ExploreTreatments
Updated: July 30, 2026 · By Charly P.

altRx vs Fridays: GLP-1 Cost & Plans Compared

altRx vs Fridays compared on price, medication format and commitment terms. See which GLP-1 programme fits, and what each actually costs over a year.

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Quick Verdict

Editorial Take

Best Overall: altRx, on cost. altRx is $28/month cheaper on semaglutide than Fridays, which compounds to $336 over twelve months — a real gap rather than a rounding difference.

Best for Budget: altRx. altRx is $28/month cheaper on semaglutide than Fridays, which compounds to $336 over twelve months — a real gap rather than a rounding difference.

Best for Fast Approval: Both run fully online intake with licensed clinician review, so approval speed is unlikely to separate them. altRx quotes shipping as free, discreet, 2 days; Fridays quotes included in the plan.

At a Glance Comparison

FeaturealtRxFridays
Semaglutide price$89/month$117/month
Tirzepatide price$149/month$198/month
Needle-free oral optionNoYes
Brand-name medicationNoYes
Insurance supportNoYes
ShippingFree, discreet, 2 daysIncluded in the plan

Who Should Choose altRx

Choose altRx if:

  • You want itemised supplies and a named clinical group, CareValidate Health, plus buy-now-pay-later
  • You are comparing on a published semaglutide rate of $89/month
  • You accept the trade-off that its lowest rates require paying 6 or 12 months upfront

Who Should Choose Fridays

Choose Fridays if:

  • You want a $0 membership with unlimited provider visits, dietitian and mental-health coaching included
  • You are comparing on a published semaglutide rate of $117/month
  • You want a needle-free oral option
  • You want FDA-approved brand-name medication, not only compounded
  • You accept the trade-off that the headline rates more than double if you pay month-to-month

altRx Deep Dive

altRx leads with itemised supplies and a named clinical group, CareValidate Health, plus buy-now-pay-later. Semaglutide is published at $89/month, tirzepatide at $149/month. The honest caveat is that its lowest rates require paying 6 or 12 months upfront.

How It Works

  1. Complete the online intake covering health history and weight goals
  2. A licensed clinician reviews your information and prescribes if appropriate
  3. Medication ships — free, discreet, 2 days
  4. Continue with clinician support for dose adjustment

Medications Offered

  • Semaglutide from $89/month
  • Tirzepatide from $149/month

Pricing

$89/month semaglutide, though prepaid plans lower it to $75/month semaglutide or $125/month tirzepatide at twelve months. Free, discreet, 2 days.

Pros
  • Itemised supplies and a named clinical group, CareValidate Health, plus buy-now-pay-later
  • Free, discreet, 2 days
Cons
  • Its lowest rates require paying 6 or 12 months upfront
  • Compounded medication is not an FDA-approved finished product

Fridays Deep Dive

Fridays leads with a $0 membership with unlimited provider visits, dietitian and mental-health coaching included. Semaglutide is published at $117/month, tirzepatide at $198/month. The honest caveat is that the headline rates more than double if you pay month-to-month.

How It Works

  1. Complete the online intake covering health history and weight goals
  2. A licensed clinician reviews your information and prescribes if appropriate
  3. Medication ships — included in the plan
  4. Continue with clinician support for dose adjustment

Medications Offered

  • Semaglutide from $117/month
  • Tirzepatide from $198/month
  • Needle-free oral tablet option
  • FDA-approved brand-name GLP-1 medication

Pricing

$117/month semaglutide, though the $117 semaglutide and $198 tirzepatide rates are annual-plan prices; month-to-month is $279 and $389. Included in the plan.

Pros
  • A $0 membership with unlimited provider visits, dietitian and mental-health coaching included
  • Included in the plan
  • Needle-free oral option available
  • Insurance support available
Cons
  • The headline rates more than double if you pay month-to-month

Honest Tradeoffs

Pricing

altRx is $28/month cheaper on semaglutide than Fridays, which compounds to $336 over twelve months — a real gap rather than a rounding difference.

Medication Types

Fridays offers FDA-approved brand-name medication as well as compounded; altRx is compounded-only. Compounded products are not FDA approved and have not been through the trials the branded versions have, so this is the most consequential difference between these two.

Doctor Involvement

Both require review by a licensed U.S. clinician before dispensing, and neither is a subscribe-and-ship product. Ongoing support for dose titration is included at both.

Delivery Speed

altRx: Free, discreet, 2 days. Fridays: Included in the plan. In practice the gap between clinician review times usually matters more than the shipping estimate.

