[Start of update] They corrected the issue and sent a new medication. I've updated my review and hope that future medications, for myself and others, are delivered properly. [End of update] I had a terrible experience with Alto Pharmacy and would strongly advise others to stay away. I ordered a medication that explicitly required cold storage, yet it was delivered without an ice pack and was completely warm by the time it arrived. Concerned about the medication's effectiveness and safety, I reached out to Alto for a replacement. Instead of taking responsibility, the pharmacist dismissed my concerns, insisting that it was fine at room temperature--despite the manufacturer's label stating otherwise. If I can't trust a pharmacy to handle medications properly or to acknowledge basic storage guidelines, why would I ever trust them with my health? This level of negligence is unacceptable for a pharmacy. Do yourself a favor and go elsewhere. read more

Update: Received order at 12:40AM... Well past midnight. This is unacceptable. First time using Alto Pharmacy. I got notified that courier has left the pharmacy with my order and it is on its way at 2:29PM. I got a tracking code that said it will arrive by 6PM at the latest, so I was home all day to receive my prescription. It is now 8:30PM and I'm stuck on the phone with customer service because I still don't have my order. Terrible experience. read more

I was sent to Alto for some specialty meds that I needed. My first time around there were no hiccups. They are quick and have multiple options available to get your meds to you which is super convenient - free delivery, same day delivery (for a fee of $10), or pick up at their location in SF. My second time filling a prescription at Alto is when things went a little haywire. When placing my order I was told there was no charge for my meds, only to be contacted ~2 weeks later that they incorrectly billed my clinic instead of me and I now owed $250+. I was fine with this but instead of giving me an itemized receipt to submit for my FSA, I had to message them for it and was told it would be e-mailed in one business day. Two business days pass and got nothing. I message again only to receive a snarky response that they legally have 30 days to provide me with a receipt. Maybe don't tell me to expect a receipt in one business day then? I'd only return to Alto if, after doing my research, they were the cheapest option for meds. Would otherwise avoid... read more

It's been a rollercoaster ride as an Alto customer. I was an early adopter and fan, but has anyone successfully ordered and received their prescription through Alto online recently? I spent over an hour trying to do so and encountered multiple usability doom loops layered intricately on top of each other. The app allows you to order medicine that "appears" to be in stock, runs your insurance and then fails to deliver said prescription because they don't have the item. There is no flag or error message to the consumer that your item won't be delivered. The order simply disappears. Unbelievable! All this is fine--it's not like we're in a city with ample tech talent or anything, I recognize there's no reason to expect usable software or easy access to a human (average wait times 45 minutes plus.) I guess I can always go back to the Safeway pharmacy and deal with all this stuff I thought Alto was here to streamline. If anyone has any other tips that won't waste half my day, I'm all ears. read more

Killer delivery service for the majority of the prescriptions required by me and the family, and Boy! do I love meds arriving on the doorstep rather than dragging two small children through the grimy Walgreens that is our local. But last night's super-sweet Alto package was less sweet than usual. Alto no longer includes a complimentary caramel. No biggie. Just another augur of the descent into a post-human world. I reached into the lonely envelope with only my foot medication in it-- well that's something! Yet, I couldn't help but feel a gray plastic sadness spreading to my heart. Oh tiny lump of sticky sweetness, sign of some enduring kindness in the universe, you're no more. (As an addendum to this, I want to give Alto customer service props for being extremely helpful recently-- seems like I was able to speak with someone right away. And, probably the lack of caramel is a response to other customers who didn't like getting the candies. Sigh.) read more

Alto Pharmacy - Oh tiny lump of sticky sweetness, sign of some enduring kindness in the universe, you're no more. - Pharmacy Near Me - San Francisco, California

The experience with Alto Pharmacy was oustanding because of Brenda Ahumada - her level of service was superb!

