Male Excel vs Fountain TRT (2026): Real Cost, State Coverage, and Which One Fits You

Male Excel vs Fountain TRT comes down to your state, payment timing, and care needs. Male Excel may fit readers who want an at-home first test or its wider state list. Fountain offers lower prepaid rates, but not a verified lowest total bill. Male Excel’s $99 excludes medication; diagnosis and fertility plans come first.

By TRT Provider Guide · Editorial research, not medically reviewed · Last verified September 2026 (provider pages, prices, and policies checked September 16, 2026)

That "$99 vs $199" matchup you may have seen elsewhere? It's wrong in both directions. We'll show you exactly why, and what it means for your bill.

If your low testosterone hasn't been confirmed with repeat early-morning blood tests, or you're trying to have a child soon, pause here. Get a proper evaluation before committing to ongoing treatment; start with primary care, urology, or reproductive urology when fertility is a concern. We explain why further down.¹²

• Male Excel may fit you if you want an at-home first test, prefer its provider-stated daily treatment model, or live in a state on its list but not Fountain's. Medication and shipping are extra, and medicine comes in 60-day supplies.³⁴
• Fountain may fit you if you live in one of its 25 listed states, want a lab draw and video visit, and value bundled billing. Longer prepayments lower its advertised rate; the evaluation fee and state lab exceptions still need checking.⁵⁶⁷
• Neither is the next treatment purchase for you if your diagnosis isn't confirmed, fertility needs a specialist's attention, or you need insurance or Medicare to pay for the program.¹²⁸⁹

How we make money: TRT Provider Guide has commercial relationships with Male Excel and Taurus Meds and may earn commissions from qualifying referrals. The provider links in this article go directly to public information pages and are not tracked referral links. Our comparison sends some readers to Fountain or to local care instead. Read our affiliate disclosure.

Male Excel vs Fountain TRT at a glance

Provider-stated facts checked September 16, 2026. Prices above are modeled subtotals, not personalized quotes. The cost model separates supply time, rates, cash payments, and unpriced extras.^341085671112

Review Male Excel's test and consultation details → (direct information link) Or see Fountain's current plans (direct information link)

TRT Provider Guide is the independent decision resource for testosterone replacement therapy — helping U.S. adults understand how low testosterone is evaluated, compare online and local care models and providers, and choose the next step that fits their health needs, fertility plans, budget, state, and care preferences, with every material claim verified and dated.

What we actually verified (September 16, 2026): We read the public pricing pages, FAQs, terms, refund policies, relevant consent forms, and Trustpilot profiles cited below. We checked medical and legal claims against official guidance and did the cost math ourselves. We did not buy either program, order a lab kit, have a visit, contact support, or verify individual clinician or pharmacy licenses. Full details below.

This page is educational information, not medical advice. Call 911 for chest pain, sudden trouble breathing, or sudden weakness or trouble speaking. A newly painful, swollen leg needs urgent medical assessment; call 911 if it comes with chest pain or trouble breathing. An online subscription is not emergency care.¹³

Name check: Male Excel (maleexcel.com) says it isn't connected to the ExcelMale forum. Fountain TRT is run by Fountain Vitality, Inc. (fountain.net). Its women's program, FountainHRT, is separate.⁴¹¹⁷

Jump to: Which to pick · Real yearly cost · States · Male Excel up close · Fountain up close · Dosing style · Compounded or FDA-approved · Testing · Monitoring · Fertility · Canceling · Insurance · 2026 changes · Reviews · Before you pay · FAQ

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Male Excel vs Fountain TRT: which one should you pick?

Male Excel may fit someone who wants its at-home first test or needs one of the 16 states on its list but not Fountain's current FAQ. Fountain may fit someone who wants lab-draw and video-visit care, particularly at its lower prepaid rates. Neither has a verified lowest complete bill, and diagnosis and fertility come before either treatment purchase.³⁴⁵⁶¹²

Here's how we'd sort it if a friend asked.

These are editorial fit judgments based on the provider statements and guidelines cited here—not findings about your medical eligibility.^3456891

One budget question to settle early: will you prepay?

If the answer is no to a long prepayment, compare Fountain Starter with Male Excel's separate membership and 60-day medicine bills. They are not the same monthly payment pattern. Your state, testing needs, exact prescription, and complete quote should decide.

