Best Place To Buy Contacts Online
Price match guarantee means you'll always get the lowest prices on the market
Yes
Yes
A+
Exchange or return your purchase for store credit up to 365 days from delivery
For orders $99 and above and subscriptions
Yes
N/A
Ships most orders in just three to four days for free
Yes
Yes
A+
Offers a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee on all purchases
For orders $89 and above
Yes
A+
Offers lenses from 19 different brands
Yes
Yes
A+
Everybody wants to be Superman. Nobody wants to be Clark Kent. If you're ready to ditch the glasses, but the thought of going back to the neighborhood optical shop every month for the rest of your life sends shivers down your spine, we've got you covered.
Nowadays, you can order anything online — including contact lenses. Online ordering offers more advantages than just letting you buy contacts in your pajamas. You can find some serious deals on the internet, and putting in a bulk order or setting up a subscription grants you even greater convenience.
The following are our top picks for the best place to buy contacts online. We've listed their strengths, weaknesses, special features and other important information.
Our Top Picks For Best Places To Buy Contacts Online
- 1-800 Contacts: Best For Cheap Contact Lenses
- Walgreens: Best For Free Shipping
- Web Eye Care: Best Subscription Plans
- Discount Contacts: Best For Generous Return Policy
- GlassesUSA.com: Best For Wide Selection Of Popular Brands
Best Place To Buy Contacts Online Reviews
Why we chose it: 1-800 Contacts is one of the cheapest places to buy contacts. With its best price guarantee, it promises to beat any US-based competitor's quote.
1-800 Contacts is a large contact lens store dedicated to helping customers replace their contact lenses at the lowest price possible. Customers can qualify for the best price guarantee by speaking with an online service representative and revealing where they found a better deal (including shipping and hidden fees). If the representative verifies the claim, they will offer a better price for the same offer.
1-800 Contacts has an expansive inventory. You can choose from several different brands, quantities and types of lenses. Standard package shipping is free and takes about five to seven days to reach customers' doorsteps. 1-800 Contacts accepts most major vision insurance policies, flexible savings accounts (FSA) and health savings accounts (HSA).
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has given 1-800 Contacts an A+ rating based on the independent criteria that factor in elements like time in business, complaint response rate, licensing and government actions and more. However, customer reviews indicate low satisfaction levels, with 1-800 Contacts holding a 1.9/5-star rating on the BBB website from 91 reviews. Some customers praised the company for the simple online vision test and free return and exchange policy. More negative reviews, however, centered on the company's poor customer service.
Why we chose it: Walgreens has free three to four-day shipping on all purchases under 20 pounds. First-time buyers also qualify for free two-day shipping on the first purchase.
In addition to free shipping, Walgreens regularly offers discount codes you can apply to your contact lens purchases. You may even qualify for a rebate on certain purchases through the Walgreens rebate center.
Keep in mind that discounts may be subject to time, geographic location or product-related restrictions. Always check the fine print before you proceed with a purchase. Walgreens lets you pay for your contacts with an FSA or an HSA.
Walgreens has an A+ rating from the BBB, but it's essential to emphasize that it also holds a 1.2/5-star rating average from 747 customer reviews. It's closed 1,750 complaints in the past three years and 876 in the past year. Most of the reviews on the BBB website complain about poor service, especially concerning the pharmacy. It's important to note that these reviews deal with the company as a whole and don't necessarily touch on the business's online contact retail operations.
Why we chose it: Web Eye Care stands out from the competition with its flexible subscription arrangements and automatic 15 percent off first orders and 10 percent off all subsequent orders.
Web Eye Care specializes in contact lenses, eyeglasses and sunglasses. It offers an array of products and brands at affordable prices for all these three categories. Using the Web Eye Care official website, you can get up to 70 percent savings compared to going to the doctor's office. The company even has an entire coupon page that you can browse at any time and hunt for additional deals. However, you can't combine these coupon codes or other online-only promotions or sales with automatic subscription discounts.
With Web Eye Care, free shipping only kicks in when you pay a minimum order of at least $89 and doesn't cover returned products. Web Eye Care advertises a five to the 10-day turnaround time on standard shipping. You can expedite your order for an additional charge.
Web Eye Care is an out-of-network provider, meaning you must pay for your contacts upfront and then submit an invoice for reimbursement through your insurer. Alternatively, Web Eye Care may handle the paperwork for you. You can also use an FSA or HSA to cover all or part of your payment.
Web Eye Care holds an A+ rating from the BBB and a 4.4/5-star average based on 183 customer reviews. Positive reviews tend to mention competitive pricing and ease of use. Negative reviews reflect missing orders and slow deliveries and exchanges.
