Modfil vs Modalert: Is the Cheaper Tablet the Smarter Buy?

Written by Dr. Marcus Bennett · Medically reviewed by Dr. Elena Marquez, MD · Fact-checked November 2026 · How we review

Put Modfil and Modalert side by side and it looks like an easy call. Same drug, same 200 mg strength, and one of them costs a lot less. But Modalert is the brand most people have heard of, made by a company with a long export record, while Modfil comes from a maker few buyers know anything about. This page lays out exactly how big the price gap is, what you do and don't know about each tablet, and where the shipping rules quietly change the math.

How we checked: on November 1, 2026 we read Afinil's Modfil 200 mg and Modalert 200 mg product pages in full and wrote down every price tier, the review count and rating, the named manufacturer and the claims each page makes. We also read the store's shipping and payment terms, and compared the drug facts with the US prescribing information for Provigil (modafinil). Nobody on our team has taken either brand, so there are no personal effect reports here. This is a buying comparison, not medical advice.

The short version

• Same listed drug: modafinil 200 mg in each tablet, per Afinil.
• Different makers: Psyco Remedies Ltd for Modfil, Sun Pharma for Modalert.
• Price: Modfil is cheaper at every shared size. The gap runs from $10 on a 10-pack to $300 on a 500-pack.
• Bulk: Modfil tops out at 500 tablets. Modalert also comes in a 1,000-pack at $1.09 a tablet, yet two Modfil 500-packs still cost less.
• Reviews: 4 for Modfil (4.5 out of 5) and 14 for Modalert (4.7 out of 5).
• Supply note: Afinil's Modalert page warns about a coming export stop.
• US status: prescription only. Neither brand is FDA-approved.

If price is what you care about most, Modfil wins clearly. If you'd rather pay extra for the better-known maker and a longer customer record, Modalert is the one. The rest of this page helps you decide which of those matters more to you.

Price per tablet, tier by tier

These are Afinil's list prices on November 1, 2026. The store changes them without notice and runs coupons and payment discounts on top, so check the live page before you buy.

Reading the gap

The saving is small on trial sizes and grows fast with pack size. At 10 to 30 tablets you save a flat $10, which is the cost of a few coffees. At 100 tablets Modfil is about 15% cheaper. By 500 tablets the difference is $0.60 per tablet, or about 38%.

The 500-pack is where the two ladders split hardest. Modalert's per-tablet price barely moves between 200 and 500 tablets ($1.69 to $1.59), while Modfil's falls from $1.39 to $0.99. If you were going to buy in bulk anyway, that's the tier where the brand choice costs or saves the most.

What about Modalert's 1,000-pack?

On many brand pairs, the bigger pack is the one thing the pricier brand can win on. Not here. Modalert's 1,000-tablet tier works out at $1.09 a tablet, which is still ten cents more than Modfil's 500-pack price. Two Modfil 500-packs would cost $998, about $101 less than one Modalert 1,000-pack.

That said, very few people should buy 1,000 tablets of anything. At one tablet a day it's close to three years of supply, longer than many strips stay in date. Afinil also says orders over 360 tablets get split into several parcels, so large orders arrive in pieces.

The same ladder as other budget brands

Modfil's prices aren't unique. On November 1, 2026, Modapro (Cipla), Modatec and Mofy showed the exact same tiers, $2.99 a tablet at 10 down to $0.99 at 500, and so did HAB Pharma's Modvigil up to 500 tablets. Modalert sits on the store's higher ladder, which it shares with brands like Modawake and Modaheal. That's our reading of the listings, not something Afinil states, but it means the "cheap" in Modfil isn't a one-off deal. It's simply where the store has placed the brand.

Where shipping changes the answer

Afinil's free-shipping rules have two thresholds, and they can flip which brand is cheaper on a mid-size order.

• Registered Airmail (no tracking, 10 to 18 business days by the store's estimate): $39, free on orders over $130.
• EMS Express (tracked, signature, 7 to 12 business days): $49, free on orders over $180.
• US domestic USPS: special pricing, free over $350, and Afinil's US-to-US stock is built around other products.

Now look at a 100-tablet order:

So if you want tracking on a 100-pack, Modalert actually costs $19 less than Modfil, because Modfil's $169 falls just short of the $180 EMS line. You can get round that by adding a small item to push the Modfil order past $180, or by choosing a 200-pack, but it's the kind of detail that's easy to miss at checkout.

One more wrinkle: the bar across the top of every Afinil page says free express shipping starts at $180, while the product pages say "all orders over $130 receive FREE shipping". Both are true for different services. The $130 figure applies to untracked airmail.

Payment discounts

Afinil advertises 24% off for Bitcoin and other crypto payments. If that applies to your order, the gap in dollars shrinks a little but the order of prices doesn't change. As a rough illustration, a Modfil 500-pack would drop from $499 to about $379, and a Modalert 500-pack from $799 to about $607. Store coupons may also apply; our coupon page tracks what we've been able to confirm, and the Bitcoin payment guide explains how the crypto discount works and its downsides, including that crypto payments are hard to reverse.

