Ascend Medical vs SurpassMD
Ascend Medical costs $1.71 less a month, and both sell semaglutide and tirzepatide.
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Ascend Medical
Best for: coaching bundled into the price rather than sold separately
Visit Ascend Medical →
SurpassMD
Best for: coverage in all 50 states, which most sellers will not confirm
Visit SurpassMD →If you are choosing between Ascend Medical and SurpassMD, the first difference is cost: Ascend Medical is $1.71 a month cheaper at the entry price. Both prescribe semaglutide and tirzepatide, so moving from one to the other would not change your drug. SurpassMD leads our six-part score, 7.3 to 6.5.
Ascend Medical vs SurpassMD price
Ascend Medical is the cheaper way in: $122.29 a month against $124 a month at SurpassMD. That is $1.71 less each month (1% lower), or about $20.52 over a year of treatment.
Drug by drug: Semaglutide is cheaper at Ascend Medical ($122.29 a month vs $124 a month); tirzepatide is cheaper at Ascend Medical ($130.45 a month vs $184 a month).
Medications and formats
Both sell semaglutide and tirzepatide.
On format they match: each offers compounded injections.
Where each one treats patients
Ascend Medical lists 2 states, and SurpassMD lists 51 states.
They overlap in 2 states. SurpassMD alone covers 49 states, including Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas and Arizona.
Pricing
Ascend Medical
Advertised as $225 a month. The seller bills $225 every 56 days, which works out at $122.29 per calendar month. The figure here is the calculated one. This is the starting dose. Higher doses may cost more.
Advertised as $240 a month. The seller bills $240 every 56 days, which works out at $130.45 per calendar month. The figure here is the calculated one. This is the starting dose. Higher doses may cost more.
SurpassMD
Homepage/FAQ: 'Semaglutide starts as low as $124/m ... for eligible patients. Actual pricing depends on medication, dose, and provider approval.'
Homepage/FAQ: 'tirzepatide starts as low as $184/m ... for eligible patients. Actual pricing depends on medication, dose, and provider approval.'
What each price covers
Ascend Medical's price also covers coaching, which SurpassMD does not claim.
SurpassMD's price also covers the clinician visit and the medication itself, which Ascend Medical does not claim.
Ascend Medical is silent on the clinician visit, the medication itself, shipping and lab work.
SurpassMD is silent on shipping, lab work and coaching.
That matters most for the drug: unless Ascend Medical confirms otherwise, budget for medication on top of its listed price.
Ascend Medical
Covered by the monthly price
Medication
Not stated
Clinician visits
Not stated
Shipping
Not stated
Lab work
Not stated
Coaching
In the price
SurpassMD
Covered by the monthly price
Medication
In the price
Clinician visits
In the price
Shipping
Not stated
Lab work
Not stated
Coaching
Not stated
Where each one scores higher
Overall, SurpassMD scores 7.3 and Ascend Medical 6.5 out of 10.
SurpassMD is stronger on accessibility (10.0 vs 2.3) and support (5.5 vs 5.0).
Value, effectiveness, user experience and trust & safety are within half a point.
Ascend Medical
6.5/10
SurpassMD
7.3/10
Value25%
Effectiveness25%
User Experience15%
Trust & Safety15%
Accessibility10%
Support10%
FDA warning letters
Neither Ascend Medical nor SurpassMD has an FDA warning letter on record with us.
Features & Coverage
| Feature | Ascend Medical | SurpassMD |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | ✓$122.29/mo | $124/mo |
| Features | 8 features | 8 features |
| States Available | 2 | ✓51 |
| Compounded | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Brand Name | — | — |
| FSA/HSA Accepted | — | ✓ Yes |
| FDA Warning Letters | None | None |
About Ascend Medical
Which GLP-1 it uses, whether that drug is branded or compounded, and what any of it costs are all absent; you would have to contact the practice. Ascend Medical works virtual-first on whole-person primary care, and Medical Weight Loss is one line among health coaching, diabetes care, men's and women's health, mental health and primary care. Licensed MDs, DOs, NPs and PAs staff it. Only Georgia and Texas residents can currently sign up. Do not confuse it with Ascend Vitality, a different company.
Read our full Ascend Medical review →About SurpassMD
For patients who qualify, the floor is $124/month on semaglutide and $184/month on tirzepatide. Payment is cash only, with Klarna-style financing and HSA/FSA both accepted. Life Vitality LLC runs the site, putting patients in touch with independent providers who hold licenses; the compounded drug then leaves a 503A pharmacy under cold chain. Consent and clinical intake are handled on the telehealth platform belonging to OpenLoop.
Read our full SurpassMD review →Pros & Cons
Ascend Medical
What we like
- Shows its price before the medical questionnaire, so you can compare it without handing over health information
- The monthly price includes coaching
- We found no FDA warning letters issued to Ascend Medical
Watch-outs
- Serves only 2 states, so check that yours is one of them
- Ask which pharmacy fills the prescription before you pay, so you can check its license
- 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
SurpassMD
What we like
- Shows its price before the medical questionnaire, so you can compare it without handing over health information
- The monthly price includes the medication and clinician visits
- Serves all 50 states
- We found no FDA warning letters issued to SurpassMD
Watch-outs
- Ask which pharmacy fills the prescription before you pay, so you can check its license
- 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
SurpassMD wins this one, 7.3 to 6.5, above all for coverage in all 50 states, which most sellers will not confirm. Ascend Medical undercuts it by $1.71 a month, so if the monthly bill is what decides it, Ascend Medical is the pick. Ascend Medical fits better if coaching bundled into the price rather than sold separately is your priority.
Choose Ascend Medical if…
You want coaching bundled into the price rather than sold separately and an opening price near $122.29 a month.
Choose SurpassMD if…
You want coverage in all 50 states, which most sellers will not confirm and an opening price near $124 a month.
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Get started →Ascend Medical vs SurpassMD: FAQ
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