Circle Medical vs Brightmeds
Compare pricing, features, and medications to find the best GLP-1 provider for your weight loss journey
These two prices are not directly comparable
- Circle Medical: the $35 figure is a per-visit consultation fee, not a month of treatment - the medication is billed separately.
Circle Medical vs Brightmeds: Overview
Choosing between Circle Medical and Brightmeds for GLP-1 weight loss medication? Both are highly-rated providers, but they differ in pricing, medication options, and service features.
Circle Medical offers both semaglutide and tirzepatide at $35/month with a rating of 8.7/10. Brightmeds also provides both semaglutide and tirzepatide at $289/month with a 8.2/10 rating.
The price difference of $254/month is significant - Circle Medical is the more budget-friendly option, while Brightmeds positions itself as a premium service.
Our recommended brand
After reviewing all 148 providers on this platform, we've identified CoreAge Rx as offering the most transparent pricing model. At just $99/month — the same price every month, every dose — there are no surprise charges or hidden fees. Combined with exceptional service quality, personalized support, and access to both semaglutide and tirzepatide, it represents the best value without compromising on care.
At a glance
Price Difference
$254/mo
Rating Difference
0.5
Winner
Circle Medical
Best For
Budget
Circle Medical
View full Circle Medical review →Rating
8.7/10Better
Monthly Price
$35Cheaper
Medications
semaglutidetirzepatideoral semaglutide
Pros
- ✓It bills your insurance instead of asking you to forget insurance exists. Circle Medical states it is in-network with most commercial plans
- ✓Publishes a real out-of-pocket figure rather than a marketing one: patients with accepted insurance paid an average of $35 per appointment over the previous six months
- ✓FDA-approved medication only - Wegovy, Zepbound and non-GLP-1 options such as Contrave when appropriate. No compounded product
- ✓No membership and no hidden fees, which is rare among insurance-accepting telehealth services
- ✓This is a full primary-care practice, so weight management sits inside ongoing medical care rather than being a standalone drug subscription
- ✓Clear, conventional eligibility criteria published up front: BMI 27+ with a weight-related condition such as high blood pressure, diabetes or sleep apnea, or BMI 30+ without one
- ✓A mobile app with regular provider check-ins
- ✓Honest about supply and coverage: the site warns these treatments have significant stock issues and are not always covered
- ✓Insurance verification is built into the booking flow, so you find out where you stand before the appointment
Cons
- ✗Your cost is whatever your plan says it is. $35 is an average, not a price - deductibles and exclusions can leave you paying far more
- ✗The medication itself is a separate cost from the visit, and coverage for weight-loss drugs is the single most commonly denied benefit in this category
- ✗You must live in the state you are treated in and have your primary pharmacy in that same state, which rules out anyone splitting time between states
- ✗The full list of available states is not published - you have to start booking an appointment to see it
- ✗You may be booked with any available provider (MD, DO, PA-C or NP) rather than choosing one
- ✗If your insurance denies weight-loss coverage, there is no cash-pay compounded fallback here
Brightmeds
View full Brightmeds review →Rating
8.2/10
Monthly Price
$289
Medications
semaglutidetirzepatide
Pros
- ✓Offers FDA-approved Zepbound pens and vials alongside its compounded range, so the branded route is available without leaving the platform
- ✓The compounded disclosure names both 503A and 503B pathways and explains why compounded drugs are not FDA-approved, rather than reciting boilerplate
- ✓Trademark ownership is acknowledged explicitly - Zepbound and Mounjaro attributed to Eli Lilly - instead of presenting compounds as the brands
- ✓Same price regardless of prescribed dose, so titrating up does not raise the bill
- ✓Microdosing versions of both semaglutide and tirzepatide are offered for people wanting a lower-intensity option
- ✓A full refund is given if you are not approved for treatment
- ✓Trustpilot rating of 4.8 across 906 reviews
- ✓Treatments are prescribed and monitored by board-certified US-licensed physicians, and the price includes medication, the online consult and ongoing support
Cons
- ✗The semaglutide page quotes two different starting prices in the same view: 'Get started for $183' in one block and 'Starting at $189/first month' in another, with no explanation of the difference
- ✗The introductory price rises sharply at renewal - $189 for the first month becomes $289/month thereafter, so the headline is a first-month figure rather than what you will pay ongoing
- ✗The affiliate link for this offer lands on Brightmeds' sermorelin funnel rather than its GLP-1 pages, so anyone following it for weight loss arrives at a growth-hormone peptide product
- ✗Basic copy errors appear on the purchase page, including '$289/mo therafter' and 'Save $50 on our First Order'
- ✗A 'Weight Loss Guarantee' is linked in the footer but its terms are not surfaced anywhere on the product pages
- ✗No BBB profile or complaint history exists to set against the Trustpilot score
- ✗No published customer phone number or support hours
- ✗As with all compounded GLP-1s, the products have not been evaluated by the FDA for safety, efficacy or quality - Brightmeds says so clearly, but it remains the core caveat
Feature-by-feature comparison
| Feature | Circle Medical | Brightmeds |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | $35 | $289 |
| Rating | 8.7/10 | 8.2/10 |
| Medications | semaglutide, tirzepatide, oral semaglutide | semaglutide, tirzepatide |
| Insurance Accepted | Yes | No |
| Support Hours | Not published | Not published |
| Live Chat | No | No |
| Free Shipping | No | Yes |
| Shipping Speed | Prescriptions go to your own pharmacy rather than shipping from the provider | Shipped to your door; timeframe not published |
| Mobile App | Available | No |
| Dedicated Coach | Not included | Not included |
| Follow-up Frequency | Regular provider check-ins to monitor progress | Ongoing support from the care team with physician monitoring |
| Money-back Guarantee | None published | Full refund if you are not approved for treatment; a separate 'Weight Loss Guarantee' is linked but its terms are not published |
| Cancellation Policy | Appointment-based care - there is no subscription to cancel | Not published on the product pages |
Which should you choose?
Choose Circle Medical if you:
- →Want to save $254/month with a more affordable option
- →Prefer a higher-rated service (8.7/10 vs 8.2/10)
- →Want more medication options to choose from
- →Need insurance coverage for your treatment
- →Value: it bills your insurance instead of asking you to forget insurance exists. circle medical states it is in-network with most commercial plans
Choose Brightmeds if you:
- →Value: offers fda-approved zepbound pens and vials alongside its compounded range, so the branded route is available without leaving the platform
Website previews
Circle Medical
Brightmeds
Our recommendation
Circle Medical comes out ahead with a higher rating of 8.7/10. It also provides multiple medication options including both semaglutide and tirzepatide.
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