Compare ibuprofen vs. Tylenol
Head-to-head comparisons of medication uses, side effects, ratings, and more.
Relieves pain, fever, and swelling.
Advil (ibuprofen) works well for treating fever, inflammation, and a variety of mild to moderate pain conditions, but it doesn't last as long as other NSAIDs.
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4.0/ 5 average rating with 892 reviewsforibuprofen
Relieves pain and fever.
Tylenol Regular Strength (acetaminophen) effectively reduces fever and relieves pain, but it doesn't lower inflammation and swelling.
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3.7/ 5 average rating with 1002 reviewsforTylenol
Upsides
- Advil (ibuprofen) is effective for treating fever, pain, and inflammation.
- Good for relieving pain due to common conditions like menstrual cramps, toothaches, backaches, and sports-related injuries.
- Advil (ibuprofen) is generally safe to use, cheap, and available over-the-counter.
- Advil (ibuprofen) causes less stomach problems than its alternatives.
- It comes in different flavored liquid forms that makes it easy for children to take.
- Works well to relieve pain and fevers.
- Good for menstrual cramps, toothaches, body aches, and mild arthritis pain.
- Tylenol Regular Strength (acetaminophen) causes less upset stomach, ulcers, bruising, and bleeding than other pain medications like aspirin and Advil.
- Doesn't cause kidney damage and is also safe to use if you have heart problems or if you're pregnant.
- Tylenol Regular Strength (acetaminophen) has been used for a long time and is generally safe for short-term use.
Downsides
- Advil (ibuprofen) doesn't last as long as other NSAIDs, so you need to take it a few times a day to get relief of your symptoms.
- It needs to be taken with food or millk to avoid getting an upset stomach.
- Advil (ibuprofen) is not as safe as other alternatives for pregnant women and people who are age 60 or older.
- It can cause serious complications like stomach bleeding and kidney problems if taken for a long period of time.
- Like all NSAIDs, Advil (ibuprofen) can raise your risk of getting blood clots, a heart attack, or stroke.
- Tylenol Regular Strength (acetaminophen) doesn't treat some kinds of pain as well as other medications like Advil.
- Drinking alcohol while taking Tylenol Regular Strength (acetaminophen) can damage your liver.
- To avoid hurting your liver, you need to keep track of the total amount of acetaminophen you are taking since it's a very common ingredient in pain and cold combination medicines.
- Heavy alcohol drinkers and people with liver problems should avoid using Tylenol Regular Strength (acetaminophen) since it can cause serious liver damage.
Used for
Dosage forms
- Pill
- Chewable tablet
- Suspension
- Pill
- Chewable tablet
- Dissolving tablet
- Liquid
- Suppository
- Injection
Price
Lowest price
$6.10
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$54.88
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Reviews
892 reviews so far
88%
saidit'sworth it
52%
saiditworked well
4%
saidit'sa big hassle
Have you used Advil (ibuprofen)?
Leave a review1002 reviews so far
77%
saidit'sworth it
37%
saiditworked well
3%
saidit'sa big hassle
Have you used Tylenol Regular Strength (acetaminophen)?
Leave a reviewSide effects
The Advil (ibuprofen) FDA package insert doesn’t have numbers about how common side effects are.
The Tylenol Regular Strength (acetaminophen) FDA package insert doesn’t have numbers about how common side effects are.
Risks and risk factors
- Heart attack and stroke
- History of heart problems
- Taking Advil (ibuprofen) for a long period of time
- Stomach bleeding
- History of stomach bleeding
- Age 60 or older
- Taking aspirin, other NSAIDs, or blood thinners
- Drinking more than 3 alcoholic beverages a day
- Smoking
- Taking the medicine for a long period of time
- Severe allergic reaction
- Asthma
- Nasal polyps
- Aspirin allergy
- NSAID allergy
- Kidney damage
- Kidney disease
- Heart failure
- Liver disease
- Taking certain high blood pressure medications
- Age 60 or older
- Taking the medicine for a long period of time
- Harm to fetus (unborn baby)
- Women who want to or can become pregnant
- Pregnant women
- Accidental overdose and death
- Medication administering errors
- Injection formulation
- Exceeding the recommended maximum daily limits
- Liver damage
- Drinking more than 2 alcoholic beverages a day
- Taking with other Tylenol-containing medicines
- History of liver disease