Hims vs Ro vs Henry Meds: Which Budget GLP-1 Option for Men?

If premium providers like Hone Health ($500+/month) exceed your budget, three platforms dominate the budget tier: Hims, Ro, and Henry Meds. All three offer GLP-1 medications at lower price points—but with meaningful differences in service model, medication options, and overall experience.

This comparison cuts through the marketing to help you choose the right platform for your situation.

Quick Comparison Matrix

Hims: The Brand Recognition Play

Hims launched as a men's health platform focused on ED and hair loss, building massive brand awareness through aggressive marketing. They've since expanded to weight loss and now serve both men and women.

Pricing:

• Compounded semaglutide: Starting at $199/month
• No membership fee—medication price is all-inclusive
• Prices increase at higher doses

Testosterone support: Hims offers enclomiphene (starting at ~$99/month) but not traditional TRT with testosterone injections. This may work for men with moderately low testosterone but won't address severe deficiency.

Strengths:

• Strong brand recognition and substantial company resources
• Straightforward pricing without membership complexity
• Modern app experience
• Available alongside other men's health products (ED, hair loss)

Weaknesses:

• Mixed customer service reviews on Trustpilot—some complaints about responsiveness
• No full TRT option for men needing testosterone replacement
• Compounding regulatory risk (common to most budget providers)
• Less specialized than male-only platforms

Best for: Men who value brand stability and straightforward pricing, don't need full TRT, and may want to bundle with other Hims products.

Ro: The Insurance Navigator

Ro (formerly Roman) built its reputation on men's health and has expanded into weight loss with the Ro Body program. Their distinctive approach emphasizes insurance navigation—helping patients get coverage for brand-name medications when possible.

Pricing:

• Membership fee: $145/month for the Ro Body program
• Medication costs are separate and vary based on insurance
• Total out-of-pocket with insurance: Potentially $200-400/month
• Cash pay without insurance: $350+/month plus membership

The insurance angle: Ro's membership includes dedicated support for navigating insurance coverage, prior authorizations, and appeals. For patients with good insurance, this can significantly reduce total costs. For cash-pay patients, the $145 membership fee adds overhead that budget competitors don't charge.

Testosterone support: Ro does not offer TRT alongside GLP-1s. Men wanting both services need separate providers.

Strengths:

• Strong insurance navigation support
• May access brand-name medications through insurance
• GLP-1 supply tracker provides transparency
• Direct partnership with Eli Lilly for Zepbound distribution

Weaknesses:

• $145/month membership adds cost for cash-pay patients
• No TRT option
• Value proposition depends heavily on insurance situation
• Membership model creates ongoing commitment

Best for: Men with insurance coverage who want help navigating the prior authorization process. Less compelling for cash-pay patients.

Henry Meds: The Flexibility Play

Henry Meds operates with lower brand recognition but compensates with pricing flexibility and unique medication options. They're the only major budget provider offering oral GLP-1 formats (dissolving tablets, drops) for injection-averse patients.

Pricing:

• Injectable GLP-1s: $179-249/month
• Oral formats: Variable pricing, generally competitive
• No membership fee—pay per medication

Testosterone options: Henry Meds offers multiple TRT formulations including injectable testosterone, testosterone cream, and enclomiphene. This makes them the most flexible budget option for men wanting GLP-1s and testosterone therapy together.

The oral option: Some men genuinely cannot or will not self-inject. Henry's dissolving tablets and drops provide an alternative—though efficacy may differ from injectable formats and the evidence base is thinner.

Strengths:

• Lowest starting prices among major providers
• Full TRT options (not just enclomiphene)
• Oral GLP-1 formats for injection-averse patients
• No membership overhead

Weaknesses:

• Lower brand recognition may concern some patients
• Less robust customer service infrastructure than larger competitors
• Oral formats have less clinical validation than injectables
• Compounding regulatory risk

Best for: Budget-conscious men who want TRT options, injection-averse patients, and those prioritizing lowest cost over brand name.

The Regulatory Elephant

All three budget providers rely heavily on compounded medications. With the FDA's 2025-2026 crackdown on compounding following shortage resolution, there's real uncertainty about long-term medication access.

How each is positioned:

• Hims: Publicly traded with resources to pivot. Already showed willingness to adapt after Novo Nordisk dispute in 2024.
• Ro: Eli Lilly partnership provides brand-name access. Better positioned if compounding becomes untenable.
• Henry Meds: Most dependent on compounding model. Higher risk if regulatory enforcement intensifies.

This doesn't mean any provider will disappear tomorrow—but it's worth considering which has the most sustainable business model if compounding access shrinks.

Service Quality Comparison

Consultation depth: All three use the standard telehealth model—online assessment followed by asynchronous or brief video consultation. None match the consultation depth of premium providers like Hone.

Response times: Variable across all three. Reviews suggest Hims has the most consistent (if not always fastest) communication. Ro's membership model theoretically provides dedicated support. Henry Meds receives mixed feedback on responsiveness.

Lab work: Minimal across all three. Basic metabolic panels may be ordered, but none provide the comprehensive 40+ biomarker testing that premium providers offer.

The Decision Framework

Choose Hims if:

• Brand stability matters to you
• You want straightforward pricing without membership fees
• You may want to add ED or hair loss products
• You don't need full TRT

Choose Ro if:

• You have insurance and want help navigating coverage
• You prefer brand-name medication access when possible
• The $145/month membership fee is acceptable
• You don't need TRT

Choose Henry Meds if:

• Lowest cost is your primary concern
• You want TRT options alongside GLP-1s
• You're injection-averse and want oral alternatives
• You're comfortable with a less established brand

Final Thoughts

The "right" choice depends on what you're optimizing for. Budget-conscious cash-pay patients should lean toward Henry Meds. Insurance-advantaged patients may extract more value from Ro's navigation support. Brand-conscious patients with straightforward needs fit naturally with Hims.

None of these platforms offer the comprehensive service of premium providers—but that's the trade-off. You're paying less because you're getting less physician time, less lab work, and less hand-holding. For many men, that's a perfectly acceptable exchange.

Just go in with realistic expectations about what budget telehealth provides.