1st Optimal vs Shapely
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 →
Shapely
Best for: semaglutide at $99/month, 48% under the register median
Visit Shapely →Two GLP-1 Providers chasing the same patients, trading off price, geography and what lands in the box differently. On our scoring, Shapely starts at $99/mo, and Shapely finishes ahead, 8.4 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.
Shapely
Verbatim from semaglutide medication page: 'Starting at $99/month'. Starter 3-month supply at lowest titration dose ($297/quarter). Tiered: ~$139/mo (low-mid dose), ~$179/mo (high dose). Free 2-day shipping; syringes and alcohol pads included. Via state-licensed 503A/503B compounding pharmacy. A separate telehealth recurring plan ($99/mo, $49 first-month promo) is required in addition to the medication cost.
Verbatim from tirzepatide medication page: 'Starting at $166/month'. Starter dose at lowest titration. Tiered: ~$249/mo (low-mid dose), ~$299/mo (high dose). Free 2-day shipping; syringes and alcohol pads included. Via state-licensed 503A/503B compounding pharmacy. Self-pay only for compounded tirz. A separate telehealth recurring plan ($99/mo, $49 first-month promo) is required in addition to the medication cost.
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
Shapely
Covered by the monthly price
Medication
In the price
Clinician visits
In the price
Shipping
In the price
Lab work
Charged on top
Coaching
In the price
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
Shapely
8.4/10
Value25%
Effectiveness25%
User Experience15%
Trust & Safety15%
Accessibility10%
Support10%
Features & Coverage
| Feature | 1st Optimal | Shapely |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | — | $99/mo |
| Features | 8 features | 8 features |
| States Available | Not disclosed | 4 |
| Compounded | — | ✓ Yes |
| Brand Name | — | — |
| FSA/HSA Accepted | — | — |
| FDA Warnings | None | None |
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 Shapely
Paying yourself, compounded semaglutide runs from $99/month and compounded tirzepatide from $166/month, supplies included, 2-day shipping free, and 503A/503B pharmacies licensed by the state doing the filling. Medicare and major PPO insurance are taken for the brand-name drugs, which include Mounjaro, Zepbound, Ozempic and Wegovy. The founder, Dr. Justin Zaghi, MD/MBA, trained at Harvard and holds board certification in obesity medicine as well as internal medicine.
Read our full Shapely 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
Shapely
What we like
- Semaglutide at $99 a month, 48% below the $189 median for the same drug and form across this register
- Tirzepatide at $166 a month, 38% below the $267 median for the same drug and form across this register
- Publishes a price on its own site before the medical questionnaire, so it can be compared without handing over health information
- The monthly figure covers medication, 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
Watch-outs
- Billed separately from the monthly figure: labs
- Coverage is published for 4 states only, so this may not reach you
- No dispensing pharmacy is named in our record, so its accreditation cannot be looked up from here
- 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
Shapely takes it, 8.4 against 3.9, and it is especially strong on semaglutide at $99/month, 48% under the register median. 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 Shapely if…
You want semaglutide at $99/month, 48% under the register median and an opening price near $99 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 Shapely: 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.