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Hims vs Roman: Comparison of Features and Pricing


Hims and Roman are two popular telemedicine companies for men. How do their products stack up, along with their services, packaging and more?

Where most reviews cover just the per month treatments between the two, in Hims vs Roman we delve deep into each company. Both have a lot to offer men, but we lean towards the former for our top pick.

Find out why and learn about everything from the side effects to alternatives like BlueChew in this ultimate battle for men.

Hims vs Roman: How Do They Stack Up?

At first glance, you wouldn’t see any glaring differences between Hims and Roman for men, except the Romans Him pricing.

Both companies provide similar prescriptions for things like hair loss treatments and erectile dysfunction (ED, for short). When you place them side by side, though, you’ll notice they’re not exactly the same thing.

One thing we know for sure is that Patrick Campbell knew what he was doing when he built a company to help other businesses monetize virtual subscription packages. Roman and Hims have a loyal client base that’s only growing, let’s find out why, just like we did in Hims vs Keeps.

Erectile Dysfunction Treatments

ED is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, the number of men who seek out erectile dysfunction treatments per month might surprise you . 

From erectile dysfunction pills to sprays for men, how do Hims and Roman compare?

Hims

This company offers five products for men with ED:

  • Cialis
  • Tadalafil (generic Cialis)
  • Viagra
  • Sildenafil (generic Viagra)
  • Stendra

Cialis is a popular ED treatment, but it stands out from the rest. This drug stays in your system for around 1.5 days, instead of a mere few hours. It’s a convenient option when you can’t estimate when you’ll need it exactly, but you’ll always be prepared in case.

Tadalafil, the main ingredient in Cialis, makes for an erectile dysfunction pill that works in the same way. For both drugs, success rates are high [1].

Viagra is your other name brand drug here and possibly the most famous erectile dysfunction medication. It works by relaxing blood vessels in your body, which increases blood flow and circulation. You still need to be aroused for it to work, but this affect provides room for a long-lasting erection when it matters.

The main difference between Cialis and Viagra is that the latter doesn’t last as long for men. You’ll take it on an as-needed basis instead, up to four hours beforehand, like with BlueChew.

Sildenafil represents the generic form of Viagra, also offered by our alternative, BlueChew. It functions the same, but at a lower cost for you. Studies point to its efficacy [2].

Stendra provides another short-term solution for ED. The active ingredient here is Avanafil, which is better known. Stendra also works to increase blood flow for better erections and comes with the science to back it up [3]. The upside? It only takes 15 minutes to kick in.

View Hims prices

Roman

It has fewer products here, but they’re similar to some above.

Each option comes in tablet form and they include:

  • Sildenafil (generic Viagra)
  • Viagra (similar to BlueChew)
  • Cialis

Who Wins?

If we’re talking about the sheer number of products available, Hims takes the cake.

However, with Sildenafil, for example, it provides five different doses from 20 mg to 100 mg, whereas Hims has 40 mg tablets only. Same with Viagra. The only Hims option is 50 mg pills, which is the most common, with Roman offering 25 mg, 50 mg and 100 mg.

The fact that Roman provides a variety of doses for men means you can customize your prescription for the best fit.

Hair Loss Treatments

Is your crown area thinning, just like your fathers did? Hair loss treatments from both companies offer multiple products for problems with hair growth and hair loss prevention. BlueChew, unfortunately, doesn’t offer meds for hair loss for men.

Hims

Your hair loss treatment plan could include:

  • Thickening gummies
  • Thickening shampoo
  • Minoxidil
  • Finasteride

The thickening gummies for hair loss are cherry flavored bears that more resemble a multivitamin, but with a focus on hair, skin and nail health. The active ingredients are vitamins and minerals including biotin, vitamin D, folic acid and vitamin B12.

Biotin is a popular treatment for hair conditions, because hair loss is linked to a Vitamin D deficiency  [4] [5].

Him’s thickening shampoo for hair loss features a natural substance known as saw palmetto. This ingredient is meant to help with hair growth, by blocking hormones that lead to weak hair follicles when you reach middle age.

Minoxidil is the generic form of Rogaine, a popular hair growth treatment. Minoxidil is a topical solution that you’ll apply daily and research points to evidence of success with Minoxidil for treating hair loss [6]. Check for a Minoxidil bundle price.

