Our Pick: Dulcolax
Check price on Amazon →Dulcolax Suppository vs Tablets: Same Active, Two Clocks
Both are bisacodyl. The suppository (10 mg, 4 count, $5.48) is labeled for 15 minutes to 1 hour; the tablets (5 mg per the Drug Facts panel, 50 count, $9.12) are labeled for 6 to 12 hours and are the overnight product. Choose by when you need the result and which route you will accept; the warnings are the stimulant's on both. Prices verified via the Amazon Creators API on September 5, 2026.
By The Pharmacy Desk2026-09-05~9 min read Ranked on verified label facts, never box claimsHow we research
For a result within the hour, buy Dulcolax Stimulant Laxative Medicated Suppositories, 4 count, at $5.48 (verified via the Amazon Creators API on September 5, 2026): bisacodyl 10 mg, rectal, labeled for 15 minutes to 1 hour, about $1.37 a dose. For a result overnight, buy Dulcolax Stimulant Laxative Tablets, 50 count, at $9.12: bisacodyl by mouth, 5 mg per tablet per the Drug Facts panel, labeled for 6 to 12 hours, about 18 cents a tablet with the label directing 1 to 3 tablets in a single daily dose for adults. Same active, same brand, same stimulant warnings; the route sets the clock.
People compare these two because they assume one is stronger. The label does not frame it that way. The suppository delivers bisacodyl where it acts, so the label can promise an hour. The tablet is coated to pass the stomach and dissolve further along, so the label promises the next morning. Both carry the stimulant's possible effects (abdominal discomfort, faintness, cramps), both say occasional use only, and both say not more than 1 week without a doctor. The tablet adds two lines of its own: do not chew or crush, and do not take within 1 hour of antacids or milk.
Both are over-the-counter drugs with Drug Facts panels, and we quote them. The third product on this page, Dulcolax's docusate stool softener, is here because it is what many buyers actually want when they type Dulcolax: something gentle for hard stools, which a stimulant is not. We are a research and verification desk, not clinicians; nothing here is medical advice; no brand has paid for a placement; and if you buy through a link we may earn an Amazon commission at no cost to you.
The short version
- Suppository: bisacodyl 10 mg, rectal, 15 minutes to 1 hour on the label, about $1.37 a dose in the 4 count ($5.48).
- Tablets: bisacodyl 5 mg per tablet per the Drug Facts panel (not printed in the listing title), oral, 6 to 12 hours on the label, about 18 cents a tablet in the 50 count ($9.12); adults take 1 to 3 in a single daily dose per the label.
- Same stimulant warnings on both: abdominal discomfort, faintness, cramps; occasional use; not more than 1 week without a doctor.
- Tablet-only rules: swallow whole, do not chew or crush, and not within 1 hour of antacids or milk. Suppository-only rule: rectal use only, with rectal burning listed as a possible effect.
- If neither: Dulcolax Stool Softener (docusate) is the non-stimulant in the line, for hard, dry stools rather than a stimulant push.
At a glance
| Product | Route | Active and strength | Label time | Label ages | Cost per unit | Price (9/5/26) | Check price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dulcolax Medicated Suppositories, 4 ct | Rectal | Bisacodyl 10 mg | 15 min to 1 hr | 12 and over; 6 to under 12 per label; under 6 ask a doctor | $1.37 per suppository | $5.48 | Check price on Amazon |
| Dulcolax Stimulant Laxative Tablets, 50 ct | Oral | Bisacodyl 5 mg (per panel) | 6 to 12 hr | 12 and over; 6 to under 12 per label; under 6 ask a doctor | $0.18 per tablet | $9.12 | Check price on Amazon |
| Dulcolax Stool Softener Liquid Gels | Oral | Docusate (strength not in title) | Per panel | Per panel | Not computed (count not in title) | $5.98 | Check price on Amazon |
The three Dulcolax formats. Active and strength come from the Drug Facts panel; counts from the listing title. Cost per unit is computed only where the title states the count. Prices verified via the Amazon Creators API on September 5, 2026.
Dulcolax Stimulant Laxative Medicated Suppositories, 4 count
Dulcolax
Bisacodyl 10 mg delivered where it acts; 15 minutes to 1 hour on the label.
Our verdict: The suppository is the Dulcolax for today. Ten milligrams of bisacodyl placed where it acts, with a label that reads 15 minutes to 1 hour and a box of 4 that fits the occasional-use line. It is the more expensive format per dose and it is the one with rectal burning on its label, but when the clock matters, the tablet cannot compete.
Verified: Labeled active: bisacodyl 10 mg per suppository, stimulant laxative, 4 per box. Uses: relief of occasional constipation; generally produces a bowel movement in 15 minutes to 1 hour. Live at $5.48 on Amazon, verified via the Creators API on September 5, 2026.
What the label says. Dulcolax Medicated Suppositories: bisacodyl 10 mg, stimulant laxative, relief of occasional constipation, generally produces a bowel movement in 15 minutes to 1 hour, for rectal use only. Directions: adults and children 12 years and over, 1 suppository in a single daily dose; children 6 to under 12, a reduced direction printed on the box; under 6, ask a doctor. May cause abdominal discomfort, faintness, rectal burning and mild cramps.
The bigger boxes, the Fast Relief 28 count at $25.98 (about 93 cents each) and the plain 28 count at $22.99 (about 82 cents), bring the price down but are a lot of stimulant to own for a product labeled occasional use. The generic Bisacodyl Suppositories USP 10 mg, 12 each at $8.90 is about 74 cents. The line write-up is the Dulcolax suppositories review; the non-stimulant alternative to all of it is the glycerin suppository, compared in glycerin vs bisacodyl.
Who should buy it
Buy the suppository if you need a result within the hour and a doctor is fine with an occasional stimulant.
What we don't like
Rectal route, about $1.37 a dose, and rectal burning is on the label alongside the stimulant effects.
- Active ingredient
- Bisacodyl
- Strength
- 10 mg per suppository
- Count
- 4
- Form
- Solid rectal suppository, individually sealed
- Label ages
- 12 and over; 6 to under 12 per label; under 6 ask a doctor
- Cost per dose
- $1.37 ($5.48 divided by 4)
- Packaging
- Boxed, sealed
What we like
- 15 minutes to 1 hour on the label
- Printed 10 mg strength
- Sealed units
Worth noting
- Rectal route; rectal burning on the label
- About $1.37 a dose
Dulcolax Stimulant Laxative Tablets, Overnight Relief, 50 count
Dulcolax
Bisacodyl by mouth, 6 to 12 hours on the label, about 18 cents a tablet.
Our verdict: The tablet is the Dulcolax for tomorrow morning. Taken at bedtime, its label reads 6 to 12 hours, and adults may take 1 to 3 tablets in a single daily dose per the panel. It is coated to pass the stomach, which is why the label says swallow whole and not within an hour of antacids or milk. At about 18 cents a tablet it is far cheaper than the suppository, and it is the format most people mean when they say Dulcolax.
Verified: Labeled active: bisacodyl 5 mg per tablet per the Drug Facts panel (the listing title does not print the strength), 50 tablets. Uses: relief of occasional constipation; generally produces a bowel movement in 6 to 12 hours. Live at $9.12 on Amazon, verified via the Creators API on September 5, 2026.
What the label says. Dulcolax Stimulant Laxative Tablets: bisacodyl, stimulant laxative, relief of occasional constipation, generally produces a bowel movement in 6 to 12 hours. Directions: adults and children 12 years and over, 1 to 3 tablets in a single daily dose; children 6 to under 12, 1 tablet in a single daily dose; under 6, ask a doctor. Swallow whole; do not chew or crush; do not take within 1 hour of antacids or milk. The listing title does not print the strength; the Drug Facts panel states 5 mg per tablet.
