Two medicines, side by side
Aripiprazole vs risperidone
Aripiprazole and risperidone are both labeled for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Drugs@FDA records approvals of aripiprazole since 2002 and of risperidone since 1993. Pharmacies paid $0.110 per aripiprazole 5 mg tablet and $0.0368 per risperidone 0.25 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. How each works, in its label's words: Aripiprazole, “The mechanism of action of aripiprazole in schizophrenia or bipolar mania, is unclear.”; Risperidone, “The drug's therapeutic activity in schizophrenia could be mediated through a combination of dopamine Type 2 (D 2 ) and serotonin Type 2 (5HT 2 ) receptor antagonism.”
Check it at the source: the aripiprazole FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 29, 2025); the risperidone FDA label on DailyMed (effective May 28, 2026).
Highlights of the aripiprazole record
Aripiprazole (Abilify) · label of January 29, 2025
INCREASED MORTALITY IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH DEMENTIA-RELATED PSYCHOSIS and SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIORS WITH ANTIDEPRESSANT DRUGS Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk of death. ABILIFY is not approved for the treatment of patients with dementia-related psychosis [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ].
Used for
From the label: indicationsABILIFY (aripiprazole) Tablets are indicated for the treatment of: Schizophrenia Acute Treatment of Manic and Mixed Episodes associated with Bipolar I Disorder Adjunctive Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder Irritability Associated with Autistic Disorder Treatment of Tourette's Disorder ABILIFY is an atypical antipsychotic. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- November 15, 2002
- Generic labelers
- 47 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.110 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 25
Highlights of the risperidone record
Risperidone (Risperdal) · label of May 28, 2026
INCREASED MORTALITY IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH DEMENTIA-RELATED PSYCHOSIS Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk of death. RISPERDAL is not approved for the treatment of patients with dementia-related psychosis. [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] WARNING: INCREASED MORTALITY IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH DEMENTIA-RELATED PSYCHOSIS See full prescribing information for complete boxed warning.
Used for
From the label: indicationsRISPERDAL is an atypical antipsychotic indicated for: Treatment of schizophrenia ( 1.1 ) As monotherapy or adjunctive therapy with lithium or valproate, for the treatment of acute manic or mixed episodes associated with Bipolar I Disorder ( 1.2 ) Treatment of irritability associated with autistic disorder ( 1.3 ) 1.1 Schizophrenia RISPERDAL (risperidone) is indicated for the treatment of schizophrenia. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- December 29, 1993
- Generic labelers
- 37 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0368 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 5
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Aripiprazole label of January 29, 2025, Risperidone label of May 28, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do aripiprazole and risperidone differ on the record?
How each works, in its label's words: Aripiprazole, “The mechanism of action of aripiprazole in schizophrenia or bipolar mania, is unclear.”; Risperidone, “The drug's therapeutic activity in schizophrenia could be mediated through a combination of dopamine Type 2 (D 2 ) and serotonin Type 2 (5HT 2 ) receptor antagonism.”
Both are in FDA's class atypical antipsychotics.
Half-life, in each label's words: Aripiprazole, “For CYP2D6 poor metabolizers, the mean elimination half-life for aripiprazole is about 146 hours.”; Risperidone, “The apparent half-life of risperidone was 3 hours (CV=30%) in extensive metabolizers and 20 hours (CV=40%) in poor …”
Both labels carry a boxed warning; the records quote them.
Generics: aripiprazole since 2015; risperidone since 2008 (Drugs@FDA).
| Aripiprazole | Risperidone | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Depression, Bipolar disorder, Schizophrenia | Bipolar disorder, Schizophrenia |
| Pharmacologic class | Atypical Antipsychotic | Atypical Antipsychotic |
| How it works (label) | The mechanism of action of aripiprazole in schizophrenia or bipolar mania, is unclear. | The mechanism of action of risperidone in schizophrenia is unclear. The drug's therapeutic activity in schizophrenia could be mediated through a combination of dopamine Type 2 (D 2 ) and serotonin Type 2 (5HT 2 ) receptor antagonism. |
| Half-life (label) | For CYP2D6 poor metabolizers, the mean elimination half-life for aripiprazole is about 146 hours. | The apparent half-life of risperidone was 3 hours (CV=30%) in extensive metabolizers and 20 hours (CV=40%) in poor metabolizers. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | November 15, 2002 | December 29, 1993 |
| First generic approved | April 28, 2015 | June 30, 2008 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 47 labelers | 37 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.110 per tablet (Aripiprazole 5 mg tablet) | $0.0368 per tablet (Risperidone 0.25 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | +3% | -13% |
| Boxed warning | Yes | Yes |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 25 | 5 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 121,736 | 131,095 |
| DEA schedule | none | none |
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages and recalls, FAERS via openFDA (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Alternatives to aripiprazole
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions