Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
Cost Plus Drugs vs PauseRX
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.
Cost Plus Drugs
Cost-first shoppers who want the cheapest transparent-pricing brand-name Ozempic channel.
Visit Cost Plus DrugsPauseRX
Cost-first shoppers who want unconfirmed -- re-verify directly before recommending; site inaccessible to automated review.
Visit PauseRXThe verdict
Cost Plus Drugs and PauseRX tie on the Cost-Efficiency Index at 64/100, so neither wins outright on the numbers. For most shoppers we'd start with Cost Plus Drugs (ranked #177, a hair above #181) — Cost-first shoppers who want the cheapest transparent-pricing brand-name Ozempic channel. But PauseRX is a genuine coin-flip alternative here.
Worth knowing either way: our overall #1 pick is CoreAge Rx (Cost-Efficiency Index 94/100 — the top of the ranking). See how it stacks up: CoreAge Rx vs Cost Plus Drugs.
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 | Cost Plus Drugs | PauseRX |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 64/100 | 64/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | $279/mo (brand Ozempic) | $199/mo (all doses, compounded) |
| Tirzepatide / mo | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | $3,348 | $2,388 |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | — | — |
| Coverage | All 50 states | Coverage not published |
| Oral / sublingual | No | No |
| Brand-name access | Yes | Yes |
| Rank here | #177 | #181 |
Cost Plus Drugs
64/100Where the value is
- Transparent pricing: wholesale cost + 15% markup + $5 pharmacy fee, the same for everyone
- Around $279/mo for branded Ozempic — well below typical retail list prices
- Mark Cuban's PBM-disrupting pharmacy, praised by Forbes Health, Wired, and KFF Health News
The tradeoffs
- Fulfillment only — no telehealth intake; you need a prescription from an outside clinician
- Ozempic is FDA-indicated for type 2 diabetes, not weight management — weight-loss use is off-label
PauseRX
64/100Where the value is
- Cached snippet suggests a simple flat $199/month price regardless of dose
- Advertises 'no office visits' and delivery to your door
The tradeoffs
- Live site is blocked by persistent Cloudflare CAPTCHA -- could not be independently verified via direct fetch or proxy
- No medical director, pharmacy partner, states-served, or LegitScript status could be confirmed
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.