The tablet's coating is the reason for its two extra rules. Chewing or crushing it, or taking it near antacids or milk, defeats the coating and owners report stomach upset when they do. The generic is Major Bisacodyl USP 5 mg tablets at $4.88, which prints the 5 mg in its title (the count is not in the title, so we compute nothing). Dulcolax's stimulant laxative liquid gels, 20 count at $5.98 are the same brand in a capsule; read that panel for its own active and directions. The oral shelf is ranked in the best laxatives for fast relief.
Who should buy it
Buy the tablets if an overnight result is what you want, you will not use a rectal product, and a doctor is fine with an occasional stimulant.
What we don't like
6 to 12 hours rather than an hour, a strength that is on the panel but not the listing title, and the coating rules (no chewing, no antacids or milk within an hour) that owners trip over.
- Active ingredient
- Bisacodyl
- Strength
- 5 mg per tablet (per the Drug Facts panel; not printed in the listing title)
- Count
- 50
- Form
- Coated oral tablet
- Label ages
- 12 and over; 6 to under 12 per label; under 6 ask a doctor
- Cost per dose
- $0.18 per tablet ($9.12 divided by 50); label adult dose 1 to 3 tablets
- Packaging
- Bottle
What we like
- Oral; no suppository
- About 18 cents a tablet
- Reference brand for overnight bisacodyl
Worth noting
- 6 to 12 hours on the label
- Strength not in the listing title
- Swallow whole; not near antacids or milk
Dulcolax Stool Softener Laxative Liquid Gel Capsules, Docusate
Dulcolax
Docusate, the stool softener under the Dulcolax name, for hard, dry stools without a stimulant.
Our verdict: Many people who search Dulcolax want something gentle for hard stools, and neither bisacodyl format is that. Dulcolax's stool softener is docusate, a non-stimulant that draws water into the stool, and its label is written for hard, dry stools rather than a push. The listing title states neither the strength nor the count, so we compute no cost per dose and print no milligrams.
Verified: Labeled active: docusate (stool softener) per the listing title; strength and count are not published in the title. Uses: relief of occasional constipation, hard and dry stools. Live at $5.98 on Amazon, verified via the Creators API on September 5, 2026.
A different active under the same brand. Dulcolax Stool Softener Liquid Gel Capsules are docusate, per the listing title, in a soft gel. Docusate is not a stimulant; it is a stool softener, and its Drug Facts use is relief of occasional constipation with hard, dry stools, with the panel stating its own time window (typically 12 to 72 hours on docusate labels; read the box). It carries none of bisacodyl's cramping or faintness lines.
Same stop lines as every laxative: rectal bleeding or no bowel movement after use means stop and ask a doctor, and not more than 1 week without one. The category is ranked in the best stool softeners; the brand write-up is the Colace review.
Who should buy it
Buy the stool softener if hard, dry stools are the problem, there is no urgency, and you want the non-stimulant option under the Dulcolax name.
What we don't like
Neither strength nor count in the listing title, so nothing can be computed, and Colace prints both for a similar price.
- Active ingredient
- Docusate (per the listing title)
- Strength
- Not published in the listing title
- Count
- Not published in the listing title
- Form
- Oral liquid gel capsule
- Label ages
- Per the Drug Facts panel
- Cost per dose
- Not computed (count not in title)
- Packaging
- Bottle
What we like
- Non-stimulant; no cramping line
- Written for hard, dry stools
- Same brand, different tool
Worth noting
- Strength and count not in the title
- Days, not hours, on docusate labels
What you'll need
The six things that go in the same cart as a suppository: the pharmacy-standard glycerin, a daily stool softener, an enema for the nights nothing else works, witch hazel wipes, sitz salts, and a barrier ointment. Prices are approximate at time of writing.