Why we chose it: Discount Contacts has a no questions asked 365-day return policy that applies to all lenses. You can choose between receiving store credit or a replacement at no cost.
Discount Contacts is an online shop selling eyewear, eyecare products and contacts. True to its name, Discount Contacts offers many price breaks, including 20 percent off for all new customers and subscription plans. It also provides discounts for members of the following groups:
- Students
- Military members
- Teachers
- Nurses
- Senior citizens
- First responders
- Government workers
In addition, you can take advantage of promo codes from its coupon page. Discount Contacts provides a price match guarantee that includes a 5 percent discount on any lower priced items found elsewhere. However, this deal is subject to some rules and stipulations.
You have to pay for shipping on orders below $99, but all subscription plans come with free shipping, returns and exchanges. Discount Contacts also stands out for its free online vision test. Most retailers charge a fee for this service.
The standard shipping option of Discount Contacts takes five to seven business days, but you can also opt for expedited or overnight shipping for an additional fee. Discount Coupons is an out-of-network provider for several major insurance providers, including:
- Davis Vision
- EyeMed
- Spectra/United Healthcare
- VSP
Why we chose it: GlassesUSA.com provides users with plenty of contact lenses to choose from. Its advanced filtering mechanisms make it easy to sort between brands, contact lenses, manufacturers and prescription types.
GlassesUSA.com is an online retailer of prescription eyewear you can turn to for contacts from 19 different brands. The website also offers colored lenses, bifocal, single vision and toric and astigmatism lens types. You can sort through all these by type or lens manufacturer.
GlassesUSA.com offers three shipping options:
- Standard shipping is free and takes seven to 10 business days
- Expedited shipping is available for an additional cost and takes five to seven business days
- Express shipping is available for an additional cost and takes three to five business days
GlassesUSA.com works with several vision insurance companies as an in-network provider. It also accepts FSA and HSA payments. Other benefits include its price match guarantee and a full money-back return policy when you return your contacts within 14 days. If you need help, GlassesUSA.com also offers 24/7 customer support.
GlassesUSA.com currently holds an A+ rating from the BBB. However, it only has a 1.3/5-star average from 299 customer reviews. Many of the reviews dealt with slow shipping and missed orders. Other complaints centered on poor service quality.
Other Places To Buy Contacts Online We Considered
We assessed each company on our list based on affordability, shipping speed, insurance acceptance and reputation. The following online retailers provide quality products. However, they failed to make it to the top of our list because they did not excel in one or all four areas of our criteria.
Lens.com
Established in 1995, Lens.com has long been a mainstay of the online contacts universe. While it offers a wide array of quality lenses at affordable prices, it failed to make our list due to its out-of-network insurance status and lack of BBB accreditation.
Warby Parker
Warby Parker is an online retailer that provides prescription glasses, contact lenses and sunglasses. It also comes with attractive discounts on first orders and free standard shipping. Warby Parker, however, fails to provide other extensive services that would help it stand out, such as an online vision test, price match guarantee or a long list of brands.
Contact Lens King
Contact Lens King is a reputable company with an A+ BBB rating. It provides a wide assortment of contacts at reasonable prices. The drawbacks to Contact Lens King are the lack of free shipping and price match guarantee, limited return policy and out-of-network insurance status.
Places To Buy Contacts Online Guide
We've composed this handy guide to help you select the right online contact lens retailer and the best online contacts for your needs.
How Do Online Contact Lens Retailers Work?
Online contact lens retailers let you order contact lenses over the internet. Some require uploading a prescription to purchase contacts, while others offer online eye exams. This service grew in popularity following the COVID-19 pandemic when shutdowns made in-person testing difficult or downright impossible for many people.
Many online contact lens retailers allow you to make a single purchase or place a bulk order. In addition, some lens retailers let you set up an ongoing subscription service. Optical prescriptions only last one year, meaning you must renew them consistently.
The bad news is that not all online retailers accept optical insurance. You may want to shop around first and see which companies will accept your insurance. That could significantly impact your savings. Even if your insurance doesn't cover your contact lenses, you may still be on the hook for a deductible or copay.
The Pros Of Buying Contacts Online
The primary advantages of buying contact lenses online are convenience, lower prices and a broader product offer. With the rise of online eye tests, you don't even need to leave your couch to take your annual eye exam. However, it's important to note that online eye exams cannot fully replace a comprehensive in-person examination. These time-saving procedures are best suited to individuals needing to renew an ongoing subscription or those struggling to undergo a traditional eye exam.
Let's see these pros of buying contacts online explained in more detail:
- Shopping convenience: Most online retailers make purchasing straightforward if you have a prescription. You can scroll through the website, select your desired lens, input your specific measurements and other relevant details and check out. Subscription services offer an added layer of ease to the process. Many online retailers let you set up automatic shipments every month and are highly flexible in the frequency of shipment options.
- Lower costs: Contacts tend to cost less online than in-store due to lower overhead costs. Online sellers don't have to shell out for expensive retail locations. They also save money on labor costs due to their reduced staffing needs. Many online retailers also leverage economies of scale by buying large quantities of lenses and storing them in a central warehouse.
- Broader contact selection: Online retailers generally offer a more expansive selection of lens types and brands than traditional brick-and-mortar stores. Because they have fewer space constraints, they can keep more contact lenses on hand. This is particularly convenient for those suffering from less common sight deficiencies. You may also want to shop online if you have a brand or niche preference, such as colored contact lenses.
- The Cons Of Buying Contacts Online
Disadvantages to purchasing contacts online include an inability to try a product before you buy it, potentially unreliable websites and slow shipping times. Here's how these drawbacks can affect you as a customer:
- Challenging to assess comfort: It's important to note that contacts are medical devices subject to stringent regulations at the federal level. You can't walk into a store and ask to try on different types of prescription lenses. But if you have a prescription and want to try contacts to assess your comfort, you can do so in an in-person store. Online shops don't give you this option. If you're not seeking your favorite brand but switching to a new one, you will not be able to assess the comfort of an unfamiliar product.
- Unreliable websites: While many online retailers offer a smooth ordering process, missed shipments or poor customer service happen. The trouble is when these issues become common. Before ordering a product, check out customer reviews on reputable third-party websites, such as the BBB, Trustpilot or Google Business Reviews, to avoid unreliable retailers.
- Slow shipping times: Online retailers usually take five to seven business days to ship your contact lenses. Some take even longer. You should always check the estimated shipping time before you commit to a purchase. Some retailers offer expedited shipping for an extra fee. Alternatively, you could set up a reminder in your calendar to place your next order a week before you run out of your current supply.
The 5-Step Process Of Buying Contacts Online
Follow these five steps when you make your next online contacts purchase to ensure everything goes smoothly.
1. Have A Current Contact Lens Prescription Ready
Contact lenses are a legally recognized medical device subject to rules and regulations created by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). If you want to place an online order, therefore, you must have a current prescription, which requires taking an eye exam administered by a licensed medical professional.
Newer telehealth options let you take an eye exam online using your laptop or smartphone. The results get sent to an eye doctor who will write you a prescription. Some online retailers offer this service directly through their websites, but they typically don't accept insurance.
2. Find A Reputable Retailer That Carries The Contact Brands Your Provider Recommended
Online retailers can have many problems, from delayed shipments to missing products and unresponsive customer service. Protect yourself from these issues by choosing an established brand name.
If you're unsure where to buy contacts, ask your doctor if they recommend a particular online retailer. You can also use unbiased third-party review platforms like the BBB to get a more accurate insight into which online retailers operate above board. Once you narrow your list, double-check that your desired retailer carries the right brand for your needs. Not all retailers carry all brands.
3. Choose Your Desired Supply Of Contacts
Most online retailers let you choose between a single or bulk order or a recurring subscription. Which supply type you choose will come down to the type of contacts you need and your preferences. For example, if you use disposable daily contacts, you'll probably want to opt for bulk orders, and you may want to sign up for a subscription. If you use reusable contacts, you can go with a single order.
4. Enter Your Prescription Details And Place Your Order
When you click the contacts you'd like to buy, a space for you to input your valid prescription details should appear. This should contain separate boxes for your right and left eye and information about the required power and base curve of the lenses. After you input your personal information, you can select your desired quantity and checkout.
5. Wait For Your Prescription To Be Verified Before It Ships
To stay in compliance with Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations, your online retailer must verify the legitimacy of your prescription. The prescriber has eight hours to do so. If they fail, the prescription will get automatically verified.
Place To Buy Contacts Online FAQ
How We Chose The Best Place To Buy Contacts Online
We assessed each best place to buy contact lenses on the above list based on the following criteria:
- Affordability: Contacts can get expensive, even more than glasses, so we looked into companies that offer the lowest prices or regular discounts. Our top five picks showed the most flexibility in their average product, shipping and return pricing options.
- Shipping times: We favored retailers that offered fast shipping options. Nobody likes to wait long for such essential items as contact lenses, so expedited service is critical.
- Insurance providers accepted: We factored in the number and types of insurance providers accepted by each business on our list.
- Reputation: We looked at what past customers had to say about each company's products and services on popular review platforms like the BBB. This gave us a better insight into the reliability of each company on our list.
