Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
MyDrHank vs HeliMeds
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.
MyDrHank
Needle-averse shoppers who want a daily semaglutide tablet, have decided a twelve-month commitment is acceptable, and value a price that never moves as the dose climbs more than a low sticker.
Visit MyDrHankHeliMeds
Shoppers who will pay a discounted 12-week lump sum upfront and understand the price resets higher on reorder.
Visit HeliMedsThe verdict
HeliMeds takes it, leading the Cost-Efficiency Index 67 to 65. HeliMeds sells compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide (plus brand Wegovy/Zepbound) through one-time upfront 12-week plans rather than a true subscription — 'you will only be charged once for the selected treatment plan,' per the site. MyDrHank still earns a C — Needle-averse shoppers who want a daily semaglutide tablet, have decided a twelve-month commitment is acceptable, and value a price that never moves as the dose climbs more than a low sticker.
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 HeliMeds.
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 | MyDrHank | HeliMeds |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 65/100 | 67/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | $249/mo oral, $259/mo injectable (yearly prepay: $171 / $178) | $99/mo (starting dose, 3-month plan, compounded) |
| Tirzepatide / mo | $349/mo month-to-month ($240/mo only on a year prepaid) | $149/mo (starting dose, 3-month plan, compounded) |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | $2,988 | $1,188 |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | $4,188 | $1,788 |
| Coverage | Not published; program excludes KS, LA, MS, NM, ND, WV | Coverage not published |
| Oral / sublingual | Yes | No |
| Brand-name access | Compounded only | Yes |
| Rank here | #130 | #137 |
MyDrHank
65/100Where the value is
- The price does not change as your dose is titrated up — its FAQ states it plainly ("The price stays the same at every dose — no surprise price increases"), and dose-indexed pricing is the single most common way a cheap first month becomes an expensive fourth one
- A genuine oral route on semaglutide: a daily tablet, including one compounded with low-dose ondansetron specifically to blunt the nausea that ends most GLP-1 courses early
- The entire price ladder is public — monthly, quarterly, 6-month and yearly, with the total for each term printed beside the per-month figure — before any quiz, intake or email capture
The tradeoffs
- EVERY price the site advertises is a twelve-month prepay rate, and not by accident: the price display is coded to return the cheapest term in the ladder, so "From $X/mo" is always the yearly figure. No page shows a month-to-month rate beside it
- What the twelve months actually cost, up front: oral semaglutide $2,057 to reach the advertised $171/mo, injectable semaglutide $2,140 to reach $178/mo, and tirzepatide $2,883 to reach $240/mo
HeliMeds
67/100Where the value is
- Both compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide available, plus a brand Wegovy/Zepbound path on the same platform
- The heavily-discounted 12-week prepay plan is genuinely the cheapest entry point in this comparison set if a buyer can pay $297 or $447 upfront
- Wide state coverage — every US state except California and Alaska, per the site's own terms of service
The tradeoffs
- '$99/mo' and '$149/mo' are not subscription rates — they are a single upfront 12-week charge ($297/$447) divided by three, and the site explicitly says no recurring billing occurs
- Semaglutide reorders after the intro plan cost $239 for just a 4-week supply — nearly 2.5x the advertised headline rate
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.