Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
Collective vs SmartPharmaRX
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.
Collective
Shoppers who will stay on treatment for a full year, where the annual membership divides down over twelve months rather than landing on one.
Visit CollectiveSmartPharmaRX
Patients whose provider already e-prescribes to SmartPharmaRX; it isn't a place to start GLP-1 treatment.
Visit SmartPharmaRXThe verdict
Collective takes it, leading the Cost-Efficiency Index 65 to 36. Collective sells compounded semaglutide at $59 and tirzepatide at $69 a month, both genuinely medication prices, on top of a $199 annual membership that is required, auto-renewing and not refundable. SmartPharmaRX still earns a C — Patients whose provider already e-prescribes to SmartPharmaRX; it isn't a place to start GLP-1 treatment.
Worth knowing either way: CoreAge Rx is one of our partners and leads our leaderboard, where partners are listed first (Cost-Efficiency Index 94/100). See how it stacks up: CoreAge Rx vs Collective.
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 | Collective | SmartPharmaRX |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 65/100 | 36/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | $59/moFor the medication, plus a required $199/year membership billed separately | Not disclosed |
| Tirzepatide / mo | $69/moFor the medication, plus the same required $199/year membership | Not disclosed |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | $708 | — |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | $828 | — |
| Coverage | 44 states (not AL, CA, LA, MA, MS or WA) | Not published |
| Oral / sublingual | No | No |
| Brand-name access | Compounded only | Compounded only |
| Rank here | #164 | #620 |
Collective
65/100Where the value is
- Both figures are medication prices rather than a care fee with the drug billed on top, and both appear before any intake
- The membership covers unlimited doctor messaging, check-ins, dose adjustments, nutrition support and express cold shipping, all itemized
- A 21-day free trial precedes the first membership charge, and the trial's auto-conversion is stated plainly
The tradeoffs
- The headline "Get GLP-1s at $59/month" leaves out the mandatory $199 annual membership, which appears only in a card panel, a small disclaimer and the FAQ
- The membership is annual and auto-renewing, and all membership fees are non-refundable with no partial-period refund — so the cheapest medication price here cannot be bought for one month
SmartPharmaRX
36/100Where the value is
- A 503A compounding pharmacy that lists tirzepatide and semaglutide under GLP-1 therapies
- Says each preparation is tested for sterility and potency, with endotoxin screening
- Its FAQ says plainly that compounded medications are not FDA-approved
The tradeoffs
- Prescriptions have to come from your provider's e-prescribing system; there's no patient sign-up
- Says it is licensed in 'select states' without listing them
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.