The makers behind each brand

Psyco Remedies and Modfil

Afinil names Psyco Remedies Ltd as Modfil's manufacturer and lists "Provigil" as the brand it's modeled on. That's about all the store says. We looked for independent information about the company's modafinil production and didn't find anything we could verify, such as inspection results or published quality data. That isn't evidence of a problem. It just means you're relying more heavily on the store's word and on what you see when the strips arrive. Our Modfil 200 mg review goes deeper on the brand on its own.

Sun Pharma and Modalert

Sun Pharma is one of India's largest drug companies and Modalert has been one of the most widely sold modafinil brands for years. That track record is the main thing the extra money buys. It doesn't make Modalert FDA-approved in the US, and a big maker can still have its products copied by counterfeiters, so checking what arrives matters for both brands.

The export warning on Modalert's page

Afinil's Modalert page currently opens with a notice saying that, "due to legal issues," Sun Pharma will no longer allow Modalert and Waklert to be exported from India "in the near future," and it points buyers to ModaXL and ArmodaXL instead. We couldn't find a statement from Sun Pharma confirming this, so we treat it as the store's claim. It's worth knowing for two reasons. If it's true, Modalert supply could get patchy and prices could change. And it means the store itself is nudging Modalert shoppers towards other brands, which is worth keeping in mind when you read its product copy.

What the product pages claim, and what to make of it

Product listings are sales copy. A few lines on these two pages need a correction or some context.

• "Approved by the Food and Drug Administration." The Modfil page says Modfil is FDA-approved for sleep disorders. It isn't. The FDA approved Provigil (modafinil) in 1998 and has approved US generics sold through licensed pharmacies. Imported Indian brands such as Modfil and Modalert are not FDA-approved products.
• "Buy now without prescription" and "OTC." The Modfil page uses both. In the US modafinil is Schedule IV and needs a prescription. A store being willing to ship doesn't change that.
• "99.9% legal." Afinil's site footer says importing modafinil for personal use is "99.9% legal and secure." That's a marketing line, not legal advice, and it's not how US law treats controlled substances bought without a prescription.
• "One Day Only" and "Today only." A pop-up on the product pages offers 20 free pills and a 24% discount with a countdown timer. The same pop-up and wording appear across the site, so we wouldn't treat it as a real deadline. Take your time.
• Effect claims. The Modfil page describes increased "memory and creativity" from off-label use. The FDA label covers wakefulness in narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea and shift work disorder, not memory or creativity, so we'd set those lines aside.

None of that tells you either tablet is bad. It tells you to judge the products by facts you can check, not by the store's adjectives.

What's actually the same

Since both are sold as modafinil 200 mg, the core drug facts come from the US prescribing information for Provigil rather than from either brand:

• Approved uses in the US: improving wakefulness in adults with excessive sleepiness from narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea or shift work disorder. For sleep apnea, it's an add-on to treating the airway problem, not a replacement.
• Usual labelled dose: 200 mg once a day, taken in the morning, or about an hour before the shift for shift work disorder. Your prescriber decides what's right for you.
• Duration: the label gives an elimination half-life of about 15 hours, which is why it's taken early.
• Label warnings: the label warns about rare but serious rashes and allergic reactions, and about psychiatric symptoms. Anyone with a rash, chest pain or mood changes should stop and get medical help. A prescriber should review your other medicines and health history before you start.

These points are the same whichever box you pick. The brand only changes the maker, the price and the store's product copy.

How to choose

Pick Modfil if

• Price per tablet matters most. It's cheaper at every size, and at 500 tablets the difference is $300.
• You're comfortable with a lesser-known maker, as long as the strips arrive properly labelled with the brand, strength, maker, batch number and expiry date.
• You'll order 200 tablets or more. That's where Modfil's ladder pulls away and the shipping question disappears, because the order clears both free-shipping thresholds.

Pick Modalert if

• The maker's reputation is worth paying for. Sun Pharma is a much better-known company, and Modalert has more store reviews.
• You want a tracked 100-pack. At that one size, Modalert with free EMS works out cheaper than Modfil plus the EMS fee.
• You already use it under a prescription and it suits you. Swapping brands to save a few dollars isn't always worth the change.

Consider something else if

• You want the same budget price from a household name. Modapro is made by Cipla and sits on the same ladder as Modfil. Our Modapro vs Modalert comparison covers that pairing.
• You want more reviews at the budget price. HAB Pharma's Modvigil matched Modfil's prices up to 500 tablets and had 16 reviews. See the Modvigil vs Modalert breakdown.
• You want faster US delivery. Both brands ship from overseas. Afinil's domestic USPS option is explained in our domestic USPS shipping review.
• You want a fully legal route. A prescription filled at a licensed US pharmacy gets you FDA-approved generic modafinil. Our guide to getting a modafinil prescription online explains how telehealth fits in.

