Roman ED Review: Trusted Insights in 2024

Oct 31, 2024
Fact Checked
Roman offers a discreet way to be seen by a doctor online and have erectile dysfunction medications shipped to your house. Here's what our testers thought about the virtual platform.
Edited by: Donya Currie, MA, Senior Editor at NCOA
Reviewed by: Susan Stiles, PhD, Health Aging Expert at NCOA

Key Takeaways 

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common medical issue. The rate of ED increases as biological males age but also affects close to 18% of those between 18 and 24 years old. Despite how common it can be to experience ED, the 2021 National Survey of Sexual Wellbeing found a large gap in how many people seek treatment for the condition. People with symptoms of ED cite not wanting to go to the doctor for their erectile dysfunction. To help bridge that gap, Roman is a digital health platform that allows users to see a doctor online with a free consultation, have lab work ordered if needed, and get prescription ED treatments shipped to their homes in discreet packaging.  

We reviewed Roman to understand how the platform works, what it offers, and what it’s like to get ED medication online. 

Our experience with Roman for ED

Ro Generic of Viagra

Visit Site

Key features

  • Price (generic): Starting at $4
  • FDA-approved: Yes
  • Shipping time: 3-5 business days; 2nd day air shipping available
  • Dosage: 25 milligrams (mg), 50 mg, 100 mg

Pros and cons

Pros Lowest-cost ED medication from Roman FDA-approved active ingredient Cons Common side effects include headaches and flushing Takes about 30 minutes to work May not be safe for people with heart conditions

Our testers found that Ro was easy and straightforward to use—they liked how simple it was to see a health care provider online and check in with any problems they experienced. Testers also appreciate the privacy of using an online platform versus going in person to see a doctor. 

quote icon

“You don’t have to go through the hassle of going to the doctor and waiting and then going to the pharmacy. It just shows up in your mail and you never have to leave the comfort of your house.”

— Ro tester

Sildenafil, the generic version of Viagra, is one of Roman’s most popular ED treatments. Along with Roman’s generic version of Viagra, the brand’s prescription ED options also include a generic version of Cialis (tadalafil) in both pill and gummy form, and Ro Sparks, a fast-acting treatment that combines both active ingredients of Viagra and Cialis. The non-prescription offerings include Swipes, which are 4% benzocaine solution wipes that can help reduce stimulation on the penis to make sex last longer. 

Our expert opinion

All of the experts we spoke to about ED stressed that it’s very common for people to hesitate about seeking treatment for the condition, but that it can be crucial for both mental and physical health. Not only can ED cause a lack of confidence, anxiety, stress, and strain on a relationship, but it can also indicate an underlying health problem, so it’s important to always talk to a health care provider if you are experiencing any new erectile dysfunction symptoms.

quote icon

“Sexual health is essential to overall well-being, and seeking help for ED is a positive step towards improving your quality of life. Your sexual pleasure and satisfaction are rights that people of all ages deserve…So, please don’t hesitate to contact a health care professional who can provide guidance, support, and tailored solutions to address your specific needs. Taking care of your sexual health is a proactive and empowering choice, and you deserve the opportunity to enjoy a fulfilling and satisfying sex life.”

– Rhiannon John, Certified Sexologist

Many ED treatments also affect your blood circulation, so it’s important to talk to a health care provider about any other medications you take and if you have any heart or other circulatory conditions, like blood clots or high blood pressure. 

Special considerations of erectile dysfunction medication for older adults

ED medications may be ineffective or dangerous for some people depending on their health history and potential interactions with current medications.

Some of the most common chronic conditions affecting older adults—including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and diabetes—can damage penile blood vessels and nerves, leading to new or worsening ED that doesn’t respond to Viagra or Cialis. Several other ED treatments are available, including penile injections, vacuum erection devices, intraurethral suppositories, and discreet penile prosthesis. Newer treatments also exist like shockwave therapy and platelet-rich plasma or stem cell injections, but these treatments are still experimental, and the results are not proven. 

