A quick look at the best pill organizers and dispensers
- Most affordable pill dispenser: Gogooda Weekly Pill Organizer
- Best pill dispenser for oversized pills: Sagely Smart XL Weekly Pill Organizer
- Best travel pill organizers: Lizimandu Weekly Travel Pill Case
- Best keychain pill dispenser: Shintop Aluminum Keychain Pill Container
- Best easy-to-open pill organizer: Ezy Dose Push Button Pill Planner
- Best splurge automatic pill dispenser: Hero Automatic Medication Dispenser
- Best pill dispenser for those with memory issues: e-Pill Voice
- Best pill dispenser for long-distance caregivers: MedaCube
No matter your age, it can be easy to lose track of what you’ve had to eat or drink when you’re feeling sick. It can be even harder to remember the last time you took your medication.
One way to stay on track with your daily medications is to use a pill dispenser. There are plenty of designs and styles that let you organize your medications by the time of day and day of the week — some even come with built-in clocks and programmable alarms to help you remember when it is time to take them.
They can also range in size from small travel-sized containers that easily fit in a bag to large machines that can be set up to distribute 90 days’ worth of medication.
But with so many options, how do you choose the right one? To help narrow your search, we’ve put together our list of some of the best pill dispensers and organizers to help keep you and your health on track.
Our list starts with simpler pill dispensers and works up to more complex pill dispensers with timers, notifications, and even smartphone compatibility. Let’s take a look.
Who should use a pill dispenser or organizer?
Anyone who regularly takes medication might benefit from using a pill organizer. It can be tough to remember to take medication on time and every day, especially if you’re living with a condition like Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.
Even if you’re not facing a condition that affects your memory, a pill dispenser can still help you remember to take daily medication, or even vitamins and other supplements.
How we chose the best pill dispensers and organizers
When choosing what pill dispensers should make our list of favorites, we considered:
- Special features. Some pill dispensers merely organize pills in clearly labeled boxes, while others have special alarms to indicate that it’s time to take your medication or even notify you when it’s time to renew your prescription.
- Materials. Placing your pills in a safe container matters! Those that are free of bisphenol A (BPA), and made with durable, food-grade materials get top honors.
- Price. There is a wide range of prices for pill dispensers. In recognition of different budgets, we tried to include a range of options.
- Customer reviews. We know that there are certain things only a user can know, so we factored in heavily what people who had bought the product had to say about it.
Pricing guide
Prices can vary from $7 to over $1,000. Our guide is as follows:
- $ = under $20
- $$ = $20–$50
- $$$ = $51–$300
- $$$$ = over $300
Product name | Price | Capacity |
---|---|---|
Gogooda Weekly Pill Organizer | $ | 21 compartments |
Sagely Smart XL Weekly Pill Organizer | $$ | 14 compartments |
Lizimandu Weekly Travel Pill Case | $ | 28 compartments |
Shintop Aluminum Keychain Pill Container | $ | 1 compartment |
Ezy Dose Push Button Pill Planner | $ | 14 compartments |
Hero Automatic Medication Dispenser | $$$$ | 90-day supply |
e-Pill Voice | $$$ | 28 compartments |
MedaCube | $$$$ | 90-day supply |
Healthline’s picks of the best pill dispensers and organizers for 2022
Most affordable pill dispenser
Gogooda Weekly Pill Organizer
- Price: $
- Number of compartments: 21
- Pros: inexpensive, large
- Cons: difficult to open
This BPA-free plastic container allows for a week’s worth of organizing. There are seven pill cases that you can remove from the large case for easy on-the-go use. Each of them is divided into morning, noon, and night medications with individual snap locks.
This pill organizer looks like a rainbow but lacks the bells and whistles of some more expensive options. There’s no security lock, alarms, or automatic distribution, so if you need these extra protections or reminders, you’ll want to invest in another option.
Best pill dispenser for oversized pills
Sagely Smart XL Weekly Pill Organizer
- Price: $$
- Number of compartments: 14
- Pros: fits large pills and capsules
- Cons: weak magnets
Looking for something that will fit lots of pills or larger pills? This organizer can hold several fish oil and vitamin D supplements. It sorts 7 days of a.m./p.m. meds or 14 days of once-a-day meds.
Containers are BPA-free and include a push-through lid option, so you can easily fill them if you have arthritis. (The flexible lids are also easy to open when it’s time to take out pills.) You can separate them to fit easily in a purse or bag, and you can get reminders on your phone to take your pills through a free app.
Downsides? No security locks or non-phone alarm options. Some users complain the magnets aren’t enough to hold the compartments in place.
Best travel pill organizers
Lizimandu Weekly Travel Pill Case
- Price: $
- Number of compartments: 28
- Pros: lots of compartments, comes with travel case
- Cons: may be too small for larger pills
Everybody could use a vacation, but it can be a challenge to take your medications with you if you’re going to be away for a few days. This travel-sized pill dispenser can help make your trip a little easier by fitting 7 days’ worth of medication into a tiny leather case.
There are individual cases for each day of the week and each case is subdivided into four smaller compartments for morning, noon, evening, and bedtime. The lids of each case also slide on and off for easy dispensing and reloading. Reviewers often praised how helpful the many compartments were for organizing multiple medications.
This pill dispenser is also available in several colors and artistic patterns to match your personal style.
Best keychain pill dispenser
Shintop Aluminum Keychain Pill Container
- Price: $
- Number of compartments: 1
- Pros: waterproof, opens at both ends
- Cons: can’t separate medications
Want to keep some cold and flu medications handy while you’re traveling? A keychain pill holder may be a great solution.
