Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
Aspen vs Direct 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.
Aspen
Cost-first shoppers who want wanting one flat price regardless of whether treatment ends up being semaglutide or tirzepatide, if willing to commit to 3 months.
Visit AspenDirect Meds
Needle-averse shoppers who want a sublingual route on either molecule and will pay above the going rate for it, having accepted a three-month supply as the smallest unit sold.
Visit Direct MedsThe verdict
Aspen takes it, leading the Cost-Efficiency Index 74 to 71. Aspen Health (startaspen.com) is a cash-pay telehealth platform spanning weight loss, hair health, longevity, and sexual wellness. Direct Meds still earns a C — Needle-averse shoppers who want a sublingual route on either molecule and will pay above the going rate for it, having accepted a three-month supply as the smallest unit sold.
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 Aspen.
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 | Aspen | Direct Meds |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 74/100 | 71/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | $179/mo (all doses, compounded) | $249/mo (sublingual, 90-day supply billed monthly) |
| Tirzepatide / mo | $179/mo (all doses, compounded) | $299/mo (sublingual, 90-day supply billed monthly) |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | $2,148 | $2,988 |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | $2,148 | $3,588 |
| Coverage | All 50 states | Not disclosed |
| Oral / sublingual | No | Yes |
| Brand-name access | Compounded only | Compounded only |
| Rank here | #57 | #64 |
Aspen
74/100Where the value is
- One transparent, dose-independent flat price ($179/mo) covers either the semaglutide or tirzepatide path, avoiding the tirzepatide surcharge most compounded competitors charge
- Price stated to be all-in: provider consultation, custom dosing, medication, and free delivery bundled with no listed add-on fees
- No insurance required, cash-pay simplicity
The tradeoffs
- The bold '$179/mo' headline omits its own fine-print condition — a 3-month commitment — visible only in small text directly beneath the price
- Almost nothing else is disclosed on the public site: no states-served list, no named medical director or prescriber, no named pharmacy, and no LegitScript certification found
Direct Meds
71/100Where the value is
- Sublingual AND injection on BOTH molecules — four GLP-1 SKUs, the widest formulation range of any provider in this ranking
- Every price is published per SKU in a public shop, with no quiz, intake or email capture in front of it
- Each product page prints a per-day equivalent beside the monthly rate ($8.03/day at $249), which is unusually concrete for this category
The tradeoffs
- $249/mo sublingual is well above this ranking's ~$144 median, and the injection route is $297 — the cheapest thing here is dearer than most rows' headline price
- The only purchasable option on every product page is a 90-DAY SUPPLY billed monthly, so three months is the smallest unit sold — there is no month-to-month rate to compare against the rows beside it
Regulatory note: the FDA issued a warning letter to directmeds.com, Inc. dba DirectMeds in September 2025. We still list and link to Direct Meds; you should know the letter is on the public record before you decide.
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.