1st Optimal vs Ounce
An in-depth comparison of two leading GLP-1 Providers
WeightLossRankings.org is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
1st Optimal
Best for: GLP-1 therapy within a lab-driven functional-medicine program
Visit 1st Optimal →
Ounce
Best for: people who want to lock in a posted all-in GLP-1 price with labs included before the service opens
Visit Ounce →1st Optimal and Ounce 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.
Ounce
Launch price. 12, 24 and 52-week plans cost $657, $1,194 and $2,327 ($219, $199 and $179 per 4-week shipment)
Launch price. 12, 24 and 52-week plans cost $777, $1,434 and $2,717 ($259, $239 and $209 per 4-week shipment)
Launch price. 12, 24 and 52-week plans cost $927, $1,734 and $3,497 ($309, $289 and $269 per 4-week shipment)
Get alerted when GLP-1 prices drop
Join the GLP-1 price-watch list — we re-verify 540+ providers' prices on their own sites and email you when tracked prices move.
What’s included
1st Optimal
What the monthly price covers
Medication
Not disclosed
Provider visits
Included
Shipping
Included
Lab work
Not disclosed
Coaching
Included
Ounce
What the monthly price covers
Medication
Included
Provider visits
Included
Shipping
Not disclosed
Lab work
Included
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
Ounce
6.6/10
Value25%
Effectiveness25%
User Experience15%
Trust & Safety15%
Accessibility10%
Support10%
Features & Coverage
| Feature | 1st Optimal | Ounce |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | ✓$99/mo | $249/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 Ounce
Ounce is a new telehealth weight-loss brand that has not opened yet: for now you take a two-minute eligibility check and hold a spot with a refundable $25 deposit. It plans to offer compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide injections and a semaglutide dissolving tablet. Month-to-month prices are $249 for semaglutide, $279 for the tablet and $339 for tirzepatide, with clinician visits and baseline labs included.
Read our full Ounce 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
Ounce
What we like
- Every plan price is posted on the home page and again on the result screen before you give any contact details
- The monthly price includes clinician visits, messaging and baseline labs at Quest or Labcorp
- Offers compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide injections plus a semaglutide dissolving tablet for people who avoid needles
- The eligibility check takes about two minutes and needs no account or payment to see your result
- The $25 deposit is fully refundable and counts toward your first month if you start treatment
- The site says you can cancel any time and request a refund for any month whose medication has not been ordered
Watch-outs
- Ounce has not launched yet, so you can only reserve a spot and wait for an email saying it has opened in your state
- Neither the medical practice that would treat you nor the dispensing pharmacy is named anywhere on the site
- Longer plans are priced per month but billed per 4-week shipment, so a 52-week plan bills 13 shipments, not 12
- The home page says review usually happens without a video call, but another page describes a video visit first
- The brand is days old, with no LegitScript record and no independent customer reviews
- Shipping costs are not stated, and the coaching program is an optional extra
Our Verdict
1st Optimal edges out Ounce with a higher overall score of 6.7/10 and is particularly strong for GLP-1 therapy within a lab-driven functional-medicine program. Ounce remains a solid alternative, especially if you're looking for people who want to lock in a posted all-in GLP-1 price with labs included before the service opens.
Choose 1st Optimal if…
You want GLP-1 therapy within a lab-driven functional-medicine program and a starting price around $99/mo.
Choose Ounce if…
You want people who want to lock in a posted all-in GLP-1 price with labs included before the service opens and a starting price around $249/mo.
Ready to start? Vetted GLP-1 providers
Vetted telehealth providers that prescribe GLP-1 online.
No insurance needed · vetted by our editors
WeightLossRankings.org is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
Enhance MD
Lab-monitored compounded GLP-1 with mandatory video visit
From $112/mo
Get started →MEDVi
Switching between compounded and brand-name GLP-1 through one provider
From $99/mo
Get started →DudeMeds
Men seeking no-fee GLP-1 access with oral and injectable options
From $175/mo
Get started →1st Optimal vs Ounce: 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
Related comparisons
Continue exploring 1st Optimal and Ounce head-to-heads in the same category.
- 1st Optimal vs Amazon One Medical
- 1st Optimal vs Vytora Health
- 1st Optimal vs Collective
- Ounce vs CoreAge Rx
- Ounce vs EverSlim
- Ounce vs Found
Or see the full category ranking.
Wegovy®, Ozempic®, and Rybelsus® are trademarks of Novo Nordisk A/S. Mounjaro® and Zepbound® are trademarks of Eli Lilly and Company. All other product names and trademarks referenced on this page belong to their respective owners. WeightLossRankings.org is not affiliated with any pharmaceutical manufacturer. See trademark disclaimer.