Are you trying to find cold and flu medications among various brands on the market but aren’t sure where to begin? To assist you in finding the right one, we’ve put together a list of the 7 best to help you pick the perfect one!
We investigated and evaluated a number of the top-selling cold and flu medications on the market in order to create our list of the best. Making a decision among the many options available is never simple. There are an infinite number of models available, each with a distinct price. And as you’ll find out, the best options aren’t usually the ones you imagine! This comparison is rich and relevant because of the numerous factors that were employed. You will find products featured in this ranking not only based on their pricing but also on their features and other customers reviews. To write this review, we completed 28 hours of research and did 46 cold and flu medications tests. You won’t need to pick products at random any more. If you’re unsure of what to look for, browse our list and consult the buying guide!
An overview of our top picks
Table of contents
The best cold and flu medications you can buy today
- 24-count combo pack of Tylenol Cold + Flu Severe Day/Night Caplets for multi-symptom cold and flu symptom relief. From the doctor recommended pain relief brand, the combo pack includes 16 Daytime and 8 Nighttime caplets for relief any time of the day
- The Daytime relief caplets are formulated to reduce fever, loosen phlegm and relieve headache, body aches, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion and chest congestion
- The Nighttime relief caplets help reduce fever and relieve runny nose, sneezing, headache, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, sinus congestion and pressure
- Each cold & flu caplet contains 325 mg of acetaminophen, a pain reliever and fever reducer; 5 mg of phenylephrine HCl, a nasal decongestant; and 10 mg of dextromethorphan HBr, a cough suppressant
- The Daytime caplets also contain guaifenesin 200 mg, an expectorant to help loosen phlegm (mucus) to make coughs more productive. The Nighttime caplets also contain 2 mg of chlorpheniramine maleate, an antihistamine.
- RELIEF YOU TRUST, DAY & NIGHT. Use non-drowsy DayQuil SEVERE for daytime relief and at night try NyQuil SEVERE for fast relief so you can rest.
- POWERFUL COLD & FLU RELIEF. DayQuil and NyQuil SEVERE temporarily relieve common cold & flu symptoms
- NOTHING WORKS FASTER. Just one dose starts working fast to provide effective cold & flu relief
- PROVEN RELIEF FOR YOUR WORST COLD & FLU SYMPTOMS. Life doesn’t stop when you have a cold. NyQuil and DayQuil SEVERE tackle your most bothersome cold & flu symptom
- WORLD'S #1 SELLING OTC COUGH AND COLD BRAND. Vicks has been trusted for over 125 years to relieve your worst cold & flu symptoms.
- ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: Compare to the active ingredients in Vicks DayQuil Cold & Flu and Vicks NyQuil Cold & Flu
- NON-DROWSY DAYTIME COLD AND FLU MEDICINE provides multi-symptom relief of headache, fever, sore throat, nasal congestion, cough, and minor aches and pains
- NIGHTTIME COLD AND FLU MEDICINE provides multi-symptom relief of headache, fever, sore throat, sneezing, runny nose, cough, and minor aches and pains
- PAIN RELIEVER AND FEVER REDUCER: Both Daytime and Nighttime cold medicine contain acetaminophen to help relieve aches, fever and sore throat
- COLD AND FLU: Influenza (flu) and the common cold are respiratory illnesses caused by viruses. A cold medicine like Cold & Flu Relief Multi-Symptom Daytime/Nighttime can help
- COUGH, COLD AND FLU MEDICINES FOR ADULTS: This combo pack of Maximum Strength Mucinex Fast-Max Day Cold & Flu and Fast-Max Night Cold & Flu fast-dissolving liquid gels provides powerful multi-symptom relief for your worst cold and flu symptoms
