Hims vs Ro vs MaxLife: GLP-1 Weight Loss Cost Compared

Hims vs Ro: what's the difference?

The medicines and their prices are the same. Both sell the Zepbound® KwikPen® at Lilly's self-pay prices ($299 at the starting dose, $399 at the next, $449 at higher doses), the Wegovy® pen at $199 for the first two months and then $349, and the Wegovy® pill and Foundayo from $149. Neither lists compounded tirzepatide or semaglutide. Hims & Hers also lists Zepbound® vials and a Wegovy® pill microdosing plan; Ro also prescribes Saxenda® and Ozempic® through insurance.

What differs is the membership and the service around it. Ro's Ro Body membership costs $39 for the first month, then $149 a month, $99 on 3-month plans, $89 on 6-month plans or $74 on a yearly plan, and Ro checks insurance for the Wegovy® pen, the Zepbound® pen and Ozempic®. The Hims & Hers Weight Loss Membership costs $39, then $149 a month (its website lists monthly prices only), and Hims & Hers doesn't use insurance. Ro serves all 50 states and Washington, D.C.; Hims & Hers says its GLP-1s are not yet available in all 50 states. Hims & Hers offers 24/7 messaging and a smart scale; Ro's providers work weekdays, answer within 48 hours, and its membership includes coaching and lab tests if needed.

Is Ro or Hers cheaper?

On monthly plans they cost the same, because the medicine prices and the $149 membership match. On Zepbound® the first month is $338 at both ($39 plus $299), a month at a higher dose is about $598, and a first year about $7,315. Ro is cheaper if you prepay its membership: on the yearly plan a month at a higher dose is about $523 and a first year about $6,490.

The Wegovy® pen comes to about $5,915 for a first year at both on monthly plans, or about $5,090 with Ro's yearly membership, and Ro says a 12-month Wegovy® pen plan paid up front saves another $150 a month. The Wegovy® pill costs about $5,016 for a first year at either on monthly billing. If your insurance covers a brand pen, Ro can be far cheaper, since Hims & Hers doesn't bill insurance.

MaxLife has no membership. Compounded tirzepatide costs $120/mo flat and compounded semaglutide $89/mo flat: the same price at every dose and every month of the year. These are different products: Hims & Hers and Ro sell FDA-approved brands, and compounded medicines are not FDA-approved.

Brand or compounded: what the price difference buys

Zepbound® and Wegovy® are FDA-approved medicines made by Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. Compounded tirzepatide and semaglutide are prepared by a licensed pharmacy for one patient's prescription and are not FDA-approved, which means the FDA hasn't reviewed them for safety, effectiveness or quality (FDA). They are not generic drugs, and they cost less because they don't go through that approval.

The trial results come from the brand medicines. In STEP 1, adults without diabetes taking Wegovy® lost an average of 14.9% of their body weight over 68 weeks, compared with 2.4% on placebo. In SURMOUNT-1, adults without diabetes taking Zepbound® lost 15% to 21% over 72 weeks, depending on the dose, compared with 3% on placebo. Both trials added diet and activity. These results have not been shown for compounded medicines, and individual results vary.

The terms that change the deal

All three renew automatically until you cancel. Hims & Hers and Ro bill a membership and the medicine separately; MaxLife bills one flat price.

Alternatives to Hims and Ro for tirzepatide

For the same Zepbound®, LillyDirect sells it at the same prices with a prescription from your own provider and no membership. PlushCare, WeightWatchers Clinic and LifeMD also prescribe brand Zepbound® with their own memberships. If cost matters most, compounded tirzepatide programs such as Embody and Eden cost about $1,200 to $1,550 for a first year and MaxLife $120/mo flat, all with no membership. Compounded medicines are not FDA-approved.

Our guide to the best tirzepatide providers online compares 24 options the same way, with a quick answer for each situation and six checks to run on any program before you pay.

What MaxLife offers

MaxLife is a telehealth company in Irvine, California that serves all 50 states by mail. Compounded tirzepatide costs $120 a month and compounded semaglutide $89 a month, flat: all-inclusive and the same price at every dose, with no membership fee and no hidden fees. Cancel anytime with notice before your next billing period. The online consultation, ongoing medical support and expedited shipping are free, the medicine if prescribed and supplies are included, and higher doses are available when your provider decides they are right for you.

A licensed provider reviews your online intake, health history and clinical records, usually within 24 hours, can follow up with questions, and you can ask for a video visit. Completing the intake doesn't guarantee a prescription.

MaxLife (maxlife.com) is a patient management platform, not a pharmacy or a drug maker, and independent licensed providers decide whether a prescription is right for you. When a provider prescribes, a licensed partner pharmacy authorized to serve your state prepares and dispenses the medicine. Partners include Dirx Pharmacy, Southend Pharmacy, Hallandale Pharmacy, Red Rock Pharmacy, Advanced Pharmacy, Perfect Rx Pharmacy, Health Wealth Pharmacy, Quaker Community Pharmacy, VLS Pharmacy and NewLife Rx Pharmacy. Which one fills your prescription depends on your location, the prescription and availability. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved.