Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
Embody vs Balanced Hormone 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.
Embody
Shoppers comparing low headline prices, who should confirm the actual charge at checkout given the company's own pages disagree.
Visit EmbodyBalanced Hormone Health
Patients who want a named, long-tenured medical advisor and unusually specific, named compounding pharmacy partners.
Visit Balanced Hormone HealthThe verdict
Balanced Hormone Health takes it, leading the Cost-Efficiency Index 61 to 59. Balanced Hormone Health is an Iowa-based telehealth practice offering compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide alongside hormone replacement therapy, led by Medical Advisor Dr. Gerstenberg, DO. Embody still earns a C — Shoppers comparing low headline prices, who should confirm the actual charge at checkout given the company's own pages disagree.
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 Balanced Hormone Health.
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 | Embody | Balanced Hormone Health |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 59/100 | 61/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | Not disclosed | $197/mo (starting dose, compounded) |
| Tirzepatide / mo | Not disclosed | $499/mo (3 month plan, compounded) |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | — | $2,364 |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | — | $5,988 |
| Coverage | All 50 states | Coverage not published |
| Oral / sublingual | Yes | No |
| Brand-name access | Compounded only | Yes |
| Rank here | #221 | #224 |
Embody
59/100Where the value is
- Flat pricing stated not to rise with dose or across months on the same plan
- No membership fee and no long-term contract — cancel anytime
- Four named compounding pharmacies across four different states, reducing single-facility risk
The tradeoffs
- The company's own pages quote different prices for the same product — $79/$129 on the main domain vs. $69/$119 (crossed out from a much higher $299/$349) on its paid-traffic landing pages — with no way from the page content alone to know which a given customer will actually be charged
- The $299/$349 'original' prices used as strikethrough anchors on the funnel pages are not explained or substantiated anywhere on the main site
Balanced Hormone Health
61/100Where the value is
- Named Medical Advisor with three decades of practice (Dr. Gerstenberg, DO, since 1993)
- Two named, checkable compounding pharmacies (Tailormade Compounding, Striker Pharmacy) rather than a vague 'licensed pharmacy'
- LegitScript Certified badge displayed
The tradeoffs
- Semaglutide price is an explicit 'Starting at' teaser tied to a ~10-week window, not a clear ongoing monthly rate
- Tirzepatide's $499 is a 12-week lump-sum package presented without a per-month breakdown
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.