If the answer is yes, Fountain's longer plans have lower published rates. The trade is money up front, plus refund rules you'll want in writing first. We cover those below.⁵¹²

Take the 30-second fit check

Answer these five in your head:

1. What state do you live in? Check the state table. If only one company lists it, that narrows the comparison; it does not confirm a clinician or prescription is available for you.
2. Shots or cream? Daily or less often? Male Excel advertises a daily approach. Discuss the format and schedule with the clinician rather than choosing a dose from a comparison page.
3. Will you pay 12–48 weeks up front? If yes, Fountain's advertised rate drops. If no, compare its 4-week plan with Male Excel's monthly membership plus 60-day medicine orders.
4. Has low testosterone been confirmed with symptoms or signs plus repeat early-morning blood tests? If no, or you're not sure, confirm that first.
5. Is having a child important now or later? Tell the clinician before treatment; near-term plans or a known fertility problem favor a reproductive urologist first.

The right TRT provider is not the same for every person — it depends on whether low testosterone has been properly evaluated, your symptoms and health history, your fertility plans, your state, your insurance or cash-pay preference, your treatment-format preference, your budget, and whether online or in-person care is the better starting point. Some situations belong with primary care, urology, endocrinology, reproductive urology, or urgent or emergency care when the symptoms warrant it. Because a general answer cannot resolve those for you, use TRT Provider Guide's Find My TRT Path tool to map your situation to the right care route and the questions to ask before you pay. The tool is educational. It doesn't diagnose you or decide whether you'll be prescribed treatment.

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How much does Male Excel cost vs Fountain TRT for a full year?

Male Excel's $2,727 injection subtotal uses one $99 entry fee, twelve $99 memberships, and six $240 medicine supplies; those supplies cover 360 days, not 365. Fountain's plans work out to about $2,594, $2,168, or $1,954 as 365-day rates, but the scheduled cash payments differ. Neither figure is a complete personal quote because some charges remain unpriced.³⁵

Why "$99 vs $199" is the wrong comparison

Male Excel's $99 is the Medical Membership only. Its pricing page says in plain words that the medication price doesn't include the membership, and that the membership is required for treatment. Medication is billed on top. Shipping is extra.³

Fountain's $199 does cover medication, provider visits, covered laboratory monitoring, shipping, and concierge support, per its current pages. But it isn't monthly. It's charged every 4 weeks. Thirteen periods cover 364 days; with payment at the start of each period, a 14th charge falls on day 364, before the first anniversary.⁵⁷

So one number leaves out the drug, and the other runs on a shorter clock. Put them on the same footing and the story changes.

Male Excel: what the advertised-price subtotal adds up to

After the start fee, that's about $219 a month for injections or $231 for cream when the advertised medicine price is expressed per month, before shipping. It is an average—not a promise that your card is charged the same amount every month.³

Medication ships as a 60-day supply and the pricing page says it is billed every other month. Under that calendar-month model, one month could be $99 and the next $99 plus a $240 injection-bundle charge ($339), before extras. But six 60-day supplies cover only 360 days. If medicine refills are charged every 60 days from treatment day 0, a seventh charge falls on day 360. With twelve membership charges and the $99 entry fee, that would be $2,967 for injections or $3,135 for cream, before extras. The initial membership and refill timing were not established through checkout; ask which schedule applies to your quote.³⁸

Fountain: what a year adds up to

¹ Plan price × 365 ÷ days the plan covers (28, 84, or 336), rounded to the nearest dollar. This is a comparison rate, not an invoice, a one-year plan, or a complete first-year cost. ² Assumes unchanged prices, uninterrupted auto-renewal, and payment at the start of each period from treatment day 0 through day 364. All three plans exclude the unconfirmed evaluation charge and any applicable lab exceptions or add-ons.⁵¹¹¹²

Why do the two columns differ so much on Pro? It covers 336 days, so your second $1,799 charge lands 29 days before your one-year mark. That second payment buys most of year two. It is advance payment for later service, not evidence that one year alone costs $3,598.