ED can also appear as one of the first symptoms of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, anxiety, and other chronic health concerns. If you haven’t had a physical exam within the last year, don’t try to get ED medication online. Instead, visit your doctor in person to ensure any potential underlying conditions are diagnosed and treated alongside the ED. 

Roman information

What is Roman?

Roman is an online health platform for erectile dysfunction treatments. The website connects users to a virtual health care provider for a free consultation about their symptoms. The health care  provider can order lab work, if needed, and recommend a treatment plan that includes prescription ED medication shipped directly to your house. 

Roman for ED cost

The cost for ED treatments through Roman ranges from $4 for generic Viagra medications up to $120 for bulk doses of their popular Ro Sparks treatment. 

Roman offerings

Roman offers prescription medications for ED treatments. Ro Sparks is a dissolvable tablet, and the Daily Rise medication is a chewable gummy. These two offerings are compounded medications. Learn more about compounded medications, which are not FDA approved, before considering these options. 

Sildenafil

Dosage: 25, 50, or 100 mg

Sildenafil is the generic version of Viagra and is Roman’s most popular and cost-effective ED medication. The medication should be taken approximately 15- 60 minutes before you want to have sex. You will still need to be aroused for the medication to work, and it’s recommended you avoid eating food or drinking alcohol before using. It is safe to take sildenafil daily, although it may work best if you wait at least 24 hours between doses (the medication stays in the body about four to six hours after you take it). 

Viagra

Dosage: 25, 50, or 100 mg

Roman also sells the brand name Viagra, available with a prescription. Viagra works the same way as the generic version. Some side effects to watch for with both medications include a stuffy or runny nose, headache, dizziness, nausea, or muscle aches. You should not take Viagra or generic Viagra if you also take nitrates for chest pain. The combination of nitrates and any medication in the Viagra class can lead to unsafe drops in blood pressure.  

Tadalafil

Dosage: 2.5 mg or 5 mg (daily); 5 mg, 10 mg, or 20 mg (as needed)

Tadalafil is the active ingredient in Cialis, another popular ED medication. Roman offers generic tadalafil, which is less expensive than name-brand Cialis. Cialis gives two ED treatment options: to take the pill on an “as-needed” basis about 30-60 minutes before sex, or to take daily, so you’re ready for an erection at any time. If you choose the daily option, you should take tadalafil at about the same time every day. Only the 2.5 mg and 5 mg doses are approved for daily use. 

Cialis

Dosage: 5, 10, 20 mg

Cialis is the name-brand version of tadalafil available through Roman. Cialis works the same way and can either be taken daily at a lower dose ( 5 mg) to be erection-ready or at higher doses (from 5 mg–20 mg) as needed about 30 minutes before you want an erection. 

Daily Rise Gummies

Dosage: Tadalafil 7 mg

Roman also offers a chewable gummy form of tadalafil they call Daily Rise Gummies meant to be taken daily to allow for a spontaneous erection at any time of the day or night. The gummies contain 7 mg of tadalafil and are fulfilled through a compounded pharmacy. 

Ro Sparks

Dosage: Sildenafil 55 mg, tadalafil 22 mg

Roman has a newer product called Ro Sparks, which is a combination sublingual pill, meaning you place it underneath your tongue and let it dissolve into the bloodstream for faster absorption. The pill takes about 10 minutes to dissolve completely, and you shouldn’t have anything else in your mouth, like food or water, as it dissolves. The pill contains both tadalafil and sildenafil, and Roman claims it works in an average of 15 minutes, making it a faster option than taking either Viagra or Cialis alone. The pill also lasts for 36 hours at a time, so you can be erection-ready for longer, too. Ro Sparks is also filled through a compounded pharmacy. 

How to sign up for Roman for ED

To sign up for Roman, you can visit the website or download the app and choose the condition you’re looking to treat.

Treatment offerings on the Roman website

If you select that you are looking for an erectile dysfunction treatment, you will be taken to a simple questionnaire to provide more in-depth information about the kind of solution you’re hoping to find.  