The clock: 1 hour versus 6 to 12 hours
The labels print the difference. Suppository: generally produces a bowel movement in 15 minutes to 1 hour. Tablets: generally produces a bowel movement in 6 to 12 hours. Owner reports agree: the suppository is described in minutes, the tablet is described as taken at bedtime and acting in the morning. Dulcolax's own tablet listing calls it overnight relief.
The reason is the route, not the dose. The suppository places bisacodyl at the site of action; the tablet is coated to survive the stomach and release further along the gut, which takes hours. The tablet is not a weaker product that takes longer to build up; it is the same stimulant arriving by a slower road.
Strength and dose: 10 mg once versus 5 mg, 1 to 3 tablets
The suppository is 10 mg, one per day. The tablet is 5 mg per the Drug Facts panel (the Amazon listing title does not print it), and the adult direction is 1 to 3 tablets in a single daily dose, so an adult dose by mouth is 5 to 15 mg. Children 6 to under 12 have 1 tablet on the tablet label and a reduced suppository direction on the suppository label; under 6 is ask a doctor on both.
Cost per dose across the Dulcolax line
All prices verified via the Amazon Creators API on September 5, 2026; cost per unit computed only where the listing title states the count.
| Product | Route | Count | Cost per unit | Price (9/5/26) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dulcolax Tablets, 50 ct | Oral | 50 | $0.18 per tablet (label dose 1 to 3) | $9.12 |
| Dulcolax Liquid Gels, 20 ct | Oral | 20 | $0.30 per capsule | $5.98 |
| Bisacodyl USP 10 mg suppositories, 12 | Rectal | 12 | $0.74 | $8.90 |
| Dulcolax Suppositories, 28 ct | Rectal | 28 | $0.82 | $22.99 |
| Dulcolax Fast Relief Suppositories, 28 ct | Rectal | 28 | $0.93 | $25.98 |
| Dulcolax Suppositories, 4 ct | Rectal | 4 | $1.37 | $5.48 |
| Dulcolax Stool Softener | Oral | Not in title | Not computed | $5.98 |
The tablet is the cheap format by a wide margin. The suppository's price is the price of the hour.
Which one owners actually reach for
Owner reports split cleanly. Tablet owners describe a bedtime routine and a morning result and complain mainly about cramping when they take the top of the label's range. Suppository owners describe a specific need for a result now, often before travel or a procedure a doctor has prepared them for, and complain about the price per unit and the rectal burning the label warns about. Almost nobody describes using both formats routinely, which matches the label: occasional use, not more than 1 week, and a stimulant is not a maintenance product.
The people best served by neither are the ones with hard, dry stools and no urgency, and for them the line's own docusate stool softener, or Colace 100 mg, is the gentler tool. For the non-stimulant suppository, the answer is glycerin, compared in Dulcolax vs Fleet suppositories.
The verdict, by buyer
- Need a result within the hour, doctor is fine with a stimulant: Dulcolax suppository, 4 count.
- Want it overnight, by mouth: Dulcolax tablets, 50 count, swallowed whole, not near antacids or milk.
- Same thing, less money: Major Bisacodyl 5 mg tablets or Bisacodyl USP 10 mg suppositories.
- Hard, dry stools, no urgency: Dulcolax Stool Softener or Colace; not a stimulant.
- Child 6 to 11: both labels have a reduced direction; the pediatrician decides. Under 6: ask a doctor on both.
- Weekly need: neither. The 1 week line on both labels means see a clinician.
More picks worth comparing
Beyond this guide, the highest-rated picks across every category and budget, with a live price check on each.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.
Quick shop: every pick
Skip the scroll: the whole lineup, with a live price check on each.
