Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
Strive Pharmacy vs Male Excel
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.
Strive Pharmacy
Patients whose OWN clinic already prescribes through Strive — not for shoppers looking to start a new GLP-1 prescription directly.
Visit Strive PharmacyMale Excel
Men who want GLP-1 weight care alongside testosterone or thyroid treatment from one physician-led team.
Visit Male ExcelThe verdict
Strive Pharmacy and Male Excel tie on the Cost-Efficiency Index at 53/100, so neither wins outright on the numbers, so choose on fit. Strive Pharmacy: Patients whose OWN clinic already prescribes through Strive — not for shoppers looking to start a new GLP-1 prescription directly. Male Excel: Men who want GLP-1 weight care alongside testosterone or thyroid treatment from one physician-led team.
Worth knowing either way: CoreAge Rx is one of our partners and leads our leaderboard, where partners are listed first (Cost-Efficiency Index 94/100). See how it stacks up: CoreAge Rx vs Strive Pharmacy.
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 | Strive Pharmacy | Male Excel |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 53/100 | 53/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Tirzepatide / mo | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | — | — |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | — | — |
| Coverage | All 50 states | 39 states |
| Oral / sublingual | No | Yes |
| Brand-name access | Compounded only | Compounded only |
| Rank here | #436 | #439 |
Strive Pharmacy
53/100Where the value is
- Is a real, named 503A/503B compounding pharmacy rather than an anonymous telehealth brand
- Transparent about being provider-facing first: the site does not pretend to be a consumer GLP-1 shopping destination
The tradeoffs
- Not a direct-to-consumer option at all: a new patient can't get a semaglutide or tirzepatide prescription from Strive itself; you need a prescriber at a clinic that already works with Strive
- No consumer pricing for any GLP-1 product exists anywhere on the site
Male Excel
53/100Where the value is
- Semaglutide injections, semaglutide pills and tirzepatide are all part of its program
- The $99 monthly membership covers unlimited provider access, check-ins every 60 days and blood work every six months
- No contract: you can cancel your treatment plan at any time
The tradeoffs
- GLP-1 medication is billed on top of the $99 monthly membership, and its price isn't published
- Starting requires a $99 online consultation with an at-home lab kit
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.