Key takeaways
Auvelity is a brand-name prescription medication used to treat major depressive disorder and agitation related to Alzheimer’s disease.
It’s a new medication still protected by patent rights, so there is no generic alternative and the retail cost of Auvelity is high: about $1,750 for a 30-day supply.
You can save money on your Auvelity prescription by using the SingleCare prescription discount card.
Auvelity is a fast-acting antidepressant medication used to treat major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults and agitation in people with Alzheimer’s disease. It contains a combination of two active ingredients: dextromethorphan and bupropion.
Because it’s a relatively new drug, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2022, Auvelity still has an extremely high retail price: about $1,750 for a 30-day supply. There’s no generic for Auvelity yet, so if you need to take this medication and don’t have insurance coverage, your approach to saving money is going to look different than it does for most other drugs. Here’s what you can expect Auvelity to cost without insurance, why it’s so expensive, and suggestions for lowering your out-of-pocket costs.
How much does Auvelity cost without insurance?
Currently, the average retail price of Auvelity is $1,752 for 60 extended-release tablets containing 45 mg of dextromethorphan and 105 mg of bupropion. Adults on a maintenance dose of Auvelity typically take 2 tablets per day, so this is a standard 30-day supply for most people. However, keep in mind that the exact retail price will vary by pharmacy, so this is only an estimate.
Auvelity cost without insurance (approximate |
||
|---|---|---|
| Supply | Retail price without insurance | With SingleCare coupon |
| 60, 45 mg/105 mg extended-release tablets (30-day supply) | $1,752 | $1,173 |
Why is Auvelity so expensive?
Auvelity was approved by the FDA in 2022, so it’s still fairly new to the market. That means it’s protected by patent and exclusivity rights restricting other manufacturers from making a generic version.
“While Auvelity is … composed of two drugs that have been available as generics for years, this patented combination is not yet available as a generic,” says Cooper Stone, DO, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania. “New drugs that are not yet off patent always come at a premium.”
Auvelity is also the only oral rapid-acting antidepressant on the market, so it doesn’t have to be priced competitively. What’s more, its combination formula makes it particularly effective, with both drugs working together as a team, says Krishna Taneja, MD, an integrative psychiatrist practicing in Indiana.
Per Dr. Taneja:
- Dextromethorphan is the main active ingredient in Auvelity, relieving depression relatively quickly by increasing the amount of a neurotransmitter called glutamate in the brain. However, the liver breaks dextromethorphan down too quickly for it to maintain its therapeutic effect.
- Bupropion acts as a shield, stopping the body’s liver enzymes from destroying the dextromethorphan and allowing it to stay in the bloodstream at therapeutic levels. Meanwhile, bupropion also adds its own independent antidepressant benefits.
This carefully engineered combination results in a fast-acting and effective medication without many of the typical antidepressant side effects like weight gain and sexual dysfunction, says Dr. Taneja. A drug like that, without any competition from generic versions, is going to be priced high.
How to lower the cost of Auvelity
There are a few ways to save money on Auvelity with or without insurance, but the exact methods change based on your coverage. The only option that works regardless of your insurance status is the SingleCare prescription discount coupon.
Use a SingleCare prescription discount coupon
If you use a free SingleCare prescription discount card, you may be able to save more than $600 on your prescription. At participating pharmacies, your cash price could drop from $1,752 for a 30-day supply to around $1,173. However, you can’t use a SingleCare coupon and any type of insurance coverage at the same time. You’ll need to choose one or the other. You can compare pharmacy prices for Auvelity here to find the lowest cost in your area.
Save up to 80% on Auvelity with SingleCare
Different pharmacies offer different prices for the same medication. SingleCare helps find the best price for you.
Axsome’s Auvelity savings card
If you have private or commercial insurance, you may be eligible for an Auvelity savings card through the Auvelity OnMySide program. The card can help you pay as little as a $10 copay per prescription fill, including supplies up to 90 days. But the Auvelity savings card is only for people with commercial insurance that covers some of the cost of the drug, and it can’t be used if you have Medicare or Medicaid (or no insurance coverage at all).
