Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
Strut Health vs RxPepsDirect
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.
Strut Health
Anyone optimising total monthly outlay who will keep an auto-refill running, and anyone whose real objection is the needle.
Visit Strut HealthRxPepsDirect
Cost-first shoppers who want the all-in per-order cost of a compounded GLP-1 with no subscription, in 28 states.
Visit RxPepsDirectThe verdict
Strut Health takes it, leading the Cost-Efficiency Index 87 to 60. The lowest true entry cost on this board — $99/month sublingual semaglutide — and the only place selling the same molecule as a lozenge or an injection at one price. RxPepsDirect still earns a C — Cost-first shoppers who want the all-in per-order cost of a compounded GLP-1 with no subscription, in 28 states.
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 Strut 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 | Strut Health | RxPepsDirect |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 87/100 | 60/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | From $99/mo sublingual, $149/mo injectable | $79/mo (starting dose, visit fee and shipping included, compounded) |
| Tirzepatide / mo | From $199/mo either route | $99/mo (starting dose, visit fee and shipping included, compounded) |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | $1,188 | $948 |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | $2,388 | $1,188 |
| Coverage | 49 states (not Arkansas) | 28 states |
| Oral / sublingual | Yes | No |
| Brand-name access | Compounded only | Compounded only |
| Rank on the board | #4 | #239 |
Strut Health
87/100Where the value is
- Cheapest disclosed monthly cost here at $99/mo for sublingual semaglutide; tirzepatide $199 either route
- Sublingual lozenges for both molecules at the same price as the injection
- Free physician visit, free shipping and free follow-up care included rather than billed separately
The tradeoffs
- The $99 and $149 headline figures require auto-refill — a one-off order costs more, so the true cost depends on staying subscribed
- Asynchronous by design: their FAQ notes some states need no phone consultation, so you may never speak to the prescriber
RxPepsDirect
60/100Where the value is
- Every component of the price is published on the site — the vial tiers, the flat visit charge and the flat overnight delivery — so the all-in monthly cost can be worked out before ordering
- No subscription and no commitment: you pay per order, and one visit charge covers up to three peptides on the same prescription
- Real 503A telehealth Rx — licensed NP/PA prescribers under medical director Dr. Jonathan Snipes (NPI 1821250077), dispensed by Optimal Balance Pharmacy, Texas Board #34829
The tradeoffs
- The advertised vial price is not the monthly cost: a flat $39 medical visit charge and $15 flat FedEx shipping land on every order, and the visit charge recurs on every reorder rather than once
- Higher doses need more than one vial a month and the site publishes no price for the dose you titrate up to, so the figure above is a floor
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.