Yes, Equate Allergy Relief contains the same active ingredient as Benadryl: diphenhydramine HCl at 25 mg per tablet. The two products work the same way in your body and are considered pharmaceutical equivalents. The main differences come down to price, manufacturer, and minor inactive ingredients like fillers and dyes.
Same Active Ingredient, Same Dose
Both Equate Allergy Relief and Benadryl Ultratabs deliver exactly 25 mg of diphenhydramine HCl per tablet. Diphenhydramine is a first-generation antihistamine that blocks the chemical your body releases during an allergic reaction, reducing sneezing, itching, runny nose, and watery eyes. Because the active ingredient and dose are identical, the therapeutic effect is the same.
For a generic product to be sold as equivalent to a brand name, the FDA requires it to meet strict bioequivalence standards. The generic must release its active ingredient into the bloodstream at a rate and amount within 80% to 125% of the brand-name version. In practical terms, this means your body absorbs Equate’s diphenhydramine almost identically to Benadryl’s.
How the Inactive Ingredients Differ
The active ingredient does the medical work, but the inactive ingredients (fillers, binders, coatings, and dyes) hold the tablet together and affect its appearance. Equate Allergy Relief tablets contain corn starch, microcrystalline cellulose, magnesium stearate, polyethylene glycol, polyvinyl alcohol, silicon dioxide, stearic acid, talc, titanium dioxide, and a pink dye called D&C Red No. 27 aluminum lake. Benadryl Ultratabs use a partially overlapping but not identical set of fillers and coatings.
For most people, these differences are irrelevant. But if you have a known sensitivity to a specific dye or filler, compare the inactive ingredient lists on each box before buying. Dye sensitivities in particular are uncommon but real, and the specific colorants vary between brands.
Who Makes Equate Allergy Relief
Equate is Walmart’s store brand, but Walmart doesn’t manufacture the product itself. Equate Allergy Relief tablets are manufactured by Cipla Limited, a large pharmaceutical company based in India that produces generic medications sold worldwide. Benadryl is made by Johnson & Johnson’s consumer health division (now Kenvue). Both companies must meet the same FDA manufacturing and quality standards for over-the-counter drugs sold in the United States.
Children’s Versions
Both brands offer a liquid formulation for children. The Walmart (Equate) children’s version contains 12.5 mg of diphenhydramine HCl per 5 mL, which is the same concentration found in Children’s Benadryl liquid. Equate’s version comes in a cherry flavor. The dosing instructions follow the same weight and age guidelines because the drug and its concentration are identical. As with the adult tablets, the differences are limited to flavoring, coloring, and other inactive ingredients.
Side Effects Apply to Both
Because you’re taking the same drug at the same dose, the side effects are identical regardless of which box you pick up. Drowsiness is the most common and most noticeable. Diphenhydramine also commonly causes dry mouth, dry nose, dizziness, and muscle weakness. Some children experience the opposite reaction and become excited or restless rather than sleepy.
More serious effects are less common but worth knowing about: difficulty urinating (especially in men with an enlarged prostate), vision problems, and worsened symptoms in people with glaucoma or chronic lung conditions like emphysema. Alcohol intensifies the drowsiness significantly, so avoid combining the two. And diphenhydramine is generally not recommended for adults 65 and older because it carries a higher risk of side effects in that age group, including confusion and fall risk, compared to newer antihistamines.
The Real Difference: Price
The practical reason most people search this question is to find out whether it’s worth paying more for the Benadryl name. Store-brand diphenhydramine like Equate typically costs 30% to 60% less than Benadryl for the same number of tablets. You can often buy larger quantities of the Equate version for less than a smaller Benadryl package. Since the FDA holds both to the same active ingredient, dosage, and bioequivalence standards, the lower price reflects savings on branding and marketing rather than any difference in what’s inside the tablet.
If you’re choosing between the two for occasional allergy relief or as a sleep aid, the Equate version delivers the same drug to your body at a lower cost. The only reasons to prefer one over the other are a sensitivity to a specific inactive ingredient or a personal preference for a particular tablet size or coating.