LifeMD vs PlushCare
LifeMD and PlushCare both sell semaglutide and tirzepatide; this is how their prices, coverage and records differ.
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LifeMD
Best for: bloodwork inside the monthly price rather than billed on top
Visit LifeMD →
PlushCare
Best for: coverage in all 50 states, which most sellers will not confirm
Visit PlushCare →If you are choosing between LifeMD and PlushCare, price alone will not settle it. Both prescribe semaglutide and tirzepatide, so moving from one to the other would not change your drug. LifeMD leads our six-part score, 7.9 to 6.4.
LifeMD vs PlushCare price
LifeMD and PlushCare start at the same figure, $149 a month, so the entry price does not separate them. Look at what each price covers and at the per-drug prices below.
Drug by drug: Semaglutide costs the same at both, $149 a month; tirzepatide is cheaper at LifeMD ($349 a month vs $399 a month).
Medications and formats
Both sell semaglutide and tirzepatide.
On format, LifeMD prices brand-name pens, while PlushCare prices compounded injections.
If you want the FDA-approved brand rather than a compounded version, LifeMD is the only one of the two with a brand-name price.
Where each one treats patients
LifeMD lists 50 states, and PlushCare lists 50 states.
They overlap in 50 states.
Pricing
LifeMD
First month $75, then $149/mo. Brand medication billed separately, or $0-$25/mo copay with commercial insurance.
Medication only; plus the $149/mo program fee.
Medication only (starting); plus the program fee. As low as $0-$25/mo with insurance.
Medication only; plus the $149/mo program fee.
PlushCare
Range up to $299/mo
Range up to $599/mo
What each price covers
LifeMD's price also covers the clinician visit, lab work and coaching, which PlushCare does not claim.
LifeMD is silent on shipping.
PlushCare is silent on shipping and coaching.
LifeMD
Covered by the monthly price
Medication
Charged on top
Clinician visits
In the price
Shipping
Not stated
Lab work
In the price
Coaching
In the price
PlushCare
Covered by the monthly price
Medication
Charged on top
Clinician visits
Charged on top
Shipping
Not stated
Lab work
Charged on top
Coaching
Not stated
Where each one scores higher
Overall, LifeMD scores 7.9 and PlushCare 6.4 out of 10.
LifeMD is stronger on value (10.0 vs 3.0) and support (5.5 vs 0.0).
PlushCare is stronger on user experience (7.0 vs 3.0) and trust & safety (7.5 vs 6.0).
Effectiveness and accessibility are within half a point.
LifeMD
7.9/10
PlushCare
6.4/10
Value25%
Effectiveness25%
User Experience15%
Trust & Safety15%
Accessibility10%
Support10%
FDA warning letters
Neither LifeMD nor PlushCare has an FDA warning letter on record with us.
Features & Coverage
| Feature | LifeMD | PlushCare |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $149/mo | $149/mo |
| Features | 0 features | ✓8 features |
| States Available | 50 | 50 |
| Compounded | — | ✓ Yes |
| Brand Name | ✓ Yes | — |
| FSA/HSA Accepted | — | — |
| FDA Warning Letters | None | None |
About LifeMD
LifeMD is a publicly traded telehealth seller. It carries brand-name GLP-1 medications only.
Read our full LifeMD review →About PlushCare
PlushCare is an established virtual primary-care telehealth platform and a subsidiary of Transcarent, Inc., a Delaware corporation that also owns Accolade, 2nd.MD, and 98point6 by Transcarent. Virtual visits with US board-certified physicians cost $30 per appointment insured and $129 self-pay. GLP-1 prescribing is a clinician-discretionary option within the broader primary-care relationship.
Read our full PlushCare review →Pros & Cons
LifeMD
What we like
- Semaglutide costs $149 a month, 85% below the $990 median for brand-name semaglutide across the sellers we compare
- Tirzepatide costs $349 a month, 72% below the $1249 median for brand-name tirzepatide across the sellers we compare
- The monthly price includes clinician visits, lab work and coaching
- Serves all 50 states
- We found no FDA warning letters issued to LifeMD
Watch-outs
- You only see a price after finishing the medical intake, so you cannot compare costs before sharing health information
- Not included in the monthly price: medication
- Ask which pharmacy fills the prescription before you pay, so you can check its license
PlushCare
What we like
- Shows its price before the medical questionnaire, so you can compare it without handing over health information
- Serves all 50 states
- We found no FDA warning letters issued to PlushCare
- 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
- Not included in the monthly price: medication, clinician visits, lab work
- 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
LifeMD wins this one, 7.9 to 6.4, above all for bloodwork inside the monthly price rather than billed on top. PlushCare fits better if coverage in all 50 states, which most sellers will not confirm is your priority.
Choose LifeMD if…
You want bloodwork inside the monthly price rather than billed on top and an opening price near $149 a month.
Choose PlushCare if…
You want coverage in all 50 states, which most sellers will not confirm and an opening price near $149 a month.
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Get started →LifeMD vs PlushCare: FAQ
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