- SORE THROAT RELIEF: Both products contain Acetaminophen, which helps reduce fever and relieves sore throat, headache, and body pain
- COUGH MEDICINE FOR ADULTS: Both products contain Dextromethorphan HBr, which helps suppress and quiet cough
- CHEST CONGESTION RELIEF: Daytime cold medicine liquid gels contain Guaifenesin, an expectorant, which helps relieve chest congestion and thins and loosens mucus
- NASAL DECONGESTANT: Both products contain Phenylephrine HCl, a nasal decongestant, which helps relieve stuffy nose, sinus pressure, & nasal congestion
- NIGHTTIME COLD AND FLU MEDICINE FOR ADULTS: Nighttime liquid gels contain Doxylamine succinate, an antihistamine, which helps relieve runny nose & sneezing
- TRUSTED BRAND: Mucinex is the #1 Cough & Cold Brand Doctor's Trust* and is also the #1 Pharmacist Recommended OTC Expectorant**; Get the brand that doctors trust and recommend
- FSA/HSA STORE ELIGIBLE MEDICATION: Save Up to 30%; Cover out-of-pocket expenses with pre-tax dollars (Product eligibility may vary by plan; Check with your benefits administrator to determine which expenses are eligible before you shop)
- USAGE: Use as directed; For ages 12+ years
- IQVIA using ProVoice Survey, August 2023; **U.S. News & World Report/Pharmacy Times 2023-2024
- COUGH COLD AND FLU MEDICINES FOR ADULTS: This combo pack of Maximum Strength Mucinex Fast-Max Cold & Flu and Nightshift Severe Cold & Flu provides powerful multi-symptom cold and flu relief for your worst cold and flu symptoms
- SORE THROAT RELIEF: Both liquids contain Acetaminophen, which helps reduce fever and relieves sore throat, headache, and body pain
- COUGH MEDICINE FOR ADULTS: Both liquids contain Dextromethorphan HBr, which helps suppress and quiet cough
- CHEST CONGESTION RELIEF: Daytime liquid contains Guaifenesin, an expectorant, which helps relieve chest congestion and thins and loosens mucus
- NASAL DECONGESTANT: Both liquids contain Phenylephrine HCl, a nasal decongestant, which helps relieve stuffy nose, sinus pressure, & nasal congestion
- NIGHTTIME COLD AND FLU MEDICINE FOR ADULTS: Nighttime liquid contains Triprolidine HCl, an antihistamine, which helps relieve runny nose & sneezing
- TRUSTED BRAND: Mucinex is the #1 Cough & Cold Brand Doctor's Trust(1) and is also the #1 Pharmacist Recommended OTC Expectorant(2); Get the brand that doctors trust and recommend
- USAGE: Use as directed; For ages 12+ years
- FSA & HSA Eligible: Save Up to 30%; Cover out-of-pocket expenses with pre-tax dollars (Product eligibility may vary by plan. Check with your benefits administrator to determine which expenses are eligible before you shop)
- (1)IQVIA using ProVoice Survey, August 2023; (2)U.S. News & World Report/Pharmacy Times 2023-2024
- ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: This cold medicine contains acetaminophen, dextromethorphan HBr, guaifenesin and phenylephrine HCl to help tackle severe cold and flu symptoms. Compare to the active ingredients in Vicks DayQuil Severe+ VapoCOOL Cold and Flu
- FIND COLD RELIEF during the day with Amazon Basic Care Daytime Severe Cold and Flu Relief. This cold medicine relieves cold and flu symptoms such as headache, fever, coughing, chest and nasal congestion
- PAIN RELIEVER and FEVER REDUCER: Aches and pains can be a drag. This cold medicine helps temporarily relieve fever, minor aches and pains, headache and sore throat associated with the cold and flu
- COUGH SUPPRESSANT and EXPECTORANT: This cold medicine temporarily relieves cough due to minor throat and bronchial irritation. Also helps loosen phlegm (mucus) and thin bronchial secretions to rid the bronchial passageways of bothersome mucus and make coughs more productive.
- NASAL DECONGESTANT: This cold medicine promotes nasal and/or sinus draining to relieve nasal congestion, sinus congestion and pressure associated with the common cold and flu.
- ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: Amazon Basic Care Vapor Ice Daytime and Nighttime Severe Cold and Flu help to relieve common cold and flu symptoms, day and night; compare to the active ingredients in Vicks DayQuil and NyQuil Severe VapoCOOL
- EFFECTIVE: Daytime relieves minor aches and pains, fever, nasal congestion, sinus pressure, cough and chest congestion; Nighttime relieves minor aches and pains, fever, nasal congestion, sinus pressure, sneezing, runny nose and cough
- COMBINATION PACK: Amazon Basic Care Vapor Ice Daytime and Nighttime Severe Cold and Flu comes in a combination pack for around-the-clock maximum strength, multi-symptom relief for your worst cold and flu symptoms
- COATED CAPLETS: Contain pain reliever/fever reducer, cough suppressant, nasal decongestant, antihistamine, expectorant (antihistamine in nighttime only, expectorant in daytime only)
- MAXIMUM STRENGTH: Get day and night cold and flu relief with these max strength coated caplets. Relieve sore throat and other cold and flu symptoms with Amazon Basic Care Vapor Ice Daytime and Nighttime Severe Cold and Flu
- POWERFUL, MAXIMUM STRENGTH 9-SYMPTOM RELIEF: NyQuil SEVERE relieves coughing, sneezing, stuffy nose, minor body pain, sinus congestion, sinus pressure, sore throat, headache, and fever
- POWERFUL NIGHTTIME COLD & FLU RELIEF: NyQuil SEVERE temporarily relieves common cold & flu symptoms so you can get the rest you need
- FAST RELIEF SO YOU CAN SLEEP: Don't let your cold keep you up, Just one dose of NyQuil SEVERE starts working fast to provide effective cold & flu relief
- GREAT-TASTING BERRY FLAVORED NYQUIL: Get the same cold & flu relief you expect from NyQuil SEVERE in a berry flavor
- WORLD'S 1 SELLING OTC COUGH AND COLD BRAND Vicks has been trusted for over 125 years to relieve your worst cold & flu symptoms
- HELPS WITH 6 COLD AND FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS: Temporarily relieves cough, sore throat, chest congestion, hoarseness, body aches, fever and chills.*
- HOMEOPATHIC INGREDIENTS: Formulated with Echinacea and Sambucus Elderberry to help relieve cold and flu-like symptoms, plus Zinc.
- CONVENIENT DISSOLVING TABLETS: Enjoy the great-tasting, cooling peppermint flavor of the quick dissolve tablets as they melt in your mouth.
- FOR BEST RESULTS, use at the first sign of cold and flu and continue every 2-3 hours until symptoms subside. One package contains 20 cough tablets.
- FROM THE #1 COLD SHORTENING BRAND: Zicam Cold Remedy products are available in a wide range of forms and flavors. Keep it stocked at home to stay prepared for cold and flu season.
- Alka-Seltzer Plus Power Max Cold and Flu Medicine is designed for cold and flu symptoms and provides timely relief *Use as directed.
- One dose provides 4 hour day time or night time cold and flu relief of cough, nasal congestion, fever, sinus congestion, headache & body ache, sore throat, and sinus pressure
- Cold and flu medicine for adults and children 12 years and older that contains a pain reliever, fever reducer, cough suppressant, antihistamine (night time only), and nasal decongestant
- Temporarily relieves these symptoms due to cold and flu: Minor aches and pains, cough, headache, sore throat, nasal and sinus congestion, runny nose, & sneezing (runny nose & sneezing apply to night time dosage only).
- The medicine contains a powerful combination of active ingredients, including dextromethorphan, that helps relieve cough.
- HSA/FSA Eligible -- Check your plan for coverage.
- GREAT-TASTING HONEY FLAVORED DAYQUIL AND NYQUIL. Get the same cold & flu relief you expect from DayQuil & NyQuil SEVERE in a great-tasting honey-licious flavor
- POWERFUL MULTI-SYMPTOM RELIEF day or night. Use non-drowsy DayQuil SEVERE Honey for daytime and at night try NyQuil SEVERE Honey for fast relief so you can rest.
- POWERFUL COLD & FLU RELIEF. DayQuil and NyQuil SEVERE Honey formulas are flavored with real honey & temporarily relieve common cold & flu symptoms
- PROVEN RELIEF FOR YOUR WORST COLD & FLU SYMPTOMS. Life doesn’t stop when you have a cold. NyQuil and DayQuil SEVERE Honey tackle your most bothersome cold & flu symptoms
- WORLD'S #1 SELLING OTC COUGH AND COLD BRAND. Vicks has been trusted for over 125 years to relieve your worst cold & flu symptoms.
