Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
DrBrainRx vs PlushCare
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.
DrBrainRx
Shoppers willing to add a $25/month care fee onto the flat headline medication price.
Visit DrBrainRxPlushCare
Patients who want a real board-certified physician managing GLP-1s alongside general primary care, and are prepared to navigate insurance or a manufacturer cash-pay program rather than a single flat price.
Visit PlushCareThe verdict
DrBrainRx and PlushCare tie on the Cost-Efficiency Index at 65/100, so neither wins outright on the numbers. For most shoppers we'd start with DrBrainRx (ranked #160, a hair above #166) — Shoppers willing to add a $25/month care fee onto the flat headline medication price. But PlushCare 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 DrBrainRx.
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 | DrBrainRx | PlushCare |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 65/100 | 65/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | $224/mo (all doses, plus a separate fee, compounded) | $199/mo (0.25 mg dose, plus a separate fee, brand-name) |
| Tirzepatide / mo | $324/mo (all doses, compounded) | $399/mo (5 mg dose, plus a separate fee, compounded) |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | $2,688 | $2,388 |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | $3,888 | $4,788 |
| Coverage | Coverage not published | All 50 states |
| Oral / sublingual | No | No |
| Brand-name access | Yes | Yes |
| Rank here | #160 | #166 |
DrBrainRx
65/100Where the value is
- Named, credentialed medical director (Dr. Sara Siavoshi, board-certified neurologist and obesity-medicine specialist), not an anonymous provider pool
- Flat 'all doses' pricing with no upcharge as the patient titrates up, on the medication line itself
- Refills are explicitly patient-initiated and never auto-charged — a real anti-dark-pattern commitment
The tradeoffs
- The advertised $199/$299 headline prices exclude a separate $25/month 'care fee' that applies to every compounded order — the real all-in cost is $224/$324, roughly 8-13% higher than the number shown up front
- No compounding pharmacy named beyond a generic 'USP-certified pharmacies in the U.S.' reference
PlushCare
65/100Where the value is
- Board-certified physicians (not NP-only) available in all 50 states for general virtual primary care
- Publishes an unusually granular compounded-tirzepatide dose ladder ($399/$599/$749 by vial count) instead of a vague single 'starting at' figure
- Brand Wegovy via NovoCare's manufacturer program can beat most compounded prices ($199-399/mo) when the promotion is genuinely still active
The tradeoffs
- Compounded tirzepatide and semaglutide are each only available in about 39 states plus DC, narrower than PlushCare's general 50-state telehealth business
- A $19.99/mo membership and, for uninsured patients, a $129 visit fee sit on top of every medication price and are easy to miss from the headline drug price alone
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.