It's hard to overstate how bad of an experience I have had with Alto. I am an older adult on a fair amount of meds (around 6 meds that need to be refilled per month), though I do not think that explains what I have experienced. To be clear, I have been taking the same meds for several years. I switched to Alto because I heard it was easier and not the same struggles as going to the pharmacy and waiting in line. After my experience with Alto I will wait in line for an hour or more to make sure my meds are right and I am not being over charged. Once I switched to Alto from my drug store pharmacy I got a notice that two of my meds (which are very cheap in generic form) needed prior authorization from my doctor. This was shocking as one of the meds is fluoride toothpaste that my dentist recommends! They said they needed prior authorization from my doctor before prescribing these otherwise my delivery (which they scheduled anyway) would be and extra 400.00 or so! The toothpaste was going to cost me over 150.00 for one tube. I emailed Alto and asked what was up as I have never needed prior authorization before. I got an email back that said that millions of people need prior authorization for meds. No other explanation was given. So then I saw the delivery scheduled and I cancelled it. What's more disturbing is one of my meds that I have been taking for years suddenly stopped working. I developed symptoms that I had before taking the medication. When I started with Alto, I has gotten ostensibly the same med I had been taking but it looked different to me. Now, that is not uncommon, as different distributors have different drugs in terms of how they look and even the preservatives that are in them, etc. And people can respond differently to different meds based on how and where they are produced. But I had a weird feeling about this med; my first thought, (which I cannot prove at all) is that the tablet was counterfeit. It just looked odd. All I know if that I stopped the med from Alto and went back on the tablets I had from my drug store and within 3 days my symptoms stopped. I would not recommend this pharmacy to anyone. Sure, they deliver, but so do a lot of places. read more

delivery great and as scheduled. but to include only one applicator for 30 suppositories after I paid $200 for my meds is a crime!

After reading the story of others, alto is on a power trip. That is of course, if they are still in business. At one time, I used Alto when I was on some controversial meds because I wanted privacy. The drivers are not supposed to know what is in the box but, it seems like they did because my mom would always take othe package and open it first. Eventually, they dropped me altogether. Just another power hungry, fly by night pharmacy that is only interested in making money. My advice is Capsule (same concept) will be opening soon. I would leave Alto, if able, and go to capsule. read more

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Run away from this pharmacy as soon as you can. Their customer service is horrible - you'll be on hold for 30 minutes (and your doctor won't want to call them) any time you call. I also found out I was being overcharged by HUNDREDS of dollars per month through Alto. I was paying out of pocket and my medicine came out to nearly $600 each month. I'm now with Costco, and my medicine is less than $80 for all of them. HUGE difference in customer service, price, value, and ease of access. Plus, you do not have to be a Costco member to access the Pharmacy! But, if you are a member, they automatically add the Costco Insurance plan to your account, saving you even more money. Run away from Alto, or don't start if you're thinking of switching. You'll be so frustrated. Plus, their delivery system is sketchy as can be. They use Uber Eats drivers to deliver your meds. Imagine having your diabetes meds, or your controlled substances, in the hands of some unknown Uber driver.... horrifying thought. read more

They have no interest in the patient. Their automated system makes many errors. It is desifned to upsell you. They caramel candy to their diabetic patients. And the customer support doesn't care. Today they my Prescription because they have access to it without telling me. read more

I don't know what happened to you guys, but man have things really gone downhill. I don't even know where to start. I've been on hold for more than 2 and 1/2 hours just trying to get a hold of someone to get a prescription cancelled so another pharmacy can fill it, because Alto still had an active claim, which they said they backed out of the prescription already. Every single time that you call their number, first of all, there's no direct line and second of all, they will tell you to download the AltoMD app for a faster response. Don't get your hopes up, because it really wasn't a faster response at all. I don't know why it takes so long for someone to answer the phone or reply in the app. read more

still one of the worst companies to deal with for anything that has to do with ivf drugs. the system is broken, yet these people make it look like a 10 car pileup. I would choose anyone else to deal with if you have the option. read more

My daughter's epipen for her severe MILK allergy arrived today with a CARAMEL in the package. Caramel has milk in it. It was partially melted and there was residue on the epipen, the receipt, the packaging, and my hands after pulling out the epipen. Mind you, my daughter experienced a life-threatening emergency (anaphylaxis) 3 days ago from rubbing her eyes when she was tired because she unknowingly touched dairy and hadn't washed her hands. This package -- with her lifesaving medication could have killed her had I not been the one to open the package. It is incredibly dangerous and unprofessional for a pharmacy to send a food item with an epipen without referencing the allergen listed on the prescription. This is the first time my allergist has used this pharmacy, so I'll of course be letting them know. read more