Finasteride comes as another generic option, in place of the well known Propecia for men. These are month Finasteride tablets, though, and multiple studies back the efficacy of this product, Finasteride [7].

View Hims prices

Roman

It keeps things simple here, offering just Minoxidil and Finasteride in the same style, Minoxidil as a liquid solution and the latter being pills for hair loss.

Who Wins?

Hims and Roman both come out on top here. The products are nearly identical, aside from the packaging and design.

However, Hims  provides gummies and shampoo, which we appreciate, especially given the supplements offering other benefits, outside hair growth for men.

Premature Ejaculation

Maybe ED isn’t your problem, but controlling your ejaculation is. Both businesses have products to help with this sexual health issue for men, as well.

Hims

The company features just one here.

Sertraline is a unique product by Hims. It’s a spray to help manage premature ejaculation, and it contains Lidocaine, the well known anesthetic. This works to decrease the desirable sensation that leads to ejaculation, helping you control climax and last longer.

Roman

It also keeps it to one product for this category, and that’s the Roman wipes. It contains Benzocaine, which is another topical anesthetic or pain reliever. This shows it works in the same way as Sertraline by Hims.

Who Wins?

This comes down to personal preference. The wipes are a more convenient option, and you have the choice to take them with you on-the-go. If you prefer a spray, though, a month of Hims is your best bet.

Many men face allergies or bad reactions to certain pain relievers, so this may also play a part in your decision.

Skin Care

While most of you are looking for hair loss and ED treatment, men need to look after their skin, too. Both businesses recognize that and provide a few different choices for you.

Hims

You have the following menu to choose from:

  • Acne cream
  • Everyday moisturizer
  • Vitamin C serum
  • Custom anti-aging cream
  • Goodnight wrinkle cream

We won’t delve too deep into each ingredient here, but the anti-aging cream stands out to us. 

The active ingredient in this product is tretinoin, a substance classified as a retinoid which means it supports cell growth [8]. This cream might also increase the collagen in your skin to provide better elasticity and firmness.

Roman

Skin care products for men from Roman include:

  • Corrective nightly defense (also containing tretinoin)
  • Preventative nightly defense

Who Wins?

Hims wins this category because the business goes the extra mile with skincare, even though its primary focus points are hair and ED. There’s an impressive lineup of options.

Supplements

As with skin care, unlike BlueChew, Hims and Roman go as far to offer other supplements not pertaining to the primary topics at hand.

Hims

Choose from:

  • Sleep (melatonin)
  • Biotin (hair and nail)
  • Collagen protein (unflavored)
  • Immunity (vitamin C)
  • Calming tea
  • Sleeping tea

As you can see, the Hims supplement line features natural ingredients from melatonin to vitamin C, to help in other areas of your life. Note the inclusion of a straight biotin option, in case the gummies don’t provide enough for you.

Roman

Your choices include, but aren’t limited to:

  • Testosterone supplement
  • Bone health
  • Stress relief
  • Prostate health

The testosterone supplement caught our eye. It includes all-natural ingredients such as zinc, ashwagandha, vitamin D3 and magnesium.

This multivitamin might work as a safe t booster. Zinc, in particular, is known to aid in better testosterone levels for those that are deficient in this vitamin [9].

Who Wins?

That’s a tough one for this category of Hims vs Roman. The testosterone supplement from the latter could be a beneficial addition to one’s sexual health regime.

Hims also offers tempting alternatives for hair, skin and nails.

Medical Consultation and Service

One of the best things about these virtual companies is that it makes medical consultations and services easy for men. You don’t have to visit a doctor’s office, but you’re not suffering under the hands of ill-equipped professionals, either.

Some consultations are even free.

Hims

Not all Hims products require a doctor to sign off on them. Most of the hair loss items you can order automatically like Minoxidil, along with other supplements. Treatments for ED, however, do require a medical consultation.

With Hims, this is free of charge. A certified doctor will examine your order and personal information to determine if the product is appropriate and safe for you. 

You’ll also have access to an online platform via the Hims website where you can ask questions and get further support from a doctor.

