Farxiga can cost over $500 a month at full retail price, so looking for a cheaper option makes sense. The good news is that several paths can significantly cut your costs, from same-class medications to older diabetes drugs, savings programs, and upcoming Medicare price changes. Which route works best depends on why you’re taking Farxiga and what kind of insurance you have.
Same-Class Alternatives: Other SGLT2 Inhibitors
Farxiga belongs to a class of medications called SGLT2 inhibitors, which work by helping your kidneys flush excess sugar out through urine. Two other brand-name drugs in this class do the same thing: Jardiance (empagliflozin) and Steglatro (ertugliflozin). All three lower blood sugar through the same mechanism, and clinical data shows comparable results across the class.
Steglatro has historically been the least expensive of the three. When it launched, its wholesale cost was about $268 for a 30-day supply, more than 40% cheaper than Farxiga’s wholesale price of roughly $465 at that time. However, your actual out-of-pocket cost depends heavily on your insurance plan’s formulary. Some plans place Jardiance on a preferred tier while putting Farxiga on a higher one, or vice versa. Calling your insurer and asking which SGLT2 inhibitor sits on the lowest tier is one of the fastest ways to save money without switching drug classes.
One important caveat: these drugs aren’t identical in every approved use. Farxiga has specific approvals for heart failure and chronic kidney disease that the others may not share, so switching within the class should always involve a conversation with your prescriber about why you’re on Farxiga in the first place.
Metformin: The Budget Option for Blood Sugar
If you’re taking Farxiga primarily to lower blood sugar in type 2 diabetes, metformin is the most obvious cost-saving alternative. It’s been generic for decades, and a month’s supply typically costs under $10 at most pharmacies.
Head-to-head trials show that Farxiga 10 mg and metformin produce very similar reductions in HbA1c (a measure of long-term blood sugar control). In one study, Farxiga 10 mg lowered HbA1c by about 1.45%, while metformin brought it down 1.35% to 1.44%. The difference is minimal. Where Farxiga pulls ahead is weight loss: patients on Farxiga lost roughly 7 pounds on average, compared to about 3 pounds with metformin. Farxiga also produced larger drops in fasting blood sugar.
Metformin won’t give you the heart and kidney benefits that make Farxiga valuable for people with heart failure or chronic kidney disease. But if your doctor prescribed Farxiga purely for glucose control and cost is a barrier, metformin is a well-studied, effective, and dramatically cheaper starting point.
The Manufacturer Savings Card
If you have commercial insurance (not Medicare, Medicaid, or other government plans), AstraZeneca’s savings card can bring your Farxiga copay down to as low as $0 per month, with a maximum savings of $175 per 30-day fill. For many commercially insured patients, this eliminates most or all of the out-of-pocket cost.
You can enroll through the Farxiga website or ask your doctor’s office to help you sign up. The card works at participating pharmacies and applies automatically at the register. If your copay is already under $175, you’ll likely pay nothing. If it’s higher, the card shaves $175 off whatever you owe.
Pharmacy Coupons and Discount Programs
For uninsured patients or those whose insurance doesn’t cover Farxiga, pharmacy discount tools can cut the price roughly in half. GoodRx coupons bring the cost of a 30-day supply of Farxiga 10 mg down to around $288 at major chains like Walgreens, Walmart, and CVS, compared to a retail price that averages close to $590. That’s still expensive, but it’s a meaningful reduction if you’re paying cash.
AstraZeneca also runs the Access 360 program, which helps patients navigate insurance barriers like prior authorizations and appeals. For patients who meet certain financial criteria, the program may provide the medication at no cost. Your doctor’s office can submit an enrollment form on your behalf.
Medicare Patients: A Price Drop Is Coming
Farxiga was one of the first 10 drugs selected for price negotiation under the Inflation Reduction Act’s Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. The negotiated price takes effect on January 1, 2026. While the exact per-unit price varies by dosage and packaging, Medicare Part D enrollees should see a significant reduction in what they pay starting in 2026. If you’re on Medicare and struggling with Farxiga costs right now, it’s worth asking your pharmacist or plan about any interim assistance while waiting for the new pricing to kick in.
International Pharmacy Pricing
The price gap between U.S. and international pharmacies is striking. Farxiga 10 mg averages about $11.76 per tablet at U.S. retail pharmacies. Through verified international pharmacy services, the same tablet can cost as little as $0.71, a 93% savings. For a 90-day supply, that’s the difference between roughly $1,000 and about $70.
Purchasing medications from international pharmacies carries legal and safety considerations. The FDA generally does not approve personal importation, though enforcement against individuals buying a 90-day personal supply from licensed pharmacies in countries like Canada has historically been minimal. Services like PharmacyChecker verify that international pharmacies meet safety standards, but this route requires you to weigh the savings against the regulatory gray area.
How to Decide What’s Right for You
Your best substitute depends on why you’re taking Farxiga. If it’s for type 2 diabetes alone, metformin offers nearly identical blood sugar control for a fraction of the price. If you need the heart or kidney benefits that SGLT2 inhibitors uniquely provide, switching to whichever SGLT2 inhibitor your insurance covers most generously is the simplest move. And if you want to stay on Farxiga specifically, layering a manufacturer savings card with insurance coverage, or using a discount coupon if you’re uninsured, can make the cost far more manageable.
In Canada, generic versions of dapagliflozin (the active ingredient in Farxiga) have already entered the market, which has driven prices down in that country. A U.S. generic would dramatically change the cost picture, but for now, the strategies above represent the most practical ways to reduce what you’re paying.