1st Optimal vs ShedRx
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, ShedRx starts at $149/mo, and ShedRx finishes ahead, 6.4 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.
ShedRx
$199 1-month / $179 6-month / $159 12-month plan; promo_price = 12-month commitment rate, not a temporary promo
Starting at $229/month; 'Medication and supplies included | Member support | Free shipping' (up from $199 in our record)
Starting at $199/month, month-to-month; free shipping stated (replaces our obsolete 'Oral $349' row)
$299 1-month / $269 6-month / $239 12-month plan; promo_price = 12-month commitment rate
NEW product. $149/mo medication (cash pay, paid to dispensing pharmacy) + $125/mo Shed membership and provider fee
Page shows BOTH: FAQ 'starts at $149 (pill) and $199 (pen)... new patients using cash pay' + '$99 Shed membership', while hero states '$349-499 for the medication' + '$125/month Shed Membership'. Medication purchased directly via NovoCare; membership fee inconsistency ($99 vs $125) on same page
FAQ: 'starts at $349 per month for new patients using cash pay' + $99 membership per FAQ ($125/mo per hero); medication purchased directly via LillyDirect
Starting at $169/month; 'Includes 2 Health Coaching sessions per month'
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
ShedRx
Covered by the monthly price
Medication
In the price
Clinician visits
In the price
Shipping
Not stated
Lab work
Not stated
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
ShedRx
6.4/10
Value25%
Effectiveness25%
User Experience15%
Trust & Safety15%
Accessibility10%
Support10%
Features & Coverage
| Feature | 1st Optimal | ShedRx |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | — | $149/mo |
| Features | ✓8 features | 4 features |
| States Available | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| 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 ShedRx
ShedRx is a telehealth seller with three formats of compounded GLP-1 medication: drops, lozenges, and injections.
Read our full ShedRx 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
ShedRx
What we like
- Semaglutide at $149 a month, within the normal band around this register's $189 median for the same drug and form
- The monthly figure covers medication, consult, coaching
- No FDA warning letter matched this operator when we searched our enforcement register
- Both oral and injectable options are on record, so the format is a choice rather than a condition
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
- Its orforglipron and 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
ShedRx takes it, 6.4 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 ShedRx if…
You want oral orforglipron alongside the injectables and an opening price near $149 a month.
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Oak
Semaglutide at $119/month, 37% under the register median
From $119/mo
Get started →Found
Tirzepatide at $169/month, 37% under the register median
From $99/mo
Get started →Telos Rx
Starting below a standard dose, with microdose tiers
From $49/mo
Get started →1st Optimal vs ShedRx: 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.