Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
Alan Meds vs Lean Meds
Two GLP-1 programs on the bench, scored on the same six factors. Here's how their real cost of ownership compares — and which one we'd start with.
Alan Meds
Budget-first shoppers who want the lowest sema price plus an oral route nationwide.
Visit Alan MedsLean Meds
Cost-first shoppers who want a genuinely flat all-dose price and named pharmacies, and who will read the $49 headline as the annual plan it is.
Visit Lean MedsThe verdict
Alan Meds and Lean Meds tie on the Cost-Efficiency Index at 84/100, so neither wins outright on the numbers. For most shoppers we'd start with Alan Meds (ranked #19, a hair above #21) — Budget-first shoppers who want the lowest sema price plus an oral route nationwide. But Lean Meds is a genuine coin-flip alternative here.
Worth knowing either way: our overall #1 pick is CoreAge Rx (Cost-Efficiency Index 94/100 — the top of the ranking). See how it stacks up: CoreAge Rx vs Alan Meds.
Factor by factor
Both providers scored on our six Cost-Efficiency Index factors. The stronger side on each row is marked in teal.
Normalized Cost/Month
Price Transparency
Nationwide Access
Formulation Options
Clinical Oversight
Contract Flexibility
Pricing, coverage & formulary
The disclosed facts behind the scores. Lower price wins its row (teal).
| Spec | Alan Meds | Lean Meds |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 84/100 | 84/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | $99/mo | $79/mo month-to-month, flat at every dose (the advertised $49 is the 12-month plan) |
| Tirzepatide / mo | $145/mo | $109/mo month-to-month, flat at every dose (the advertised $95 is the 12-month plan) |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | $1,188 | $948 |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | $1,740 | $1,308 |
| Coverage | All 50 states | All 50 states |
| Oral / sublingual | Yes | No |
| Brand-name access | Compounded only | Compounded only |
| Rank here | #19 | #21 |
Alan Meds
84/100Where the value is
- $99 semaglutide and $145 tirzepatide — among the cheapest disclosed in the ranking
- Nationwide all-50 access with an oral/sublingual option
- Both molecules published for straightforward cost modeling
The tradeoffs
- Not LegitScript-certified — oversight harder to verify
- Compounded only — no brand-name access
Regulatory note: the FDA issued a warning letter to Alan Health Technologies Inc. dba Alan in February 2026. We still list and link to Alan Meds; you should know the letter is on the public record before you decide.
Lean Meds
84/100Where the value is
- A flat rate at every dose on both molecules, stated as such, so the price does not climb as a provider titrates
- Names all four pharmacies in its network with addresses, phone numbers and websites, and states the 503A designation in the footer of every page
- The full four-rung ladder for each molecule is printed on one page, so a reader can see what a commitment actually saves
The tradeoffs
- The homepage sells "Starting at $49/mo — same price every month, first order and every order after"; $49 is the twelve-month semaglutide plan and the month-to-month rate is $79
- A homepage chip reads "No auto rebill" while the terms say the payment method is automatically charged at recurring intervals until you cancel
Assume any provider we list may compensate us — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. It never changes the Cost-Efficiency Index. Pricing, states and verification reflect each provider's public disclosures at last review; prices change — confirm on the provider's site. Not medical advice. See our disclosure.