Chevron icon

2022-05-28 10:47:40 By : Mr. Leon yin

When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.

Picking out the right type of contacts for your vision and personal preference is a bit more involved than choosing a pair of frames that look good. But once you get an up-to-date prescription and go through a contact lens fitting with your eye doctor, ordering them online is usually cheaper and more convenient than placing an order with your eye doctor.

To help you shop, we researched, tested, and rounded up the best places to buy contacts online, from the major retailers that offer every mainstream brand, to smaller startups making their own contact types. Whether you're buying a yearly supply or smaller quantities to alternate between glasses, these are the most dependable places to order from.

Shop for contact lenses at 1-800 Contacts

Originally launched in 1995 via phone (hence the phone number as the brand's name), 1-800 Contacts is one of the oldest and most well-known places to buy contacts.

The brand has since expanded to an online platform and hosts more than 250 brands of contact lenses. 

In addition to the wide range of brands available, 1-800 Contacts' biggest perk is its price-match guarantee. If you find the same brand of contacts cheaper elsewhere, you can contact them for a price adjustment, making them our top pick for where to buy contacts online.  

Right now, you can save 30% on your first order of contacts.

Insurance: 1-800 Contacts accepts HSA, FSA, or vision insurance through 1-800 Contacts, as long as your plan covers the cost of contacts.

Read our full 1-800 Contacts review here.

Shop for contact lenses at GlassesUSA

GlassesUSA.com is one of our favorite places to shop for prescription eyewear because of its variety of name brands and affordable prices. We love them for contacts for the same reasons, too. You'll find all of the top brands with options for daily, monthly, yearly, and even colored contacts.

GlassesUSA.com also makes it easy to reorder your favorite contacts at whatever frequency is best for you, and with a price match guarantee, free shipping, and free returns, there are no downsides to ordering here.

Right now, you can get 25% off your first order with the promo code "CONTACTS25" or a 10-pack trial of GlassesUSA.com's Vista Plus contacts for only $1.

Insurance: GlassesUSA.com accepts insurance from these major providers. You can also use FSA and HSA dollars to buy prescription eyeglasses, prescription sunglasses, and contact lenses.

Shop for contacts at Warby Paker

Warby Parker is known for its affordable glasses that are available online and in-store at its many brick-and-mortar locations. You'll find the same shopping experience for its contacts, too.

Warby Parker carries its own brand of contacts called Scout, along with a host of other name-brand options.

Scout contacts are a great choice for people who wear daily contacts and are looking for a more cost-effective alternative to name brands. The lenses are designed to be comfortable and breathable with long-lasting hydration.

Right now, you can 15% off your first order of contacts, plus free shipping with no promo code needed. You can also order a $5 trial and get a $5 credit towards your next purchase.

Insurance: Warby Parker accepts FSA and HSA dollars for contact lenses.

Shop for contact lenses at Hubble

With very few alternatives to expensive name-brand contacts, Hubble is one of the most popular affordable contact lens startups. Unless you're tied to using a very specific brand, Hubble's daily contacts are a great way to save money.

Hubble is also a solid choice if you're a fan of automation since it offers a subscription option. You can get started with a 15-pair trial of Hubble contacts for $1, and after that, the $39 monthly subscription continues to keep prices affordable. If you use a name brand, you can still order them through Hubble, but the main advantage of using Hubble is just how cheap its own generic contacts are.

You can easily cancel or modify your subscription if you don't need more. This is a great feature for people who alternate between glasses and contacts and for whom a typical 30-day supply lasts longer than a month.

Right now, you can save up to 60% on other name-brand contacts for your first order. 

Insurance: If your FSA or HSA card is affiliated with a major credit card, you can use it to purchase contacts. Hubble doesn't deal with insurance companies directly, but you can use the receipt to apply for reimbursement with providers.

Shop for contact lenses at Walgreens

You might not think of a chain pharmacy like Walgreens for contacts since they're not available in-store, but there are plenty of options online. 

You'll find top brands and everything from daily and monthly disposable contacts to color contacts and multifocal contacts. One of the biggest benefits of shopping at Walgreens over other retailers is the consistent promo codes. While many places offer price match guarantees, the convenience of getting low prices without have to contact customer service for a price adjustment is important to consider.

New customers can save 30% on their first order. Even after your first order, Walgreens' many promotions make it a good place to consider ordering from. Right now, you can save 20% on all contacts orders with the promo code "DEAL20" at checkout.

After you've placed an order, Walgreens will save your previous purchases to make reordering them easy. Walgreens is also the perfect place to shop for care items like contact solution and lens cases, so you can conveniently get essentials whenever you need them.

Insurance: Walgreens accepts HSA and FSA on contacts orders.

Shop for contact lenses at Lensabl

Lensabl is best known for its replacement eyeglass lenses. The service comes in handy if you're looking for a cost-effective way to upgrade your prescription without having to repeatedly buy your favorite frames again or if you're adding a prescription to a pair of frames that were originally non-prescription. Lensabl also sells traditional prescription glasses (frames with lenses) and contact lenses, making it the one-stop shop for all of your eyewear needs.

If you're someone who alternates between glasses and contacts, the Lensabl might be the place to shop for you. The site stocks all of the top brands for contact lenses and has options including spherical contacts, toric lenses for astigmatism, and multifocal lenses for presbyopia.

Lensabl does not price-match contacts, but the brand offers an eyewear and contacts plan called Lensabl+ that's a simple and affordable way to make sure all of your vision needs are met without having insurance. Plans start as low as $7.99 per month and include a one-year supply of contacts, one frame including prescription lenses or one prescription lens replacement, credit for an eye exam/contacts fitting or an online vision test for prescription renewal, and up 25% off additional Lensabl purchases. Note that $7.99 per month is not the standard for plans including contacts.

Insurance: Lensabl accepts Linneo insurance payments online. You can also submit for reimbursement with these insurance providers.

Shop for contact lenses at Contacts Direct

Contacts Direct is one of the biggest contacts suppliers in the US, and its massive selection of available brands ensures you'll find the contacts you need.

When shopping online, you can choose to buy individual boxes, 3-month, 6-month, or 12-month supplies depending. Customizable ordering options paired with a price match guarantee, plus This gives you the flexibility to order quantities that make sense for you. 

Right now you can save 20% on all orders and get free shipping by using the promo code "CONTACTS20" at checkout.

Insurance: Contacts Direct accepts FSA, HSA, and a variety of in-network insurance providers. If your insurance is out of network, you can contact Contacts Direct to discuss how you can use your benefits.

Sign up for Insider Reviews' weekly newsletter for more buying advice and great deals. You can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here. Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@insider.com.