Best Retinoid for acne vulgaris
Top-rated pick: Fabior — pharmaranks score 70/100, the highest of the 12 Retinoid drugs used for acne vulgaris, ranked by our independent FDA recall-safety score. Compare them with all treatments for acne vulgaris or the full Retinoid class. Not medical advice — always consult a professional.
Quick answer: Of the 12 retinoid drugs we rate for acne vulgaris, all are available as lower-cost generics, and most are topical. Our ranking reflects each drug’s FDA recall-safety record — not clinical effectiveness for acne vulgaris; the right choice depends on your situation, so confirm it with your prescriber.
How retinoid work
Retinoids are vitamin A derivatives that enter skin cells and switch on retinoic acid receptors in the nucleus, which changes how genes are read. This normalizes how skin cells grow and shed, unclogs pores, calms inflammation, and over time boosts collagen production.
Other drug classes for acne vulgaris
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Top retinoid for acne vulgaris: 1. Fabior · 2. Retin-A · 3. Tazarotene
| # | Drug | Rating | Type | Form | Generic? | Pharmacy pays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 70/100 | Prescription | Topical | Generic | $7 | View → | |
| 2 | 70/100 | Prescription | Topical | Generic | $1 | View → | |
| 3 | 70/100 | Prescription | Topical | Generic | $7 | View → | |
| 4 | 68/100 | Prescription | Capsule | Generic | $1 | View → | |
| 5 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Capsule | Generic | $155 | View → | |
| 6 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Capsule | Generic | $155 | View → | |
| 7 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Topical | Generic | $7 | View → | |
| 8 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Topical | Generic | $1 | View → | |
| 9 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Topical | Generic | $7 | View → | |
| 10 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Topical | Generic | $1 | View → |
Full ranking · 12 drugs
fabior
PrescriptionFDA-sourced
Fabior (Tazarotene) is a retinoid used to treat Acne Vulgaris, Psoriasis.
Pharmacy pays
From ~$1.91· 4 forms Save up to 93% in classretin-a
PrescriptionFDA-sourced
Retin-A (Tretinoin) is a retinoid used to treat Acne Vulgaris, Facial Dermatoses, Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia, Hyperpigmentation.
Pharmacy pays
From ~$0.75· 7 forms Save up to 52% in classtazarotene
PrescriptionFDA-sourced
Tazarotene is a retinoid used to treat Acne Vulgaris, Psoriasis.
Pharmacy pays
From ~$1.91· 4 forms Save up to 93% in classtretinoin
PrescriptionFDA-sourced
Tretinoin is a retinoid used to treat Acne Vulgaris, Facial Dermatoses, Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia, Hyperpigmentation.
Pharmacy pays
From ~$0.75· 7 forms Save up to 52% in classabsorica
Boxed warningPrescriptionFDA-sourced
Absorica (Isotretinoin) is a retinoid used to treat Acne Vulgaris, Leukemia, Neuroblastoma.
Pharmacy pays
From ~$120.07/30· 5 forms Save up to 31% in classabsorica ld
Boxed warningPrescriptionFDA-sourced
Absorica Ld (Isotretinoin) is a retinoid used to treat Acne Vulgaris, Leukemia, Neuroblastoma.
Pharmacy pays
From ~$120.07/30· 5 forms Save up to 31% in classarazlo
PrescriptionFDA-sourced
Arazlo (Tazarotene) is a retinoid used to treat Acne Vulgaris, Psoriasis.
Pharmacy pays
From ~$1.91· 4 forms Save up to 93% in classatralin
PrescriptionFDA-sourced
Atralin (Tretinoin) is a retinoid used to treat Acne Vulgaris, Facial Dermatoses, Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia, Hyperpigmentation.
Pharmacy pays
From ~$0.75· 7 forms Save up to 52% in classavage
PrescriptionFDA-sourced
Avage (Tazarotene) is a retinoid used to treat Acne Vulgaris, Psoriasis.
Pharmacy pays
From ~$1.91· 4 forms Save up to 93% in classdifferin
PrescriptionFDA-sourced
Differin (Adapalene) is a retinoid used to treat Acne Vulgaris.
Pharmacy pays
From ~$0.41· 4 formsretin-a-micro
PrescriptionFDA-sourced
Retin-A-Micro (Tretinoin) is a retinoid used to treat Acne Vulgaris, Facial Dermatoses, Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia, Hyperpigmentation.
Pharmacy pays
From ~$0.75· 7 forms Save up to 52% in classtazorac
PrescriptionFDA-sourced
Tazorac (Tazarotene) is a retinoid used to treat Acne Vulgaris, Psoriasis.
Pharmacy pays
From ~$1.91· 4 forms Save up to 93% in classFrequently asked
- What is the best retinoid for acne vulgaris?
- By our independent recall-safety rating — not an efficacy measure — fabior ranks highest among Retinoid drugs used for acne vulgaris. Always consult a professional.
- Which retinoid drugs treat acne vulgaris?
- pharmaranks lists 12 Retinoid products used for acne vulgaris, per NIH RxClass drug-classification data — each independently rated and ranked above.
- How are these ranked?
- By our independent score, currently based on FDA regulatory recall-safety data (the methodology blends additional sources as they come online). See the How we rate page.