EXALGO vs ULTRAM

Independent side-by-side comparison.

Rated against independent regulatory sources·Last updated October 8, 2026·How we rate

Possible drug interaction. EXALGO and ULTRAM are different prescription medicines. Combining or switching between them can cause interactions — talk to a pharmacist or prescriber before making changes. This page is not medical advice.

Attribute	EXALGO	ULTRAM
Rating	70/100	72/100
Pharmacy pays	$0.57 /mL	~$0.72 /30
Type	RX	RX
Active ingredient	HYDROMORPHONE HYDROCHLORIDE	TRAMADOL HYDROCHLORIDE
Manufacturer	Specgx LLC	Janssen Pharms
Dosage forms	Tablet, extended release	Tablet
Drug class	Opioid Agonist	Opioid Agonist
Boxed warning	None	None
Half-life	about 2.3 hours (terminal elimination half-life after an intravenous dose); after an oral dose the label reports a mean T½ of about 2.6 hours for the 8 mg tablet and 2.8 hours for the oral liquid	about 6 hours (mean terminal elimination half-life of tramadol in healthy adults)
Treats	Cough, Postoperative Pain	Pain

exalgo ultram

Rating

70/100

72/100

Pharmacy pays

$0.57 /mL

~$0.72 /30

Type

Active ingredient

HYDROMORPHONE HYDROCHLORIDE

TRAMADOL HYDROCHLORIDE

Manufacturer

Specgx LLC

Janssen Pharms

Dosage forms

Tablet, extended release

Tablet

Drug class

Opioid Agonist

Boxed warning

None

Half-life

about 2.3 hours (terminal elimination half-life after an intravenous dose); after an oral dose the label reports a mean T½ of about 2.6 hours for the 8 mg tablet and 2.8 hours for the oral liquid

about 6 hours (mean terminal elimination half-life of tramadol in healthy adults)

Treats

Cough, Postoperative Pain

Pain

Frequently asked questions

Which is better-rated, Exalgo or Ultram?

By our independent rating, Ultram scores higher — 3.6 vs 3.5 out of 5 for Exalgo. Ratings are based on FDA regulatory (recall-safety) data.

What is the difference between Exalgo and Ultram?

Exalgo contains Hydromorphone Hydrochloride, while Ultram contains Tramadol Hydrochloride — they have different active ingredients.

Ratings are based on FDA regulatory (recall-safety) data. This comparison is for general reference only — not medical advice. Always consult a licensed professional before choosing or switching a medication.