- The #1 doctor recommended brand that gives fast powerful cold symptom relief that's specially designed for people with high blood pressure.
- Powerful cold medicine with maximum strength formula for people with high blood pressure
- Coricidin provides daytime cold and flu relief of sore throat, chest congestion, fever, body aches & pains, and headache.
- Provides nighttime cold and flu relief of sore throat, cough, fever, runny nose, sneezing, body aches & pains, and headachee relief of sore throat, cough, fever, runny nose, sneezing, body aches & pains, and headache
- Cold medicine comes in a concentrated liquid gel form
- Do not take the Day and Night products at the same time
- HSA/FSA Eligible -- Check your plan for coverage.
- Alka-Seltzer Plus Cold & Flu daytime medicine for adults and children 12 years and older provides relief from multiple cold and flu symptoms, including headache, fever, cough, and nasal / sinus congestion.
- Maximum strength day + night time relief from your cold and flu symptoms *Use as directed.
- Night time multi-symptom cold relief of runny nose, nasal / sinus congestion, cough, headache, sneezing, body ache, sore throat and fever.
- Fast cold relief so you can get back to your busy life
- ASP Maximum Strength Cold & Flu medicine for adults and children 12 years and older that helps relieve nasal congestion, sinus congestion / pressure, and headache due to cold and flu.
- HSA/FSA Eligible -- Check your plan for coverage.
- Fifty packets of 1 coated tablet of Advil Multi Symptom Cold and Flu Medicine, Cold Medicine for Adults with Ibuprofen, Phenylephrine HCL and Chlorpheniramine Maleate
- Powerful Ibuprofen 200mg, chlorpheniramine maleate 4mg and phenylephrine HCL 10 mg tablets for multi-symptom relief
- Uniquely formulated to fight common cold and flu symptoms, providing nasal congestion, nasal swelling, sneezing, sinus pressure, headache, fever, body aches and runny nose relief
- Cold medicine for adults available in easy-to-take coated tablet form - the perfect addition to your college dorm room essentials
- For use by people 12 years of age and older
- Take one tablet every four hours while symptoms persist
- HSA and FSA eligible product
- One pack of 24 Coricidin HBP Maximum Strength Multi-Symptom Flu Tablets, Flu Medicine for Adults with High Blood Pressure
- HBP FLU RELIEF: Decongestant-free flu medicine for adults that relieves symptoms without elevating blood pressure
- BODY ACHES AND PAIN RELIEF: Acetaminophen reduces fever and relieves sore throat, body aches and headache
- COLD AND COUGH RELIEF: Flu remedy that relieves runny nose and sneezing and controls cough
- MAXIMUM STRENGTH ACTION: Fast relief of flu symptoms for up to 4 hours
- FLU MEDICINE FOR ADULTS: Formulated specifically for adults with high blood pressure
- TABLET FORM: Portable tablets are easy to take
- HSA/FSA Eligible -- Check your plan for coverage.
- COLD AND FLU MEDICINE FOR ADULTS: Max Strength Mucinex Fast-Max Cold & Flu provides powerful multi-symptom relief for 9 cold and flu symptoms so you can get back to your day
- SORE THROAT RELIEF: Contains Acetaminophen, which helps reduce fever and relieves sore throat, headache, and body pain
- COUGH MEDICINE FOR ADULTS: Contains Dextromethorphan HBr, which helps suppress and quiet cough
- CHEST CONGESTION RELIEF: Contains Guaifenesin, an expectorant, which helps relieve chest congestion and thins and loosens mucus
- NASAL DECONGESTANT: Contains Phenylephrine HCl, a nasal decongestant, which helps relieve stuffy nose, sinus pressure, & nasal congestion
- ALL-IN-ONE COLD MEDICINE: With just two Mucinex Cold and Flu caplets, you can relieve your worst cold and flu symptoms for up to 4 hours; Use as directed
- #1 TRUSTED BRAND: Mucinex is the #1 Cough & Cold Brand Doctors Trust(1) and the #1 Pharmacist Recommended Brand(2); Get the brand doctors trust & recommend
- Use as directed; For ages 12+ years
- FSA/HSA ELIGIBLE OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICATION: Save Up to 30%; Cover out-of-pocket expenses with pre-tax dollars (Product eligibility may vary by plan - Check with your benefits administrator to determine which expenses are eligible before you shop)
- (1)IQVIA using ProVoice Survey, August 2023; (2)U.S. News & World Report/Pharmacy Times 2023-2024.
- ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: This product contains acetaminophen (pain reliever and fever reducer), dextromethorphan HBr (cough suppressant) and doxylamine succinate (antihistamine) which compares to the active ingredients in Vicks NyQuil Cold & Flu.
- POWERFUL NIGHTTIME RELIEF: This cold and flu medicine provides multi-symptom relief of common cold and flu symptoms while you sleep.
- PAIN RELIEVER AND FEVER REDUCER: Relieves sore throat, minor aches and pains and reduces fever associated with the common cold and flu.
- COUGH SUPPRESSANT: This nighttime cold and flu relief medicine helps to relieve coughing so you can rest.
- ANTIHISTAMINE: Helps relieve runny nose and sneezing associated with the common cold and flu.
- Twin 2 Pack of 24-count of Tylenol Cold + Flu Severe Pain Reliever & Fever Reducer Medicine Caplets provide effective relief of multiple symptoms due to the flu and common cold
- This severe cold & flu medicine helps relieve fever, headache, minor aches and pains, sore throat, nasal congestion, and cough. It also helps loosen phlegm (mucus) and thin bronchial secretions to make coughs more productive.
- Each caplet contains 325 mg of acetaminophen to help reduce fever and relieve minor aches & pains, as well as 10 mg of the cough suppressant dextromethorphan HBr to help quiet coughs
- Each caplet also contains 5 mg of the nasal decongestant phenylephrine HCl to help relieve congestion and 200 mg of the expectorant guaifenesin to help loosen phlegm (mucus) and make coughs more productive
- From the doctor-recommended pain relief brand, this cold & flu medicine is suitable for use by adults and children 12 years and older for powerful multi-symptom relief
- Coricidin is the #1 brand that gives powerful cold symptom relief that's specially designed for people with high blood pressure. *Based on unit sales.
- Powerful cold & flu brand with maximum strength formula for people with high blood pressure*
- Flu, chest congestion and cold medicine for adults that relieves sore throat, chest congestion, fever, body aches & pains, and headache
- Cold flu, and chest congestion medicine comes in a concentrated liquid gel form
- Coricidin HBP is a decongestant free cold, chest congestion and flu medicine
- HSA/FSA Eligible -- Check your plan for coverage.
- THE ACTIVE INGREDIENTS are acetaminophen (pain reliever/fever reducer), dextromethorphan HBr (cough suppressant), guaifenesin (expectorant) and phenylephrine HCl (nasal decongestant); compare to the active ingredients in Vicks DayQuil Severe Cold and Flu
- SEVERE COLD AND FLU RELIEF: Temporarily relieves common cold and flu symptoms, such as headache, fever, sore throat, minor aches and pains, nasal and sinus congestion, sinus pressure, cough and chest congestion
- MAXIMUM-STRENGTH PAIN RELIEVER AND FEVER REDUCER: This alcohol-free daytime medicine temporarily eases the discomfort caused by symptoms of the common cold and flu
- NASAL DECONGESTANT: This cold medicine relieves nasal and sinus congestion and sinus pressure for non-drowsy relief
- COUGH SUPPRESSANT AND EXPECTORANT: Amazon Basic Care Severe Cold and Flu temporarily relieves cough and helps loosen phlegm (mucus) and thin bronchial secretions to rid the bronchial passageways of bothersome mucus; makes coughs more productive
How to choose a good cold and flu medications
Does the idea of finding a fantastic cold and flu medications make you anxious? When it comes to purchasing this product, specifically when deciding which model to select, has your head been spinning between options? You are not alone if that is the case. We are aware of the pressure involved in the purchasing process!