- Dulcolax Stimulant Laxative Medicated Suppositories, 4 countWithin the HourDulcolax · $5.48Check price on Amazon
- Dulcolax Stimulant Laxative Tablets, Overnight Relief, 50 countOvernight, by MouthDulcolax · $9.12Check price on Amazon
- Dulcolax Stool Softener Laxative Liquid Gel Capsules, DocusateIf Neither: The Non-Stimulant in the LineDulcolax · $5.98Check price on Amazon
How we chose
We compared the two bisacodyl formats on their Drug Facts panels: active and strength, the Uses statement, the Directions with their age lines, the time-to-effect the label prints, and the warnings, including the tablet's own lines about chewing, crushing, antacids and milk. Counts and prices come from the live Amazon listings, verified via the Creators API on September 5, 2026. Cost per unit is computed only where the title states the count; the tablets' listing title does not print the milligram strength, so we attribute 5 mg to the Drug Facts panel rather than the title. Owner reports were weighed for how each format is described in practice: the suppository's onset and the tablet's overnight timing.
Compliance for this shelf: we quote the label's Uses and Directions and nothing beyond them. We never suggest a dose the label does not print, we carry every age cut-off, and we repeat the stop lines: rectal bleeding, no bowel movement after use, or use beyond 1 week mean stop and ask a doctor. Stimulant laxatives are for occasional use, not routine. For any child, the pediatrician decides. Nothing on this page is medical advice.
Questions, answered
Is the Dulcolax suppository stronger than the tablets?
It is faster, not stronger in the label's terms. The suppository is 10 mg bisacodyl placed where it acts, labeled for 15 minutes to 1 hour. The tablets are 5 mg each per the Drug Facts panel, with adults directed to 1 to 3 in a single daily dose, labeled for 6 to 12 hours. Same active, same stimulant warnings; the route sets the clock.
How long do Dulcolax tablets take to work?
The Drug Facts panel states generally produces a bowel movement in 6 to 12 hours, which is why Dulcolax markets the tablets as overnight relief. The suppository's panel states 15 minutes to 1 hour.
Can I chew a Dulcolax tablet?
No. The label says swallow whole, do not chew or crush, and do not take within 1 hour of antacids or milk. The tablet is coated to pass the stomach; defeating the coating is what owners who report stomach upset have usually done.
How many milligrams are in Dulcolax tablets?
The Drug Facts panel states 5 mg of bisacodyl per tablet. The Amazon listing title does not print the strength, which is why this page attributes it to the panel. The suppository prints 10 mg.
Which is cheaper per dose?
The tablets. At our September 5, 2026 check, the 50 count at $9.12 is about 18 cents a tablet, or 18 to 55 cents at the label's adult range of 1 to 3. The suppository 4 count at $5.48 is about $1.37 each; the 28 count boxes are 82 to 93 cents each; generic 10 mg suppositories are about 74 cents.
Can children use Dulcolax suppositories or tablets?
Both labels direct 12 and over as the main line, carry a reduced direction for children 6 to under 12 (1 tablet on the tablet label; a reduced suppository direction on the box), and say ask a doctor under 6. The pediatrician decides.
Is Dulcolax Stool Softener the same as the tablets?
No. The stool softener is docusate, a non-stimulant for hard, dry stools, with its own Drug Facts panel and no cramping line. The tablets and suppositories are bisacodyl, a stimulant. The listing title for the stool softener states neither strength nor count.
Can I use Dulcolax every day?
Not without a doctor. Both bisacodyl labels say do not use for more than 1 week unless directed by a doctor, and both list occasional constipation as the use. A stimulant is not a maintenance product; daily need is the label's signal to see a clinician.
Filed under Comparison
Part of Constipation Suppositories, Enemas & Laxatives · Head-to-Head Comparisons
Keep reading
Dulcolax Suppositories Review
Every Dulcolax suppository box, the label, the possible effects and the price ladder.
Dulcolax vs Fleet Suppositories
The stimulant suppository against the non-stimulant glycerin jar, box by box.
Best Laxatives for Fast Relief (2026)
Suppositories, enemas and the oral products ranked by what the label says about time.
Best Stool Softeners (2026)
Colace, Dulcolax and the store brands: docusate for hard stools without a stimulant.