Viagra vs Viagra Connect

As Viagra and Viagra Connect contain the same active ingredient sildenafil, and work in the same way, the only real differences between the treatments are:

• their pack sizes
• dosages
• whether they’re available over the counter
• cost

Determining which is right for you will depend on whether you’ve tried an ED treatment before, the severity of your ED, your medical history (some people need to start on 25mg rather than 50mg), and personal preference.

As well as having similarities, there are a few important differences between Viagra and Viagra Connect, such as:

Doses

Viagra Connect is only available at a 50mg dose. This is the typical starting dose of Viagra or sildenafil. Viagra is available in 25mg, 50mg, and 100mg.

Viagra 25mg

25mg is only available on prescription and is usually recommended for people taking certain medications, such as protease inhibitors for the treatment of HIV or alpha-blocker therapy for the treatment of high blood pressure or prostate enlargement. There may also be certain medical conditions which mean you need a lower dose, or you may need a lower dose if you get side effects on the 50mg dose.

In these cases, a pharmacist will not be able to provide Viagra Connect and you’ll need to take it under the supervision of a doctor.

Viagra 100mg

100mg is only available on prescription. If you have tried 50mg of Viagra or Viagra Connect 8 different times, and it’s not working properly for you, such as its effects are not lasting long enough for sex, a doctor may prescribe 100mg tablets to try.

Prescription

Viagra Connect is available over the counter, while Viagra requires a prescription. You will still need to answer a few questions about your health when speaking to a pharmacist to make sure Viagra Connect is safe and suitable for you before you can purchase it.

You can get either online, from regulated services like Asda Online Doctor, after answering a short medical questionnaire, if you’d prefer not to speak to someone in person.

Pack sizes

Viagra Connect is available in packs of 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, or 28 tablets. Viagra’s smallest pack size is 4 tablets and can be found in 4, 8, 12, 16, 24, 28, 32, or 64 tablets.

Pack sizes will depend on the pharmacy you purchase from but Viagra Connect is typically given in smaller pack sizes because it's an over-the-counter medication.

Price

Viagra Connect and Viagra usually differ in price. Prices depend on where you get them, but Viagra tends to be slightly more expensive for a pack size of 4, but higher pack sizes are more similar in price.

Viagra, Viagra Connect, and sildenafil are all the same medication. They all contain sildenafil, the difference between them is that Viagra and Viagra Connect are the branded versions of sildenafil, manufactured by Pfizer, while sildenafil tablets are a generic medication and can be made by different manufacturers. Viagra and sildenafil are very similar, they come in the same dosages and pack sizes.

There’s also a version of sildenafil like Viagra Connect, which is an over-the-counter 50mg sildenafil tablet pack that can be bought from pharmacies after a short consultation.

The main difference between branded medications like Viagra and Viagra Connect and generic medications like sildenafil is the price. Generic medications are cheaper as they are not branded and can be made by different manufacturers.

Viagra and Viagra Connect alternatives

The main alternatives to Viagra and Viagra Connect that are available on prescription or over the counter (OTC) are:

• sildenafil (prescription and OTC) – the generic version of Viagra, also available over the counter in 50mg tablets
• Hezkue spray (prescription) – a mouth spray containing sildenafil 50mg which can work faster (around 12 minutes) and is an alternative to tablets
• tadalafil, also called Cialis (prescription and OTC) – a PDE-5 inhibitor that can last up to 36 hours, and is also available in 10mg doses over the counter under the brand name Cialis Together or Avarante
• Spedra (prescription) – a branded PDE-5 inhibitor that can work slightly faster than Viagra (around 20 minutes) but lasts around the same time
• vardenafil (prescription) – a generic PDE-5 inhibitor that's very similar to Viagra

Can you get sildenafil 50mg over the counter?

Yes. Sildenafil generic tablets are available over the counter from most pharmacies and some online retailers.

Who is the manufacturer of Viagra and Viagra Connect?

The manufacturer of Viagra and Viagra Connect is Pfizer.

Is Viagra Connect the same as Viagra?

Yes, Viagra Connect is the same medication, containing the same active ingredient and working in the same way. They just come in different doses and Viagra Connect can also be bought over the counter.

Does Viagra or Viagra Connect last longer?

Viagra and Viagra Connect last the same amount of time. They both contain sildenafil, which lasts around 4 hours. One medication does not last longer than the other.

Do Viagra and Viagra Connect have the same side effects?

Yes, as they contain the same active ingredient, they have the same side effects. You can find more information on the side effects by reading your patient information leaflet.

Do Viagra and Viagra Connect tablets look the same?

Yes, Viagra and Viagra Connect tablets are both small, blue, diamond-shaped tablets. The only difference between the tablets is that ‘V50’ is stamped onto the Viagra Connect tablet, while ‘VGR’ is stamped on a Viagra tablet, followed by the dosage (25/50/100).