Meto vs. Defy Medical: Which Metabolic Health Platform is Right for You?

What is Defy Medical and What is Meto?
Defy Medical is a telehealth clinic focused on hormone optimization and integrative wellness. The platform is known for its expertise in testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), peptide therapy, and hormone restoration for men and women. It primarily serves patients seeking anti-aging support, improved vitality, and treatment of hormone-related symptoms. Defy takes a concierge-style approach — patients pay out-of-pocket for lab tests, consultations, and medications — often bypassing insurance altogether. While Defy does touch on elements of metabolic health, its core value lies in hormone optimization and longevity enhancement, particularly for aging adults.
Meto, on the other hand, is a doctor-led metabolic health platform that addresses the biological, behavioral, and hormonal factors behind weight gain, chronic disease, and declining energy. Unlike Defy, Meto is built to be insurance-compatible and combines medical care, prescription support (including GLP-1s like Mounjaro), lab testing, and behavior coaching into a unified care experience. Its platform is designed for individuals managing complex conditions like insulin resistance, PCOS, pre-diabetes, or perimenopause. While Defy focuses more narrowly on hormone replacement, Meto offers a more comprehensive model aimed at restoring long-term metabolic function and extending healthspan.
Features | Meto | Defy Medical |
---|---|---|
Approach to Care | Medical-led, holistic metabolic and hormonal care | Concierge hormone therapy and optimization |
Use of Technology | AI insights, lab/device integration, telehealth | Telemedicine-based care, online patient portal |
Insurance Coverage | Accepts most major insurance providers | Cash-based; insurance not accepted |
Pricing Model | Insurance-based, copay or subscription structure | Out-of-pocket for labs, consults, and prescriptions |
Clinical Team Availability | Physicians, NPs, health coaches, metabolic specialists | Physicians and medical staff, mainly HRT specialists |
Availability | U.S.-focused with nationwide expansion | Available in most U.S. states |
Program Flexibility | Adaptable based on labs, symptoms, goals | Flexible within HRT, peptide, and protocol categories |
Patient Support | Dedicated care team and coordinated support | Email support, provider messaging system |
Mobile & Web Experience | Web and mobile app with clinical dashboard | Secure patient portal for labs, results, and messaging |
Community and Peer Support | Growing support network and live events | Limited peer support; more clinical than community |
Core Philosophy & Approach
Defy Medical is built on the philosophy that many health and aging concerns stem from hormonal imbalances and deficiencies — particularly testosterone, thyroid hormones, or growth hormones. Its care model is rooted in bioidentical hormone therapy and individualized lab analysis, aiming to optimize physical performance, mental clarity, libido, and energy. The emphasis is often on peak vitality rather than treating disease, and patients typically take a proactive, lifestyle-agnostic approach. While it touches on nutrition and exercise, these are secondary to its pharmacological interventions. For many, Defy offers access to therapies not commonly offered by traditional doctors, but it comes at a premium, with little involvement from insurance or primary care.
Meto takes a broader view. It recognizes that hormonal imbalances are often symptoms, not root causes — and addresses the full picture of metabolic health. Its foundation is evidence-based medical care that integrates lab testing, hormonal profiling, wearable data, and behavioral insights to create a long-term care plan. Unlike Defy, Meto doesn’t focus on optimization alone — it aims to restore balance across the body’s systems, improving how energy is stored, used, and regulated. From insulin resistance to inflammation, sleep, or aging, Meto offers a team-driven, whole-body approach designed to improve healthspan — not just hormone levels.
Medical Supervision & Expertise
Defy Medical is known for its physician-led protocols in hormone replacement therapy (HRT), particularly among aging men and women experiencing symptoms of low testosterone, thyroid dysfunction, or estrogen dominance. The platform’s medical team specializes in bioidentical hormone optimization and anti-aging therapies, offering patients advanced protocols that may not be accessible in traditional medical settings. However, its scope is narrow — focused on hormone levels and symptom relief — with less emphasis on broader metabolic or behavioral change. Consultations are transactional, often geared toward prescription optimization and dose adjustments, rather than continuous care across disciplines.
