Hims vs. Roman: Comparison, Reviews, and More

Hims and Roman are rising telemedicine brands that seek to give customers treatment services for erectile dysfunction (ED), premature ejaculation (PE), and other health issues without relying on traditional healthcare systems.

But how do these two companies, their products, and their services stack up against one another?

We do a deep dive into each company, how they compare, and how you can decide which one may work for your needs.

Hims is a men’s health brand founded in late 2017 when, as the story goes, the sister of founder Andrew Dudum commented on his skin issues.

Focused on full-service telemedicine for men’s health, Hims provides digital management tools for appointments, prescriptions, and generic medications for common ED treatments, like sildenafil (Viagra) and tadalafil (Cialis).

Hims also has services and treatment offerings for:

Hims has also created partner brand Hers, which addresses women’s healthcare needs through the digital management of appointments, prescriptions, and treatments.

Looking for more info on Hims? Read our full Hims ED review.

Roman is an offshoot of a company called Ro. It was founded in 2017 as an “end-to-end” healthcare service. Its services are aimed directly at consumers, with minimal obstruction from healthcare professionals, physicians, and pharmacies.

Since its founding, Roman has aggressively advertised this service. It’s become a recognized brand in the men’s health space, especially for its generic Viagra (sildenafil) and generic Cialis (tadalafil).

Roman’s primary service is helping you access healthcare on its platform. This includes:

• making appointments
• getting prescriptions
• having easy access to a physician to guide you through your questions and concerns

Ro also operates two other major brands:

• Rory for women’s health
• Zero for quitting smoking

Looking for more info on Roman? Read our full Roman ED review.

*Pricing and ratings as of January 2024

In addition to their telemedicine services, both Hims and Roman offer ED treatments. Here’s a brief overview of what each company offers.

Keep in mind that many of these ED treatments are similar in how they work, but they may come in different doses. These doses may take different lengths of time to work and may be taken at different intervals, such as daily or weekly.

Some medications used to treat ED are prescribed off-label. This means physicians have found therapeutic use for a medication outside of what the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved it for.

Hims treatments for ED and PE

• Sildenafil (Viagra): This oral tablet was created to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension. Known as a phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor, Viagra treats the inability to get an erection, or ED. It helps the smooth muscles relax, so blood vessels allow more blood flow into the penis for an erection.
• Tadalafil (Cialis): This is another PDE5 inhibitor oral tablet for ED.
• Avanafil (Stendra): Avanafil is another PDE5 inhibitor oral tablet for ED.
• Sertraline: This oral tablet used off-label for PE has the same active ingredient as the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant Zoloft. For PE, sertraline helps you last longer before ejaculating during sex or masturbation.
• Lidocaine spray: This spray-on numbing agent helps reduce nerve sensation so you can potentially last longer before you ejaculate.

Browse ED treatments from Hims.

Roman treatments for ED and PE

• Sildenafil (Viagra): This PDE5 inhibitor treats ED and is sold as an oral tablet.
• Tadalafil (Cialis): Roman offers this popular PDE5 inhibitor for ED as well.
• Sertraline: Roman also offers a generic version of the SSRI antidepressant Zoloft as an off-label treatment for PE.
• Benzocaine wipes: Sold as Roman Swipes, these wipes are premoistened with 4% benzocaine, a numbing agent that can reduce sensation in your penis so you last longer during sex.

Browse ED treatments from Roman.

Here’s how the two companies stack up for common ED medication prices:

*Pricing as of January 2024

Here’s how some medications that both Hims and Roman sell work for ED and PE.

Sildenafil and tadalafil

Typically, when your penis nerves are stimulated, smooth muscles around the spongy tissue in your penis, called the corpus cavernosa, relax and let blood flow into this tissue to engorge it. This results in an erection.

With ED, this process is disrupted.

Sildenafil and tadalafil are in a class of drugs called PDE5 inhibitors.

These medications stop the production of the enzyme PDE5. This allows your body to produce higher levels of nitric oxide and relax your penis muscles, letting sufficient blood flow into the penis for an erection.

Lidocaine and benzocaine

Typically, stimulated nerves in your penis use sodium to communicate signals to the central nervous system called action potential. But you can get too stimulated and ejaculate earlier than you want.

Benzocaine and lidocaine help block sodium channels so nerve signals can’t take place. This means you’ll feel less sensation or none at all, so the sensation of sex or masturbation doesn’t overstimulate you.

Some people find this helps them with performance and lowers some anxiety around sex.

Here’s how these two companies generally recommend using each ED medication:

Although each company may promise easier alternatives to traditional healthcare, the marketing bluster can sometimes be deceiving.

It’s worth checking out official company websites and third-party review sites, such as Trustpilot. These can give you the broadest, unbiased sense of what to expect from these companies based on personal experiences.

Here’s what customers have to say about each of these brands.

Hims customer reviews: Is Hims worth trying?

Hims does not offer refunds on certain prescription medications due to regulatory controls around selling and reselling medications.

