With so many flea treatments on the market, choosing the right one can be confusing — and expensive. Here is a straightforward comparison of the most popular monthly flea treatments available in the UK in 2026, with current pricing and what each product actually covers.

Spot-On Treatments

Applied to the back of the neck, spot-ons are the most common type of flea treatment. Here are the main options:

  • Frontline Spot-On (fipronil): £4–£6 per dose. Non-prescription. Kills fleas and ticks. Growing resistance issues in many UK areas.
  • Frontline Plus (fipronil + S-methoprene): £6–£8 per dose. Non-prescription. Adds flea egg prevention to standard Frontline.
  • Advantage (imidacloprid): £5–£8 per dose. Non-prescription. Fleas only (no ticks, no worms).
  • Advocate (imidacloprid + moxidectin): £8–£15 per dose. Prescription required. Fleas, lungworm, roundworms, ear mites. No tick cover.
  • Stronghold Plus (selamectin + sarolaner): £9–£14 per dose. Prescription required. Fleas, ticks, ear mites, roundworms. Cats only.
  • Prinovox (imidacloprid + moxidectin): £7–£12 per dose. Prescription required. Generic version of Advocate. Same coverage at lower cost.

Oral Tablets

Chewable tablets are increasingly popular, particularly for dogs. They avoid the wet-fur issue of spot-ons and cannot be washed off.

  • Nexgard (afoxolaner): £8–£15 per monthly dose. Prescription required. Fleas and ticks. Dog only.
  • Bravecto (fluralaner): £20–£35 per dose, lasting 12 weeks. Prescription required. Fleas and ticks. Works out £7–£12 per month.
  • Simparica (sarolaner): £8–£14 per monthly dose. Prescription required. Fleas and ticks. Dog only.
  • Credelio (lotilaner): £8–£13 per monthly dose. Prescription required. Fleas and ticks. Dog and cat versions available.

Flea Collars

  • Seresto (imidacloprid + flumethrin): £25–£35 per collar, lasting 7–8 months. Non-prescription. Fleas and ticks. Works out roughly £3–£5 per month — the cheapest effective option.

Annual Cost Comparison

Assuming a medium-sized dog treated year-round:

  • Seresto collar: £50–£70/year (cheapest)
  • Frontline Spot-On: £48–£72/year (but efficacy concerns)
  • Bravecto: £80–£140/year
  • Nexgard: £96–£180/year
  • Advocate: £96–£180/year (includes worm cover)

What Vets Typically Recommend

Most vets now steer away from standard Frontline due to resistance concerns. The most commonly recommended products are Advocate (for broad parasite cover including lungworm), Nexgard or Bravecto (for reliable flea and tick control), or a combination approach using a flea tablet plus a separate wormer.

How to Save

For prescription products, request a written prescription from your vet and compare prices at online pharmacies. Buying in multipacks (3 or 6 months at a time) typically saves 10–15% per dose. The CMA found significant mark-ups on veterinary medications — shopping around is one of the easiest ways to reduce your pet care costs.

Last updated: March 2026. Prices based on UK retail and veterinary pharmacy data.