Quick Facts
The online pharmacies covered here are Aliva Apotheke, DocMorris, Apotheke.de and Shop Apotheke. Before you order, check that the pharmacy is on the official list of licensed German mail-order pharmacies, that your medicine does not need a prescription you cannot supply, and what your own customs allow into your country.
Best online pharmacies in Germany
Aliva Apotheke
Aliva Apotheke is one of the best-known online pharmacies in Germany, and is best described as simple, convenient and discreet. It suits people who want to order medication quickly from home or work and save money, including people who need medication regularly, the chronically ill and people with limited mobility.
You can have your order delivered to any address in Germany, including your workplace or a holiday address. Delivery times depend on the order time and stock, so check the cut-off time at checkout. If a delivery is delayed, the pharmacy says it will tell you.
You can shop at Aliva pharmacy by clicking here.
DocMorris
DocMorris is one of the best-known pharmacy brands in Germany and one of Europe’s largest mail-order pharmacies. It offers a wide range of pharmaceutical products, staffed by pharmacists and pharmaceutical-technical assistants.
DocMorris also works with pharmaceutical and health insurance companies on treatment programmes for chronically ill patients. Besides telephone consultation, it is developing telepharmacy with video consultation.
Apotheke.de
Apotheke.de describes itself as one of Europe’s most innovative mail-order pharmacies. With large storage capacity and automated technology, it says it processes orders quickly while keeping to strict pharmaceutical security standards.
Shop Apotheke
Shop Apotheke employs pharmacists and pharmaceutical staff to give friendly, well-informed advice, and ships a large volume of parcels every day.
How to find a licensed online pharmacy
The German Institute for Medical Documentation and Information (DIMDI) publishes a list of all online pharmacies with official permission. Press CTRL and F to search the list for the name of the pharmacy you want to use.
Which medicines you can order
German online pharmacies sell a wide range of medicines. Prescription medicines need a prescription from a physician.
- T-prescriptions, the special prescriptions for drugs containing lenalidomide, pomalidomide or thalidomide, are not accepted by some mail-order pharmacies.
- Narcotic prescriptions (BTM prescriptions) cannot be used to order online in Germany.
Advantages and disadvantages
Ordering online is convenient, lets you compare products and prices across several sites, gives you written product information, and can be more discreet than a counter in a shop. It can be worthwhile if you take expensive medication regularly or live far from a pharmacy. The drawbacks:
- No face-to-face talk with a pharmacist, which some people prefer when discussing their medical history and other medicines.
- You cannot change an order after it has been submitted for processing.
- A pharmacy can only ship to the countries it is licensed for, and taxes may be added to your order.
- You cannot examine the product before you buy it.
- Some medicines need a signature on delivery, and some countries ban certain products, so check with customs first.
Tips for ordering
- Tell the pharmacy which medication you already take when you place the order. This helps the pharmacists spot interactions and warn you.
- Enter your telephone number so the pharmacy can reach you with questions.
- If you have questions, call the mail-order pharmacy’s hotline.
- Check the shipping costs. With many providers delivery is free above a minimum order value, which you will see at checkout.
Shipping abroad
Some online pharmacies deliver internationally. Check with customs in the destination country before you order. If the pharmacy does not have the medicine in stock, getting it from the manufacturer can take extra time.
For other German shops, see our guide to online shopping in Germany.
Store links checked in October 2026.
