1st Optimal vs Gide Health
An in-depth comparison of two leading GLP-1 Providers
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1st Optimal
Best for: GLP-1 therapy within a lab-driven functional-medicine program
Visit 1st Optimal →
Gide Health
Best for: people who want compounded semaglutide drops or injections from a brand that names its pharmacy
Visit Gide Health →1st Optimal and Gide Health are both GLP-1 Providers competing for the same patients, but they make different trade-offs on price, coverage, and what's included. In our scoring, 1st Optimal starts lower at $99/mo versus $149/mo, and 1st Optimal edges ahead overall (6.7 vs 6.3 out of 10). Below we break down pricing, what each plan covers, the six-dimension score, pros and cons, and exactly who should pick which.
Pricing
1st Optimal
Care membership only — the GLP-1 medication is billed separately and is not priced.
Gide Health
"Starting Price: $149/month"; the weight-loss page also lists "as low as $196/mo" on a 6-month plan
"Starting Price: $209/month" on the product page
"Starting Price: $299/month"; the weight-loss page lists "as low as $196/mo" on a 6-month plan
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What’s included
1st Optimal
What the monthly price covers
Medication
Not disclosed
Provider visits
Included
Shipping
Included
Lab work
Not disclosed
Coaching
Included
Gide Health
What the monthly price covers
Medication
Included
Provider visits
Included
Shipping
Included
Lab work
Not disclosed
Coaching
Not disclosed
Score breakdown
Both providers are scored on the same six-dimension framework. The gradient bar marks the stronger side on each dimension.
1st Optimal
6.7/10
Gide Health
6.3/10
Value25%
Effectiveness25%
User Experience15%
Trust & Safety15%
Accessibility10%
Support10%
Features & Coverage
| Feature | 1st Optimal | Gide Health |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | ✓$99/mo | $149/mo |
| Features | ✓8 features | 6 features |
| States Available | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Compounded | — | ✓ Yes |
| Brand Name | ✓ Yes | — |
| FSA/HSA Accepted | — | — |
| FDA Warnings | None | None |
About 1st Optimal
1st Optimal is a Michigan-based telehealth and functional-medicine platform offering GLP-1 weight loss medications, including semaglutide and tirzepatide, as once-weekly injections or daily oral tablets. Its model pairs prescription GLP-1 therapy with at-home lab testing, blood-work interpretation, unlimited coaching, and personalized protocols framed around long-term weight loss and longevity. Care is delivered virtually by credentialed providers, and treatments ship to the home with no long-term contracts. The site does not publish monthly pricing or a state list.
Read our full 1st Optimal review →About Gide Health
Gide Health is a California telehealth brand that sells compounded semaglutide as an injection or oral drops and compounded tirzepatide, with prescribing by Beluga Health and a named Ohio compounding pharmacy. It also offers NAD+, sermorelin, hormone and hair-loss treatments. Advertised starting prices are $149 a month for drops, $209 for the semaglutide injection and $299 for tirzepatide; plan terms appear only after an email step.
Read our full Gide Health review →Pros & Cons
1st Optimal
What we like
- Offers both semaglutide and tirzepatide with injectable and oral formats
- Functional-medicine approach with at-home labs and blood-work interpretation
- Unlimited coaching and ongoing support included
- No long-term contracts
- Board-certified doctors and nurse practitioners referenced
Watch-outs
- No public monthly pricing disclosed
- No published state availability list
- Compounded vs branded sourcing not clarified on site
- Pricing only revealed after quiz or consultation
Gide Health
What we like
- Names its prescribing group, Beluga Health, and its dispensing pharmacy with an address and phone number
- Offers semaglutide as a needle-free daily oral drop as well as an injection
- Says plans include the doctor's visit, the medication and free shipping with no added fees
- Promises the same price at every dose, outside of promotional periods
- Lists the states it cannot serve for GLP-1 programs
Watch-outs
- Prices are shown only as starting or as-low-as figures, and the pages disagree with each other
- Plan length, billing cadence and the real charge sit behind an email gate early in the intake
- The site advertises a 15% weight-loss money-back promise, but its terms say all purchases are final
- Parts of the site still mention another company, Eden, in its testimonials and pharmacy text
- The named pharmacy says it lacks a license or sterile-compounding permit in ten states, including California and Texas
- Trustpilot says it removed the company's profile for going against its guidelines
- The LegitScript seal could not be matched to a public certification record
Our Verdict
1st Optimal edges out Gide Health with a higher overall score of 6.7/10 and is particularly strong for GLP-1 therapy within a lab-driven functional-medicine program. Gide Health remains a solid alternative, especially if you're looking for people who want compounded semaglutide drops or injections from a brand that names its pharmacy.
Choose 1st Optimal if…
You want GLP-1 therapy within a lab-driven functional-medicine program and a starting price around $99/mo.
Choose Gide Health if…
You want people who want compounded semaglutide drops or injections from a brand that names its pharmacy and a starting price around $149/mo.
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Get started →1st Optimal vs Gide Health: FAQ
Key terms, explained
New to GLP-1s? Tap any term for a quick, plain-English definition.
- Semaglutide · Drugs and brands
- Tirzepatide · Drugs and brands
- Compounded GLP-1 · Pharmacy and drug forms
- 503A pharmacy · Pharmacy and drug forms
- PCAB accreditation · Pharmacy and drug forms
- Prior authorization (PA) · Insurance and regulatory
- Off-label use · Insurance and regulatory
- FDA Drug Shortage List · Insurance and regulatory
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