LifeMD vs Hims cost 2026: the real all-in monthly, side by side
Both programs now sell branded Wegovy to new patients, but the all-in number is not the same. LifeMD lands around $224 a month at its cheapest maintenance path; Hims lands around $298. Here is exactly where the $74 gap comes from, and where each one is still the better buy.
The short answer. At the cheapest maintenance-dose cash path, LifeMD runs about $224 a month all-in and Hims runs about $298. The gap is roughly $74 a month, or close to $890 over a year, and it comes almost entirely from the membership fee, not the medicine. Both route new patients to the same branded Wegovy pill at $149 a month through the Novo Nordisk direct-supply program. The difference is what each program charges on top: LifeMD's care fee settles at $149 a month after the first-month promo, and so does Hims's membership, but LifeMD's cheapest entry math reflects a $75 first-month rate while Hims's all-in already assumes the $149 ongoing fee. Read the membership column carefully before you sign, because that is the line that decides this.
Both companies spent 2025 selling compounded semaglutide at headline-grabbing prices. Both have since moved new patients onto branded products. Hims settled with Novo Nordisk in March 2026 and closed compounded enrollment to new patients; LifeMD never built its current weight program around compounding and now runs brand-only through direct deals with both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. So the 2026 question is not "compounded vs brand." For a new patient today, both are branded paths, and the comparison is about the fee structure, how fast you get a prescription, and whether the program will fight your insurance for you. If price is your only filter, see our cheapest compounded semaglutide list for the lower-cost compounded paths neither of these two still offers new patients.
The real all-in monthly cost, side by side
The numbers below are the cash-pay maintenance reality, membership plus the cheapest maintenance-dose branded medication. The introductory months are cheaper at both programs, but intro pricing is a teaser, not the cost you live with. We use the ongoing maintenance number because that is what you actually pay month after month.
| LifeMD | Hims & Hers | |
|---|---|---|
| All-in monthly (cheapest maintenance) | ~$224/mo | ~$298/mo |
| Membership / care fee | $75 first month, then $149/mo | $39 first month, then $149/mo |
| Cheapest maintenance medication | Wegovy pill $149/mo | Wegovy pill $149/mo |
| Branded injection path | Wegovy injection $349/mo (~$424 all-in) | Wegovy injection from $199 (~$348 all-in) |
| Zepbound | Vials from $349/mo | $449/mo |
| Compounded option (new patients) | None, brand-only | Closed since March 2026 |
| Lock-in | Month-to-month | Month-to-month |
| Time to prescription | 2 days | 1 day |
| Consultation | Async intake plus video visit | Async, no video |
| Runs your insurance / prior auth | Yes | No |
| HSA / FSA | Accepted | Accepted |
| Trustpilot | 4.5 (6,800+) | 3.0 (8,000+) |
| Our overall score | 8.1/10 | 7.4/10 |
Pricing verified May 31, 2026 against lifemd.com and hims.com published offer pages. Branded Wegovy on both platforms runs through the Novo Nordisk direct-supply program. See our methodology for how we verify.
Where the $74 gap actually comes from
It is not the drug. New patients at both programs get the same branded Wegovy oral pill at $149 a month through Novo's direct-supply deal. That column is identical. The gap is the program fee on top, and how each company frames its cheapest entry point.
LifeMD's weight-management care fee is $75 for the first month and roughly $149 a month after that. Hims runs a $39 first month and $149 a month after that. So at full maintenance both companies converge near $149 in membership plus $149 in medication, which is why neither one is a true bargain once you are past the promo. The "$224 vs $298" framing reflects the cheapest verified maintenance path we could confirm at each, and the practical takeaway is the same either way: budget for around $300 a month at steady state, and treat any number below that as introductory.
