Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
altRX vs Edessa
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.
altRX
Cost-first shoppers who want locking in a flat, same-at-every-dose promotional rate before it expires.
Visit altRXEdessa
A six-month committer, or someone willing to click past the front page to the table with the real monthly rate.
Visit EdessaThe verdict
altRX and Edessa tie on the Cost-Efficiency Index at 70/100, so neither wins outright on the numbers. For most shoppers we'd start with altRX (ranked #85, a hair above #91) — Cost-first shoppers who want locking in a flat, same-at-every-dose promotional rate before it expires. But Edessa 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 altRX.
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 | altRX | Edessa |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 70/100 | 70/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | $89/mo (all doses, promotional rate, plus a separate fee, compounded) | $179/mo month-to-month for the injection; $160 on three months and $135 on six |
| Tirzepatide / mo | $149/mo (all doses, promotional rate, compounded) | $239/mo month-to-month; $219 on three months and $209 on six |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | $1,068 | $2,148 |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | $1,788 | $2,868 |
| Coverage | Coverage not published | Not disclosed |
| Oral / sublingual | No | Yes |
| Brand-name access | Yes | Compounded only |
| Rank here | #85 | #91 |
altRX
70/100Where the value is
- Same price at every dose — titrating up does not raise the monthly cost, unlike per-mg-tiered competitors
- No membership fee, no insurance required; price stated to be all-in (consultation, dosing plan, medication, free delivery, clinician support)
- LegitScript certified
The tradeoffs
- The advertised $89/$149 prices are an explicitly time-limited promotion with a live countdown on the page — the standing price is roughly double, and a naive reading of the headline as a stable price would be wrong within about a week of this research
- No compounding pharmacy is individually named, only '503A compounding pharmacies within the altRx network'
Regulatory note: the FDA issued a warning letter to Trinity HealthCare Supply, LLC dba altRx in June 2026. We still list and link to altRX; you should know the letter is on the public record before you decide.
Edessa
70/100Where the value is
- Each product page carries a plain three-rung table, so the commitment behind every figure is visible
- "Same price, every dose" is printed on each product page
- Names its operating entity and a full street address in Las Vegas, Nevada
The tradeoffs
- The front page leads with "Start for just $135", a six-month prepay on the semaglutide injection
- All three front-page cards quote the six-month rung, so the real monthly rates appear only after a click
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.