About Costnip
Costnip shows what things really cost: what people paid, what businesses post and what hospitals publish, compared like with like, with the evidence beside every price.
So far: 133 items and services · 2,931 hospitals’ price files in 788 regions.
How it works
People share a price
What they paid or were shown, at a store, online or on a bill. A receipt or screenshot helps, and it stays private.
We compare like with like
The same item, size and conditions, in the same currency. Coupon and member prices and reports under dispute are kept out of the comparison.
You see the evidence
Every price shows where it came from, when and where, so you can judge it yourself. A price difference alone doesn’t explain why it happened.
Where prices come from
Three kinds of price, always labelled and never mixed in one comparison.
- What people paid
- Community reports. Each is labelled self-reported, or receipt checked when a reviewer has matched it to a receipt or bill.
- What businesses post
- Prices a business published, and shelf prices from open data. Shown next to what people paid, never mixed into it.
- What hospitals publish
- Cash prices from US hospitals’ own price files, which they must publish by law. A starting point, not a quote or your final bill.
What we stand for
Evidence before conclusions
We show the source, date and matching conditions behind each comparison instead of guessing at causes.
Private by default
Reports show the item, price, seller, area and date, never your name or email. Receipts are seen only by you and a reviewer. You can share without an account.
Fair counting
Each person’s reports count only up to a limit in any comparison. Duplicates and made-up prices are removed, and we don’t reward the number of reports.
Open to correction
Businesses can dispute a report or respond to it. A reviewer checks the evidence and keeps, corrects or removes the report.
Common questions
Do I need an account?
No. You can browse and share a price without one. Signing in lets you save comparisons, get alerts, and edit or remove your reports later.
Is a published price what I’ll pay?
Not necessarily. Posted and published prices are what was asked. Hospital prices often leave out doctors’ and other fees. Check what’s included with the seller.
How are reports checked?
Matching rules check the item, conditions and amount. Reports from new or anonymous contributors are reviewed before they’re published; established contributors’ reports go live straight away. Reviewers also check receipts and disputes.
Can a business correct a price?
Yes. A business can dispute a report, respond publicly, claim its page and post its own prices, which are labelled as posted by the business.
Next steps
Seen a price worth sharing?
Your report counts on its own and helps the next person compare. A receipt is optional.
Share a price