Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
AlyveRx vs Citizen 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.
AlyveRx
Shoppers who specifically want a needle-free sublingual GLP-1 option alongside standard injections on the same platform.
Visit AlyveRxCitizen Meds
Shoppers who want to buy a low-dose starting month without any subscription commitment.
Visit Citizen MedsThe verdict
AlyveRx and Citizen Meds tie on the Cost-Efficiency Index at 64/100, so neither wins outright on the numbers. For most shoppers we'd start with AlyveRx (ranked #173, a hair above #176) — Shoppers who specifically want a needle-free sublingual GLP-1 option alongside standard injections on the same platform. But Citizen 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 AlyveRx.
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 | AlyveRx | Citizen Meds |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 64/100 | 64/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | $183/mo (starting dose, compounded) | $125/mo (0.25 mg dose, compounded) |
| Tirzepatide / mo | $283/mo (starting dose, compounded) | $145/mo (2.5 mg dose, compounded) |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | $2,196 | $1,500 |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | $3,396 | $1,740 |
| Coverage | Coverage not published | Coverage not published |
| Oral / sublingual | Yes | No |
| Brand-name access | Yes | Compounded only |
| Rank here | #173 | #176 |
AlyveRx
64/100Where the value is
- Offers a genuinely needle-free sublingual delivery option (PermeAct) for both semaglutide and tirzepatide, not just injections
- Also carries brand-name Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro for patients who want an FDA-approved product
- All four price points (injection and drops, both drugs) are published upfront on the homepage before intake
The tradeoffs
- The dataset's previous $249/mo tirzepatide figure is the SUBLINGUAL DROPS price, not the standard injection ($283/mo) — confirm which form a quoted price refers to
- Sublingual PermeAct absorption relies on the company's own proprietary technology claims and is not FDA-reviewed for weight-loss efficacy
Citizen Meds
64/100Where the value is
- No subscription — every month is a separate one-time purchase, so there's no auto-renewing commitment to cancel
- LegitScript badge genuinely renders on the live homepage (seal 11945825), correcting the prior claim of no certification
- PCCA compounding-pharmacy trade-association badge and PCAB-labeled imagery displayed
The tradeoffs
- The headline '$125'/'$145' price is Month-1-only at the lowest dose; the mandatory titration schedule pushes maintenance-dose months to $395-$545, roughly 3-4x the advertised figure
- No compounding pharmacy is named anywhere on the site
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.