Meto’s medical team spans multiple specialties: endocrinology, internal medicine, obesity medicine, and behavioral health. From the start, patients are guided through comprehensive intake processes including lab testing, symptom evaluation, and clinical risk profiling. Providers work collaboratively with coaches, nutritionists, and AI tools to monitor and optimize care plans over time. Medication is seen as one tool in a broader toolkit — and providers are trained not just in prescribing but in deprescribing when it’s time to taper off. Unlike Defy’s focus on hormone enhancement, Meto emphasizes systems-based healing — addressing underlying dysfunctions with coordinated, long-term care.
Personalization of Care
Defy Medical personalizes care based on lab results, symptom profiles, and personal goals, particularly around vitality, sexual health, and physical performance. Patients undergo comprehensive testing to assess hormonal markers and are prescribed tailored regimens that may include testosterone, estrogen, thyroid hormone, DHEA, peptides, or supplements. While plans are customized, they are often built around a predefined treatment pathway — for example, testosterone therapy or adrenal support — rather than holistic lifestyle-based strategies. Defy’s personalization is strong in protocol design, but less robust when it comes to integrating lifestyle, diet, or emotional health into treatment planning.
Meto personalizes care at every level — from diagnostics to coaching. After an in-depth onboarding process, patients receive individualized plans that reflect their unique biology, lifestyle, and goals. Whether you're struggling with menopause, PCOS, insulin resistance, or unexplained fatigue, Meto’s providers consider hormonal, metabolic, and behavioral markers before designing care protocols. The platform adjusts recommendations continuously — not just medication dosage, but meal structure, fasting patterns, stress management, and fitness. Its personalization is clinically deep, with an emphasis on real-time feedback from wearables, labs, and ongoing check-ins — making it ideal for anyone who needs more than protocol-based support.
Prescription Medication & GLP-1 Access
Defy Medical offers a wide range of prescription therapies — including testosterone, thyroid hormone, peptides, and erectile dysfunction medications. It also provides access to some GLP-1 receptor agonists like semaglutide, although these are not central to its care model. Prescriptions are filled through partner pharmacies, and patients pay out of pocket. GLP-1 access is available based on lab results and provider discretion, but long-term care and titration support are limited. Most patients are expected to self-manage their dosing with minimal supervision beyond occasional check-ins.
Meto is deeply integrated with the use of GLP-1s — including semaglutide and tirzepatide — for patients who medically qualify. Unlike Defy, Meto incorporates these medications into broader care strategies involving labs, nutrition, and behavior change. Providers follow a guided titration protocol, checking for side effects, monitoring lab values, and adjusting other elements of care as needed. Importantly, Meto focuses on deprescribing when appropriate — helping patients taper off safely once metabolic function improves. This ensures that medications serve as a bridge to better health, not a lifelong crutch. In short, Meto treats GLP-1s as part of a bigger picture — not a standalone solution.
Which Platform Should You Choose? Who Are They For?
Defy Medical is ideal for individuals seeking proactive hormone optimization, particularly those focused on performance, aging, and vitality. It’s best suited for men and women over 35 who suspect low hormone levels and want access to therapies outside the scope of conventional care. If you’re looking for testosterone therapy, peptides, or thyroid optimization — and are willing to pay out of pocket — Defy offers a reputable, medically driven path. However, it may not be the best fit if you’re looking for insurance-based care, metabolic condition management, or behavioral support.
Meto is designed for people who want to fix the root causes of weight gain, fatigue, hormonal shifts, and metabolic dysfunction. It’s especially well-suited for those with complex conditions like PCOS, insulin resistance, perimenopause, or obesity that hasn’t responded to diet alone. If you’re looking for a care team that includes doctors, coaches, nutritionists, and AI-powered insights — all working together under one system — Meto is the clear choice. It's for anyone who wants medical weight care without navigating fragmented healthcare systems, and who values long-term results over short-term boosts.