Generic Keppra (levetiracetam): Cost, coverage, and side effects

In this article:

• Keppra generic
• Generic vs. brand-name
• Generic Keppra cost
• Is Keppra covered by insurance?
• How to get Keppra covered
• Alternatives

In this article

• Keppra generic
• Generic vs. brand-name
• Generic Keppra cost
• Is Keppra covered by insurance?
• How to get Keppra covered
• Alternatives

Keppra is an antiepileptic or anticonvulsant medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat seizures (epilepsy) in adults and children. It may be prescribed by itself or together with other medications to control seizures. A generic version, levetiracetam, has been available in the U.S. since 2008.

Is there a generic for Keppra?

The generic for Keppra is levetiracetam (levetiracetam ER is the generic for Keppra ER). While the brand-name version was approved in 1999, it wasn’t until 2008 that the FDA approved a generic form.

What are the differences between generic vs. brand-name Keppra?

Keppra and levetiracetam are almost identical medications. “Fundamentally, there is no difference between brand and generic medications,” says Erika Gray, Pharm.D., founder and Chief Medical Officer of Toolbox Genomics and clinical pharmacist at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center in San Francisco, California. “In this case, levetiracetam/Keppra has the same active ingredient. In fact, for a medication to be accepted as a generic, the company has to prove its medication is bioequivalent to the brand medication.”

Dosage form

Keppra and its generic version are available in several forms, including oral tablets (immediate-release), extended-release (XR) oral tablets, oral solution (liquid), and intravenous (IV) injection.

Keppra and levetiracetam pills are oblong tablets in various colors. They can vary in terms of their inactive ingredients and manufacturer. 

Strength

While dosing varies depending on a person’s needs, Keppra and its generic version have the same dosage forms. 

Here’s a look at the strengths based on form:

• Immediate-release tablets: 250 mg, 500 mg, 750 mg, and 1,000 mg
• Extended-release tablets: 500 mg and 750 mg
• Tablets for suspension: 250 mg and 500 mg
• Oral solution (liquid): 100 mg/mL
• Injection (IV): 100 mg/mL

Dosages can vary based on age. For younger children, dosage may vary based on body weight.

Inactive ingredients

“The place where Keppra and levetiracetam could differ is what type of inactive ingredients were used,” Dr. Gray says. “Occasionally, I have had patients who have had sensitivities to the excipients or dyes.”

Talk to your healthcare provider about any allergic reactions you’ve had to medications. And avoid taking medications with active or inactive ingredients that may be the source of the allergy or adverse effect.

How much does generic Keppra cost?

Keppra and its generic counterpart can also differ in pricing. Without insurance, the average cost of Keppra is around $765 for 60, 500 mg tablets. The cost of the same amount of generic Keppra can be as low as $6 with a SingleCare coupon. Still, the cost can vary based on factors such as the pharmacy, location, and the quantity prescribed.

Prescription drug prices often change. These are the most accurate medication prices at the time of publishing in ZIP code 23666 as of Mar. 23, 2026. The listed price without insurance references the price of brand-name drugs (unless otherwise specified). The listed SingleCare price references the price of generic drugs if available. 

Is Keppra covered by insurance?

Brand-name Keppra is usually not covered by health insurance plans. “Insurance companies typically cover levetiracetam, and they will be reluctant to cover Keppra unless there is a very specific documented reason that the patient cannot tolerate levetiracetam,” Dr. Gray says. Even with insurance coverage, your out-of-pocket costs may vary depending on copays, coinsurance, deductibles, and coverage gaps.

You can check your plan’s formulary (a list of covered drugs) or call your plan directly to see which specific drugs are covered.

How do you get Keppra covered by insurance?

Because brand-name Keppra is rarely covered by insurance, the most reliable way to get coverage is to ask your healthcare provider to prescribe generic levetiracetam, which most plans will cover. If coverage is still denied, your prescriber can submit a prior authorization showing that the brand name is medically necessary. If you are uninsured or your plan does not cover the medication, a SingleCare discount may help reduce the out-of-pocket cost of generic Keppra.

Generic alternatives to Keppra

If Keppra or its generic version is not safe for you to take due to certain inactive ingredients or other medical concerns, you and your healthcare provider can explore other generic anti-seizure drugs.

These include:

• Topiramate (Topamax)
• Lamotrigine (Lamictal)
• Gabapentin (Neurontin, Gralise)
• Divalproex sodium (Depakote)
• Phenytoin (Dilantin)
• Carbamazepine (Tegretol)

Keppra is FDA-approved to treat partial-onset seizures, myoclonic seizures in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, and primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures in people with idiopathic generalized epilepsy. However, some healthcare providers may prescribe it off-label to manage other seizure disorders like status epilepticus and seizure prophylaxis. One study review also found that the anticonvulsant drug may reduce headache frequency, severity, and duration in people with migraines. 

Although generic Keppra is the go-to for many healthcare providers and insurance plans, there are a few instances where the brand-name may be the better option for patients. “A healthcare provider might recommend brand-name Keppra over generic levetiracetam if the patient loses seizure control after switching or if a patient reacts poorly to generic fillers,” says James Lyons, MD, a hospitalist, family medicine and emergency room physician, and medical consultant at Synergy Houses in West Chester, Pennsylvania. 

He adds that if a person receives a prescription for Keppra but prefers the generic version for reasons such as cost or allergic reactions to the inactive ingredients, a pharmacist may be able to make the switch, depending on local pharmacy and insurance rules. “If a doctor writes a prescription for Keppra, the pharmacist can usually dispense the generic levetiracetam instead,” he explains. “However, if the prescriber specifically writes ‘DAW’ (dispense as written) or checks the ‘no substitution box’ on the prescription, then the pharmacist must provide the brand Keppra.”