Last Updated: September 2026
Best Online Doctors for Birth Control in San Francisco (2026)
Quick Answer
In San Francisco, birth control is $0 with Medi-Cal, Family PACT, or a regulated health plan, and Planned Parenthood at 1522 Bush St will do the visit by phone or video and fill the pack on site; its Planned Parenthood Direct app mails pills for $20 to $30 a pack and bills both programs. Without coverage, skip the doctor: a CVS pharmacist furnishes birth control for $39, and Walgreens Virtual Care charges $33 with pickup at the 24-hour Walgreens at 498 Castro St. Hers (from $12 a month, consult included) is the cheapest mail-order pill. Momentary ($19.99 a month, California residents, iOS) is for anyone who wants one California physician handling contraception and the rest of their primary care by message, any hour.
Momentary is our own product. It ranks third because a San Franciscan who needs only a pack of pills has a $0 door and a $33 to $39 door ahead of it.
Top Picks
| Category | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Free for Most San Franciscans | Planned Parenthood SF Health Center (Bush St) or the Planned Parenthood Direct app |
| Fastest With No Appointment, Including Overnight | CVS pharmacist furnishing, or Walgreens Virtual Care with pickup at 498 Castro |
| One Physician for Birth Control and Everything Else | Momentary |
| Bay Area Service That Bills Medi-Cal and Family PACT | Pandia Health |
| Lowest All-In Price for Mailed Pills | Hers |
| Patch or Ring at Your Neighborhood Pharmacy Today | Wisp |
| SF-Founded Service That Bills Your Plan for the Medication | Nurx |
| In-Person Gyn Clinic With Virtual Consults | Tia, 1500 Mission St |
Comparison Table
| Service | Cash Price | Insurance | Methods | San Francisco Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planned Parenthood SF / PP Direct app | $0 with coverage; app pills $20-$30 a pack | Medi-Cal, Family PACT, most plans | All; IUD and implant in person | 1522 Bush St, Mon-Sat; fills on site; app ships free |
| CVS pharmacist / Walgreens Virtual Care | $39 (CVS); $33 (Walgreens online) | Medication billed; consult usually not | Pill, patch, ring | Same day; 498 Castro pharmacy open 24 hours; 18+ |
| Momentary | $19.99/mo flat | Not billed | Pill, patch, ring, refills | California residents only; iOS; physician usually within minutes; SF MRA may reimburse |
| Pandia Health | $35 or $70 consult; meds from $15/mo | Most plans, Medi-Cal, Family PACT | Pill, patch, ring | Sunnyvale HQ; free delivery; 12-month Rx |
| Hers | From $12/mo, consult included | Not accepted | Pills only | Mailed with auto-refill; lowest first-year cash cost |
| Wisp | Pills from $15/mo; ring $22; Slynd $25 | Visit not billed; HSA/FSA | Pill, patch, ring, EC | Rx at any SF pharmacy in about 3 hours |
| Nurx | $28/yr consult; meds from $15/mo | Medication billed, usually $0; no Medi-Cal | Pill, patch, ring, EC | Founded in San Francisco; quarterly shipping |
| Tia | Essential $0; Signature $25/mo; visits billed | Most commercial plans; no Medi-Cal | All, including IUD and implant | 1500 Mission St, SoMa; procedures in person |
Prices verified September 2026. Consult and medication are billed separately everywhere except Hers and Wisp.
Why People Search for Birth Control Online in San Francisco
The trigger is usually a last pack and a gynecologist booked out for weeks, in a city where a cash office visit commonly costs $200 to $400.
The free doors have hours. Planned Parenthood's Bush St center takes Medi-Cal, Family PACT, and most insurance, sees patients by phone or video, and fills prescriptions on site, but it is closed Sundays and opens at 11:30 on Mondays.
The pharmacy counter is faster, and one never closes. California pharmacists have furnished hormonal contraception without a prescription since 2016 (SB 493), under a standard-of-care model since January 1, 2026 (AB 1503). The Walgreens at 498 Castro St runs its pharmacy 24 hours apart from a 1:30 to 2:00 am break; Rite Aid left California in October 2025.