When your next charge actually posts: a real-date example

In this example, treatment and the first plan payment start on September 16, 2026. If renewal follows the published period without a pause or price change, the next Fountain charge would fall on:

• October 14, 2026 on Starter, then every 28 days
• December 9, 2026 on Standard
• August 18, 2027 on Pro

Fountain's terms say subscriptions renew automatically unless you cancel before the current period ends. Price changes take effect at the start of your next period, and Fountain says it gives notice first. Male Excel's FAQ says its refill reminder gives you 48 hours to act before billing and shipping.¹¹⁴

Put your renewal date on your calendar the day you sign up. Future you will be grateful.

Side by side: use the same 365-day rate basis

Male Excel's 365-day rate model is $99 entry + (12 × $99 membership) + (365 × $240 ÷ 60 days) = $2,747. It values the medicine by the published 60-day supply. Fountain's evaluation charge, Male Excel's shipping, and other unpriced costs are excluded—not assumed to be zero. This is not a comparison of equal clinical services or identical medicines.³⁵

On the same 365-day supply-rate basis, Male Excel cream is $2,893: $99 + (12 × $99) + (365 × $264 ÷ 60). That's about $299 above Fountain Starter and $939 above Pro, before missing charges. For actual cash budgeting, the separate twelve-month/six-supply Male Excel subtotal is $59 below Fountain Starter's $2,786 scheduled cash total—but it buys only 360 days of medicine. Do not treat that $59 as like-for-like savings.

What does a shorter billing period cost at Fountain? Starter's annualized rate is about $640 higher than Pro's, or roughly $53 per calendar month. Both allow cancellation requests; the key difference is how much future care you have already paid for and whether unused time is refundable. For a first-timer who doesn't know yet how treatment will go, a smaller prepayment may be worth the higher rate.⁵¹²

Fees that aren't in the tables

• Male Excel shipping. It's added to each order. The current pricing page doesn't list the amount.³
• Male Excel dose changes. Its pricing page says any change in dosage changes your cost. The prices above are "starting at" prices for a typical starting dose, and they include thyroid medication (more on that below).³
• Fountain's evaluation charge. An initial evaluation purchase is separate from the treatment plan. Fountain advertises paying nothing when not qualified, subject to the applicable evaluation guarantee. We did not verify a current dollar amount or complete checkout. Check the exact first charge and refund terms before you pay.⁵¹²
• Fountain's lab exceptions. Fountain says required lab monitoring is included "except where prohibited by state law." Its older terms also say the lab may bill your insurance or bill you directly. Ask whether that applies in your state.⁷⁹
• Fountain add-ons. Anastrozole and tadalafil are listed as optional add-ons. A March 3, 2025 Fountain blog post listed compounded desiccated thyroid at $175 per 12 weeks; that is a dated advertisement, not a verified September 2026 price. Ask what any add-on would cost and review the thyroid-product warning before agreeing to it.⁵¹⁴
• Other quote-dependent charges. Ask about repeat diagnostic testing, replacement home-test kits, collection fees, supplies, taxes, and any medicine or dose change. Male Excel's terms allow an extra charge for replacement test materials in some cases. The model does not price an unknown charge at $0.⁸

What you're really paying for

The medicine-only price is not the same as the program price. A pharmacy price search can help you request a cash quote for an exact prescribed product, strength, vial size, and pharmacy. A coupon price does not include diagnosis, visits, labs, or monitoring, and it is not a quote for either program's medicine.

That doesn't make either program a bad deal. Both charge for access to care and logistics as well as medicine; their public prices do not show how much of the fee pays for each part. If you already have a doctor and your labs are covered, compare an itemized local-care quote. These programs are for the man who wants the whole package handled for him.

Paying with an HSA or FSA

Male Excel prints "FSA/HSA eligible" on its price cards and says you may be able to use FSA, HSA, or HRA funds. Its FAQ also says it will not provide a letter of medical necessity for reimbursement. Fountain's older published terms say it will provide a bill on request that you can submit to a plan; a receipt does not guarantee reimbursement.³⁴⁹

Tax savings depend on which expenses qualify, how the account is funded, and your tax situation. As an illustration only, if all $2,727 were eligible and saved 24% in income tax, the net after-tax cost would be about $2,073 ($2,727 × 0.76). That is not an HSA/FSA eligibility finding or a reduced clinic bill. Ask your administrator which itemized charges qualify.¹⁵¹⁶

Decision point: price

• Want to compare Male Excel's separate membership and medicine charges? See Male Excel's current pricing → (direct information link)
• Will prepay 12 or 48 weeks, and live in a Fountain state? See Fountain's current plans → (direct information link)

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Which states do Male Excel and Fountain TRT serve?

