1st Optimal vs Kin Meds
An in-depth comparison of two leading GLP-1 Providers
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1st Optimal
Best for: coaching bundled into the price rather than sold separately
Visit 1st Optimal →
Two GLP-1 Providers chasing the same patients, trading off price, geography and what lands in the box differently. On our scoring, Kin Meds starts at $149/mo, and Kin Meds finishes ahead, 6.5 to 3.9. What follows: the prices, what each plan actually covers, the six-dimension score, where each one is weak, and who should pick which.
Pricing
1st Optimal
Pricing not publicly listed.
Kin Meds
$53 off first order, applied automatically at checkout per kinmeds.com/glp1-discount ('Save $53 on first order -Discount applied at checkout')
$53 off first order, auto-applied; discount page quotes starting dose 'as low as $49/week' first month
Entry pricing — likely insured/savings-card tier; cash-pay NovoCare standard pen is $299/mo (oral pill $149)
Entry pricing — likely insured/savings-card tier; cash-pay LillyDirect vials run $299-$449/mo
Matches the LillyDirect $149/mo starter cash price for Foundayo
What’s included
1st Optimal
Covered by the monthly price
Medication
Not stated
Clinician visits
In the price
Shipping
In the price
Lab work
Not stated
Coaching
In the price
Kin Meds
Inclusions not disclosed.
Score breakdown
Both providers are scored on the same six-dimension framework. The gradient bar marks the stronger side on each dimension.
1st Optimal
3.9/10
Kin Meds
6.5/10
Value25%
Effectiveness25%
User Experience15%
Trust & Safety15%
Accessibility10%
Support10%
Features & Coverage
| Feature | 1st Optimal | Kin Meds |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | — | $149/mo |
| Features | 8 features | 8 features |
| States Available | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Compounded | — | ✓ Yes |
| Brand Name | — | ✓ Yes |
| FSA/HSA Accepted | — | — |
| FDA Warnings | ✓None | 1 warning |
About 1st Optimal
Neither a monthly price nor a list of states is published. 1st Optimal operates out of Michigan across telehealth and functional medicine, writing the GLP-1s semaglutide and tirzepatide either as a weekly injection or as a daily oral tablet. Around the prescription it stacks at-home lab testing, interpretation of the blood work, coaching without limit and protocols built individually, all framed as long-term weight loss and longevity. Credentialed providers work virtually, treatment goes to the home, and nothing binds you to a long contract.
Read our full 1st Optimal review →About Kin Meds
Kin Meds starts compounded semaglutide at $199/mo and compounded tirzepatide at $249/mo, and carries brand-name FDA-approved options including Wegovy injection and pill, Zepbound and Foundayo from $149/mo. It is LegitScript-verified. Beyond weight loss the account also covers Sermorelin, NAD+, glutathione, TRT, hair, skin and sexual health, so members can run several protocols in one place.
Read our full Kin Meds review →Pros & Cons
1st Optimal
What we like
- The monthly figure covers consult, shipping, coaching
- No FDA warning letter matched this operator when we searched our enforcement register
- A live video visit with a clinician is required before a prescription, which is slower than a form and is the more careful intake
- Baseline bloodwork is required before a prescription
Watch-outs
- No price appears until the medical intake is complete, so the cost cannot be compared before health information is submitted
- No state list is on record here, so whether it serves your state cannot be confirmed from this page
- No dispensing pharmacy is named in our record, so its accreditation cannot be looked up from here
Kin Meds
What we like
- Orforglipron at $149 a month, within the normal band around this register's $149 median for the same drug and form
- Publishes a price on its own site before the medical questionnaire, so it can be compared without handing over health information
Watch-outs
- No state list is on record here, so whether it serves your state cannot be confirmed from this page
- No dispensing pharmacy is named in our record, so its accreditation cannot be looked up from here
- 1 FDA warning letter matched to this operator in our enforcement register — read what the letter alleges, since a letter discloses a problem rather than disqualifying a seller
- Its semaglutide and tirzepatide are compounded rather than FDA-approved, so they have not been reviewed by the agency for safety, effectiveness or manufacturing quality
Our Verdict
Kin Meds takes it, 6.5 against 3.9, and it is especially strong on oral orforglipron alongside the injectables. 1st Optimal is no weak second and may fit you better on coaching bundled into the price rather than sold separately.
Choose 1st Optimal if…
You want coaching bundled into the price rather than sold separately.
Choose Kin Meds if…
You want oral orforglipron alongside the injectables and an opening price near $149 a month.
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Gala
Moving between compounded and brand without changing seller
From $129/mo
Get started →Trimi Health
Knowing which pharmacy fills the vial — it names VialsRx
From $99/mo
Get started →Strut Health
Semaglutide at $99/month, 48% under the register median
From $99/mo
Get started →1st Optimal vs Kin Meds: FAQ
Glossary
The words sellers use, defined. Tap any term.
- Semaglutide · Drugs and brands
- Tirzepatide · Drugs and brands
- Compounded GLP-1 · Pharmacy and drug forms
- 503A pharmacy · Pharmacy and drug forms
- PCAB accreditation · Pharmacy and drug forms
- Prior authorization (PA) · Insurance and regulatory
- Off-label use · Insurance and regulatory
- FDA Drug Shortage List · Insurance and regulatory
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Or see the full category ranking.
Novo Nordisk A/S owns the Wegovy®, Ozempic® and Rybelsus® marks; Eli Lilly and Company owns Mounjaro® and Zepbound®. Every other product name and mark on this page belongs to whoever owns it. No pharmaceutical manufacturer is affiliated with GLP Watchdog. See trademark disclaimer.