State law favors a full year. Regulated plans and Medi-Cal managed care must cover up to 12 months of self-administered hormonal contraception at once (SB 999, since 2017), and since 2024 (SB 523) over-the-counter Opill and levonorgestrel with no prescription.
How We Ranked This List
Each route was scored on first-year cost for an uninsured San Franciscan, whether it bills insurance, Medi-Cal, or Family PACT, speed, methods offered, and whether a physical location in the city stands behind the app. Planned Parenthood is first because it is $0 for most residents with a building on Bush St; the pharmacy counter is second because it needs no appointment and, in the Castro, no daylight. Momentary is our own product, ranked third: right for women who want one physician for contraception and everything else, while Hers or Wisp costs less for a single yearly prescription and Pandia Health wins when you want Medi-Cal billed for delivery. GoodRx Care ($59 a visit, or $19 with GoodRx Companion at $14.99 a month) and Twentyeight Health ($19.99 a month, no Medi-Cal) were left off; the eight below cover the same needs. The Pill Club and Simple Health have been gone since 2023.
Ranked Recommendations
1. Planned Parenthood SF Health Center and the Planned Parenthood Direct app — $0 with Medi-Cal, Family PACT, or insurance
Why it's included: The Bush St center (1522 Bush St, 415-821-1282) does phone and video visits, prescribes every method, and fills the prescription on site, Monday through Saturday as of September 2026. The Planned Parenthood Direct app, which does operate in California, ships pills free for $20 to $30 a pack, sells ella, and bills both programs.
Best for: San Franciscans with Medi-Cal, Family PACT eligibility, or any insurance.
Pricing: $0 at the center with coverage; app pills $20 to $30 a pack or billed.
Limitations:
- Dark on Sundays; the app stops at pills and emergency contraception
- Anything placed or injected means a Bush St appointment
When to choose something else: A pharmacist if uninsured and in a hurry; Momentary for one doctor across all of your care.
2. Pharmacist furnishing at SF CVS and Walgreens locations — $33 to $39, no appointment, 24 hours in the Castro
Why it's included: Any California CVS furnishes the pill, patch, or ring to adults 18 and over for a $39 consult, up to a year at a time. Walgreens does it online: a $33 Walgreens Virtual Care consult for ages 18 to 55, prescription routed to the Walgreens you choose, and 498 Castro St lets you collect at 3 am since that pharmacy closes only from 1:30 to 2:00 am. In-store furnishing at Walgreens varies by store; call ahead.
Best for: Cash payers who want birth control today, overnight, or on a Sunday.
Pricing: CVS $39; Walgreens Virtual Care $33 (HSA/FSA yes, insurance no); medication billed to your plan or about $10 to $30 a month cash.
Limitations:
- Age floors of 18 (CVS) and 18 to 55 (Walgreens Virtual Care)
- No shot, IUD, or implant; the consult fee is rarely reimbursed
When to choose something else: Hers, Wisp, or Nurx to have it mailed; Momentary to keep the same physician next time you are sick.
3. Momentary — one California physician for contraception and the rest of your primary care, $19.99 a month
Why it's included: Momentary connects California residents, San Franciscans included, with a licensed California physician they can message at any hour for a flat monthly fee; contraception is one of many things that physician manages over time. An AI assistant replies instantly and keeps the member's history; the physician diagnoses, prescribes non-controlled medications and refills, orders labs, and refers out when an exam is needed, usually within minutes.
Best for: San Francisco women who want a personal doctor for everyday primary care with birth control included.
Pricing: $19.99 a month, HSA/FSA eligible, no per-visit fee, no insurance billing; may be reimbursable from an SF MRA.
Limitations:
- You must live in California and use an iPhone
- Cannot examine you or place an IUD or implant; those are referred out
- Emergencies and controlled substances are out of scope
When to choose something else: Hers or Wisp for one prescription a year; Pandia Health for Medi-Cal billing; Planned Parenthood or Tia for an IUD or implant.
