Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
CoreAge Rx vs RxPepsDirect
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 RxRxPepsDirect
Cost-first shoppers who want the all-in per-order cost of a compounded GLP-1 with no subscription, in 28 states.
Visit RxPepsDirectThe verdict
CoreAge Rx takes it, leading the Cost-Efficiency Index 94 to 60. Best value on the board: both molecules at one flat, all-50 price with no teaser step-ups — the lowest true cost of ownership, not the lowest teaser. RxPepsDirect still earns a C — Cost-first shoppers who want the all-in per-order cost of a compounded GLP-1 with no subscription, in 28 states.
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 | RxPepsDirect |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 94/100 | 60/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | $149/mo | $79/mo (starting dose, visit fee and shipping included, compounded) |
| Tirzepatide / mo | $349/mo | $99/mo (starting dose, visit fee and shipping included, compounded) |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | $1,788 | $948 |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | $4,188 | $1,188 |
| Coverage | All 50 states | 28 states |
| Oral / sublingual | No | No |
| Brand-name access | Compounded only | Compounded only |
| Rank on the board | #1 | #243 |
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 — cheaper teaser tiers exist (Direct GLP lists $65, Ondra $93 on semaglutide)
- No FDA-approved brand-name option (compounded only)
RxPepsDirect
60/100Where the value is
- Every component of the price is published on the site — the vial tiers, the flat visit charge and the flat overnight delivery — so the all-in monthly cost can be worked out before ordering
- No subscription and no commitment: you pay per order, and one visit charge covers up to three peptides on the same prescription
- Real 503A telehealth Rx — licensed NP/PA prescribers under medical director Dr. Jonathan Snipes (NPI 1821250077), dispensed by Optimal Balance Pharmacy, Texas Board #34829
The tradeoffs
- The advertised vial price is not the monthly cost: a flat $39 medical visit charge and $15 flat FedEx shipping land on every order, and the visit charge recurs on every reorder rather than once
- Higher doses need more than one vial a month and the site publishes no price for the dose you titrate up to, so the figure above is a floor
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.