on almost every program's menu. Vardenafil is not. Of the programs we track, these list a product with vardenafil in it:
| Seller | Product | Price | What it is | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RxSpan MD | Vardenafil | $149 a month | Pack size and whether it is compounded not stated | 3 Nov 2026 |
| BlueChew | VAR dissolving tablet | $4.34 a tablet | Compounded, not FDA-approved | 7 Nov 2026 |
| Strut Health | SuperStrut (vardenafil with other drugs) | $7.90 a tablet | Compounded, not FDA-approved | 6 Nov 2026 |
| RedBox Rx (not scored) | Generic vardenafil: "Vardenafil starting at $3 per tablet." (RedBox Rx) | Per tablet, as published | FDA-approved generic, per its page | 14 Nov 2026 |
Compounded means a pharmacy mixes the product to order. It is not FDA-approved. Our guide to compounded ED medication explains what that means.
With your own prescription, Cost Plus Drugs also sells generic vardenafil. Unlike sildenafil, it is not pennies a tablet there. Our vardenafil cost guide has every price we track.
| Item at Cost Plus Drugs | Drug price, 30 tablets | Read | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Generic vardenafil 10 mg | $49.28, plus a $5 pharmacy fee and shipping | 14 Nov 2026 | Cost Plus Drugs price list |
| Generic vardenafil 20 mg | $43.70, plus a $5 pharmacy fee and shipping | 14 Nov 2026 | Cost Plus Drugs price list |
| Generic sildenafil 100 mg | $6.69 with the pharmacy fee, before shipping | 31 Oct 2026 | Cost Plus Drugs |
The vardenafil rows come from Cost Plus Drugs' own public price list. The 30-tablet figure is its listed price per tablet times 30.
Which one makes sense for you?
For most buyers, cost decides it. Generic sildenafil is cheap at nearly every program and at cash pharmacies. Vardenafil costs more and fewer programs carry it.
Some men still ask for vardenafil. Reasons include a heavy meal near the time, or side effects on another pill. That is a fair question for a prescriber. Others want a tablet that melts in the mouth, and vardenafil is the one with an approved form like that. Most online programs let you ask for a change at a follow-up visit.
The cheapest FDA-approved option we track today is Strut Health, at $1.60 per dose of generic sildenafil. Every plan is on our sildenafil price page.
How we rank programs
Payment never moves a rank. Ro is our top-scored ED program today, on price, openness, care, access and reputation. See every score on our best ED programs page.
Questions
FAQ
vardenafil vs sildenafil
Both are FDA-approved ED pills taken about an hour before sex, and both block the same enzyme. Vardenafil may be taken with or without food, while a heavy meal can slow sildenafil. Sildenafil is far cheaper and easier to find: from $1.60 a dose online, while few programs list plain vardenafil.
Levitra vs Viagra: which is better?
Neither label claims to beat the other, because each was tested against a dummy pill, not head to head. They work the same way and last a similar time. The practical gaps are food, a heart rhythm warning on vardenafil, and cost. A prescriber can help you pick based on your health.
Vardenafil vs tadalafil: what is the difference?
Tadalafil lasts much longer. Its label shows an effect up to 36 hours after a dose, and it is approved for daily use. Vardenafil is a plan-ahead pill, closer to sildenafil. Generic tadalafil is also widely sold online, from $1.80 a dose at Rex MD.
Is vardenafil more expensive than sildenafil?
Yes, at the sellers we can read. Cost Plus Drugs prices generic vardenafil at well over a dollar a tablet before fees, while its generic sildenafil costs a few cents a tablet. Online, RxSpan MD lists vardenafil at $149 a month, and generic sildenafil plans start at $16.
Is BlueChew VAR the same as generic Levitra?
No. BlueChew's VAR is a compounded tablet that dissolves under the tongue, mixed by a pharmacy. It is not FDA-approved. Generic vardenafil tablets are FDA-approved copies of Levitra. BlueChew lists VAR from $4.34 a tablet on its own page, read 7 November 2026.
Can I take vardenafil with food?
The label says vardenafil tablets may be taken with or without food. The Viagra label, by contrast, says a high fat meal slows how fast sildenafil is absorbed. Ask your prescriber how this fits your routine, along with any heart medicines you take. To compare every ED program's all-in price, open our ED price page or our best ED programs.
Check this page with an AI assistant:ChatGPTPerplexityClaude
Not affiliated with OpenAI, Perplexity or Anthropic.