Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
KERNX Health vs Trava 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.
KERNX Health
Shoppers comparing the real cost at their prescribed dose rather than the advertised entry price.
Visit KERNX HealthTrava Health
Shoppers who verify the actual quoted price and their state's eligibility directly at checkout before trusting the homepage banner.
Visit Trava HealthThe verdict
KERNX Health takes it, leading the Cost-Efficiency Index 79 to 78. KERNX Health serves all 50 states, names its prescribing clinicians individually, and publishes the price of every dose rung — but never says which pharmacy compounds the medication. Trava Health still earns a C — Shoppers who verify the actual quoted price and their state's eligibility directly at checkout before trusting the homepage banner.
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 KERNX 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 | KERNX Health | Trava Health |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 79/100 | 78/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | $129/mo (compounded) | $88/mo (starting dose, compounded) |
| Tirzepatide / mo | $229/mo (compounded) | $178/mo (starting dose, compounded) |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | $1,548 | $1,056 |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | $2,748 | $2,136 |
| Coverage | All 50 states | All 50 states |
| Oral / sublingual | No | No |
| Brand-name access | Compounded only | Yes |
| Rank here | #36 | #39 |
KERNX Health
79/100Where the value is
- Names individual licensed providers (MDs and NPs) with credentials rather than a vague 'our doctors' claim
- Serves all 50 states through a licensed physician network
- Publishes the full dose ladder for both molecules — semaglutide to $199, tirzepatide to $329 — so the cost at a higher dose is knowable before starting
The tradeoffs
- A separate one-time consultation fee of $25 to $60 applies on top of the first month's medication cost
- No specific compounding pharmacy partner is named anywhere public
Trava Health
78/100Where the value is
- Transparent quarterly-package discount is disclosed in dollar terms, not just a vague percentage
- HSA/FSA eligible
- Named legal entity and Houston, TX address disclosed in the Terms of Service
The tradeoffs
- Homepage 'As low as' price for semaglutide was NOT stable across repeated reads today ($88.65 vs $117.96) — this is a live, in-session finding, not a hypothetical risk
- Trava's own Terms of Service states the service is 'currently only available to individuals who are located in Texas,' contradicting nationwide/50-state marketing claims elsewhere on the site — unresolved contradiction
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.