The road to recovery must begin with treatment. Alto Pharmacy provided effective and prompt communication with welcome SMS messages and numerous emails of delivery confirmation. Alto Pharmacy is an online pharmacy that delivers prescription directly to your home and delivery is free. I have never heard of Alto, but I have always known and used Express Scripts and Aetna CVS Caremark as both my long-term prescriptions due to my health insurance provider's mandated policies. However, the New Year 2022 could be another disappointing sequel to 2021 for a continuation of a horrible year 2020. No other traditional brick and mortar pharmacy carried these medications since it was recently F.D.A. approved on December 22, 2021. However, Alto work and communicate with my primary care doctor and insurance to attain the best price and their inventory is stocked available for same day hand delivery. "Hi Tina, Your Alto Pharmacy delivery has been scheduled: Tuesday, January 04, 2022 (7:00 PM to 10:00 PM)" After receiving a SMS text to provide delivery tracking details notifying their courier is en route and Alto provides the ability to track the delivery driver in real time for seven minutes prior to arrival. Wow! Medication arrival is home delivery in hand and intact, oddly, with one piece of sea salt caramel candy. Cute. However, I believe pocket facial tissue is beneficial to be medically accompanied with medicine as a better choice for empathy message of "feel better" to patients and provide compassion with kindness. When calling Alto Pharmacy 800-874-5881 to setup my medication delivery with my name, address, and phone number the automated phone system tells your place in the queue. My phone placement queuing to speak with customer service was twenty four (24) people in front of me with a fifty two (52) minute waiting time. OMG! However, Alto provides a call back option without loosing your placement which is another benefit that makes Alto a better experience. I cannot wait and decided to enter/ setup my medication delivery via: https://providers.alto.com read more

Alto Pharmacy - My email delivery notification - Pharmacy Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Seriously long hold times. On hold for 25 minutes then they hung up on me, called back and on hold for another 33 minutes. When you do talk to someone its not a pharmacist...they take your information, then transfer you to a pharmacist that asks the same exact questions. Its hard to do MY job when i am on hold missing calls just to call in a prescription. If it were up to me...i would never use this place. read more

The service is splendid - logging in to the website is hell. The password is not in the site's memory, and providing whatever you thought the last of a LONG list of forgotten passwords, if wrong, blocks entry. Short of offering my firstborn, getting a quick response from the site is a chore. read more

I've been using Alto for about five years. It started out great, and has been bumpy since then. I recently got an email saying they are now longer dispensing the class of meds I take which is a major disappointment. read more

Pros: convenient delivery service. App supports messaging Cons: incompetent customer service. No matter if it was my doctors office calling and speaking with their pharmacist, or me emailing them copies of the insurance prior auth approval letter, or clarifying messages, the customer service behaves much like a bot with zero memory of the conversation. After all this, they still claim my insurance doesn't approve my medicine even though my doctors office spoke with their pharmacist and said they finally saw the auth. Going back to Walgreens. read more

Alto Pharmacy delivered my prescription to the wrong address. Now they are telling me they will redeliver it, but that I have to pay for it again. It was their mistake and I never received the original medication. read more

Good news: this pharmacy is back! When I was first introduced to Alto, it was 2019 and I was impressed by their reasonable pricing and impeccable service--a pharmacy that delivers medication to my door (usually same day of when I ordered it) and has the added bonus of delicious caramels added to my order...YES!! This continued into 2020. Then 2021 arrived and something seemed to have changed. I wrote about this in my previous review but basically there were pricing and service issues. They reached out after my Yelp review, and I appreciated it. To me it was a sign that they wanted to try to make the customer experience better. So I gave them another shot, and I am glad I did. The service and pricing were at the level I remembered receiving in 2019. The ordering was easy and pleasant. I will be using them for future orders. ** Before writing this review, I wanted to at least process a couple orders to be confident about my experience with Alto. It appears that they are back, and I am one happy customer read more

Delivery window was 6-10 pm and did not arrive until 12:30 am. Terrible service would not use again.

