Every telehealth comparison site claims to be "independent" and "unbiased." Most aren't — they rank providers by affiliate payout, not quality. We built Side by Side Meds with a different approach: a published scoring methodology that we apply consistently regardless of affiliate relationships. Here's how it works.
Our Six Scoring Dimensions
Clinical Quality — 30%
The most heavily weighted dimension because it directly impacts your health. We assess prescriber credentials and licensing verification, intake thoroughness and contraindication screening, evidence-based dose titration protocols, follow-up care structure and frequency, and patient safety measures (lab monitoring recommendations, escalation pathways). A platform that prescribes in 5 minutes with no follow-up plan scores poorly here, regardless of how good the price is.
Pricing Transparency — 20%
We evaluate whether the advertised price is the actual all-in cost. Hidden fees, misleading introductory pricing, unclear refill costs, and opaque cancellation terms all reduce scores. Providers that publish a single all-inclusive monthly number with no surprises score highest.
Medication Access — 15%
What's available — compounded semaglutide, compounded tirzepatide, brand-name, oral options? Can you switch between formulations? Is the pharmacy properly licensed (503A/503B for compounding, retail for brand-name)?
Patient Experience — 15%
Intake flow, communication channels, response times, app quality, and — critically — cancellation ease. We test cancellation processes ourselves. If it takes a phone call during business hours to cancel, that's a significant deduction.
Pharmacy Quality — 10%
FDA registration status, state licensing, third-party testing, any compliance history, shipping speed, and cold-chain handling for injectable medications.
Accountability — 10%
Company transparency (identified leadership, public filings), customer service responsiveness, handling of complaints, and regulatory compliance history. FDA warning letters result in mandatory disclosure in our reviews regardless of overall score.
Why This Weighting
Clinical quality at 30% reflects our core principle: a cheap, fast platform that provides bad care is worse than an expensive, slow one that keeps you safe. Pricing transparency at 20% reflects the reality that deceptive pricing is the most common consumer complaint in telehealth.
How Affiliate Relationships Work
We earn affiliate commissions from some providers we review. We disclose this on every page with a "Paid link" label. Our scoring is applied identically to affiliate and non-affiliate providers. We have declined affiliate relationships with providers that didn't meet our minimum quality threshold. If a provider's quality declines, their score drops regardless of revenue impact.
Our Top-Scored Providers
All providers are US-licensed telehealth platforms. Availability varies by state.
⚕️ Compounded medications are not FDA-approved. They are prepared by licensed pharmacies under physician supervision.
Injectable semaglutide only. Embody also offers oral tirzepatide gum which is not featured here.
⚕️ Compounded medications are not FDA-approved. They are prepared by licensed pharmacies under physician supervision.
⚕️ Compounded medications are not FDA-approved. They are prepared by licensed pharmacies under physician supervision.
What We Don't Factor In
Advertising spend, brand recognition, celebrity endorsements, number of users, social media presence, and affiliate commission rates are all excluded from scoring. A heavily-marketed platform with millions of customers can still deliver mediocre clinical care. Our scores measure what you get as a patient, not what the company spends on marketing.
Sources & References
- FTC. Endorsement Guides: Affiliate Disclosure Requirements. 2024.
- NABP. Accredited Digital Pharmacy Standards. 2025–2026.
- NCQA. Telehealth Quality Measurement Framework. 2025.
- FDA. Registered Pharmacy Verification. 2026.