Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
Sesame Care vs Luma Health Co
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.
Sesame Care
People who specifically want FDA-approved brand-name medication (including the Wegovy pill or oral Rybelsus) from an established, verified marketplace and will budget for a two-part cost.
Visit Sesame CareLuma Health Co
Cost-first shoppers who want no-subscription compounded GLP-1s, free follow-ups and consult discounts for first responders and teachers.
Visit Luma Health CoThe verdict
Sesame Care takes it, leading the Cost-Efficiency Index 86 to 74. The widest real brand-name GLP-1 access on the board — a LegitScript- and BBB-recognized national marketplace running since 2018 that dispenses FDA-approved Wegovy, Zepbound, Ozempic, Mounjaro and Rybelsus, not compounded copies. Luma Health Co still earns a C — Cost-first shoppers who want no-subscription compounded GLP-1s, free follow-ups and consult discounts for first responders and teachers.
Worth knowing either way: our overall #1 pick is CoreAge Rx (Cost-Efficiency Index 94/100 — the top of the board). See how it stacks up: CoreAge Rx vs Sesame Care.
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 | Sesame Care | Luma Health Co |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 86/100 | 74/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | $149/mo (brand) | $120/mo (plus a separate fee, compounded) |
| Tirzepatide / mo | Brand (Zepbound) | $180/mo (compounded) |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | — | $1,440 |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | — | $2,160 |
| Coverage | Nationwide | 30 states |
| Oral / sublingual | Yes | No |
| Brand-name access | Yes | Compounded only |
| Rank on the board | #6 | #61 |
Sesame Care
86/100Where the value is
- Widest brand-name formulary we list — Wegovy pen and pill, Zepbound, Ozempic, Mounjaro and oral Rybelsus, all FDA-approved rather than compounded
- Established national marketplace operating since 2018, with LegitScript certification and BBB recognition
- Wegovy pill starts around $149/mo, and oral routes are available for the needle-averse
The tradeoffs
- Two-part cost — the medication price is separate from a platform subscription, so the all-in monthly runs above the $149 headline
- A generalist telehealth marketplace, not a dedicated GLP-1 program
Luma Health Co
74/100Where the value is
- Transparent, competitive pricing published up front — compounded semaglutide from $120/mo, tirzepatide from $180/mo, retatrutide from $170/mo
- No subscription, monthly fee or membership — a direct-to-patient model where you pay per medication, and follow-up visits are free
- Free initial consults for first responders, law enforcement, military, nurses and teachers ($0), and $25 for other healthcare workers
The tradeoffs
- Offers compounded retatrutide (labeled "RTT/GLP-3"), an investigational triple agonist not FDA-approved — a higher-risk, less-studied option
- Compounded medications only — no brand-name Wegovy, Zepbound or Ozempic — and compounded GLP-1s aren't FDA-reviewed or approved
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.