10/10 I highly highly recommend. The team at Alto is responsive and caters to specialty prescriptions which helps save the patient a lot of money. Most CVS and Walgreens pharmacies do not cater to speciality prescriptions which can cost you an arm and a leg. Their app is user friendly and someone actually responds if you have any questions. You can also pick up your prescription at their office headquarters in the city. I love that they have delivery service which helps save a lot of time. Alto's app also sends out text message notifications and allows you to track where your prescription is. Thanks Alto! read more

Alto Pharmacy - Inside of their office in San Francisco. - Pharmacy Near Me - San Francisco, California

I've been using alto since the beginning of COVID. They have had absolutely stellar service. In particular I'd like to thank the two women who helped me today. I did not get their names but one had a Santa Cruz sweatshirt on. I was having issues with a particular RX. I got laid off and had some time on my hands. I walked down the physical store and asked for assistance. 20 mins later I got my script. I really appreciate the time these two took out of their day to help me. Thank you so much. read more

Alto Pharmacy - Alto pharmacy outside. They enjoy NSYNC music lol - Pharmacy Near Me - San Francisco, California

I do security there staff is extremely nice and helpful do delivery services as well

The IVF clinic sent the prescription to this place for a surrogacy journey. I'm responsible for the payment, but not able to see any prescription or receipt in the app. That's not the worst thing -- their customer service on the phone seems to either enjoy lying or just be bad at their job. I have called three times to just get a receipt to see what I'm paying for (mind you it's not cheap) and each time they told me a different time frame. One representative (I think Nadia or something) even said she would send an email to me right away -- knowing their behavior, I said I should hold on the line and wait for that email -- of course she urged me to hang up and nothing came through. Talk to your clinic to use a different pharmacy. read more

Home delivery is great in theory - and Alto even has a tasty caramel they'll throw in - but Alto has dropped a number of key things on the ground very badly, so I cannot recommend them as a mail-in pharmacy. 1. Customer support is pretty terrible - you write in a request and they respond after one business day. There's no phone number or live chat. For timely resolution of things (like exploring same-day pickup options) this is terrible. 2. They run out of drugs in their warehouse and don't share that information proactively, instead just last-minute rescheduling a prescription that you might have counted on arriving timely - after the delivery window has already passed! 3. If they need a signature for a medication, their couriers do not even bother to call your phone when they've arrived. If you're working out back, they will arrive and depart without you knowing. Find a different provider. read more

Terrible consistency and communication. I just left them after a couple years of suffering. Avoid! The hassle is insane and I paid out of pocket a few times just because I didn't want to spend and hour on the phone again. Sorry. Do better. ‍ read more

The driver did not attempt to deliver medication I need for my heart failure. It took 48-hours to speak with someone who said she was a supervisor, but could do nothing to help me or expedite re-delivery. I run a company with dozens of trucks and routes per day, you can always change a route to make up for a poor customer experience or our errors. When I mentioned this, the supervisor, named Kris, said she'd be happy to send my prescriptions to another pharmacy. I will now have to sit by myself at my office for four hours the day before Thanksgiving because there is nothing they can do to expedite the delivery. Again, this is TWO DAYS after the delivery was supposed to occur. Given that they are dealing with healthcare - there should be more gravity to their customer service and solutions. Horrible experience. Highly recommend Amazon's delivery service! read more

I was prescribed a med w 3 refills I transferred it to Alto I filled it and it cost $42, no issues Then when I went to order a refill, surprise! There were no refills on file but my Dr had prescribed three refills So I wrote customer service and I will say they replied fast so I did appreciate that They eventually were able to straighten it out and offer the refill two days later... but Surprise! It was $120 instead of $42 They could not offer help for the price discrepancy and they did the passive aggressive thing customer service people do where they pretend they don't understand what you're asking... That's really the reason for the poor review. It was frustrating all in all but I will add a star for the fast replies on their end I will get the refill transferred from Alto to an in-person pharmacy and pay only $16 with a coupon I found online Just hope it doesn't take another two days read more

They make it too hard to get a hold of t hem by phone. So once you get a prescription started there and you need to stop it they still send it to you and then still charge you for it and then make it complicated to stop it. They need people to answer the phone quicker than 4 hours. Actually I don't even know how long it would take cuz they never answer the phone read more