Your presence here indicates that you are interested in cold and flu medications. Before choosing which product would be the best for your needs after being inundated with information, locate a reliable source with genuine selections. You can get that information from a variety of sources, including buying guides and rating websites, word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family, online discussion forums where users can share their own experiences, product reviews that can be found all over the internet, and YouTube channels. You can only get the right product through exhaustive analysis. But you realize that’s not always simple. In order to ease your concerns, we have taken the time to develop a list of the top cold and flu medications products available right now. You might be wondering how we came up with the list. How was this buying guide developed?
First, we used our algorithms to gather as much reliable data as we could about these products. To verify all the data gathered, we used both artificial intelligence and a lot of algorithms.
Then, our experts used criteria that are recognized in the business to evaluate them according to their quality to price ratio, allowing us to choose the top cold and flu medications on the market right now!
The selection of the goods is not arbitrary. Before creating a list, we take into account a number of factors. Below are some of the criteria discussed:
Brand Value: What happens if you choose a dubious brand just because it appears to be a good deal? So the likelihood of receiving a product with a short shelf life increases. That is due to the fact that well-known brands have a reputation to uphold, while others do not. Top cold and flu medications brands strive to provide some distinctive traits that set them apart from the competition. So, hopefully one or more of the items on our list will be perfect for you.
Features: Useful features are all you need, not tons of them. We consider the important aspects and select the top cold and flu medications based on those.
Specifications: Numbers always help you measure the quality of a product in a quantitative way. We try to find products with higher specifications, but with the right balance.
Quality: A product’s quality may always be quantified with the aid of numbers. We look for goods with better standards that strike the proper balance. The best quality product that gets highly appreciated and recommended by experienced users.
Customer ratings: Would it be accurate to suggest that the cold and flu medications were used by hundreds of customers before you? Superior ratings indicate that many customers had better service.
Customer Reviews: Like ratings, provide you with accurate and reliable information about the product from genuine customers. Customer ratings are very important to all of us because they contain accurate and reliable information about the customer service we received from several hundred customers.
Seller Rank: This is very intriguing! Not only do you need a good cold and flu medications, you also need a product with rising sales that is trendy. It accomplishes two goals. First, the expanding user base proves the quality of the product. Second, given that number, producers must be able to offer greater quality and after-sales support.
Value: You get what you pay for, they say, so consider the value. Cheap isn’t always good and expensive isn’t always bad. However, that does not imply that spending a lot of money on a product that is flashy but underwhelming is a good idea. Before adding them to the list, we make an effort to evaluate how much value you can get for your money from your cold and flu medications.
Durability: Durability and reliability are closely related concepts. You will benefit from a strong and long-lasting cold and flu medications for months and years to come.
Product availability: Products come and go, and new ones replace the old ones. Most likely, a few new features and required changes were made. What use is it to use a supposedly good product if the maker no longer supports it? We make an effort to highlight products that are current and offered by one or more trustworthy sellers, if not more.
Negative Reviews: Yes, we do take that into account as well! The goods with the majority of bad reviews are filtered out and disregarded when we choose the best-rated one on the market.
These are the standards by which we selected our cold and flu medications. Do we end our process there? Hell no. The most crucial fact about us that you should be aware of is that we regularly update our website with current and pertinent information. We have one more layer of filtration since we place the greatest importance on reader satisfaction. Please let us know if any product included here is incorrect, irrelevant, subpar, or simply out of date. We always value your opinions, and we’ll work hard to make any necessary corrections to our list in response to them.
Why should you believe us?
There are now thousands of possibilities for these products on Amazon, but choosing the best one can be difficult and time-consuming. And what cold and flu medications should you purchase in 2022?
This guide is the result of more than 10 years of experience in researching, testing and writing about many topics. Each member of our team is an authority in their area. We read every article we could find online and every consumer review on every retail website for seven hours. Additionally, we discovered a ton of websites that offered helpful resources, including buying tips and thorough information on cold and flu medications.
