Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
DoctorAdam vs Gala 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.
DoctorAdam
Shoppers who want a needle-free oral GLP-1 with named prescribers, in the 47 states DoctorAdam actually serves.
Visit DoctorAdamGala Health
Women who have already committed to a full year and want one all-doses-included rate — plus, unusually, an HRT and menopause line running on the same account as the weight program.
Visit Gala HealthThe verdict
DoctorAdam takes it, leading the Cost-Efficiency Index 74 to 71. DoctorAdam is a Shopify-storefront telehealth company selling compounded oral (sublingual) and injectable semaglutide and tirzepatide plus NAD+/glutathione add-ons, prescribed by a named roster of six MD/NP prescribers. Gala Health still earns a C — Women who have already committed to a full year and want one all-doses-included rate — plus, unusually, an HRT and menopause line running on the same account as the weight program.
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 DoctorAdam.
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 | DoctorAdam | Gala Health |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 74/100 | 71/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | $129/mo (starting dose, compounded oral) | No compounded option — brand Ozempic only, $1,299/mo |
| Tirzepatide / mo | $199/mo (starting dose, compounded oral) | $179/mo (yearly subscription; $199/mo on a 3-month plan) |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | $1,548 | — |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | $2,388 | $2,148 |
| Coverage | 44 states | 50 states claimed, no list published |
| Oral / sublingual | Yes | No |
| Brand-name access | Compounded only | Yes |
| Rank here | #58 | #63 |
DoctorAdam
74/100Where the value is
- Names six actual prescribers with credentials — unusually transparent for a Shopify-based storefront
- Needle-free oral tablet option for both semaglutide (from $129) and tirzepatide (from $199)
- Flat 'no hidden fees' pricing framing, with free 2-3 business day shipping
The tradeoffs
- The homepage claims 'Delivery Across All 50 States' but the site's own FAQ state list is 47 states plus DC — New Jersey, Mississippi, and Alaska are excluded
- Injectable dose-tier pricing could not be verified live in this pass (repeated 429 errors on the product pages); only the oral 'from' price is confirmed
Gala Health
71/100Where the value is
- $179/mo on a yearly subscription, with every dose included, so the price does not climb as you titrate — dose escalation is where most flat-looking programs quietly get expensive
- The price list is PUBLIC and un-gated: the weight tier, the $149 microdosing tier and the brand tier are all printed before any quiz, intake or email capture
- Both compounded molecules — semaglutide and tirzepatide — prescribable on one account
The tradeoffs
- No month-to-month price exists anywhere on the site. "FROM $179/month" sits directly above "All doses included. Yearly subscription.", and the cheapest alternative the FAQ names is "$199 per month (with a 3-month plan)" — three months is the shortest published commitment there is
- $179/mo is $2,148 committed for the year, and that total is printed nowhere: the site quotes a monthly figure for a purchase it only sells annually, which is the single hardest cost in this ranking to compare against a rate you can cancel next month
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.