The questionnaire will continue by asking you more about:

Finally, you will need to create a log-in to be taken to the online telehealth portion of the site to be connected with a health care provider for a free consultation. Some states require the telehealth visit to be a video chat, while others do not. After speaking with a health care provider in your state’s allowed format, they can order lab work, if needed, to assess for possible causes of ED, and order prescription medication. 

Some of the prescription medications through Roman are sold as subscription packages, so they will auto-renew and be billed regularly. For instance, the compounded medications of the Ro Sparks and Daily Rise Gummies can be set on quarterly plans through a compounded pharmacy—this means you can get a $15 discount, but it also means you’ll have to stop shipments if you don’t want them anymore. Shipping costs can also vary based on how frequently you get your medication. 

Both the generic and name-brand Viagra and Cialis pills are supplied through FDA-approved pharmacies with Ro, but the combination pill Ro Sparks and the Daily Rise Gummies are ordered through a compounded pharmacy.

Roman contact and payment information

Customer service

To reach Ro’s customer service, you will need to log into your Ro account and submit a question or concern. You can also email their customer service team at care@ro.co. They do not have a customer service phone number listed on their website.

Payment options

Ro accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and PayPal. Google Pay and Apple Pay are accepted through phone or tablet use while using the appropriate browsers (Google Play requires Chrome and Apple Pay requires Safari.) Ro does not accept HSA/FSA cards as of September 2024. 

How we research and evaluate erectile dysfunction platforms

Based on our expert consultations, research, and testing, we determined the following factors to be essential for our readers when signing up for an erectile dysfunction medication platform:

We had all of our reviews medically reviewed by an expert in the field to ensure the information is appropriate for NCOA readers’ needs. Learn more by reading our full ED review methodology.

Bottom line

Roman was the most popular online platform for ED among the people we surveyed who sought treatment. We found it was easy to start and simple to use, with convenient access to health care providers for questions or to change treatment. 

Our testers had ED challenges stemming from issues that ranged from prostate cancer, high blood pressure, and depression to general aging, and they were all able to find appropriate treatments through online platforms. The most popular online ED treatment among our testers was sildenafil, the generic version of Viagra, followed by name-brand Viagra. 

We also found through surveying people using Roman that ED had a significant impact on their mental health and they went months and even years before seeking help. Treatment almost always had a near-immediate positive effect on their lives. 

We recommend Roman for anyone looking for an easy-to-use telehealth platform for prescription erectile dysfunction medications. We always caution anyone with ED symptoms to also see their primary care provider, as ED can signal deeper underlying medical concerns. And if you choose to use Ro Sparks or the Daily Rise Gummies, be aware that those are compounded medications that are not FDA-regulated. 

Frequently asked questions

ED medications through Roman range in cost from $4 for single-pack generic Viagra to $120 for 10 doses of their fast-acting prescription ED pill that combines the active ingredients of Cialis and Viagra.

The right medication for ED depends on what symptoms you are experiencing, but the active ingredients in Cialis (tadalafil) and Viagra (sildenafil) are both FDA-approved to treat ED. Roman also sells a faster-acting compounded combination pill called Ro Sparks that contains both sildenafil and tadalafil, which many users report is easy to use for more spontaneous erections.

Roman is a legitimate telehealth company that offers direct-shipping for prescription medications to treat erectile dysfunction.

Have questions about this review? Email us at reviewsteam@ncoa.org.

Sources

  1. Mark, K., et al. Erectile Dysfunction Prevalence in the United States: Report from the 2021 National Survey of Sexual Wellbeing. The Journal of Sexual Medicine. April 2024. Found on the internet at https://doi.org/10.1093/jsxmed/qdae008
  2. Elterman, D., et al. The Quality of Life and Economic Burden of Erectile Dysfunction. Research and Reports in Urology. Feb. 18, 2021. https://doi.org/10.2147/RRU.S283097
Was this helpful?
Thank you for your feedback!
Our Roman experience Older adult considerations Roman information How to sign up Roman contact and payment information Methodology Bottom line FAQ