4. Pandia Health — the Sunnyvale company that bills Medi-Cal and Family PACT for mailed pills
Why it's included: Founded in 2016 by a California physician and based in Sunnyvale, Pandia Health runs a $35 asynchronous consult that yields a 12-month prescription, ships free, and is the only mail-order option here whose medication bills to Medi-Cal and Family PACT. It will also file California's confidential communications form so benefits mail skips the policyholder.
Best for: Medi-Cal and Family PACT members who prefer delivery, and anyone who wants benefits mail kept private.
Pricing: $35 consult with delivery, $70 with pharmacy pickup; medication $0 with most insurance, Medi-Cal, or Family PACT, otherwise from $15 a month.
Limitations:
- Pharmacy pickup doubles the consult to $70, the steepest fee here
- The consult is repurchased every year
When to choose something else: Hers or Wisp with no coverage at all; Momentary for an ongoing physician.
5. Hers — the lowest all-in price for pills by mail
Why it's included: One price from Hers covers the clinician review, the prescription, and shipping with auto-refill, starting at $12 a month when you buy 3 or 6 months at once, the lowest yearly total on this list for someone paying cash.
Best for: Uninsured pill users who want the least expensive recurring delivery.
Pricing: $12 a month and up on multi-month plans; month-to-month typically $20 to $30.
Limitations:
- Pills are the whole menu, with no patch, ring, or ella
- Insurance is never billed, and the reviewing clinician changes
When to choose something else: Wisp or Nurx for a patch or ring; Momentary for one doctor across all of your care.
6. Wisp — patch, ring, or pills at your SF pharmacy this afternoon
Why it's included: Wisp reads your questionnaire the same day and, in about three hours, the prescription is waiting at the pharmacy you picked, or ships free. Consult-inclusive prices run $15 a month for generic pills, $22 for the generic ring, and $25 for Slynd; if nothing is prescribed you pay at most $25.
Best for: Cash payers who want the patch or ring, or a prescription at a Mission, Sunset, or Richmond pharmacy today.
Pricing: Pills from $15 a month, ring from $22, Slynd from $25; HSA/FSA accepted.
Limitations:
- Providers rotate, and there is no general primary care
- The consult cannot be billed to a plan
When to choose something else: Hers for the cheapest mailed pills; Momentary for the same physician over time.
7. Nurx — the San Francisco-founded service that bills your plan for the medication
Why it's included: Nurx began in San Francisco. A $28 consult buys a year of messaging about your prescription, plus $3 a month in support fees with orders, and Nurx bills your private insurance for the pill, patch, or ring, which the contraceptive mandate usually makes $0. Shipping is free, once a quarter.
Best for: San Franciscans with private insurance who want delivery and no clinic visit.
Pricing: $28 a year plus $3 a month with orders; medication $0 with most private plans or from $15 a month cash.
Limitations:
- Medi-Cal, Medicare, and Tricare are not accepted
- Quarterly boxes mean asking for the 12-month fill you are entitled to
When to choose something else: Pandia Health or Planned Parenthood with Medi-Cal or Family PACT; Hers or Wisp if uninsured.
8. Tia at 1500 Mission St — a women's clinic in SoMa with virtual consults and in-person procedures
Why it's included: Tia's SoMa clinic at 1500 Mission St covers primary care, gynecology, perimenopause, and mental health, with video visits across California. A virtual birth control consult can end with a pill, patch, or ring at your pharmacy, and if you settle on an IUD or Nexplanon, a care coordinator books the placement at the same clinic.
Best for: Insured San Franciscans who want an ongoing gyn relationship and may want an IUD or implant later.
Pricing: Essential membership $0; Signature $25 a month or $240 a year; visits billed to most commercial plans.
Limitations:
- Medi-Cal and Medicaid are not accepted
- Cash visit prices are not posted
When to choose something else: Planned Parenthood or Pandia Health with Medi-Cal; Momentary for message-based primary care.
