Brand-name prescription

Concerta

methylphenidate

Compare your options

Compare	ConcertaBrand name	Authorized genericWithout the Concerta name	Regular genericmethylphenidate
What pharmacies pay	from$12.33–14.18per tablet	Not sold	Lowestfrom$0.58–0.81per tablet
Same as Concerta?	The original	–	Same active ingredientFillers and dyes can differ
Ways to save	Maker’s cardas little as $4 a fillwith commercial insurance	–	Ask for it by name
With insurance	Brand co-pay, usually the highest	–	Usually the lowest co-pay

No authorized generic: There isn’t one.

Prices are the average U.S. drugstores pay (source: Medicaid, September 23, 2026). What you pay depends on your plan or the pharmacy.

Co-pay cards can’t be used with Medicare (including Medicare Advantage), Medicaid, TRICARE or VA.

The maker’s savings card

Rx Maker’s savings card Johnson & Johnson

CONCERTA Savings Program

With commercial insurance

as little as $4 a fill

No insurance

This card needs commercial insurance. The maker doesn’t list a cash price on this page.

The card pays up to $150 a month.

Get it on jnjwithme.com

In the maker’s words

“Eligible patients pay as little as $4 per fill.”

From the maker’s offer on jnjwithme.com, checked September 25, 2026. What you pay depends on your plan. Co-pay cards can’t be used with Medicare (including Medicare Advantage), Medicaid, TRICARE or VA.

Before you use a discount card

Discount cards like GoodRx take money off the pharmacy’s cash price. For a brand-name drug, that price is often still high. With commercial insurance, Concerta’s own card may bring it to as little as $4 a fill.

Look up the discount-card price, then compare it with this estimate. You can use a maker’s card or a discount card, but usually not both on the same fill.

What pharmacies pay

The average U.S. drugstores pay for each strength (source: Medicaid, September 23, 2026). What you pay depends on your plan or the pharmacy.

Strength	Concerta	Regular generic
ER 18 mg tabletper tablet	$12.33	$0.58
ER 27 mg tabletper tablet	$12.65	$0.68
ER 36 mg tabletper tablet	$13.04	$0.67
ER 54 mg tabletper tablet	$14.18	$0.81

Good to know

A regular generic has the same active ingredient, strength and form as Concerta, and the FDA requires it to work the same way. Its fillers and dyes can differ, so it may look different.
There’s no authorized generic of Concerta.
“Commercial insurance” means a plan from a job, from the marketplace, or one you buy yourself. A retiree plan that’s part of Medicare counts as Medicare. Co-pay cards can’t be used with Medicare (including Medicare Advantage), Medicaid, TRICARE or VA.
Most cards need a sign-up on the maker’s site, and many work only if your plan covers the drug. Then give the card’s details to your pharmacy.
Don’t stop or change a medicine without talking to your pharmacist or prescriber.