1st Optimal vs New Wave 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 →
New Wave Health
Best for: flat per-dose compounded GLP-1 pricing with a discounted first month
Visit New Wave Health →1st Optimal and New Wave 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 $249/mo, and 1st Optimal edges ahead overall (6.7 vs 6.6 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.
New Wave Health
Checkout: 'Monthly Plan - $100 off first month', $249/mo struck to $149/mo; 'Total today: $149'. 3-month plan is one $657 charge; 6-month is one $1,134 charge.
Checkout: 'Monthly Plan - $100 off first month', $299/mo struck to $199/mo; 'Total today: $199'. 3-month plan is one $807 charge; 6-month is one $1,434 charge.
Post-intake menu 'Compounded GLP-1 Microdose $199 /mo'; single monthly plan, no prepay tiers.
Post-intake menu 'Compounded GLP-1 Oral $229 /mo'; single monthly plan, no prepay tiers.
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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
New Wave Health
What the monthly price covers
Medication
Included
Provider visits
Included
Shipping
Included
Lab work
Not disclosed
Coaching
Included
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
New Wave Health
6.6/10
Value25%
Effectiveness25%
User Experience15%
Trust & Safety15%
Accessibility10%
Support10%
Features & Coverage
| Feature | 1st Optimal | New Wave Health |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | ✓$99/mo | $249/mo |
| Features | 8 features | 8 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 New Wave Health
New Wave Health is a Virginia Beach-based telehealth platform selling compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide, plus a lower-dose GLP-1 microdose and a daily oral option, through an online intake. Prices appear only after the intake: semaglutide is $249/mo ($149 the first month) and tirzepatide $299/mo ($199 the first month), the same at every dose. It does not name its pharmacy or prescribing medical group.
Read our full New Wave 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
New Wave Health
What we like
- One price at every dose for semaglutide and tirzepatide, with no surcharge as your dose goes up
- A month-to-month plan with $100 off the first month, alongside optional 3- and 6-month plans
- Medication, physician review, care coaching and shipping are all listed as included in the price
- You get a refund if the prescribing provider declines to write a prescription
- Publishes a phone number, a Virginia Beach street address and weekday clinical hours
- Checkout shows every plan and the exact total due today before you enter a card
Watch-outs
- No price until you finish about 30 intake questions and hand over your name, email, phone, birth date and address
- The $149 and $199 prices are first-month only; checkout never spells out the $249 or $299 you pay after that
- Neither the compounding pharmacy nor the prescribing medical group is named anywhere on the site
- Cancellation terms conflict: 'cancel anytime', 30 days' notice, or 48 hours before billing
- One FAQ says all 50 states; other pages say only where its providers are licensed, and no list is given
- Claims 1,743+ to 7,200+ patients and 4.8 to 4.98 ratings on a site registered in June 2026, with no review platform named
- Says 'You're pre-approved' before any clinician review, then runs a 15-minute checkout timer that resets
- Compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide are not FDA-approved
Our Verdict
1st Optimal edges out New Wave 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. New Wave Health remains a solid alternative, especially if you're looking for flat per-dose compounded GLP-1 pricing with a discounted first month.
Choose 1st Optimal if…
You want GLP-1 therapy within a lab-driven functional-medicine program and a starting price around $99/mo.
Choose New Wave Health if…
You want flat per-dose compounded GLP-1 pricing with a discounted first month and a starting price around $249/mo.
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Sprout Health
LegitScript-verified compounded GLP-1 via named pharmacies
From $149/mo
Get started →Trimi Health
Budget-conscious shoppers
From $99/mo
Get started →ShedRx
Mainstream telehealth GLP-1 access
From $149/mo
Get started →1st Optimal vs New Wave 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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