Get the latest discounts on Hims here

Roman

From what we can see, it offers very similar services.

The same drugs require the same level of approval, but the follow-up system is a bit different. As far as we can tell, it features a personalized chat system where you can speak with your initial doctor who wrote the prescription. This could cost you, but we aren’t entirely sure.

Who Wins?

If you’re concerned about your specific case or condition and imagine that you’ll need a personal, ongoing relationship with one doctor, then Roman it is.

Cost

Pricing is one of the most important aspects of Hims vs Roman: what will your investment be and which company will earn it? The pricing page for each company lays it out.

We take the same ED products offered by both companies and put the costs side by side, to figure out whose pricing model is best. This will give us an idea of how the pricing page compares overall between Roman and Hims.

Unfortunately, a month free from either isn’t available right now.

Hims

Let’s start with pricing the ED meds, including generic Viagra (Sildenafil), Viagra and Cialis.

According to the Hims website, the cost of generic Viagra (Sildenafil) starts at around $3 per dose. The cost of brand-name Viagra, however, starts at $139 per use.

Other affordable options include Tadalafil, which will cost you around $82 per month, and Stendra, which costs $53 per use. 

Cialis has the steepest price. It starts at $958 per month, but it’s a well proven method of getting and maintaining erections.

Roman

The pricing page for the same prescriptions are:

  • Sildenafil: $2 to $10 for a sample pack, depending on the strength/dose.
  • Viagra: $70 per sample, regardless of the dose.
  • Cialis: $17 to $69 from 2.5 mg to 20 mg, respectively.

At this time, we can’t determine monthly costs or pricing for this company.

Who Wins?

Based on the sheer difference between $16 and a maximum of $10 for a Sildenafil trial pack respectively, Roman is most likely slightly cheaper across the board, according to the pricing page.

Shipping

No one wants to deal with delayed shipping or absurd handling fees and high pricing. Neither company will disappoint you here.

Hims

You’ll be happy to know that shipping is free of charge all the time.

This is a basic shipping rate, though, so expect your delivery to take between five and seven business days to arrive in the mail. An email containing your tracking information is sent upon approval of your order.

Expedited shipping or other custom options aren’t available at this time.

Get the latest discounts on Hims here

Roman

Shipping costs.

The company only offers a two-day delivery plan, based on the idea that you’ll want your prescription as soon as possible. We can’t determine the exact price at this time, but our educated guess is between $10 and $20.

Who Wins?

Hims. We appreciate free shipping, and the extra few days for the pricing isn’t a mood killer.

What Does Hims Offer That Roman Doesn’t?

We’ve already mentioned that it offers things like gummies and shampoo for hair loss,  whereas Roman doesn’t.

Other options for men, exclusive to this company, in comparison, include:

  • COVID assessment tests
  • Mental health medications, along with a psychiatric consultation. This includes generic forms of Paxil, Prozac and Zoloft, to name a few

What Does Roman Offer That Hims Doesn’t?

It offers more breadth for men’s health outside of their standard hair loss and ED meds. Roman offers the following products for the following conditions, while Hims doesn’t:

  • Genital herpes
  • Weight management
  • Dandruff
  • Excessive sweating
  • Heart health

Hims FAQ

Understandably, you probably have questions after all the provided information from Roman vs Hims. Here are the most common ones answered:

Who Is Hims For?

It’s for guys who care about maintaining their sexual health and more as they age, in a modern and discreet way. The marketing scheme employed by this business is attractive to men at any age.

Get the latest discounts on Hims here

Is Hims Safe?

Safety shouldn’t be a great concern as the company is FDA approved. That doesn’t mean that side effects are a thing of the past, though. One must still remain diligent and consult a doctor if necessary.

This is especially the case if you want ED meds and you suffer from high blood pressure or other heart-related conditions. Or if you’re planning on taking any of these drugs long term.

Possible effects stemming from ED or erectile dysfunction treatment for men include:

  • Heart irregularities
  • Digestive problems
  • Hot flushes
  • Nausea
  • Headaches

Roman FAQ

Below we cover similar topics for men, in case you were searching for answers.

Who Is Roman For?

It’s a slightly more comprehensive telehealth company for men. Its design and advertisement model feels more geared towards older men, but that’s our opinion.