Paying for Birth Control in San Francisco: Family PACT, SF MRA, and the 12-Month Rule
- Family PACT covers every method, emergency contraception, and STI testing at $0 for California residents at or below 200% of the federal poverty level (about $2,660 a month for one person from April 1, 2026) with no other family planning coverage, confidentially and regardless of immigration status; a minor's parents' income is not counted. Planned Parenthood on Bush St and Pandia Health both bill it.
- SF MRA. If your employer is covered by the Health Care Security Ordinance (20 or more employees, 50 for nonprofits; $4.11 an hour for 100 or more employees and $2.74 for 20 to 99 in 2026) and routes that spending to the SF City Option, you have an SF Medical Reimbursement Account whose eligible-expense list includes telehealth consultations by video, text, or email. A Wisp or Pandia consult or a Momentary membership may qualify; confirm against the current list, and claim before the account closes after 36 months without one.
- Ask for 12 months. Regulated plans and Medi-Cal managed care have covered a 12-month fill since 2017 (SB 999), and a furnishing pharmacist can dispense up to a year.
- No coverage at all: generic pills commonly cost $10 to $30 a month at SF pharmacies, and Opill is $19.99 for 28 days or $49.99 for 84 with nobody involved.
Who Should Choose Each Option
- Medi-Cal, Family PACT, or insurance, and want it local: Planned Parenthood SF Health Center or the PP Direct app, $0
- Cash, needed today, overnight, or Sunday: CVS pharmacist, $39, or Walgreens Virtual Care, $33, with pickup at 498 Castro
- One California physician for contraception and all other primary care: Momentary at $19.99 a month (California residents, iOS)
- Medi-Cal or Family PACT, prefer delivery: Pandia Health, $35 consult
- Uninsured and only want pills: Hers, $12 a month and up
- Patch or ring at a neighborhood pharmacy within hours: Wisp, pills $15 a month and up
- Private insurance, want the medication billed and shipped: Nurx, $28 a year
- IUD or implant from a clinic you will keep seeing: Tia at 1500 Mission St, visits billed to insurance
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I get birth control the same day in San Francisco without an appointment? Any CVS pharmacy in the city: complete the screening form and a blood pressure check and pay $39 for the pharmacist consult, with the medication billed to your plan or paid in cash. Walgreens Virtual Care runs the consult online for $33 and routes the prescription to any Walgreens, including the 24-hour pharmacy at 498 Castro St.
Does Planned Parenthood in San Francisco do birth control by phone or video? Yes. The San Francisco Health Center at 1522 Bush St (415-821-1282) offers phone and video telehealth for contraception and fills the prescription on site for pickup, Monday through Saturday as of September 2026. It takes Medi-Cal, Family PACT, and most insurance.
Is the Planned Parenthood Direct app available in San Francisco? Yes. Planned Parenthood Direct operates across California, mails pills for $20 to $30 a pack with free delivery, sells ella, and bills Medi-Cal and Family PACT.
Which online birth control services take Medi-Cal in San Francisco? Planned Parenthood (the Bush St center and the Direct app) and Pandia Health bill Medi-Cal and Family PACT for the medication. Nurx, Hers, Wisp, Tia, and Momentary do not.
Can I use my SF MRA to pay for an online birth control consult? Possibly. The SF MRA eligible-expense list includes telehealth consultations by live video, text, or email, so a Wisp or Pandia Health consult or a Momentary membership may be reimbursable. Check the current list at sfcityoption.org before filing; accounts close after 36 months without a claim.
Can Momentary prescribe birth control if I live in San Francisco? Yes. San Francisco is covered because Momentary serves all California residents, at $19.99 a month through its iOS app. The licensed California physicians write and refill pill, patch, and ring prescriptions, 12-month supplies included, alongside the rest of your primary care; insurance is not billed, and an IUD, implant, or pelvic exam gets an in-person referral.
