Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
CoreAge Rx vs Ascend Vitality
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.
CoreAge Rx
Anyone optimizing for real value — a transparent flat price you can model for a full year, nationwide, without a bait-and-switch.
Visit CoreAge RxAscend Vitality
Cost-first shoppers who want cash-pay compounded GLP-1 in both injectable and oral-tablet form, outside LA/MS/KS/NM/WV.
Visit Ascend VitalityThe verdict
CoreAge Rx takes it, leading the Cost-Efficiency Index 94 to 42. Best value in the ranking: both molecules at one flat, all-50 price with no teaser step-ups — the lowest true cost of ownership, not the lowest teaser. Ascend Vitality still earns a C — Cost-first shoppers who want cash-pay compounded GLP-1 in both injectable and oral-tablet form, outside LA/MS/KS/NM/WV.
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 | CoreAge Rx | Ascend Vitality |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 94/100 | 42/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | $99/mo | $199/mo (plus a separate fee, compounded) |
| Tirzepatide / mo | $149/mo | $299/mo (compounded) |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | $1,188 | $2,388 |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | $1,788 | $3,588 |
| Coverage | All 50 states | Coverage not published |
| Oral / sublingual | No | Yes |
| Brand-name access | Compounded only | Compounded only |
| Rank here | #1 | #510 |
CoreAge Rx
94/100Where the value is
- Flat all-in monthly price — no intro rate that silently triples after month one, so the modeled annual cost is the real cost
- Both compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide on one account at published prices
- Available in all 50 states — no coverage gamble
The tradeoffs
- Not the rock-bottom sticker price — 30 of the 381 priced semaglutide programs we track list a cheaper figure, though most attach a term or a step-up that CoreAge does not
- No FDA-approved brand-name option (compounded only)
Ascend Vitality
42/100Where the value is
- Both injectable and oral-tablet forms of semaglutide and tirzepatide are offered — a rare combination
- LegitScript certified, with '503A Pharmacy Approved' and FDA-approved-facility manufacturing claims displayed
- Real 6-month prepay discount on semaglutide ($199/mo down to $176/mo), not just a first-month teaser
The tradeoffs
- The homepage's 'Fall Promo Applied! $120 Off' banner is layered on top of the $199/$299 base price, so the number a shopper sees first is a temporary promotional rate
- All medications are compounded — not FDA-reviewed for safety or effectiveness
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.