Team Clark is adamant that we will never write content influenced by or paid for by an advertiser. To support our work, we do make money from some links to companies and deals on our site. Learn more about our guarantee here.
If you’re in the market for inexpensive contact lenses, there are plenty of sites that have affordable wares for sale. But how do you know which is best?
Three of the main discount contact sellers are 1-800 Contacts, Lens.com and LensDirect.com. Aside from having some of the most recognizable names for contact lens purchasing online, who has the cheapest prices?
READ MORE: Get this nifty contact lens coupon
We took a look at the prices of some popular contact lenses that were available across all three sites. Here’s how they stacked up.
| Item | Lens.com | 1-800 | LensDirect.com |
| Johnson & Johnson 1 Day-Acuvue Moist 30-day | $28.95 | $27.99 | $26.28 |
| Johnson & Johnson 1 Day-Acuvue Moist 90-day | $65.00 | $59.99 | $56.60 |
| Biofinity 6-pack | $37.99 | $49.99 | $39.27 |
| Air Optix Aqua 6-pack | $35.99 | $54.99 | $33.81 |
| Dailies AquaComfort Plus 90-pack | $47.99 | $51.99 | $49.69 |
| Freshlook 1 Day 10-pack | $19.95 | $21.59 | $25.99 |
| SofLens Daily Disposables 90-pack | $34.95 | $42.39 | $47.19 |
| TOTAL | $270.82 | $308.93 | $278.33 |
As you can see, Lens.com is the cheapest option overall, with LensDirect.com a close second and 1-800 Contacts lagging pretty far behind. When it comes to shopping for contacts, there are some other things to consider.
As far as shipping goes, 1-800 Contacts has a free shipping policy on online orders, while Lens.com has free shipping only on select items. LensDirect.com has free shipping over $49. Under that price, and you’ll pay a flat rate of $6.95 via UPS.
LensDirect.com promises tons of savings through its auto-fill program, which is basically a subscription service that bills you automatically when you reorder. They offer $5 discount on your first auto-fill. If you haven’t opened the box, you can return your order for a full refund within a year, the company says on its site.
Lens.com has a money back guarantee that promises that “If you’re not 100% satisfied with your Lens.com purchase, we’ll cheerfully refund all your money.” In the fine print, though, it says that your box must be unopened. Their “hassle free” return policy says that you have an unlimited amount of time to mail them back unopened products. They’ll even pay for shipping.
Although 1-800 Contacts has the highest overall advertised highest prices, they’re also the only one of this trio that offers a real price guarantee. It says, “We’ll beat any price on every product we carry by 2%. Any competitor’s authorized price. Any brand—even yours. Does it make you happy?”
That does make us happy, and assuming the 1-800 Contacts guarantee applies to your situation, that should also make them the cheapest. To ensure they keep their word, call them at 1-800-266-8228.
Now that you’ve got some clarity on contact lens prices, here’s what you need to know about buying prescription glasses online.
Keep up to date with the latest news and more at Clark.com. Subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter and Facebook!
This post was last modified on January 2, 2024 2:53 pm
If you plan to take an international flight or cruise anytime soon, there's one free…
Pop quiz: What's money expert Clark Howard's favorite tax-advantaged retirement tool? If you guessed Roth…
Are you considering subscribing to NFL Sunday Ticket for the upcoming season? Now may be…
Did you know major changes are coming for the way credit card processing fees are…
There’s a lot to love about Costco. The company has deals on just about every…
Money expert Clark Howard started a travel agency in his mid-20s and grew it into…