Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
Ivy Rx vs Kina
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.
Ivy Rx
Cost-first shoppers who want the lowest published entry price on a semaglutide microdose, for shoppers comfortable with unresolved pricing terms.
Visit Ivy RxKina
Cost-first shoppers who want perimenopausal/menopausal women wanting GLP-1 weight management bundled with HRT and other menopause-specific care under one named clinical lead.
Visit KinaThe verdict
Ivy Rx and Kina tie on the Cost-Efficiency Index at 69/100, so neither wins outright on the numbers. For most shoppers we'd start with Ivy Rx (ranked #102, a hair above #103) — Cost-first shoppers who want the lowest published entry price on a semaglutide microdose, for shoppers comfortable with unresolved pricing terms. But Kina 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 Ivy Rx.
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 | Ivy Rx | Kina |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 69/100 | 69/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | $97/mo (microdose tier, promotional rate, compounded) | $169/mo (all doses, compounded) |
| Tirzepatide / mo | $199/mo (brand Mounjaro, compounded) | $249/mo (compounded) |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | $1,164 | $2,028 |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | $2,388 | $2,988 |
| Coverage | All 50 states | Coverage not published |
| Oral / sublingual | No | No |
| Brand-name access | Yes | Compounded only |
| Rank here | #102 | #103 |
Ivy Rx
69/100Where the value is
- Genuinely low entry price on the semaglutide microdose tier ($77/mo)
- HSA/FSA eligible with itemized receipts for reimbursement
- Legal entity is named (Ivy RX PLLC), which many competitors in this batch do not disclose
The tradeoffs
- The standard semaglutide price is shown as a struck-through discount ('$197 $97') with no label clarifying whether $97 is a standing rate or a temporary promo
- The advertised $199/mo tirzepatide rate requires a 12-month upfront lump-sum payment, not month-to-month billing, and a separate unexplained $1,399 vial price appears on the same page
Kina
69/100Where the value is
- Names an actual clinical lead (Dr. Shannon Arora, PharmD) tied to a real affiliated practice with an address
- LegitScript badge confirmed with verification link
- Consultation/physician-review fee is bundled into the price rather than charged separately
The tradeoffs
- $169 headline price is a first-month-only discount; true ongoing price is $199/mo
- Not a dedicated GLP-1 company -- weight/GLP-1 is one of six categories on a menopause-focused platform
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.