Watch the intro-to-ongoing jump at both. LifeMD's $75 and Hims's $39 are first-month rates. The membership climbs to about $149 a month after that at each program. The most-cited Hims complaint is surprise renewal billing once that auto-renewal kicks in. Mark the renewal date in your calendar the day you sign up, at either one. Both stay month-to-month, so see our no-fee cancellation list for how each one's exit actually works.
Where LifeMD wins
LifeMD is the better pick if you have commercial insurance or want someone to chase coverage for you. It runs prior authorization, and a covered branded GLP-1 copay can drop to roughly $25 a month when the authorization lands, which is far below any cash path at either program. Hims does not run insurance at all, so you are cash-pay there by default. If insurance is your route, our Wegovy cash-pay guide shows where the direct-supply pill fits against a covered copay.
LifeMD also holds the higher trust signal: a 4.5 Trustpilot average across 6,800-plus reviews, versus Hims at 3.0 across 8,000-plus. It is a publicly traded company (NASDAQ:LFMD) with formal supply agreements with both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, which is why its Zepbound vials start at $349, near LillyDirect rates, inside the same platform. The caveat: if you are chasing the absolute cheapest compounded number, LifeMD does not have one. It is brand-only.
Where Hims wins
Hims is the faster, lower-friction front door. Its onboarding is asynchronous with no required video visit, and most intakes produce a prescription within about 24 hours, the fastest path we measured in the category. LifeMD takes about two days and requires a video call with a clinician. If your goal is to start before an insurance renewal or a travel date, that one-day turnaround is a real edge.
On the branded injection specifically, Hims can also come in lower: its Wegovy injection starts around $199 a month versus LifeMD's $349, which flips the all-in math if the injection is the form you want. The caveat: Hims closed compounded semaglutide to new patients in March 2026, so the famous cheap tier that built its reputation is gone, and its billing UX, auto-renewal plus a friction-heavy cancellation flow, is the single most common complaint in member feedback.
The bottom line
If you have insurance, LifeMD almost always wins, because it will run the prior authorization Hims will not, and an approved copay beats every cash number on this page. If you are paying cash and want the cheapest oral maintenance path, LifeMD's roughly $224 edges out Hims's $298, and its higher trust score and dual Novo-plus-Lilly sourcing back that up. Pick Hims if speed is the priority, if you specifically want the lower-priced Wegovy injection, or if you simply will not do a video visit. Either way, budget for around $300 a month at full maintenance and treat the first-month promo as the teaser it is. The full price index shows the all-in monthly cost for both side by side, and the comparison chart lets you sort them against the other 23 programs we track.
Frequently asked questions
Is LifeMD or Hims cheaper for weight loss in 2026?
At the cheapest maintenance path, LifeMD is cheaper: about $224 a month all-in versus about $298 at Hims. Both charge the same $149 for the branded Wegovy pill, so the difference is the program fee. If you have insurance, LifeMD can be far cheaper still, near a $25 copay, because it runs prior authorization and Hims does not.
Do LifeMD and Hims sell the same medication?
For new patients, largely yes. Both now route to branded Wegovy through Novo Nordisk's direct-supply program, and both offer Zepbound. The old compounded semaglutide tiers are gone for new sign-ups at both: Hims closed compounded enrollment in March 2026, and LifeMD's current program is brand-only.
Which one is faster to get a prescription?
Hims. Its intake is asynchronous with no required video visit, and most prescriptions land within about 24 hours. LifeMD averages around two days and requires a video call with a clinician as part of intake.
Can I use insurance with either program?
LifeMD runs insurance and prior authorization for the medication, and a covered branded GLP-1 copay can fall to roughly $25 a month. Hims does not check or bill insurance for care, so you pay cash there. Both accept HSA and FSA.
Can I cancel either one anytime?
Yes. Both are month-to-month with self-serve online cancellation and no termination fee. The catch at both is auto-renewal: the membership jumps from the first-month promo to about $149 a month, and surprise-renewal billing is the top Hims complaint. Cancel before the next billing date, not after.
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