Head-to-head · Cost-Efficiency Index
VigorMeds vs MDExam
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.
VigorMeds
Cost-first shoppers who want a needle-free sublingual GLP-1 that's meaningfully cheaper than the injectable version, from named physicians.
Visit VigorMedsMDExam
Cost-first shoppers who want a lower injectable-semaglutide starting price than the site's own headline claim advertises.
Visit MDExamThe verdict
VigorMeds takes it, leading the Cost-Efficiency Index 50 to 49. VigorMeds (Vigormeds LLC) is a provider-guided telehealth platform selling both injectable and needle-free sublingual compounded semaglutide ($139-$199/mo) and tirzepatide ($159-$299/mo). MDExam still earns a C — Cost-first shoppers who want a lower injectable-semaglutide starting price than the site's own headline claim advertises.
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 VigorMeds.
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 | VigorMeds | MDExam |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-Efficiency Index | 50/100 | 49/100 |
| Semaglutide / mo | $199/mo (starting dose, compounded) | $192/mo (compounded) |
| Tirzepatide / mo | $299/mo (starting dose, compounded) | $258/mo (compounded) |
| Semaglutide / yr (modeled) | $2,388 | $2,304 |
| Tirzepatide / yr (modeled) | $3,588 | $3,096 |
| Coverage | Coverage not published | Coverage not published |
| Oral / sublingual | Yes | No |
| Brand-name access | Compounded only | Compounded only |
| Rank here | #416 | #423 |
VigorMeds
50/100Where the value is
- Both injectable and needle-free sublingual forms of semaglutide ($139/mo) and tirzepatide ($159/mo) — the sublingual tier is $60-$140/mo cheaper than the injectable tier
- Named, credentialed clinicians reviewing cases: Dr. Anthony Kane MD, Dr. Claudia Mondragon MD, Dr. Kevin Kargman MD, Stephanie Kowatch MSN FNP-C
- 'Pay upon medical approval' — no charge until a provider signs off on treatment, plus a 30-day satisfaction guarantee
The tradeoffs
- The dedicated 'States We Serve' page names zero actual states in its crawlable content — only vague buckets like 'Coming soon' and 'Room to grow'
- The FIRST100 promo code discounts whichever tier is chosen by $100 for the first month, so the price shown at signup is not the ongoing rate
MDExam
49/100Where the value is
- Injectable semaglutide at $192/mo undercuts the company's own advertised '$225 as low as' floor
- Accepts insurance for eligible patients in addition to cash-pay options
- 100% refund offered if a patient doesn't qualify after evaluation
The tradeoffs
- The site's own headline claim ('priced as low as $225/month') doesn't match either actual product price — tirzepatide at $258/mo is more expensive than the claimed floor, which should make a shopper distrust the headline number generally
- No specific dose is disclosed for either the $192 or $258 figure, making it impossible to know what's actually being compared
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.