I have experienced a great deal of stress from this provider - They seem undependable and apathetic

This place used to be amazing but I think they grew too fast and now it's awful. You can never get a hold of anyone on the phone. They say there are drug shortages that are "National" and then you call other pharmacies that have the drug in stock. Using the messaging app - responses are unclear and slow and require soooo much back and forth to get a resolution. They offer "free" covid tests if you spend a certain amount of money and then when you add them to your order they are costly! Finally, they rarely have anything but generic drugs. If you need brand name, their prices are considerably more than competitor pharmacies. Used to love this place and tell everyone about them - now it's BUYER BEWARE. read more

I had been warned about Alto's poor communication but I didn't believe it - my BIG mistake. Save yourself from making the same one. When I needed help with a minor issue their app couldn't handle, Alto failed to even pick up the phone. This company cannot be trusted with lifesaving medication. When I recently needed an antibiotic on short notice, the urgent care physician specifically warned me not to order from this Alto because in her experience they couldn't be trusted to deliver it in time. If you ever need something the app cannot facilitate - like, for example, rescheduling, relocating, or canceling a delivery on the same day as the delivery window - you will be directed to call a number where nobody will ever pick up. I am not exaggerating, today I have been sitting on hold with Alto for over 40 minutes with no end in sight. There are no call backs offered and there is no estimate for how long hold will take. In 2023, that is such a minimalist level of phone support it reflects willful incompetence or contempt for the customer. When the courier shows up and calls me, I'll just need to tell them I'm not home. My delivery requires someone present so thank god I have enough prescription to get through the next few days. This pharmacy markets itself like an app-driven, modern tech alternative. Yet there is no chat support and not even a basic level of automated infrastructure for phone support. This company that tells you to rely on them for your medication offers you an infinity hold queue or a web form that they, quote, "aim" to answer in a business day. That's what you get from Alto - not a commitment to your health. An aim to get back to you tomorrow. I cannot imagine putting life-critical medication in Alto's hands. I cannot understand how a pharmacy - a critical business we rely on to live - can treat its customers with such a lack of respect. I see your staff answering other reviews, Alto. You knew about these problems. You know about them right now. I hope you feel ashamed. Ashamed for your poor reputation and the way you have earned it by mistreating the people who believed your pitch and chose to depend on you. Your repeated apologies about the care team being overwhelmed - six weeks ago, last year, further - make it look even more despicable that you are still unable to handle your own business. You actually describe it as "highly unusual" in a review bookended front and back by reviews with the exact same complaint. Do you think we're all morons? I sure feel like one now. If Jamie and Matt are really still there, they should spend a day trying to utilize your support. Lucky them to experience that as an exercise and not because someone ill is counting on them. I've seen packages left by alto for other people in my building just outside the front door, sitting in the sun, unattended and not at all in a "safe place." If they run out of a medication you need or overbooked themselves, they'll just cancel your delivery and demand you reschedule it yourself. There's too many problems: these are not individual small points. These are a pattern and a clear lack of respect for the customer. Incompetence to the point of poor ethics, at a heath provider. Run away. read more

Alto is ah-maze-ing. I didn't realize a service like this even existed until my doctor recommended it. I've used Alto for probably 10-12 orders. I may be extra spoiled because I live in the Bay Area, but most days they're able to do same-day delivery. You can select a specific time slot and track your delivery as the driver gets closer to your home. I've also been able to sign for my orders that require signature using the app, meaning I don't have to physically greet the delivery person. I've had to call and speak to their general representatives as well as their pharmacists on several occasions. I've also had to use their online chat system. Every single person I've spoken to has been SO friendly and helpful. I'm surprised/bummed to see that some other reviewers haven't had as good of luck. Great pharmacy, highly recommend! read more

I definitely wouldn't refer anyone to Alto. About 2 years ago, I got sick and my doctor prescribed me promethazine, a common medication to combat nausea. Well, 15 min after it was supposed to arrive and the app showing the driver leaving the area, I called him to see what was up. He told me that "someone told him to throw the bag of medicine over the fence into the back yard. So thats "what I done did"." When I went to the back yard, my bag was there from the night before, it was torn open by some animal and there were promethazine tablets all over the ground. I contacted the pharmacy and they made me buy a new prescription stating, "There is no proof that our courier made that mistake" Lastly, they like to throw their customers to the wolves. I have a friend who is a nurse who simply ONLY PROVIDED AN ICD-10 CODE for his medication and they turned him in to the board of nursing. They like trouble here. Avoid at all costs. read more

