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1st Optimal vs TeleClinic

An in-depth comparison of two leading GLP-1 Providers

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By Ruth Calder · Enforcement Editor
Editorially reviewed & fact-checked against primary sources · How we verify contentLast reviewed
1st Optimal logo

1st Optimal

3.9
★★☆☆☆2/5

Best for: coaching bundled into the price rather than sold separately

Visit 1st Optimal
VS
TeleClinic logo

TeleClinic

8.0
★★★★4/5

Best for: knowing which pharmacy fills the vial — it names Rush Pharmacy

Visit TeleClinic

Two GLP-1 Providers chasing the same patients, trading off price, geography and what lands in the box differently. On our scoring, TeleClinic starts at $199/mo, and TeleClinic finishes ahead, 8.0 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.

TeleClinic

MonthlyCompounded
$199/mo
semaglutide

Ongoing month-to-month; first-quarter intro $139/mo billed quarterly

MonthlyCompounded
$299/mo
tirzepatide

Ongoing month-to-month; first-quarter intro $219/mo billed quarterly

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

TeleClinic

Covered by the monthly price

Medication

In the price

Clinician visits

In the price

Shipping

In the price

Lab work

Not stated

Coaching

Not stated

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

Overall

TeleClinic

8.0/10

Value25%

3.0A
vs
B
4.6

Effectiveness25%

5.0A
vs
B
10.0

User Experience15%

2.0A
vs
B
8.0

Trust & Safety15%

4.0A
vs
B
10.0

Accessibility10%

5.0A
vs
B
9.5

Support10%

5.0A
vs
B
7.0

Features & Coverage

Feature1st OptimalTeleClinic
Starting Price$199/mo
Features8 features6 features
States AvailableNot disclosed47
Compounded✓ Yes
Brand Name
FSA/HSA Accepted
FDA WarningsNoneNone

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 TeleClinic

Cash pays for everything; insurance is absent. Monthly rates are flat, shipping is free, and 47 states are covered. Rush Pharmacy fills the prescriptions, a 503A compounder the company calls PCAB-accredited. Injections of B12/MIC and NAD+ are also on offer from Teleclinic Holdings LLC, whose compounded tirzepatide and semaglutide are prescribed by physicians. LegitScript certifies it. Neither compounded drug carries FDA approval.

Read our full TeleClinic 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

TeleClinic

What we like

  • Semaglutide at $199 a month, within the normal band around this register's $189 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
  • The monthly figure covers medication, consult, shipping
  • Coverage is published for 47 states
  • Names Rush Pharmacy as the dispensing pharmacy, which most sellers in this register do not do
  • No FDA warning letter matched this operator when we searched our enforcement register

Watch-outs

  • 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

Winner: TeleClinic

TeleClinic takes it, 8.0 against 3.9, and it is especially strong on knowing which pharmacy fills the vial — it names Rush Pharmacy. 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 TeleClinic if…

You want knowing which pharmacy fills the vial — it names Rush Pharmacy and an opening price near $199 a month.

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8.5

Strut Health

Semaglutide at $99/month, 48% under the register median

7.9

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Semaglutide at $119/month, 37% under the register median

1st Optimal vs TeleClinic: FAQ

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