Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not medical advice.
The one-paragraph answer
Provigil is a brand name for modafinil, originally marketed by Cephalon (UK approval 1997, US approval 1998). Modafinil is the active molecule that Provigil contains. Comparing them is like comparing ibuprofen with Nurofen: the same medicine under different labels, typically at very different prices.
What actually differs
| Provigil | Generic modafinil (e.g. Modalert, Modvigil) | |
|---|---|---|
| Active ingredient | Modafinil 100mg/200mg | Modafinil 100mg/200mg |
| Positioning | Original brand | Post-patent generics |
| Price per tablet | Brand pricing in its market | Typically far lower |
| UK availability | Historic brand; current availability unverified | Modafinil itself is UK-licensed; the generics sold internationally are separate products |
The molecule is the same, so the shared pharmacology (the roughly 15-hour effective half-life, wakefulness effect) applies at equivalent doses. Whether an individual person notices differences between specific branded products is a separate question about the products, not the molecule.
Why the price gap exists
Prices vary with competition, commercial pricing decisions and market conditions; this article does not establish the causes of any particular price difference. In general, branded pricing carries the original developer’s research, trials and marketing, and patent expiry opens the market to competition.
What this means for UK buyers
- Modafinil is UK-licensed and dispensed generically; the Provigil brand was approved in the UK in 1997.
- The Indian generics most discussed internationally – Modalert (Sun Pharma) and Modvigil (HAB Pharma) – contain the same molecule; they are not the UK-licensed products.
- Armodafinil contains only the R-enantiomer; modafinil contains both R- and S-enantiomers. That comparison is covered in modafinil vs armodafinil.
Common questions
Is Provigil better than generic modafinil? For authorised generics, equivalence to the reference medicine is established as part of their authorisation. Sharing an active ingredient alone does not establish equivalence of every named product; some people report differences between brands, and expectation plays a documented role in how people rate generics.
Why is Provigil so expensive? Prices vary with competition, commercial pricing decisions and market conditions; this article does not establish the causes of any particular price difference.
Can you still buy Provigil? Branded Provigil retains official US labelling.
Related reading on this site
Products referenced
This article is general information and does not replace advice from a qualified clinician.