These small containers are made of aluminum and feature a rubber gasket seal to help keep water out. It can clip onto your keychain or bag and can be opened by twisting off either the top or bottom lid. Available in either a two-pack or three-pack, these containers are great for carrying your medications with you on your commute.
Many users have shared how durable and convenient it is to use, but the lids may be harder to open for someone with arthritis or other dexterity issues.
Best easy-to-open pill organizer
Ezy Dose Push Button Pill Planner
- Price: $
- Number of compartments: 14
- Pros: easy to open
- Cons: doesn’t work well for traveling
This weekly pill organizer earned the Arthritis Foundation’s Ease of Use Commendation as a product that makes a part of daily life easier for people with arthritis.
Users find it simple but secure for holding their medication, and say compartments are large enough if taking multiple pills each day. The push-button mechanism lets users open the container without relying on fine movements to lift or pry open the lids.
For some users, the container lids stay open after a short amount of use. This is also probably not the best pill holder to throw in a bag for traveling, because of the buttons.
Best splurge automatic pill dispenser
Hero Automatic Medication Dispenser
- Price: $$$$
- Number of compartments: manages up to 10 medications
- Pros: handles complex medication regimens, provides a lock
- Cons: pricey, requires a subscription
This dispenser offers audible and visual reminders when it’s time to take medication. There’s also an app to remind you or a caregiver. It has an optional PIN password to keep medications safely locked away until it’s time to take them.
It can hold up to 90 days of medication. The app gets decent reviews from customers and is available on the Apple and Google Play stores. There is also the option for additional subscription services like automated prescription refills.
On the downside, Hero requires a monthly payment and subscription. We priced this dispenser on the high side of our guide because of the subscription-based fees over time, on top of the one-time price for the unit itself.
Best pill dispenser for those with memory issues
e-Pill Voice
- Price: $$$
- Number of compartments: 28
- Pros: includes a lock and daily reminders
- Cons: pricey
This dispenser is locked by a key, preventing someone from taking medications before the designated time. With up to six daily alarms, individuals are notified in a friendly voice that it’s time to take their medication (with light alarms as well) when the proper time comes.
When the pills are ready to be removed, the machine is clearly marked where to press.
Because it can hold up to 28 days’ worth of medication, it won’t require a caretaker’s constant attention.
Best pill dispenser for long-distance caregivers
MedaCube
- Price: $$$$
- Number of compartments: manages up to 16 medications
- Pros: allows caregivers to schedule medication easily
- Cons: large, pricey
MedaCube arrives fully assembled with a touch screen for programming. It offers audio and visual cues (along with the option of phone call reminders) when it’s time to take medications. Caregivers can even record personal voice prompts.
Caregivers can receive notifications of missed doses and low supplies. They can also access a complete online chart of dosages. If the device is dropped or tampered with, it will automatically lock down and send a notification to caregivers.
While it’s not light or easy to travel with — and it’ll also cost you a pretty penny — the peace of mind this dispenser offers may be priceless.
Things to consider when picking a pill dispenser or organizer
Feeling a little lost about how to choose the best pill dispenser? Here are a few things to consider:
- Think about your needs. Do you need to be reminded to take pills multiple times per day? Do you need something that will hold a lot of pills or just something that’s easy to open? Taking the time to think about how you plan to use your pill dispenser will help point you in the right direction.
- Try to balance any extra features with how much you want to spend. Some features like a BPA-free container are available at any price point, but costs can start to rise when you add in extras like automated distribution and security locks. It’s important to choose a pill dispenser that has the features you need at a price that’s within your budget.
- Check out customer reviews. When buying a pill dispenser, it’s worth taking the time to skim the user reviews. There’s a lot you can learn from the item’s description, but nothing beats reading user reviews to see how well (or not so well!) the pill dispenser works. Reviews can also help you make sure that the pill dispenser you’re eyeing is the real deal.
Keep in mind that no matter what pill dispenser you choose, you’ll need to stay on top of refilling it. To be sure you’re filling the dispenser and taking your medications, try making the refill process part of your weekly routine, especially if the one you choose doesn’t include a reminder alarm!
Frequently asked questions about pill organizers and dispensers
How do you clean a pill organizer?
It depends on the type. Usually, you’ll be able to wipe it out with a damp cloth. You may also be able to hand wash some pill organizers, but be sure to check the manufacturer’s instructions.
Are pill organizers FSA eligible?
The Internal Revenue Service has an extensive list of what’s eligible for a flexible spending account (FSA) and what’s not. Pill organizers and dispensers are not on the list of eligible expenses.
Can you bring pill organizers on a plane?
Yes. According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), you can bring medication on board as long as it’s screened. The TSA doesn’t specify whether medication has to be in any specific type of container. However, some states require you to keep medication in the original prescription bottle, so it’s best to check your state’s laws before flying.
How do you use a weekly pillbox?
To use a weekly pillbox, you’ll separate your medication into each compartment according to the day and time you plan to take it.
What is the best way to organize medication?
There’s no one best way to organize medication. The best way is whatever way helps you remember which pills you need to take and when to take them. Many people find pill dispensers to be an effective way to organize medication.
The takeaway
Keeping track of your medication is important so that you don’t miss a dose or take too much. Even if you normally have a great memory, it’s easy for day-to-day events to start to run together, especially if you’re not feeling your best.
Whether you want the bare basics or something a little fancier, there are pill dispensing products to help you keep things on track.