Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
CoreAge Rx vs Zera Health
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 RxZera Health
Shoppers who want a named 503A pharmacy and full 50-state coverage at a moderate compounded price.
Visit Zera HealthThe verdict
CoreAge Rx takes it, leading the Cost-Efficiency Index 94 to 61. 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. Zera Health still earns a C — Shoppers who want a named 503A pharmacy and full 50-state coverage at a moderate compounded price.
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 | Zera Health |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 94/100 | 61/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | $99/mo | Not disclosed |
| Tirzepatide / mo | $149/mo | Not disclosed |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | $1,188 | — |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | $1,788 | — |
| Coverage | All 50 states | All 50 states |
| Oral / sublingual | No | Yes |
| Brand-name access | Compounded only | Compounded only |
| Rank here | #1 | #240 |
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)
Zera Health
61/100Where the value is
- Named dispensing pharmacy — Strive Pharmacy, a 503A compounder — disclosed in the footer
- LegitScript Certified badge displayed
- Stated coverage across all 50 states with no exclusions found
The tradeoffs
- The advertised '$149' semaglutide price is explicitly a first-month-only rate; the standing price is $179/mo
- Tirzepatide's '$199/mo' figure has no first-month/standing clarifier on the page, unlike semaglutide, so it's unclear if it will also step up after month one
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.