Ro vs EllieMD

Compare pricing, features, and medications to find the best GLP-1 provider for your weight loss journey

Ro vs EllieMD: Overview

Choosing between Ro and EllieMD for GLP-1 weight loss medication? Both are popular providers, but they differ in pricing, medication options, and service features.

Ro offers both semaglutide and tirzepatide at $149/month with a rating of 8.6/10. EllieMD also provides both semaglutide and tirzepatide at $229/month with a 7.2/10 rating.

The price difference of $80/month is significant - Ro is the more budget-friendly option, while EllieMD 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.

Visit CoreAge Rx →Read full review

At a glance

Price Difference

$80/mo

Rating Difference

1.4

Winner

Ro

Best For

Budget

Ro

View full Ro review →

Rating

8.6/10Better

Monthly Price

$149Cheaper

Medications

semaglutidetirzepatide

Pros

✓Prescribes FDA-approved, brand-name GLP-1s - Zepbound, Wegovy pen and pill, Ozempic, Saxenda and the new Foundayo pill - rather than compounded copies
✓Real insurance support: a dedicated team handles prior authorizations and appeals, and there is a free GLP-1 insurance checker you can run before paying anything
✓Publishes exact cash-pay prices for the Zepbound KwikPen: $299/mo at 2.5 mg, $399/mo at 5 mg and $449/mo at 7.5-15 mg with the manufacturer offer (checked July 26, 2026)
✓Membership is $39 for the first month, and as low as $74/mo if you prepay for a year
✓Long-established: trading since 2017, BBB accredited since 2018, and one of the largest telehealth platforms in the US
✓Prescriptions are typically filled and shipped within 1-4 days
✓Cash-pay Zepbound single-dose vials are available if you want to skip the insurance process entirely
✓Ongoing provider messaging, check-ins and progress tracking are included in the membership fee

Cons

✗The membership fee does not include your medication. At $149/mo month-to-month plus $449/mo for a maintenance dose of Zepbound, the realistic all-in cost is roughly $520-600 a month
✗The discounted $449 refill price depends on completing a check-in within 45 days of your last delivery. Miss that window and the price jumps to $499 for 7.5 mg, or $699 for the 10, 12.5 and 15 mg doses
✗All sales are final. Ro states it cannot issue refunds or accept returns on prescription products, except where it has made an error filling your prescription
✗The headline $74/mo membership rate requires prepaying a full year upfront
✗BBB lists 619 complaints, and Trustpilot sits at 3.8 from 4,796 reviews, with cancellation and billing the dominant negative themes
✗No customer phone number or support email is published on the site; support runs through your account
✗Because the medication price depends on your insurance, what you will actually pay each month cannot be known until after you have signed up and been assessed
✗The homepage claim 'Lose 20% body weight on average with Zepbound' comes from the manufacturer's trial of the branded drug, not from Ro's own patients

Choose Ro

EllieMD

View full EllieMD review →

Rating

7.2/10

Monthly Price

$229

Medications

semaglutidetirzepatide

Pros

✓Published pricing for both microdose programmes: $229/month for the single-agonist GLP-1 ($687 total) and $239/month for the dual-agonist ($717 total)
✓No hidden membership, shipping or consultation fees, stated as a headline on the microdose page
✓Available in all 50 states
✓The partner pharmacy is named - Clover Pharmacy - and described as dispensing from 503A-compliant, state-licensed facilities
✓Payment is refunded if the medical provider determines you are not eligible for an EllieMD programme
✓24/7 access to a provider is included in the plan rather than sold as an upgrade
✓A state-licensed, board-certified MD, DO or qualified medical provider reviews your intake, and a phone call may be required rather than everything being asynchronous
✓The compounding disclaimer is explicit: compounded medications are not FDA-approved and the FDA does not review them for safety, efficacy or quality
✓It discloses that vial appearance, contents and dosage may vary based on your personalised prescription
✓Offers a paid 15-minute consultation with a wellness expert that comes with a $25 credit toward your next order

Cons

✗The whole proposition is microdosing, which has no controlled trial evidence behind it. Every published GLP-1 outcome - the 15% and 20% figures the category is built on - comes from full therapeutic doses
✗Both prices are quoted per month but billed as a multi-month total ($687 and $717), so the real commitment is three months up front
✗Compounded medication, not FDA-approved
✗The catalogue mixes prescription GLP-1s with Thymosin Alpha-1, hormone therapy, protein supplements and skincare, which blurs the line between medicine and wellness retail
✗The claim that "community support can double weight loss efficacy" is footnoted to a 2015 Northwestern citation and used to market a product that citation did not test
✗No phone number, support email or business address is published
✗No insurance billing and no HSA/FSA information
✗It is not clear from the site whether full therapeutic dosing is available at all, or only microdoses

Choose EllieMD

Feature-by-feature comparison

Feature	Ro	EllieMD
Monthly Price	$149	$229
Rating	8.6/10	7.2/10
Medications	semaglutide, tirzepatide	semaglutide, tirzepatide
Insurance Accepted	Yes	No
Support Hours	On-demand provider messaging (hours not published)	Company advertises 24/7 support from doctors and specialists, included in the plan
Live Chat	No	Available
Free Shipping	Yes	Yes
Shipping Speed	Typically filled and shipped within 1-4 days	Typically 2-10 business days; no shipping fees
Mobile App	Available	No
Dedicated Coach	Included	Not included
Follow-up Frequency	Ongoing check-ins plus on-demand provider messaging	24/7 direct access to a provider included in the plan
Money-back Guarantee	None - Ro states all sales of prescription products are final, except where it filled your prescription in error	Payment refunded if the medical provider determines you are not eligible
Cancellation Policy	Cancel the membership before your next billing date; charges already processed are not refunded	A refund and returns policy is published; multi-month programmes are billed as a total

Which should you choose?

Choose Ro if you:

→Want to save $80/month with a more affordable option
→Prefer a higher-rated service (8.6/10 vs 7.2/10)
→Need insurance coverage for your treatment
→Want personalized coaching support included
→Value: prescribes fda-approved, brand-name glp-1s - zepbound, wegovy pen and pill, ozempic, saxenda and the new foundayo pill - rather than compounded copies

Get started with Ro

Choose EllieMD if you:

→Value: published pricing for both microdose programmes: $229/month for the single-agonist glp-1 ($687 total) and $239/month for the dual-agonist ($717 total)

Get started with EllieMD

Website previews

Ro

EllieMD

Our recommendation

Ro comes out ahead with a higher rating of 8.6/10. It also provides multiple medication options including both semaglutide and tirzepatide.

Get started with Ro

Ro vs EllieMD

Ro vs EllieMD: Overview

Our recommended brand

At a glance

Ro

Pros

Cons

EllieMD

Pros

Cons

Feature-by-feature comparison

Which should you choose?

Choose Ro if you:

Choose EllieMD if you:

Website previews

Ro

EllieMD

Our recommendation

Related comparisons

Ro vs CoreAge Rx

Ro vs Zepbound

Ro vs Mounjaro

Ro vs Wegovy Pill

Ro vs Foundayo

Ro vs Wegovy

Ro vs NovoCare Pharmacy

Ro vs Ozempic

Ro vs Form Health

Ro vs Henry Meds

Ro vs Sesame Care

Ro vs FuturHealth

Ro vs Circle Medical

Ro vs Midi Health

Ro vs Noom Med

Ro vs Precision Telemed

Ro vs Hims

Ro vs Calibrate

Ro vs PlushCare

Ro vs LifeMD

Compare other providers

Compare GLP-1 Brands