Tadalafil (Generic Cialis)
genericFDA-approved generic since 2018
Cost information
$1.80-$10/pill
Generic Cialis is tadalafil, an FDA-approved prescription tablet sold in the US in 2.5, 5, 10 and 20 mg strengths, and you need a prescription to buy it from a licensed pharmacy, whether that comes from your own doctor or an online visit. It comes in two regimens: an as-needed dose (usually 10 mg to start) or a low daily dose (2.5 or 5 mg), and the as-needed dose was shown in trials to work for up to 36 hours. This page covers the label facts, the online services that publish a tadalafil price, and the safety questions to settle before a prescription is written.
Dosage Format
2.5mg or 5mg daily, or 10mg-20mg as needed roughly 30 minutes before sexual activity. Should not exceed one dose per day.
Type
Generic
Who to discuss it with
Men who prefer a daily option or want a longer-lasting medication that may allow for more spontaneity
Key distinction
Often called the 'weekend pill' because its effects may last up to 36 hours — significantly longer than other PDE5 inhibitors.
Updated · By Treatment Comparison Editorial Team · Sources and scope
Sources: DailyMed (Eli Lilly): Cialis prescribing information · MedlinePlus: Tadalafil patient information · DailyMed (Torrent): Generic tadalafil PAH label · FDA: Buying medicines safely online
Daily or as needed: what the label says
| As needed | Once daily | |
|---|---|---|
| Usual dose | 10 mg to start; 5 or 20 mg after review | 2.5 mg; may rise to 5 mg |
| Timing | Before sexual activity, no more than once a day | About the same time every day |
| Window | Improved erections vs placebo up to 36 hours after a dose | Sexual activity any time between doses |
| Also covers BPH symptoms | No | Yes, at 5 mg daily |
| Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors | Max 10 mg, once every 72 hours | Max 2.5 mg |
Sources: DailyMed (Eli Lilly): Cialis prescribing information
Generic tadalafil is not always the ED product
Some generic tadalafil 20 mg tablets are copies of Adcirca and are labeled only for pulmonary arterial hypertension. That label notes the same medicine is sold as Cialis for ED and warns patients not to take both. If your bottle or pharmacy listing mentions PAH, ask the pharmacist before using it for ED.
Compounded tadalafil chewables, such as those BlueChew sells, are made by a compounding pharmacy and are not FDA-approved. BlueChew states that FDA does not approve or evaluate the safety or effectiveness of compounded medications.
Sources: DailyMed (Torrent): Generic tadalafil PAH label · BlueChew: BlueChew general FAQ
Before you order
- Tell the prescriber about every nitrate (including "poppers"), riociguat, alpha-blocker, HIV or antifungal medicine you take.
- Mention kidney or liver disease: both lower the maximum dose.
- Ask for the renewal price, not only the first shipment, and whether the visit fee repeats.
- Check that the dispensing pharmacy is US-licensed and requires a prescription, using FDA's BeSafeRx guidance.
Sources: DailyMed (Eli Lilly): Cialis prescribing information · MedlinePlus: Tadalafil patient information · FDA: Buying medicines safely online
Where to Get Tadalafil (Generic Cialis)
Checked October 25, 2026 against each provider's own page. Prices are published starting figures, not quotes for your strength and quantity. BlueChew's chewable is compounded and is not the FDA-approved generic tablet.
Lemonaid Health
One-time $25 online consultation that Lemonaid says covers 12 refills. Lists tadalafil 5, 10 and 20 mg as needed and 5 mg daily. The $30 figure is for the first monthly shipment of daily tadalafil; check the renewal price before subscribing. Free shipping; cancel or delay anytime per its page.
$25 visit; Cialis Daily $30 first shipment
Rex MD
Lists generic Cialis (as needed) and daily generic Cialis with a free online consultation and free shipping. The $2 headline covers generic Viagra and Cialis; the price for your strength and quantity appears after the visit.
As low as $2/dose
RedBox Rx
Its tadalafil page is titled "FDA-Approved Tadalafil Prescribed Online, From $1 Per Tablet". Strength, quantity and consultation fee are shown at checkout.
