The 9 Best Places To Buy Contacts Online In 2024

Shipping: Free standard shipping, plus expedited and one-day options | Return policy: Free exchanges and returns with no time limit | Insurance accepted: Yes, accepts FSA and HSA | At-home prescription renewal: Yes

Best for:

• Those who prioritize convenience
• Getting your contacts fast
• Switching up your prescription frequently

Skip if:

• You don’t have time to shop around for competitive pricing

One of the most well-known of the bunch, 1-800 Contacts makes ordering lenses online convenient and painless. I’m a longtime 1-800 Contacts user because it’s easy to submit a prescription, and the website saves my info, so I can easily reorder when I need new lenses. You can digitally email or text your prescription, or you can arrange for someone to contact your doctor directly. If you have an expired prescription, for a $20 fee—and in just 10 minutes—you can take the virtual ExpressExam to update your prescription without having to go to the optometrist. (Note: This is only eligible for prescription renewals, not changes.) The company price matches, offers free shipping, has free returns and also takes vision insurance. You can even return opened boxes of contacts or return ones that are a decade old or older, which is basically unheard of. If you subscribe, you save 5% on orders, and you don’t have to worry about running out.

Senior updates editor Karen Tietjen has been a loyal 1-800 Contacts customer for years, namely because of its Best Price Guarantee: If you find the same product from a legitimate retailer at a lower price, 1-800 Contacts will beat that price by a dollar. “The site has a live chat feature that I always use when I want to request a price match,” she says. “I’ve also used the ExpressExam feature to renew my prescription, and yes, it was as straightforward as advertised.” (Check out Tietjen’s in-depth 1-800 Contacts review here.)

Shipping: Free standard shipping, plus expedited and express options, no overnight shipping | Return policy: Within 60 days if in original packaging | Insurance accepted: Yes, from several major providers, accepts FSA and HSA | At-home prescription renewal: No

Best for:

• Getting discounts as a new customer
• Contacts wearers who also need glasses

Skip if:

• You need overnight shipping

There’s nothing quite like that panicked feeling realizing you’re down to just a couple contact lenses and haven’t remembered to order new boxes. It always seems to happen just before a big trip or work presentation. But you’ll be back in business quickly with GlassesUSA’s wide variety of name brands and price match guarantee. And of course, if you need frames too, this site is a great option; we named it the best overall retailer on our list of the best places to buy prescription glasses online.

Shipping: Free standard shipping and store pickup, plus priority and express options | Return policy: Unopened boxes accepted for up to six months with shipping fee | Insurance accepted: Yes, accepts HSA and FSA | At-home prescription renewal: No

Best for:

• Discounted rates for military members, first responders, nurses and teachers
• Those who want to use their insurance

Skip if:

• You’re looking for the lowest prices possible
• You want to renew your prescription with an at-home exam

If you’re someone with less-than-perfect vision, you’ll appreciate that ContactsDirect is about as consumer friendly as a retailer can be. It offers discounts and conveniently highlights its rebates process. Reviewers love that the site often sends out coupon codes, price matches and gives 15% off to military members, first responders, nurses and teachers. ContactsDirect also accepts most insurance, and the site makes it easy to understand your options for in- and out-of-network benefits.

If your order isn’t a simple nearsighted or farsighted prescription, ContactsDirect offers a wide variety of specialized lenses, including colored contacts, multifocal and bifocal contacts, monovision and toric lenses.

Shipping: Free shipping on orders over $99 ($7 shipping if order is below $99), plus expedited and overnight options | Return policy: Free returns for up to 365 days from ship date | Insurance accepted: Out of network for some providers, accepts HSA and FSA | At-home prescription renewal: Yes

Best for:

• Those who prefer a long return window
• Renewing prescriptions from home
• Coupon-savvy customers

Skip if:

• Your insurance is out of network and you don’t want to fill out a reimbursement form

A major plus for this company is its willingness to accept returns for a whole year, which is convenient if you’re one of those people who takes ages to get your act together and return things. It’s also helpful if your prescription changes mid-year and you’ve got boxes of expensive, unopened contacts you can’t use filling your bathroom shelves.

Discounts, promos and coupon codes are another hallmark of this site. New customers receive 15% off with a promo code, and Discount Contacts will price match up to seven days after the purchase date. It also offers a totally free online vision test to renew your prescription from home (with some exceptions), which is a big plus.

Shipping: $10 to $13 for USPS first class mail | Return policy: 30-day return policy on original, unopened boxes | Insurance accepted: Doesn’t accept insurance (Contact Lens King recommends submitting an invoice to your insurance company) | At-home prescription renewal: No

Best for:

• Buying contacts in bulk for larger savings
• Finding premium brands at low prices

Skip if:

• You want free shipping

With a 4.6-star rating on Trustpilot, this company features a wide variety of premium brands, including Acuvue, Biomedics, Biofinity and Dailies all at affordable prices. Options include daily, weekly and monthly disposables along with colored and astigmatism lenses.

Through its referral program, Contact Lens King offers existing customers a $10 credit towards their next purchase. More importantly, the site encourages you to make bulk purchases to really maximize savings. It looks like every product listing suggests buying more boxes to get a greater discount. The only caveat: Shipping costs at least $10, which will set you back, especially if you aren’t purchasing lenses in bulk.

Shipping: Free standard shipping | Return policy: Free 30-day returns if in original, unopened box | Insurance accepted: Yes, but insurance orders are not available for discounts or promotions, accepts HSA and FSA | At-home prescription renewal: Yes

Best for:

• Those who want colored contacts
• New customers who want to take advantage of the discount

Skip if:

• Active customer service is a priority

Warby Parker has specialized contact lenses that intensify your eye color with or without vision correction. The retailer offers a wider variety of colored contact lens options than many other sites, from brands such as FreshLook, Air Optix, Dailies, Acuvue, and ToriColors for people with astigmatism.

Warby Parker has competitive pricing with no hidden fees, and as a new customer you can save 20% off your first order. To note: Even if you just want to alter the color of your eyes and don’t need vision correction, you still need a prescription for colored contact lenses. You can renew your prescription online with its at-home eye exam, which costs $15.

Shipping: Free standard shipping, $20 overnight shipping | Return policy: Returns accepted within 30 days if order was incorrect or damaged, with some exceptions | Insurance accepted: Accepts HSA and FSA | At-home prescription renewal: No

Best for:

• Fast home delivery and overnight shipping
• New customers who want to take advantage of the discount
• A quick and easy shopping experience

Skip if:

• You value a long, flexible return window

Walgreens offers easy ordering, fast home delivery and plenty of options for savings. As a new customer, you can save 30% off your first order, and you’ll often find promotional codes and coupons for 20% off or more. Another tip: Check out the rebates center for additional d