Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
PlushCare vs AlyveRx
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.
PlushCare
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 PlushCareAlyveRx
Shoppers who specifically want a needle-free sublingual GLP-1 option alongside standard injections on the same platform.
Visit AlyveRxThe verdict
PlushCare takes it, leading the Cost-Efficiency Index 65 to 64. PlushCare (a Transcarent, Inc. subsidiary) is a virtual primary-care platform whose board-certified MDs can prescribe brand-name GLP-1s (via insurance or Novo Nordisk's NovoCare cash-pay program) or compounded semaglutide/tirzepatide in a roughly 39-state footprint. AlyveRx still earns a C — Shoppers who specifically want a needle-free sublingual GLP-1 option alongside standard injections on the same platform.
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 PlushCare.
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 | PlushCare | AlyveRx |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 65/100 | 64/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | $199/mo (0.25 mg dose, plus a separate fee, brand-name) | $183/mo (starting dose, compounded) |
| Tirzepatide / mo | $399/mo (5 mg dose, plus a separate fee, compounded) | $283/mo (starting dose, compounded) |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | $2,388 | $2,196 |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | $4,788 | $3,396 |
| Coverage | All 50 states | Coverage not published |
| Oral / sublingual | No | Yes |
| Brand-name access | Yes | Yes |
| Rank here | #166 | #173 |
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
AlyveRx
64/100Where the value is
- Offers a genuinely needle-free sublingual delivery option (PermeAct) for both semaglutide and tirzepatide, not just injections
- Also carries brand-name Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro for patients who want an FDA-approved product
- All four price points (injection and drops, both drugs) are published upfront on the homepage before intake
The tradeoffs
- The dataset's previous $249/mo tirzepatide figure is the SUBLINGUAL DROPS price, not the standard injection ($283/mo) — confirm which form a quoted price refers to
- Sublingual PermeAct absorption relies on the company's own proprietary technology claims and is not FDA-reviewed for weight-loss efficacy
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.