Last updated: May 21, 2026 | Reading time: ~12 minutes | Reviewed by Dr. Marcus Tan, MD
Winner: It depends on what you need
- ED treatment + chewables — Hims wins. Broader ED catalog, cheaper generic sildenafil entry, more form-factor options including Hard Mints.
- GLP-1 weight loss — Ro wins. Ro’s Body Program is the stronger GLP-1 footprint in 2026 with both compounded and branded options.
- Hair loss — Hims wins on breadth, Ro wins on simplicity. Hims has more variations of finasteride, minoxidil, and topical combos.
- Overall best fit for most patients — Hims, on price and catalog breadth. Choose Ro if GLP-1 weight loss is the primary reason you’re shopping for telehealth.
Hims vs Ro at a glance (May 2026)
| Category | Hims | Ro | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price (sildenafil) | ~$30–$45/mo | ~$35–$55/mo | Hims |
| ED catalog | Sildenafil, tadalafil, Hard Mints, branded Viagra/Cialis | Sildenafil, tadalafil, Ro Sparks, branded Viagra/Cialis | Tie |
| Hair loss | Wide range: finasteride, minoxidil, topical combos, shampoos | Finasteride, minoxidil, topical formulations | Hims (breadth) |
| GLP-1 weight loss | Available; smaller footprint | Body Program — compounded + branded GLP-1, structured coaching | Ro |
| TRT | Limited offering | Limited offering | Neither (try Hone or Marek) |
| Prescription speed (ED) | Same-day common in most states | Same-day common in most states | Slight edge: Hims |
| States covered | All 50 | All 50 (program coverage varies) | Tie |
| Customer reviews | Generally positive (~4-star aggregate on Trustpilot) | Generally positive (~4-star aggregate on Trustpilot) | Tie |
| Ongoing care depth | Lighter touch, automation-first | Stronger care coordination, more clinician touchpoints | Ro |
Hims vs Ro for ED treatment
Both Hims and Ro dispense FDA-approved generic sildenafil and tadalafil through standard pharmacy fulfillment, and both offer branded Viagra and Cialis for patients who specifically want the brand. The core ED experience — online intake, clinician review, monthly shipment — is similar.
The differences are at the edges:
- Price. Hims's generic sildenafil entry tier is typically $5–$10/month cheaper than Ro's equivalent on the longest plan. For someone treating purely on cost, Hims wins narrowly. For full Hims pricing math, see our Hims ED pricing 2026 breakdown.
- Chewables. Hims sells Hard Mints — a compounded sildenafil/tadalafil chewable. Ro sells Ro Sparks, a tadalafil-based hard-mint-style product. Both are compounded (not FDA-approved), and both sit at a premium price over standard tablets. Ro Sparks is tadalafil-focused; Hard Mints offer more dose flexibility. See our full coverage of Ro Sparks.
- Branded options. Both carry branded Viagra and Cialis. Branded pricing is roughly comparable at $200+/month.
- Consultation. Hims's intake is faster and more automated. Ro's intake includes more clinician touchpoints and a more thorough screening — useful if you want a more medical experience, less useful if you want speed.
Winner: Hims on price and catalog breadth, Ro on care depth.
Hims vs Ro for hair loss
Hair loss is one of the most-prescribed categories for both companies, and both dispense the same evidence-based generics: oral finasteride, topical minoxidil, and various combination formulations.
- Hims offers the wider catalog — multiple variations of finasteride (oral, topical), minoxidil in different strengths, combined sprays, supportive shampoos, and biotin supplements. The breadth is genuinely useful if you want to experiment with combos.
- Ro keeps the hair loss offering simpler — typically oral finasteride and topical minoxidil, with cleaner pricing tiers but fewer add-ons.
For a patient who knows they want a standard finasteride + minoxidil regimen, both work fine. For a patient who wants to try multiple combos, Hims is more flexible.
Winner: Hims on breadth. Ro on simplicity.