From $1/tablet
Sesame Care
Pay-per-visit video appointment. If prescribed, tadalafil is sent to your local pharmacy or shipped to you, so insurance, a discount card or the pharmacy's cash price applies.
Visit fee + pharmacy price
BlueChew (compounded chewable)
BlueChew lists tadalafil chewables and states its products are compounded and that FDA does not approve or evaluate compounded medicines. These are not the FDA-approved generic tablet. Subscriptions bill each cycle; cancel at least 24 hours before renewal.
Check plan and renewal price
How Tadalafil (Generic Cialis) Works
Tadalafil blocks PDE5, the enzyme that breaks down cGMP in penile smooth muscle, so blood flow can increase when you are sexually stimulated. It does not cause an erection without arousal, does not increase desire and does not treat the underlying cause of ED. The label gives a mean half-life of 17.5 hours in healthy subjects, which is why one as-needed dose covers a long window and why a 2.5 or 5 mg daily dose keeps a steady level so timing is not needed. Food does not change how it is absorbed. Peak levels are reached between 30 minutes and 6 hours after a dose (median 2 hours).
Side Effects
Common
- • Headache (15% at 20 mg as needed in the label's trials, more than on placebo)
- • Indigestion or heartburn (10% at 20 mg as needed, more than on placebo)
- • Back pain
- • Muscle aches and pain in the limbs
- • Nasal congestion
- • Flushing
Serious risks and warning signs
- • An erection lasting longer than 4 hours: get emergency care
- • Sudden loss or blurring of vision, or a change in color vision
- • Sudden hearing loss, sometimes with ringing in the ears or dizziness
- • Chest pain, dizziness or nausea during sexual activity
- • Hives, rash, blistering skin, trouble breathing or swelling of the face or limbs
Eligibility to Discuss With a Clinician
Tadalafil is prescribed for adult men with ED, BPH, or both. The label rules it out for anyone using any nitrate (tablets, sprays, patches, or "poppers") or riociguat (Adempas), and for anyone with a serious allergy to tadalafil. Alpha-blockers such as tamsulosin or doxazosin need a stable dose first and the lowest tadalafil dose for ED. Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (for example ketoconazole or ritonavir), reduced kidney function and mild to moderate liver disease all lower the maximum dose, and severe liver disease or dialysis rule out some or all regimens. A clinician should also check whether your heart is healthy enough for sexual activity. This is not a complete list of interactions.
Related Medications
Provider Reviews
Explore providers in the erectile dysfunction category. This does not mean every provider offers Tadalafil (Generic Cialis); check the exact product with the provider.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Sources and editorial notes
Dosing, interactions, side effects and the 36-hour finding come from the Cialis prescribing information on DailyMed and MedlinePlus, checked October 25, 2026. Prices and terms come from each provider's own page on the same date; we did not enroll, order or verify a personalized price. No clinician review is claimed.
Content updated . Source checking is editorial work; it is not a clinical review.
- DailyMed (Eli Lilly): Cialis (tadalafil) tablets prescribing informationMedical or regulatory reference · Accessed 2026-10-25
- MedlinePlus: Tadalafil patient informationMedical or regulatory reference · Accessed 2026-10-25
- DailyMed (Torrent): Tadalafil tablets 20 mg (pulmonary arterial hypertension) labelMedical or regulatory reference · Accessed 2026-10-25
- FDA: Buying medicines safely onlineMedical or regulatory reference · Accessed 2026-10-25
- Lemonaid Health: Erectile dysfunction treatment onlineProvider-reported product information · Accessed 2026-10-25
- Rex MD: Erectile dysfunction treatmentProvider-reported product information · Accessed 2026-10-25
- RedBox Rx: FDA-approved tadalafil prescribed onlineProvider-reported product information · Accessed 2026-10-25
- Sesame Care: Online prescription for tadalafil (generic Cialis)Provider-reported product information · Accessed 2026-10-25
- BlueChew: Product formats and subscription termsProvider-reported product information · Accessed 2026-10-25