Axsome patient assistance program
The manufacturer of Auvelity, Axsome Therapeutics, runs a patient assistance program to make the drug accessible to uninsured people. If you are a U.S. resident who meets the income eligibility requirements, you may be able to receive free or reduced-cost Auvelity. You will need to submit an application that includes proof of income.
Are there cheaper alternatives to Auvelity?
Even though you can’t save money on Auvelity by opting for a generic over the brand name, there may be other alternatives available that are cheaper. Several medications, including atypical antidepressants like Trintellix (vortioxetine), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like Prozac (fluoxetine), and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) like Effexor XR (venlafaxine), are approved for use in treating MDD. Many of these drugs are available as cost-saving generics.
Finding a cheaper alternative to Auvelity for agitation associated with Alzheimer’s is more challenging. According to Dr. Stone, very few other drugs are approved for this use, and the most common one, Rexulti (brexpiprazole), is also expensive.
For some people, generic bupropion on its own, without the dextromethorphan component, may be an option for treating symptoms, but it’s not a substitute for Auvelity, says Gail Saltz, MD, associate professor of psychiatry at the NY Presbyterian Hospital Weill-Cornell School of Medicine and host of the How Can I Help? podcast.
“Generic bupropion is used to treat MDD, but it has its own mechanism of action and, according to studies, it has a slower mechanism of action when taken alone,” says Dr. Saltz.
In addition to working differently and more slowly, bupropion may not be quite as effective when used alone. Clinical trial data has shown that the combined formulation is superior to bupropion by itself, says Dr. Taneja, resulting in significantly greater symptom improvement, a faster onset of action, and a much higher week-six remission rate.
But what about taking generic bupropion and generic dextromethorphan individually—can that serve as a workaround to paying for brand-name Auvelity? Possibly, says Dr. Stone, and it would certainly save you money. However, Dr. Taneja says this isn’t the easy fix it seems to be: “Auvelity contains a specific patented extended-release ratio [of dextromethorphan and bupropion] to ensure the dextromethorphan levels remain at therapeutic levels in the brain.”
In other words, there’s no direct substitute for Auvelity for people with MDD, though there are alternative depression medications that could still help to alleviate your symptoms. It’s important to always discuss these other options with your healthcare provider; never make medication swaps or changes on your own. Your provider knows your full medical history and is the best person to advise you on appropriate treatments.
Expert takeaway
“Auvelity has not been compared in head-to-head trials to first-line, inexpensive SSRIs and SNRIs for depression,” cautions Chad Shaffer, MD, a member of the SingleCare Medical Board, “but its claim to act more rapidly, while also avoiding some common side effects, could make it appealing in some circumstances despite a higher cost.”
Frequently asked questions
Is there a generic version of Auvelity?
No. Auvelity was approved by the FDA in 2022 and is still protected by patent and exclusivity rights. There is no generic version of its unique combination of drugs.
Does Medicare cover Auvelity?
Yes, Auvelity is typically covered by Medicare Part D plans, though some may require prior authorizations. It’s important to check the details of your specific plan before filling your prescription.
Can you use a SingleCare coupon and the Auvelity savings card at the same time?
No. You need to pick either the SingleCare coupon or the Auvelity savings card.
The SingleCare prices in this article are the most accurate at the time of publishing in ZIP code 23666 as of Oct. 12, 2026. Prices vary by pharmacy. Visit our coupon page for updated drug prices at pharmacies near you.
- Auvelity drug label, NIH DailyMed (2026)
- Frequently asked questions on patents and exclusivity, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (2020)
- Effect of AXS-05 (dextromethorphan-bupropion) in major depressive disorder: A randomized double-blind controlled trial, American Journal of Psychiatry (2022)
- Medically accurate: SingleCare’s Medical Review Board analyzes all of our content to confirm it’s in line with current medical advice.
- Evidence-based: Our content is sourced from reputable U.S.-based healthcare professionals and peer-reviewed research.
- Trustworthy: All of SingleCare’s content goes through a multi-phase review process by our writers, editors, and Medical Board in order to provide clear and credible information.