I was recently discussing GLP-1 medications with one of my clients who is struggling with excess weight, hormonal changes, and food noise, and a couple of the providers that I brought up to her were Emerge and Willow. These two companies both make accessing weight loss medications simple, and they are both companies that I have personally researched, interviewed, and recommend.

During my discussion with my client, I brought up the differences between these two companies, the things I like and dislike about both, and which one I think would be the better fit for her and her weight loss journey. This conversation motivated me to share my thoughts here in case others are also comparing these two GLP-1 providers and would like a little help deciding which one to go with.

As a personal trainer and nutrition coach, I am an advocate for eating a healthy, balanced diet and following a structured workout program. But I am also an advocate for using GLP-1s responsibly as a tool alongside your healthy diet and exercise routine if you need it. Let’s get into Emerge and Willow and help you discover which ones of these providers might be the right fit for you.

Key Notes:

• Emerge offers compounded tirzepatide in fixed doses. Price does go up when dose goes increases.
• Get $50 off your first order at Emerge with code ACC50. Start their quiz here.
• Willow continues to focus on cosmetic weight loss, offering compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide. Take their quiz here.
• Join Josie should be considered for women over 40, offering both compounded tirzepatide + semaglutide (injections or oral tablets) and prescribing based on factors outside of BMI. Use code JOSIE100 for $100 off your first order.

My Experience With Willow

Willow is the first GLP-1 provider to publicly offer “cosmetic weight loss,” meaning that they will prescribe compounded GLP-1 medications to those who have very little weight to lose, aka those pesky 5-10 lbs. Willow is very vocal about their approach to weight loss, sharing ads all over, targeting those who would like to lose weight for a wedding, to fit in their bikini, etc. To be honest, I was initially pretty shocked by Willow’s marketing, but while it seemed pretty bold in the beginning, there has definitely been a shift toward this approach amongst other providers recently as well. 

All that to say, Willow does not prescribe medication based on your BMI, but by using other determining factors. When I, a healthy 37-year-old woman with a very average BMI, went through Willow’s intake process, I was easily approved and sent to the next step of the journey. Previously, providers were very strict about only prescribing GLP-1 medications for overweight or obese individuals (BMI of >27), but this is no longer the case. This can be very controversial, especially in the fitness and nutrition space.

Personally, I think with the continued research that goes on with GLP-1s and the more we discover about the benefits and usage, the more we will see these medications used for benefits that extend far beyond weight loss. I think Willow was ahead of their time when they took this approach, and it has helped them to become one of the top providers. 

Willow makes getting approved really simple and straightforward. You start by taking a quiz that asks for your basic health information and goals, and then you are pre-approved and given medication options. Willow has several options to choose from, all of which are compounded, meaning they are mixed with other ingredients. 

Willow offers:

• Compounded semaglutide - injections or tablets (oral)
• Compounded tirzepatide - injections

It’s important to note that Willow does not offer compounded tirzepatide tablets (oral medication). If you happen to be looking for compounded oral tirzepatide, my recommendation would be Join Josie.

In general, tirzepatide is a more powerful GLP-1 tool as it’s a dual agonist; however, many people experience great results with compounded semaglutide as well. I like that Willow offers both options at affordable prices. The cost for compounded semaglutide (injections or tablets) is $299/month, and compounded tirzepatide is $399/month, both of which are very competitively priced.

Willow’s team of doctors is really responsive most of the time. In general, you can expect to get a final approval on your medication and have it sent to one of their partner pharmacies within 1-3 business days of signing up, which is really reasonable. 

As a Willow patient, you have access to a dashboard that allows you to message the Willow care team and/or your Willow doctor. It’s secure and easy to communicate with the team. Willow also has a really active and supportive Facebook group for their costumes that I highly recommend joining if you want to connect with others and hear other success stories. 

