Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
CoreAge Rx vs Fridays
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 RxFridays
Shoppers who want the annual-vs-monthly price difference disclosed upfront rather than discovering it after signup.
Visit FridaysThe verdict
CoreAge Rx takes it, leading the Cost-Efficiency Index 94 to 45. 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. Fridays still earns a C — Shoppers who want the annual-vs-monthly price difference disclosed upfront rather than discovering it after signup.
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 | Fridays |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 94/100 | 45/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | $99/mo | $249/mo (starting dose, compounded) |
| Tirzepatide / mo | $149/mo | $359/mo (starting dose, compounded) |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | $1,188 | $2,988 |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | $1,788 | $4,308 |
| Coverage | All 50 states | Coverage not published |
| Oral / sublingual | No | No |
| Brand-name access | Compounded only | Yes |
| Rank here | #1 | #464 |
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)
Fridays
45/100Where the value is
- Explicitly discloses BOTH the annual-prepay rate and the true month-to-month rate on the same pricing page for every compounded product, rather than only advertising the lower prepay figure
- Bundles unlimited provider visits, group coaching, dietitian support, and a fitness app into the price with an explicit 'No membership fees, No sign up fees, No lab fees' statement
- Clinical services are sourced from a named, real network (OpenLoop Healthcare Partners) rather than an anonymous 'licensed providers' claim
The tradeoffs
- The advertised $150/$240 headline figures still require a full 12-month prepay to reach; a shopper who misses the '(annual prepay)' qualifier and compares it to a competitor's true monthly rate would understate Fridays' cost by 40-66%
- No compounding pharmacy is named anywhere on the pages read
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.