Alto Pharmacy is a hot mess. I used them at the start of the pandemic and was impressed with their delivery. At some point in the past two years, however, they grew beyond their capacity to properly service their customers/patients. Do not use Alto for anything you need in a timely manner -- for example, antibiotics. They've canceled my deliveries at the last minute and not offered any resolution when I was in pain and in desperate need of the meds. Once they left my meds on the sidewalk and said they'd been delivered. I live in the heart of the Mission. This made no sense. Another time, they delivered my meds to a nearby apartment building and when I called to ask where my delivery was, they told me to try checking neighboring buildings. Unbelievable. After over 90 minutes on the phone, they Re delivered the meds -- but they couldn't do the redelivery until the next day. Another time, I was forced to go to their extremely out of the way location in Portrero to pick up meds because they didn't have a courier available and I needed them the same day. Have an issue? Customer service is often a 45-60+ minute wait to talk with someone. Want to talk with a manager? They will call you back one to two weeks later. read more

Alto Pharmacy delivery service has drastically declined since August 2025. Their app use to tell you when the driver would be delivering your order and you could meet the driver curbside to save the delivery person time. Now there is NO notification where the driver is and you are left guessing when within the 4 hour/ 240 minutes delivery window your order will be arriving. Your life is on standby in case the driver rings your doorbell. No advance phone call, no text notification when the delivery will occure, you are left guessing. With an evening delivery window they could show up at 10:00 pm at night!!! I have used Alto for several years and have previously been very happy with their service however their delivery service notification level has worsen each month to a point where it is now nonexistent. If you enjoy being surprised by someone ringing your doorbell and not knowing who it could be in advance, use Alto Pharmacy to fulfill your sense of adventure and mystery. read more

Honestly I have a love/hate relationship with Alto. They started out amazing and lived up to all their promises. They were everything they claimed: efficient, responsive, a new kind of pharmacy. Then things changed and they've been doing down, way down, down, down. To the point that I'm done with Alto. I've never dealt with a pharmacy that repeatedly implements company wide policies that violate state law. A few years ago I wrote about their policy on no longer dispensing requested generic medications (even if prescribed by the MD). I reported this to the Board of Pharmacy and they were sanctioned for violating the law. And still they continue but the newest policy is even more egregious... I got an email in July saying they will NO LONGER (not temporarily) dispense a certain brand name medication. They cite supply chain issues as the reason and offer to provide the generic. Ironically, there are supply chain issues with the generic version of this medication, not with the brand. This is for a commonly prescribed anti-seizure medication. IT IS AGAINST CALIFORNIA STATE LAW to do this...They refuse to order the medication. They refuse to fill a valid prescription. There are no supply shortages for this medication. They are arbitrarily choosing not to fill a prescription. This is a blatant violation of so many laws. They can get sued for this. They can lose their license. They should lose their license. And then what's up with placing an order, scheduling delivery and finding out the morning of delivery that your medication is out of stock, needs to be ordered, etc. They system is flawed. If my medication is ordered and scheduled for delivery, I am expecting it to arrive that day. Perhaps they need to revamp their system to work like most pharmacies where you "refill" your rx and then schedule it for delivery when it's ready. And it doesn't work when the delivery windows are 6-10pm or 6-11pm and the rx arrives after midnight and requires a signature. No delivery should be arriving after midnight. One more thing...I don't want to chat with an AI chatbot...I want to chat with a person. It used to be that you could send a message and get a reply within an hour or two. Now it takes a day or more... Sorry for the rant...at the end of the day, DON'T use a pharmacy that continues to violate state laws even after being sanctioned. I know a lot of pharmacies are challenging but at least choose one that's ethical. Alto is not. read more

this is a lying pharmacy!!!! they will bump up medication prices and cancel all deliveries even you are still talking to a customer services!!!! don't trust this pharmacy read more