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Quick verdict
Strut Health is the better pick for most patients on overall scoring. One of the cheapest legitimate compounded options in the US market thanks to a niche oral lozenge format. No membership fee, free shipping, free consults and physician access included. Trade-off: lozenge bioavailability data is thin compared to standard injectable semaglutide.
That said, PlushCare wins on specific dimensions. PlushCare is a primary-care telehealth platform that happens to prescribe GLP-1s, not a GLP-1 specialist. That distinction makes it the strongest pick for the insured and the most expensive for everyone else.
Side-by-side
| PlushCare | Strut Health | |
|---|---|---|
| Starts from | $19.99/mo (+ med separate) | $149/mo entry dose (injectable semaglutide) (incl. medication) |
| Monthly cost gap | Strut Health is $349/mo cheaper than PlushCare | |
| Lock-in | Month-to-month | Month-to-month |
| Time to prescription | 1 day | 3 days |
| Consultation type | Live | Async |
| Affiliate network | Impact | Direct |
Score by dimension
Scores out of 10, equal-weighted across five dimensions. How we score. The winner of each dimension is highlighted.
| PlushCare | Strut Health | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing transparency | 5/10 | 9/10 |
| Cancellation terms | 7/10 | 9/10 |
| Onboarding experience | 9/10 | 7/10 |
| Medication options | 7/10 | 4/10 |
| Member reviews | 6.8/10 | 6.8/10 |
When to choose PlushCare
Best for insurance-covered branded
Patients with commercial insurance that covers Wegovy or Zepbound. PlushCare's PCPs handle prior authorization paperwork well.
PlushCare wins on onboarding experience, medication options on the dimensional scoring. The caveat: Cash-pay patients comparing on monthly cost. The membership + visit fees + cash medication math is rarely competitive against specialists.
When to choose Strut Health
Best for oral semaglutide entry
Cost-sensitive patients who want needle-free GLP-1 entry under $100/mo and don't mind a less-studied delivery format.
Strut Health wins on pricing transparency, cancellation terms and runs $349/mo cheaper than PlushCare at the entry tier ($199 vs $548). Over a year that's $4,188 you keep. The caveat: Anyone who wants brand-name FDA-approved semaglutide or insurance-billed care. Note also: Compounded semaglutide is not FDA-approved
If cost is your main filter
Strut Health is the cheaper monthly: $199 all-in vs $548 for PlushCare. That's $349 a month or $4,188a year. The 12-month math matters most if you're planning to maintain on GLP-1 long-term. If you're running a 3-month trial, the $1047 delta is small against the cost of stopping early on the wrong dose. Insurance changes the picture: if either program runs prior auth and your plan covers Wegovy or Zepbound, branded with copay can beat both cash-pay totals.
If lock-in is your main filter
PlushCare (month-to-month) and Strut Health (month-to-month) sit at the same cancellation tier. Read both cancellation policies directly before signing; the on-page summary covers the headline but not the deletion-of-account or refund-window edge cases.
FAQ
Is PlushCare cheaper than Strut Health?
Can I switch from PlushCare to Strut Health mid-treatment?
Which program has better member feedback?
Read the full reviews
All head-to-head comparisons → · Full chart → · Cost guide · Programs guide