A cost example (illustration only)

Take someone with a prescription who uses one tablet on about four days a week, roughly 200 tablets a year. Buying a 200-pack of Modfil once a year would cost $279. The same 200 tablets of Modalert would cost $349. That's $70 a year, or $140 over two years, before any coupons or payment discounts. If that person bought a 500-pack instead to cover two and a half years, Modfil would cost $499 and Modalert $799, though the longer you hold tablets, the more the expiry date matters.

These are rough sums from the November 1 list prices, meant only to show the scale of the gap. Real totals depend on shipping, discounts and how much of the pack you actually use.

Before you place an order

If you have a prescription and want to try one of these brands:

1. Order a small pack first. $29 for 10 Modfil or $39 for 10 Modalert is enough to see what actually turns up before you commit to a bulk order.
2. Check the strips on arrival. You want the brand name, "modafinil 200 mg", the manufacturer, a batch number and an expiry date on each strip. Tablets that look different from one strip to the next are a reason to contact the store before taking any.
3. Match the pack to the calendar. Look at the expiry date and only buy as many tablets as you'll realistically use before it.
4. Think about tracking. Untracked airmail is cheaper, but if a parcel goes missing you depend entirely on the store's reshipment promise. Our reshipment policy explainer covers the conditions.
5. Store them properly. Keep tablets in their original strips at room temperature and out of reach of children.

Shipping and store terms

Both brands are sold on the same terms. Afinil says orders placed before 5 pm Pacific ship the same day, and it promotes a 30-day guarantee plus free reshipment if a parcel doesn't arrive. It describes packaging as discreet, with no reference to Afinil.com on the outside, and says a customs declaration is attached to each parcel. The store also says it labels products as "health supplements." That labelling doesn't change what's inside the parcel or how US customs may treat it, and parcels can be held or seized.

The legal side for US readers

Modafinil is a federal Schedule IV controlled substance. To get it legally you need a valid prescription from a licensed US prescriber, filled through a lawful channel. Neither Modfil nor Modalert is FDA-approved. Store wording such as "OTC," "without prescription" or "99.9% legal" doesn't change the law, and buying a controlled substance from abroad without a prescription can lead to a seized parcel or worse. For the full picture, read our page on whether buying modafinil is legal.

Verdict

Modfil vs Modalert is mostly a trade between money and familiarity. Modfil is cheaper at every pack size Afinil sells, and the saving gets large at 200 tablets and above. Modalert costs more but comes from a far better-known maker and has a longer review record, plus a 1,000-pack that, oddly, still doesn't beat two Modfil 500-packs on price. The one place Modalert comes out ahead on cost is a tracked 100-tablet order, thanks to the $180 free-EMS line.

If you have a prescription, check the live prices on the day, start with a small pack and look closely at what arrives. And if you want the budget price with a bigger name on the box, put Modapro on your shortlist too.

*This page is general information, not medical advice. Talk to a licensed doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.*

FAQ

Is Modfil the same as Modalert?

They're listed with the same active drug at the same strength: 200 mg of modafinil per tablet. The makers differ. Afinil names Psyco Remedies Ltd for Modfil and Sun Pharma for Modalert, so inactive ingredients, tablet shape, coating and packaging won't necessarily match.

Which is cheaper, Modfil or Modalert?

Modfil, at every size both brands come in. On November 1, 2026 a 10-pack was $29 against $39, a 100-pack $169 against $199 and a 500-pack $499 against $799. Even two Modfil 500-packs ($998) came in under Modalert's 1,000-pack ($1,099).

Who makes Modfil?

Afinil's listing names Psyco Remedies Ltd, an Indian drug company. It's a much less familiar name to modafinil buyers than Sun Pharma, and we couldn't find independent reporting on its modafinil production that we could check, so we make no claims either way about its plants or standards.

Is Modfil weaker than Modalert?

Not on paper. Both are labelled 200 mg. We know of no published study comparing these two brands head to head, and online reports of one feeling stronger are anecdotes that sleep, caffeine, timing and expectations can easily sway.

Is Modfil FDA-approved?

No. Afinil's Modfil page says it is, but that's wrong. The FDA approved Provigil and US generic modafinil sold through licensed pharmacies. Neither Modfil nor Modalert holds US approval.

Why is Modalert more expensive?

Afinil doesn't explain its pricing. Modalert is the older, better-known brand from one of India's biggest drug makers, and the store prices it on the same higher ladder as several other brands it promotes. Modfil sits on the store's budget ladder with Modapro, Modatec and Mofy.

Is Modalert being discontinued?

Afinil's Modalert page says Sun Pharma will stop allowing exports of Modalert and Waklert from India "in the near future". We couldn't confirm that from Sun Pharma, so treat it as a store claim. The product was still listed as available on November 1, 2026.

Do I need a prescription for Modfil or Modalert in the US?

Yes. Modafinil is a federal Schedule IV controlled substance. A store page saying "OTC" or "buy now without prescription" doesn't change the law, and importing either brand without a valid prescription isn't a legal route.