PlushCare vs Circle Medical
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.
PlushCare vs Circle Medical: Overview
Choosing between PlushCare and Circle Medical for GLP-1 weight loss medication? Both are highly-rated providers, but they differ in pricing, medication options, and service features.
PlushCare offers both semaglutide and tirzepatide at $20/month with a rating of 8.5/10. Circle Medical also provides both semaglutide and tirzepatide at $35/month with a 8.7/10 rating.
With only a $15/month price difference, your choice will likely come down to features, support quality, and medication options.
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
$15/mo
Rating Difference
0.2
Winner
Circle Medical
Best For
Quality
PlushCare
View full PlushCare review →Rating
8.5/10
Monthly Price
$20Cheaper
Medications
semaglutidetirzepatideliraglutide
Pros
- ✓Accepts insurance, which almost nothing else on this site does. Most in-network patients pay a copay of $30 or less for a visit
- ✓Membership is $19.99/month with the first month free, and there is no minimum commitment
- ✓Prescribes only FDA-approved medications - Zepbound, Wegovy, Saxenda, Contrave and Xenical - so no compounded product is involved
- ✓Care comes from board-certified primary care physicians rather than an asynchronous questionnaire review
- ✓A full refund is offered if the doctor is unable to treat you
- ✓Membership includes far more than weight care: 24/7 urgent care video visits, mental health support, discounted lab tests and free memberships for family
- ✓An in-app prescription discount card and HSA/FSA eligibility can reduce medication costs further
- ✓The site is candid that GLP-1s 'usually cost about $1000 per month out of pocket' and advises checking insurance coverage first, rather than hiding the real figure
Cons
- ✗The $19.99 membership buys access, not medication. Without insurance coverage the GLP-1 itself can run about $1,000 a month, which PlushCare states openly but which makes the headline price misleading if read as a treatment cost
- ✗Visits are charged on top of membership - $129 for an initial visit without in-network insurance
- ✗Trustpilot sits at 3.4 out of 5 across 2,735 reviews, the weakest score of any established provider we have reviewed here
- ✗Prescriptions are explicitly at the doctor's discretion, so paying for membership and a visit does not guarantee you leave with a GLP-1
- ✗This is a general telehealth service, so the weight-loss programme has less dedicated structure - no built-in coaching, food tracking or dose-titration support
- ✗Medication and lab costs are excluded from every advertised price, so your real monthly outlay depends entirely on your insurer
- ✗Contrave is offered as a $99 cash-pay alternative, but the cash cost of the GLP-1s themselves is not published
- ✗If you have no insurance and want a GLP-1, this route is likely to cost far more than the compounded providers listed elsewhere on this site
Circle Medical
View full Circle Medical review →Rating
8.7/10Better
Monthly Price
$35
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
Feature-by-feature comparison
| Feature | PlushCare | Circle Medical |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | $20 | $35 |
| Rating | 8.5/10 | 8.7/10 |
| Medications | semaglutide, tirzepatide, liraglutide | semaglutide, tirzepatide, oral semaglutide |
| Insurance Accepted | Yes | Yes |
| Support Hours | Video visits available 24/7 | Not published |
| Live Chat | No | No |
| Free Shipping | No | No |
| Shipping Speed | Filled at your pharmacy; not shipped by PlushCare | Prescriptions go to your own pharmacy rather than shipping from the provider |
| Mobile App | Available | Available |
| Dedicated Coach | Not included | Not included |
| Follow-up Frequency | Ongoing management with a board-certified primary care physician | Regular provider check-ins to monitor progress |
| Money-back Guarantee | Full refund if the doctor is unable to treat you; medication and lab costs are never included | None published |
| Cancellation Policy | Cancel anytime, no minimum commitment; first month of membership is free | Appointment-based care - there is no subscription to cancel |
Which should you choose?
Choose PlushCare if you:
- →Want to save $15/month with a more affordable option
- →Value: accepts insurance, which almost nothing else on this site does. most in-network patients pay a copay of $30 or less for a visit
Choose Circle Medical if you:
- →Prefer a higher-rated service (8.7/10 vs 8.5/10)
- →Value: it bills your insurance instead of asking you to forget insurance exists. circle medical states it is in-network with most commercial plans
Website previews
PlushCare
Circle Medical
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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