Once you’re approved for medication with Willow, it will auto-ship to your home every month until you cancel it. Willow doesn’t have a check-in policy that I am aware of, so your medication will come monthly without needing to check in with the doctor and report your results. This can be interpreted as good or bad, to be honest. In a way, it’s nice because you can just get your medication every month without having to jump through hoops. But, on the other hand, there’s not a system for checking in and reporting weight lost, side effects, etc., that would allow a provider to make adjustments to the medication or to recommend that a patient taper off or discontinue use. That being said, if you are having any issues with the medication at all, you can easily message your doctor, and they will handle it.

Overall, I have been a fan of Willow from the beginning. They are the sister company to Winona, an HRT provider whom I used a little over a year ago and had a positive experience with. Willow provides a hassle-free way to obtain compounded GLP-1 medications that are affordable and doctor-prescribed.

My Experience With Emerge

When comparing Willow to Emerge, the vibe is totally different. Emerge is a smaller company that focuses on just one medication: compounded tirzepatide in injection form. I actually really love that Emerge offers only one product; while it’s nice to have options, there’s something to be said about a brand that believes in one treatment so much that they don’t offer any others.

When you first land on Emerge’s website, you’ll immediately get the “smaller brand” vibe. Emerge is actually a real clinic located in South Florida, but they offer telehealth services to patients everywhere. 

Emerge uses a prescribing method that I really appreciate and respect. Instead of just starting a patient out on a high dose of medication, they begin all of their clients on a smaller, “loading dose” of compounded tirzepatide to help the body get used to the medication before titrating up. While this method will not produce shocking weight loss results immediately, it’s a much safer and more sustainable way to approach weight loss using a GLP-1. I have worked with dozens of women who were far too sick and had no appetite whatsoever when beginning their treatment because they were put on a high dose right out of the gate.

With Emerge, you start at a smaller dose, and they will automatically titrate your medication up until you reach a safe, effective, and sustainable place for weight loss. With this approach, the pricing looks a little different; Emerge prices per dosage. Here’s what their current pricing table looks like:

• 2.5mg 4 Weeks Compounded Tirzepatide: $287
• 5.0mg 4 Weeks Compounded Tirzepatide: $335
• 7.5mg 4 Weeks Compounded Tirzepatide: $359
• 10mg 4 Weeks Compounded Tirzepatide: $379

Most people don’t end up going higher than 10mg for dosing, which means Emerge is priced very competitively.

The process to get started with Emerge is so simple and very indicative of the small brand that they are. Emerge has you fill out a quick Google Form for your patient registration. Once you submit the form, one of the Emerge team members gets back to you quickly with your approval and next steps. 

When I was first researching Emerge, I didn’t see them mention anything about any kind of BMI restrictions, so I messaged their team and they told me that they consider additional factors beyond BMI for approvals, which tells me that they are similar to Willow in their approval process, meaning there’s a high likelihood that you’ll get approved for medication unless there are any medical issues or if you have a low BMI. 

As an Emerge patient, you have easy access to the care team and can always check in with your doctor. They do a great job of staying on top of your medication and increasing your dosage until you’re at a safe and sustainable level, and you’ll feel supported throughout the whole process.

Code: ACC50 for $50 off your first order

Final Thoughts

Both Emerge and Willow offer easy access to compounded weight loss medications. Willow has more options, so if you’re looking for compounded semaglutide or oral tablets, Willow will be the place to go. However, if you’re looking for compounded tirzepatide, you can go with either company. If you’re ok with starting your GLP-1 medication out on a low dose and spending some time finding your sweet spot, Emerge is a really supportive company, and I find their approach to be very sustainable. 

Willow is probably the more widely known company, and it is a bit more technologically advanced. Willow also has a thriving community of women online that can offer support and community if that’s something you’re interested in. Plus, if you’re someone who knows you will need a higher dose of medication, Willow will allow you to start off on a higher dose. 

Honestly, both brands provide good service at comparable prices. Emerge is a little more specific in that it only offers one option, whereas Willow has multiple options. My advice would be to spend a bit of time researching both brands a bit more, reviewing their social media pages, etc., and see which one feels more aligned with you. And remember that you’re never stuck or locked in anywhere; if you have issues or want to change at any point, you can.

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