Sesame vs. Hims Weight Loss 2026: What’s the Difference?
Key takeaways
- The Success by Sesame weight loss program includes live video visits, a dedicated provider, labs when needed, and ongoing guidance, while Hims primarily uses asynchronous care.
- Providers on both platforms can prescribe GLP-1s, but Sesame offers access to lower cash-pay prices for FDA-approved GLP-1s and does not mark up the price of medications, while Hims does not offer access to the same lower prices and marks up the price of medications.
- For those with insurance, Sesame providers can handle insurance prior authorization to lower the cost of medications, while Hims does not offer prior authorization support.
Choosing an online weight loss program can feel overwhelming—especially when many platforms promise similar outcomes but deliver very different care experiences. Sesame and Hims are both popular telehealth options, but the way they approach pricing, medications, and ongoing clinical care varies in important ways.
If you’re considering prescription weight loss medications like GLP-1s, understanding those differences upfront can save you time, money, and frustration. Below, we compare Success by Sesame and Hims weight loss to help you decide which program may be a better fit for your goals, budget, and preferences.
A quick disclaimer: this content is designed to help you compare options, not to offer medical advice or promote one program over another.
| Features | Success by Sesame | Hims |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly program price | As low as $99/month (med price not included) | No monthly fee (higher med prices to cover cost of care) |
| Getting started | Intake form followed by same-day video visit to determine eligibility | Intake form reviewed asynchronously by a provider |
| Dedicated provider of your choice | Yes | No (assigned to you) |
| Ongoing video check-ins included | Yes | No |
| Metabolic lab work included | Yes | No |
| Zepbound cash price | ~$1,086/month | $1,899/month |
| Zepbound vial cash price | ~$299-$449/month (depending on dose strength) | Not available on Hims |
| Wegovy injection cash price | ~$199-$349/month (depending on dose strength) | $1,999/month |
| Wegovy pill cash price | ~$149-$299/month (depending on dose strength) | Not available on Hims |
| Mounjaro injection cash price | ~$1,079/month | $1,899/month |
| Ozempic injection cash price | ~$199-$349/month (depending on dose strength) | $,1799/month |
| Generic liraglutide cash price | $470/month | $299/month |
| Nutrition & lifestyle guidance | Yes (via dedicated provider, messaging & app features) | Messaging & app features only |
| In-app dose logging & side effect tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Prior authorization help for medication coverage | Yes | No |
| 24/7 in-app messaging | Yes | Yes |
| Free medication shipping | Yes | Yes |
| HSA/FSA-eligible | Yes | Yes |
Hims vs Sesame online weight loss program similarities
Both Sesame and Hims’ weight loss programs share several features that can be convenient and appealing for patients seeking online weight loss treatment. Each platform is designed to remove common barriers to care, like in-person appointments and pharmacy visits. Below are some of the biggest similarities between the two programs.
Access to both GLP-1 and non-GLP-1 medications
Both Sesame and Hims offer prescription weight loss medications, including GLP-1s and non-GLP-1 options. This makes it possible to begin treatment without visiting a doctor’s office in person. However, while both platforms offer GLP-1s, the availability and cost of specific medications differs significantly.
In-app dose logging and side effect tracking
Each platform includes in-app tools that allow patients to log doses and track side effects over time. These features can be particularly helpful when starting a new GLP-1 medication or adjusting dosage. Tracking also helps providers monitor how your body is responding to the medication and address any side effects, like nausea, early on in the treatment process.
24/7 in-app messaging
Sesame and Hims both offer 24/7 in-app messaging, giving patients a way to ask questions or flag concerns between appointments. This ongoing access can provide peace of mind, especially if you're new to prescription weight loss medications.
Free medication shipping
Both platforms offer the option to have medication shipped to your door for free, a convenient feature for patients who prefer to avoid pharmacy pick-ups or delivery fees. This makes it easier to stay consistent with treatment, especially for medications that require regular dosing.
Ro vs Sesame online weight loss program differences
Despite surface-level similarities, Sesame and Hims differ in ways that can significantly affect your weight loss program cost, care quality, and overall experience. Understanding these distinctions is especially important if you’re planning to stay on weight loss medication long-term or rely on insurance coverage.
Price transparency
The typical monthly price for Success by Sesame is $99 per month, with some clinicians charging a higher monthly rate (providers on Sesame set their own, upfront prices). The price of weight loss medication is separate, and depends on your insurance status; if you’re insured, your medication might be covered. If you’re not insured (or if your insurance doesn't cover weight loss medications), Sesame offers access to a wide range of cash-pay GLP-1 medications at low, upfront prices (see table above).
While Hims does not have a membership fee, they charge higher medication prices to cover the cost of their care. For example, a month’s supply of Wegovy® injections on Hims costs $1,999 per month. On Sesame, a month’s supply of Wegovy injections costs $199 per month for the first two months, and then $349 per month afterwards. Over time, this difference can add up to thousands of dollars.
Medication options and affordability
When it comes to paying cash for FDA-approved GLP-1 medications, Sesame offers substantially lower pricing than Hims across nearly every option. For example, branded Zepbound® starts at $1,086 per month on Sesame, compared to $1,899 per month on Hims—and Sesame also offers lower-cost Zepbound® vials starting at $299 per month, which aren’t available through Hims at all.
The same pattern holds for Wegovy® and Ozempic®: Sesame offers access to Novo Nordisk’s introductory pricing of $199 per month for the first two months for new patients (which then increases to $349 per month), while Hims charges $1,799–$1,999 per month with no lower-cost entry option.
Sesame is also one of the few platforms offering the daily oral Wegovy® tablet, with prices starting at $149 per month, which Hims does not offer. This means that patients paying out of pocket can spend thousands of dollars less per year on Sesame while still accessing FDA-approved GLP-1 medications.
Prior authorization and insurance support
Many health insurance companies require patients to go through a process called prior authorization before agreeing to pay for GLP-1 medication. This process can be complex and time-consuming.
With Sesame, your provider handles prior authorization paperwork on your behalf to help get your medication covered. And if your insurance won’t cover your medication, your Success by Sesame provider can also work with your insurance to try and get another medication covered or recommend lower-cost self-pay medication options if you do not have insurance coverage.
Hims does not currently offer prior authorization support. This means patients are responsible for working directly with their insurance company to complete the process themselves, which can be challenging if you’re not familiar with insurance requirements.
Care experience and clinical depth
Success by Sesame program includes live video care, a dedicated provider, metabolic lab work, unlimited messaging, and ongoing dietary and nutritional guidance in the price of their monthly subscription. This allows for real-time conversations and diagnoses about your concerns or health history before a prescription is written. And because you’re seeing the same provider on an ongoing basis, it may feel easier to talk through your health history, adjust treatment, and feel supported as your needs change.
With Hims, providers are assigned based on availability, and most communication happens asynchronously (via messaging). Lab work is also not included in your care.This approach may be better for those who want a hands-off experience, but can offer less of an opportunity to build an ongoing relationship with your provider or dive deeply into your personal health concerns.
Which online weight loss program is right for you, Hims or Success by Sesame?
Sesame’s weight loss program may be a better fit if you’re looking for transparent pricing, lower cash-pay medication costs, insurance support, and live clinical care with a dedicated provider. It’s especially well-suited for patients who want FDA-approved GLP-1 medications without paying inflated prices or navigating insurance alone.
Hims may appeal to those who prefer a fully asynchronous, app-first experience and don’t need video visits, lab work, or insurance assistance. However, that convenience often comes with higher medication costs and fewer clinical touchpoints.
Ultimately, the right choice depends on whether you value hands-on medical care and affordability or a more hands-off approach.
