Head-to-head comparison
1st Optimal vs CoreAge Rx
Two GLP-1 providers, one scorecard. Both are graded on the same six Desk Score dimensions — here is how they stack up, and which one fits you.
Desk Score
1st Optimal is a Michigan-based telehealth and functional-medicine platform offering GLP-1 weight loss medications, including semaglutide and tirzepatide, as once-weekly injections or daily oral tablets.
Marked down on: No public monthly pricing disclosed
Desk Score
One price at every dose, both molecules, all 50 states. The $99 and $149 figures are 12-month plans paid up front, not a monthly bill.
$99/mo (12-month prepay) sema · $149/mo (12-month prepay) tirz · Verified August 2026
Marked down on: The advertised $99/$149 per month is a 12-month plan paid in full ($1,188 / $1,788 up front); no month-to-month price is published
CoreAge Rx takes this head-to-head with the higher Desk Score, 94/100 (A) against 46/100 (C) for 1st Optimal. 1st Optimal still holds its ground where its strengths line up with yours.
Desk Score, dimension by dimension
Same six measured dimensions for both. The red flag marks the stronger side. See the methodology.
1st Optimal
46/100
C
CoreAge Rx
94/100
A
Price transparency
State access
Molecule range
Onboarding speed
Support responsiveness
Licensing & trust
The spec sheet
| Field | 1st Optimal | CoreAge Rx |
|---|---|---|
| Semaglutide | Not listed on 1st Optimal's site (checked July 2026) | $99/mo12-month prepay$99/mo only as a 12-month plan paid in full ($1,188 in one charge); the lander says "starting at, based on a 12-month plan paid in full"; no month-to-month price is published; same price at every dose; compounded injectable |
| Tirzepatide | Not listed on 1st Optimal's site (checked July 2026) | $149/mo12-month prepay$149/mo only as a 12-month plan paid in full ($1,788 in one charge); no month-to-month price is published; same price at every dose; compounded injectable |
| Coverage | Not listed on 1st Optimal's site (checked July 2026) | All 50 states |
| Brand-name | Compounded only | Compounded only |
| Oral option | Yes | Injectable only |
| Best for | Patients wanting GLP-1 therapy within a lab-driven functional-medicine program. | Anyone who can prepay a year and wants one dose-independent price with full nationwide reach. |
| Desk Score | 46/100C | 94/100A |
The verdict
Desk pick — CoreAge RxCoreAge Rx takes this head-to-head with the higher Desk Score, 94/100 (A) against 46/100 (C) for 1st Optimal. 1st Optimal still holds its ground where its strengths line up with yours.
Choose 1st Optimal if…
Patients wanting GLP-1 therapy within a lab-driven functional-medicine program.
Choose CoreAge Rx if…
Anyone who can prepay a year and wants one dose-independent price with full nationwide reach.
$99/mo (12-month prepay) sema · $149/mo (12-month prepay) tirz · All 50 states
Assume any provider we list may compensate us — we may earn a referral commission at no extra cost to you, and what we write about a provider reads the same either way. Read full breakdowns: 1st Optimal · CoreAge Rx.
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- CoreAge Rx vs Sesame Care
Or see the full comparison hub and the complete ranking.
Pricing and verification reflect each provider's public disclosures at last scoring; the Desk Score is our editorial judgment per the methodology. Prices change — confirm on each provider's own site. Not medical advice; see our disclosure.