Hims vs Ro for weight loss / GLP-1
This is the cleanest split between the two companies in 2026.
Ro's Body Program is the more mature GLP-1 telehealth offering in the US market as of May 2026. Ro offers both compounded semaglutide/tirzepatide and branded GLP-1 medications (Wegovy, Zepbound) where supply allows, paired with structured coaching, weigh-ins, and ongoing clinician check-ins. The program is built around weight loss as a primary product, not a side offering.
Hims's weight loss offering exists but has a meaningfully smaller footprint in 2026. The catalog is narrower, the coaching infrastructure is lighter, and many Hims weight loss patients end up on a single compounded formulation without the structured program around it.
If GLP-1 weight loss is your primary reason for shopping telehealth, Ro is the better choice. If you happen to want both ED and a light weight-loss option, Hims's bundling may make sense for convenience — but the GLP-1 program itself is weaker.
Winner: Ro, clearly.
Hims vs Ro for TRT
Honest answer: neither Hims nor Ro is the best telehealth choice for testosterone replacement therapy in 2026. Both have limited offerings, neither runs the kind of deep lab-monitoring + injection-protocol infrastructure that dedicated TRT clinics offer.
If TRT is your primary need, look at dedicated providers — Hone Health and Marek Health are common recommendations. Use Hims or Ro for ED, hair loss, or weight loss; use a specialist for TRT.
Winner: Neither. Try a dedicated TRT provider.
Pricing showdown
Quick reference for starting prices on longest-commitment plans, May 2026:
- ED (generic sildenafil) — Hims ~$30–$45/mo, Ro ~$35–$55/mo
- ED (chewables) — Hims Hard Mints ~$70–$110/mo, Ro Sparks comparable
- Hair loss (finasteride + minoxidil) — Hims ~$25–$40/mo, Ro ~$30–$45/mo
- GLP-1 weight loss (compounded) — Hims and Ro both starting around $200–$300/mo; branded options significantly higher
- TRT — Limited at both; pricing varies
For a deeper Hims pricing breakdown, see Hims ED Pricing 2026. For a deeper Ro review, see /reviews/ro/.
Which is faster?
Both providers offer same-day prescription approval in most states for ED, hair loss, and routine hair/skin medications, assuming the patient is an appropriate candidate and the intake doesn't flag any contraindications.
In BestMedsHub's tracking of telehealth ED provider response times, Hims's automation-first intake produces a marginally faster first-fill — often hours, sometimes a day — versus Ro's slightly more clinician-mediated workflow. For most patients, the difference is small.
Where Ro is faster: ongoing care. When you have a follow-up question, dose-adjustment request, or need a refill exception, Ro's clinician response time is typically tighter than Hims's. That matters more over a year of treatment than the first-fill difference matters once.
Winner: Hims on first-fill speed, Ro on ongoing-care responsiveness.
User reviews and complaints
Both Hims and Ro maintain roughly 4-star aggregate ratings on Trustpilot and similar review aggregators as of May 2026, based on BestMedsHub's tracking of public reviews. We deliberately don't cite exact star counts or review volumes — those numbers shift weekly and we'd rather not pin down a figure we can't verify in real time.
The recurring themes in public complaints are similar across both companies:
- Auto-renewal surprises. Top complaint for both. Subscriptions auto-bill at cycle end; users sometimes miss the renewal date.
- Cancellation friction. Both have a retention flow with offers between the cancel button and confirmation. Common across the category.
- Shipping delays in specific states.
Hims-specific themes:
- Upsells during intake (adjacent products).
- Less responsive clinician follow-up.
Ro-specific themes:
- Slightly slower first-fill experience for some users.
- Body Program billing complexity (multiple components).
Neither has a fundamental quality problem. Both are mainstream, established telehealth providers with the typical subscription-business complaints you'd expect at scale.
Final verdict — who wins
By use case:
- If you want the cheapest FDA-approved ED treatment — Hims.