Subscription Model

Both headline rates come with strings: for altRx, prepaid plans lower it to $75/month semaglutide or $125/month tirzepatide at twelve months; for Fridays, the $117 semaglutide and $198 tirzepatide rates are annual-plan prices; month-to-month is $279 and $389. Compare what each costs month-to-month, not just the advertised figure.

Pricing Breakdown

AspectaltRxFridays
Semaglutide, monthly$89/month$117/month
Tirzepatide, monthly$149/month$198/month
6-month semaglutide total$534$702
12-month semaglutide total$1,068$1,404
Commitment required for best rateYesYes

What You Actually Pay Over 12 Months

Advertised starting prices are the least useful number in this comparison, so below is what each provider costs across a realistic course of treatment rather than on day one. Pricing verified July 30, 2026; confirm the final figure at enrollment, as offers change.

altRxFridays
First month$89/month$117/month
6-month total$534$702
12-month total$1,068$1,404
Price includesMedication, clinician review and ongoing dose support. Shipping: free, discreet, 2 days.Medication, clinician review and ongoing dose support. Shipping: included in the plan.
What can raise itThe advertised rate is conditional — prepaid plans lower it to $75/month semaglutide or $125/month tirzepatide at twelve months.The advertised rate is conditional — the $117 semaglutide and $198 tirzepatide rates are annual-plan prices; month-to-month is $279 and $389.

altRx is $28/month cheaper on semaglutide than Fridays, which compounds to $336 over twelve months — a real gap rather than a rounding difference. Both headline rates come with strings: for altRx, prepaid plans lower it to $75/month semaglutide or $125/month tirzepatide at twelve months; for Fridays, the $117 semaglutide and $198 tirzepatide rates are annual-plan prices; month-to-month is $279 and $389. Compare what each costs month-to-month, not just the advertised figure. Fridays offers FDA-approved brand-name medication as well as compounded; altRx is compounded-only. Compounded products are not FDA approved and have not been through the trials the branded versions have, so this is the most consequential difference between these two.

Medication Comparison

Semaglutide

altRx is $28/month cheaper on semaglutide than Fridays, which compounds to $336 over twelve months — a real gap rather than a rounding difference.

Tirzepatide

On tirzepatide, altRx is $149/month against Fridays at $198/month.

Which Provider Offers What

Fridays offers a needle-free oral option; altRx is injection-only. Fridays offers FDA-approved brand-name medication as well as compounded; altRx is compounded-only. Compounded products are not FDA approved and have not been through the trials the branded versions have, so this is the most consequential difference between these two.

Results Expectations

Both dispense the same active ingredients at clinician-determined doses, so there is no evidential basis for expecting different weight outcomes from one over the other. Published trial results for semaglutide and tirzepatide describe the molecules, not the telehealth platform prescribing them, and compounded formulations have not been through trials of their own. Adherence, dose titration and the lifestyle changes made alongside treatment will drive your result far more than this choice will.

Safety Considerations

Side Effects

Both carry the GLP-1 side-effect profile: nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation and abdominal discomfort, typically dose-related and most pronounced during titration. GLP-1 medications carry serious warnings including the risk of thyroid C-cell tumours and should not be used by anyone with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2. Disclose your full history at intake.

Doctor Supervision

Both require review by a licensed U.S. clinician before dispensing and provide ongoing support for dose adjustment.

Prescription Requirement

Fridays offers FDA-approved brand-name medication as well as compounded; altRx is compounded-only. Compounded products are not FDA approved and have not been through the trials the branded versions have, so this is the most consequential difference between these two.

How We Evaluated These Providers

We evaluated both providers based on the following criteria:

  • Published monthly pricing for each molecule, and the six and twelve-month totals that follow from it
  • Whether the advertised rate requires a prepaid term
  • Medication formats offered, including any needle-free option
  • Regulatory status: compounded against FDA-approved brand-name
  • Whether insurance can be used at all
  • Shipping as published by each provider

Final Verdict

Editorial Take

Best for Budget Users

altRx. altRx is $28/month cheaper on semaglutide than Fridays, which compounds to $336 over twelve months — a real gap rather than a rounding difference.

Best for Fast Results

Tied, and neither should claim otherwise. Same molecules, comparable clinician-led process; the pace of results depends on titration and adherence rather than the provider.

Best for Doctor Supervision

Comparable. Both require licensed clinician review before dispensing and include ongoing dose support.

Best Premium Experience

altRx for itemised supplies and a named clinical group, CareValidate Health, plus buy-now-pay-later; Fridays for a $0 membership with unlimited provider visits, dietitian and mental-health coaching included. Which reads as premium depends on whether you value the programme around the medication or the lowest number on the invoice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Read Our Full Reviews

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