Is Roman Safe?

Since we’re covering the same products between both businesses here, the side effects remain the same, too. It’s also FDA approved, so there’s nothing to worry about there.

If you do happen to suffer from a dangerous side effect after taking any of the erectile dysfunction medication, we recommend stopping it automatically and consulting your online doctor.

Does Roman Have a Money Back Guarantee?

It also offers a money back guarantee, but with different conditions. You can return any product within 15 days for an exchange or refund, no questions asked.

Alternatives

You may be overwhelmed with the array of options offered by these companies, or maybe you faced another complaint once you started the registration process. Roman vs Hims isn’t all that’s out there for men.

It’s a consumer’s choice at the end of the day. Therefore we have an alternative to mention here, which is the popular online BlueChew (rights reserved) for men.

BlueChew

BlueChew is another company that provides the generic forms of Cialis and Viagra. You’ll find Tadalafil and Sildenafil on their website. These are the only products that BlueChew sells, so rest assured BlueChew understands ED (erectile dysfunction) meds.

If you need a hair loss medication like Minoxidil or Finasteride, you’ll have to find a more suitable alternative elsewhere. BlueChew doesn’t offer Minoxidil or a month of Finasteride for hair loss prevention.

Get the latest discounts on Hims here

Hims vs Roman in Conclusion

Is your hair count looking a little precarious? Maybe erectile dysfunction has arrived at your door and you’re lost with what to do. Your sex life and your hair condition might improve with the help of an online doctor.

In Hims vs Roman, you can see what each offers for men, from medical advice to a treatment plan, pricing and more. Hair loss products include the likes of Minoxidil and Finasteride, side effects remaining the same from each health care business.

The generic version of popular ED medications and erectile dysfunction pills are also available at a low cost according to our table of contents. Choose between a sample pack or a per month subscription.

So, who comes out on top here? Both businesses have a lot to offer, but Hims wins the ultimate battle. Thanks to Patrick Campbell for making it available online.

We appreciate the messaging behind this wellness brand for men; it makes it unique. To top it off, there are plenty of quality products, like the thickening shampoo and gummies. The fact that shipping is free makes it even better.

Not satisfied with Hims vs Roman? Check with your doctor and opt for BlueChew as the alternative in this article.

References

1. Frajese, Giovanni Vanni, et al. “Tadalafil in the Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction; an Overview of the Clinical Evidence.” Clinical Interventions in Aging, Dove Medical Press, 2006, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2699638/.

2. Hatzimouratidis, Konstantinos. “Sildenafil in the Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction: an Overview of the Clinical Evidence.” Clinical Interventions in Aging, Dove Medical Press, 2006, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2699643/.

3. Cui, Yuan-Shan, et al. “Avanafil for Male Erectile Dysfunction: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Asian Journal of Andrology, Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd, 2014, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4023381/.

4. Patel, Deepa P, et al. “A Review of the Use of Biotin for Hair Loss.” Skin Appendage Disorders, S. Karger AG, Aug. 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5582478/.

5. P;, Amor KT;Rashid RM;Mirmirani. “Does D Matter? The Role of Vitamin D in Hair Disorders and Hair Follicle Cycling.” Dermatology Online Journal, U.S. National Library of Medicine, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20178699/.

6. Suchonwanit, Poonkiat, et al. “Minoxidil and Its Use in Hair Disorders: a Review.” Drug Design, Development and Therapy, Dove, 9 Aug. 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6691938/.

7. Shapiro, Jerry, and Keith D. Kaufman. “Use of Finasteride in the Treatment of Men With Androgenetic Alopecia (Male Pattern Hair Loss).” Journal of Investigative Dermatology Symposium Proceedings, Elsevier, 16 Dec. 2015, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022202X15529357.

8. Mukherjee, Siddharth, et al. “Retinoids in the Treatment of Skin Aging: an Overview of Clinical Efficacy and Safety.” Clinical Interventions in Aging, Dove Medical Press, 2006, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2699641/.

9. Prasad AS;Mantzoros CS;Beck FW;Hess JW;Brewer GJ; “Zinc Status and Serum Testosterone Levels of Healthy Adults.” Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.), U.S. National Library of Medicine, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8875519/.

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