But as its website states, Hims does allow you to pause or cancel any subscription service without charge if you pause or cancel at least 48 hours before your next scheduled purchase or delivery.

As of January 2024, Hims has over 3,000 Trustpilot reviews and an average rating of 3.6 out of 5 stars.

Here is what reviewers on Trustpilot have to say about Hims and its products:

As of January 2024, Hims is rated at 3.96 out of 5 stars on the BBB website and has over 2,300 customer reviews. Many of the reviews cover the same concerns listed above.

Roman customer reviews: Is Roman worth trying?

Like Hims, Roman does not offer refunds on prescription medications for regulatory reasons. However, if you feel that the company made an error filling your prescription, you can email them for a resolution.

Roman has over 500 Trustpilot reviews, with an average rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars, as of January 2024. Negative customer comments focus on shipping issues, trouble contacting customer service, and having some difficulty navigating the website and app.

Roman is rated at 1.36 out of 5 stars on the BBB website from 33 customer reviews as of January 2024.

Here is an overview of what customers have to say on the BBB:

Both Hims and Roman are relatively young companies and don’t have extensive track records. This means most complaints and legal action against these companies may not be publicly available.

It can take years for enough consumer reports and evidence to build up before a lawsuit can be successfully filed and taken to court. But here’s what we were able to find that may be relevant to each of these companies.

Hims reputation

To date, the FDA has not released warning letters targeting any products or services from Hims. In addition, no lawsuits have been publicly filed against the company.

Roman reputation

As with Hims, no FDA warning letters or lawsuits against the Roman brand or the Ro company have been issued or filed.

Each company has a slightly different process for setting you up with a doctor and getting you the ED medications you may need.

Here’s how each company’s process works:

Physician’s assessment via Hims

Here’s what to expect when you use Hims for medical consultations and prescription services:

1. You will answer a brief questionnaire about your symptoms and experience with ED products.
2. Hims will tell you whether you’re covered and whether a licensed physician is available based on your location.
3. You will create an online user account and provide a government-issued ID along with a brief medical history.
4. A licensed physician will contact you for a brief consultation with recommendations, prescriptions, or treatment plans.
5. Your prescription will be submitted. You will get any approved medications through the mail.

Physician’s assessment via Roman

Here’s what you can generally expect when you consult with Roman and its physicians before receiving a prescription or any other treatment:

1. You will create an online user account with a user ID, blood pressure reading, and medical history.
2. Roman will connect you with a licensed physician or nurse practitioner for an appointment and evaluation via video chat.
3. Your healthcare professional will encourage you to get any necessary lab tests. They will examine them at no extra cost.
4. Your healthcare professional will reach out to you once they’ve analyzed your tests and give you a recommendation, treatment plan, or prescription.
5. Your prescription will be created. You will receive your approved medications through the mail.
6. You can reach out to your healthcare professional at any time with questions or concerns or for further consultation.

Here are some common side effects to watch out for when using any of the medications offered by Hims and Roman.

PDE5 inhibitor side effects

Side effects of PDE5 inhibitors like sildenafil, tadalafil, and avanafil include:

• rashes
• flushed skin
• redness
• achy muscles
• sore throat
• back pain
• headache
• runny nose
• upset stomach
• erection longer than 4 hours (priapism)
• blurry vision

A serious side effect can occur when taking PDE5 inhibitors with nitrates that you might use to regulate blood pressure. These two medications are contraindicated and could cause potentially life threatening hypotensive (low blood pressure) effects.

If you are currently taking nitrates or blood pressure medication, or have a history of heart attacks or strokes, it’s important to share this information with your doctor before starting any PDE5 inhibitors.

Sertraline side effects

Side effects of sertraline can include:

• nausea
• appetite loss
• diarrhea
• upset stomach
• sleepiness
• difficulty falling asleep
• sweating a lot (hyperhidrosis)
• feeling shaky
• exhaustion
• agitation

Benzocaine side effects

Benzocaine is a common numbing agent and is generally considered safe. It’s even used to help numb you before dental procedures.

Here are some uncommon but possible side effects of benzocaine:

• skin flaking
• skin feeling tender where you wiped
• itchiness
• burning and stinging
• warmth or skin redness

*Pricing and ratings as of January 2024

One of the biggest benefits of Hims and Roman is that you can get an online consultation with a physician and be prescribed medications sent directly to your home.

However, there’s no substitute for meeting in person with a doctor, if you’re able to.

If you have any concerns or questions that you don’t think these online professionals can address, consider talking with a primary care doctor. They can also order additional tests, if necessary, to rule out any other potential causes for what you are experiencing.

There may be a chance that recent changes to daily nutrition, mental health, or lifestyle may be contributing to your symptoms. If that’s the case, your doctor can help build a more personalized treatment plan for you. They can also recommend a local urologist or specialist who can meet with you.

Also, if you experience any concerning side effects as a result of medications received through Hims and Roman, your doctor would be a good resource to reach out to for help.