If you are new to this
Five things worth understanding before you pick a programme. Ten minutes now saves a lot of confusion in month two.
- These are prescription medicationsBoth drugs need a clinician who has taken a real history. Anyone selling them without a prescription is not a bargain — the FDA issued more than 55 warning letters to online sellers in September 2025.
- You start low and climb slowlyThe starting dose is not a treatment dose. Expect two to four months before you reach the doses used in the trials. The dose ladder →
- Most people get some gut upset, and most of it settlesTrouble clusters after each dose increase. What is normal, week by week →
- The advertised price is usually not the priceMemberships, dose-based pricing and oral tiers advertised as if they were injections all inflate the real figure. What everyone really charges →
- Most low-cost shots are compounded, and that has rulesCompounded medication is not FDA-approved, and the framework narrowed again in 2026. What the rules say →
The two drugs, in a sentence each
Tirzepatide — A single weekly injection that activates two gut hormone receptors, GIP and GLP-1, rather than one. In SURMOUNT-1, adults with obesity lost an average of 19.5% of body weight on 10 mg and 20.9% on 15 mg over 72 weeks.
Semaglutide — A weekly injection that activates the GLP-1 receptor, slowing stomach emptying and reducing appetite signalling. In STEP-1, adults on 2.4 mg lost an average of about 14.9% of body weight over 68 weeks.
A closer look at the research
Explore what digestive symptom findings reveal about continuing treatment, and which questions require different evidence.
- Semaglutide continuation studies: who reaches the comparison?
An explanation of entry conditions, comparator history and the evidence needed to apply a continuation result to a different treatment question.
- Tirzepatide injections: reading symptoms after a shared treatment history
A guide to defining the comparison, separating observation from treatment receipt, and judging which evidence could support a change in product or delivery.
Where to go next
| Programme | Per month | Dose-price | Our score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coreage Rx Best overall on true monthly cost | $199 | Flat | 4.5 |
| SuperHealthy Rx Public offer; not independently scored | $135 | Varies | Not scored |
| Likeness Rx Public offer; not independently scored | $199 | Varies | Not scored |
| Trimi Lowest flat price with named pharmacies | $125 | Varies | 4.6 |
| PlexusDx Pharmacy transparency and genetic testing | $189 | Varies | 4.4 |
Our ranking for first-timers →
Prices verified 2026-09-18. Nothing here is medical advice.