- If you want a chewable ED product — Hims Hard Mints or Ro Sparks (similar pricing; Hims has more dose options).
- If you want hair loss treatment with maximum flexibility — Hims.
- If you want GLP-1 weight loss — Ro, clearly.
- If you want the most thorough telehealth clinical workflow — Ro.
- If you want speed and automation — Hims.
- If you want TRT — Neither; use Hone Health or Marek Health.
For the average patient choosing between the two purely on ED, Hims is the winner on price and catalog breadth.
For the average patient choosing on weight loss, Ro is the winner, no contest.
Want a wider comparison including a compounded chewable competitor? See Hims vs BlueChew vs Ro 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hims or Ro cheaper for ED treatment?
Hims is typically $5–$10/month cheaper than Ro for generic sildenafil on the longest-commitment plans as of May 2026. Both are dramatically cheaper than branded Viagra or Cialis. If raw cost is your only criterion, Hims wins narrowly.
Which is better for weight loss, Hims or Ro?
Ro, clearly. Ro's Body Program is the more mature GLP-1 telehealth offering in 2026, with both compounded and branded options, structured coaching, and clinician check-ins. Hims's weight loss footprint is smaller and the coaching infrastructure is lighter.
Does Ro have a chewable like Hims Hard Mints?
Yes. Ro sells Ro Sparks, a hard-mint-style tadalafil-based compounded chewable. Hims's Hard Mints are similar in concept, with more dose flexibility. Both are compounded products (not FDA-approved) and sit at a price premium over standard tablets.
Can I switch from Hims to Ro mid-prescription?
Yes. The two companies do not coordinate. You can cancel Hims and sign up with Ro at any time. Note that you'll need to complete Ro's intake from scratch — they will not honor a Hims prescription. Be aware of plan-length lock-in: if you committed to a quarterly or annual Hims plan, you may have already paid for medication beyond the current month and typically cannot get a prorated refund.
Are Hims and Ro the same company?
No. Hims is operated by Hims & Hers Health, Inc. (publicly traded). Ro is operated by Ro (Roman), a privately held company. They are independent competitors.
Which has better customer service, Hims or Ro?
Ro is generally rated more favorably for ongoing clinician responsiveness and care coordination. Hims is more automation-first — faster on first-fill, less responsive on follow-up questions. If you value being able to message a clinician and get a thoughtful reply, Ro tends to deliver better. If you value speed and self-service, Hims is fine.
Related reading
- Hims ED Pricing 2026: Full Cost Breakdown
- Ro Sparks Review 2026
- Ro Full Provider Review
- Hims vs BlueChew vs Ro 2026 (3-way comparison)
- Best Online ED Treatment in 2026
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Medical disclaimer. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
FTC affiliate disclosure. BestMedsHub may earn a commission when you click certain links or sign up with providers mentioned in this article. Our rankings, ratings, and editorial content are editorially independent and not influenced by advertiser relationships.
Sources. Hims and Ro public pricing pages as of May 2026, FDA labeling for sildenafil and tadalafil, public reviews aggregated from Trustpilot and Reddit communities, BestMedsHub editorial tracking of telehealth provider response times.
Health Disclaimer: BestMedsHub is not a healthcare provider, telehealth service, pharmacy, or medical organization. We do not prescribe medication, diagnose conditions, render medical opinions, or facilitate clinical consultations. All content is for general informational and comparison purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified physician, pharmacist, or other licensed healthcare professional before starting, stopping, or changing any treatment, medication, supplement, or health program. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of anything you have read on this site. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your local emergency number immediately.
FDA & Prescription Medication Disclaimer: Prescription medications referenced on this page are available only through a licensed healthcare provider after a clinical evaluation, and may not be appropriate or safe for everyone. Any statements regarding dietary supplements, wellness products, or off-label uses have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Individual results may vary and are not guaranteed. Always read the medication guide and consult your prescriber and pharmacist about side effects, contraindications, and drug interactions.
