Walmart Vision Center vs. Warby Parker: Which Eyewear Choice Is 20/20 for You?

Realizing you need glasses can be a real headache, brought on from squinting at every restaurant menu and news article. Paying for those frames and lenses can be another headache; that’s why many people turn to cost-efficient options like Warby Parker and Walmart Vision Center.

Whether you’re getting specs for the first time or due for a stronger prescription, here’s a clear-eyed view on whether Warby or Walmart is best for you.

Comparison Table

We don’t want to make you squint at this article longer than necessary, so here’s a quick and scannable breakdown:

Walmart Vision

Walmart Vision Centers are clinics nestled within select Walmart Supercenters, where customers can typically access comprehensive eye care — from routine exams to prescription eyewear and contact lenses — all under one roof. Walmart directly employs optometrists in 13 states and leases space to licensed independent optometrists in other states.

Benefits include competitive pricing on glasses and contacts, which may be covered by vision insurance (check with your provider) and flexible payment options. You can pick up your eyewear at your local Walmart or they’ll ship it to you “within 7-14 business days" if ordered online. Click here to find your nearest Walmart Vision Center and schedule an appointment.

Warby Parker

Launched online in 2010, Warby Parker blends high-quality eye care with sleek, boutique-style retail. It has expanded to nearly 275 U.S. and Canadian locations where licensed optometrists offer comprehensive eye exams alongside stylish frames, sunglasses, and contact lenses.

The brand operates on a direct‑to‑consumer model — designing its frames in-house, managing production, and avoiding middlemen — to offer prescription glasses starting around $95. Whether you prioritize cutting-edge convenience, chic aesthetics, clear pricing, or social good (the “Buy a Pair, Give a Pair" program has donated over 20 million glasses to people in need), Warby Parker aims to deliver a friendly, hassle-free vision care experience.

Click here to find your nearest location.

Trying on Frames: IRL vs. Virtual

When it comes to retail footprint, Walmart has a gigantic lead with over 3,000 Walmart Vision Centers throughout the U.S. (Warby Parker’s stores are more concentrated in cities.)

However, both Walmart and Warby Parker allow you to digitally “try on" glasses, superimposing various frames over your face (you’ll first need to give each app permission to access your camera), and Warby Parker’s app has a helpful “Advisor" recommendation feature.

Return Policies

Both Warby Parker and Walmart Vision Center allow for full refunds. Warby Parker gives you 30 days to break up with your frames “no-questions-asked" if it’s not working out; Walmart gives you a full 60 days.

Walmart Vision Center or Warby Parker: Which Is the Winner?

This depends on a few individual factors:

• Do you prefer in-person or virtual try on?
• Are you looking for designer brands?
• How long of a return policy do you need?

If you’re someone who likes to feel a pair of frames on your face before committing — especially if you live outside a city — Walmart Vision Center could make sense for you due to the huge number of physical locations (although Warby Parker does mail five test frames for free).

Additionally, customers who want frames from designers like Calvin Klein will have better luck at Walmart Vision Centers since Warby Parker only sells its own exclusive designs. Plus, Walmart offers a longer return window.

That said, if you live near a Warby Parker — or just love their undeniably hip aesthetic — the company’s one-stop-shop, direct-to-consumer approach works for many fashionistas. It’s basically the optometric version of the Apple Store.

Whichever provider you go with, may your next pair of glasses be stylish, affordable, and smudge-resistant.