1st Optimal vs Maximus: Which TRT Clinic Is Better in 2026?
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Short answer
1st Optimal wins overall, scoring 8.1/10 vs 7.2/10, mainly on transparency and price & value. If price is your priority, Maximus is cheaper at $99.99/mo on a 12-month plan (6 months for injections or cream) that can't be ended early; $199.99 month to month.
1st Optimal wins overall, scoring 8.1/10 vs 7.2/10. If price is your priority, Maximus is cheaper at $99.99/mo on a 12-month plan (6 months for injections or cream) that can't be ended early; $199.99 month to month.
Maps your hormones within metabolic, thyroid and lifestyle context. Thorough, with higher upfront labs.
from $169/mo with a 120-day minimum, billed monthly
Visit 1st Optimal
Maximus
Maximus operates at maximustribe.com. Four testosterone protocols, including fertility-sparing enclomiphene, from $99.99/mo on a 12-month plan that can't be ended early ($199.99 month to month), with lab kits billed separately.
from $99.99/mo on a 12-month plan (6 months for injections or cream) that can't be ended early; $199.99 month to month
Visit →1st Optimal vs Maximus, side by side
| Feature | 1st Optimal | Maximus |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 8.1/10 | 7.2/10 |
| Starting price | $169/mo with a 120-day minimum, billed monthly | $99.99/mo on a 12-month plan (6 months for injections or cream) that can't be ended early; $199.99 month to month |
| Treatment types | injections, peptides, comprehensive labs | enclomiphene, oral testosterone, cream, injections |
| Best for | Best for Comprehensive Labs | Best for Fertility-Friendly TRT |
| Overall ranking | #2 | #15 |
| Price & Value (25%) | 7.5 | 7.0 |
| Clinical Oversight (25%) | 8.5 | 8.0 |
| Treatment Options (20%) | 8.0 | 8.5 |
| User Experience (15%) | 8.0 | 7.5 |
| Transparency (15%) | 8.5 | 4.0 |
Sources: 1st Optimal pricing verified on 1stoptimal.com, Maximus pricing verified on maximustribe.com
1st Optimal vs Maximus: plans, price and what's included
Without committing, Maximus costs $530 less than 1st Optimal over 12 months ($1,498 against $2,028), although its first month costs $31 more. Both offer injections. Only 1st Optimal lists peptides and comprehensive labs; only Maximus lists enclomiphene and oral testosterone and cream.
| 1st Optimal | Maximus | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | from $169/mo with a 120-day minimum, billed monthly | from $99.99/mo on a 12-month plan (6 months for injections or cream) that can't be ended early; $199.99 month to month |
| Plans it publishes | One published rate | One published rate |
| Commitment | 120-day minimum, billed monthly. (1stoptimal.com, read Oct 14, 2026) | Month to month, or a committed 3, 6 or 12 month plan depending on the protocol. Committed plans cannot be ended early. (support.maximustribe.com, read Oct 14, 2026) |
| Labs | Not stated by the clinic (1stoptimal.com, read Sep 11, 2026) | Billed separately (intake $100, one-time) (support.maximustribe.com, read Oct 11, 2026) |
| What the price covers | Rate holds? Not stated | Rate holds? Not stated |
| First month | $169 | $200 |
| 12 months, no commitment | $2,028 | $1,498 |
| Cancelling | After 120 days, submit the membership change request form at least 7 days before the next billing date. Prescribed treatments and telemedicine services are not refunded. (1stoptimal.com, read Oct 14, 2026) | Turn off auto-renewal in the dashboard or by email. Month-to-month plans end at the close of the month; committed plans run to the end of the term with no partial refund. Shipped medication is not refunded. (support.maximustribe.com, read Oct 14, 2026) |
| Formats | injections, peptides, comprehensive labs | enclomiphene, oral testosterone, cream, injections |
| States served | State list not on file | 47 of 51 (not: AL, AK, IN, DC) (maximustribe.com, read Oct 9, 2026) |
First-month and 12-month figures come from our 12-month cost model, at each clinic's no-commitment rate. “About per year” for a prepaid plan is our arithmetic on the billing cycle the clinic prints.
Who should pick which
Pick 1st Optimal if
- you want peptides or comprehensive labs, which Maximus does not list
Pick Maximus if
- you want the lower 12-month cost without committing: about $1,498 against $2,028 for 1st Optimal, on our cost model
- you want enclomiphene or oral testosterone or cream, which 1st Optimal does not list
Pros & cons
1st Optimal
Pros
- + Deep, context-rich lab work
- + Metabolic & thyroid screening
- + Peptide options available
Cons
- − Weaker on Treatment Options (8.0 vs 8.5/10)
Maximus
Pros
- + Enclomiphene, a fertility-sparing option, offered alongside cream, oral and injectable testosterone
- + Four core protocols plus combinations, with the clinician choosing
- + HSA and FSA accepted
Cons
- − Not available in 4 states
- − Weaker on Transparency (4.0 vs 8.5/10)
- − Weaker on Price & Value (7.0 vs 7.5/10)
The bottom line
After scoring all 39 clinics on our 5-criterion rubric (price & value, clinical oversight, treatment options, user experience and transparency), 1st Optimal (8.1/10) comes out ahead of Maximus (7.2/10). But the right choice still depends on what matters most to you.
Choose 1st Optimal if you want best for comprehensive labs. From $169/mo with a 120-day minimum, billed monthly.
Visit 1st Optimal →Choose Maximus if you want best for fertility-friendly trt. From $99.99/mo on a 12-month plan (6 months for injections or cream) that can't be ended early; $199.99 month to month.
Visit →Editor's overall pick
Not sold on either? Our highest-rated clinic overall is Male Excel (8.1/10), from $99/mo membership; medication billed on top. Read the review →
Ready to start TRT?
Our verdict for this matchup is 1st Optimal.
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How we score: every clinic is rated on five weighted criteria from documented evidence. Prices are checked weekly by an automated job against each clinic's live page; a price unconfirmed for 45 days is automatically relabeled “Last confirmed” instead of “Verified.” Scores are never influenced by affiliate commissions. “Visit” buttons are affiliate links that support our work. Educational information only. Not medical advice.