Male Excel's FAQ says it prescribes in every state except 11, which is 39 states. Fountain's current TRT FAQ lists 25 states, while its other public homepage lists a different 20. Using the 39- and 25-state lists, 23 states appear on both, 16 only on Male Excel's, 2 only on Fountain's, and 9 on neither; these are company statements, not independently verified appointment availability.⁴⁶¹⁷

Here's what each company's own published list says. We checked both on September 16, 2026. We counted the 50 states only; Washington, D.C. is a separate confirmation below.

* Georgia and Tennessee appear on Fountain's older page (fountaintrt.com), but not on its current TRT FAQ. Let Fountain's intake confirm. ** Alabama and Connecticut also appear on Fountain's older page. Male Excel excludes both. Confirm with Fountain before paying anything.

Neither company's list mentions Washington, D.C.⁴⁶

Why Fountain's state list is confusing

Fountain publishes two lists that don't match. The older fountaintrt.com homepage names 20 states. The TRT FAQ on fountain.net names 25. Some states are on one list and not the other.

For the table, we use the 25-state TRT FAQ on fountain.net, Fountain's current main site. That choice does not prove the other list is inactive or settle your eligibility. Either way, a published list isn't a promise. Let Fountain's intake confirm your state before you pay.⁶¹⁷

Moving or traveling?

Male Excel's terms require you to be physically located in the state you selected at the time of your telehealth visit. Fountain's terms limit use to locations where its service is available. State rules depend on where you are during care and on the clinician's authority to practice there—not only your home or shipping address. If a move or trip is coming, ask before you buy a long plan.⁸¹¹¹⁸

Decision point: state coverage

On the "only Male Excel" list? It appears on Male Excel's published coverage list, but that is not confirmation of a clinician or prescription for you. Review Male Excel's current coverage FAQ → (direct information link)

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Male Excel: who does it fit, and what is the honest catch?

Male Excel is a cash-pay online program that advertises daily testosterone treatment, an at-home first test, and a $99 monthly membership with medicine priced separately. It may fit someone who wants that testing model or needs its wider published state coverage. The catch is not small: shipping and medicine are extra, its advertised testosterone is compounded, and its terms restrict pharmacy choice.³⁴¹⁹⁸

The honest catch

Male Excel does not give you one all-in price. The $99 you see is the membership. Your medication is billed on top, from $120 a month for injections, and shipping is extra. The $2,727 injection subtotal buys twelve memberships and six 60-day medicine supplies plus entry; it is not a complete 365-day quote. Fountain has lower published prepaid rates, but neither company's full bill can be settled without the missing charges.³⁵

If the lowest published treatment-plan rate is your top priority, you live in one of Fountain's 25 listed states, and you're comfortable paying $499 or $1,799 up front, compare Fountain's prepaid quote first. Its rates annualize to about $2,168 or $1,954 before evaluation and exceptions. See Fountain's plans (direct information link).⁵⁶

Male Excel avoids a 12- or 48-week plan prepayment, but it does not avoid paying for medicine ahead of use. Its membership is monthly and medicine ships in 60-day supplies; Fountain Starter also offers a shorter commitment, at four weeks. Male Excel still has distinct features worth weighing: a 39-state published list, its at-home first test, a provider-stated daily treatment model, a pause option, and a written membership-fee guarantee.³⁴¹⁹¹⁰

What you get

• Start: $99. That covers an at-home hormone test and an online consultation with a licensed provider. Male Excel says results come about five business days after its lab receives your kit.³⁴
• Membership: $99 a month, and it's required. Male Excel advertises unlimited messaging and e-visits, check-ins every 60 days, and blood testing every 6 months. Its FAQ uses less definite language about tests at six months and one year, so confirm your actual schedule.³¹⁹⁴
• Medication:
  • provider-stated daily under-the-skin (subcutaneous) testosterone injections, from $120 a month
  • cream applied twice a day, from $132 a month Both ship as 60-day supplies.³
• First-test markers: Male Excel lists testosterone, estradiol, DHEA-S, free T3 (a thyroid hormone), and PSA. That is the advertised first panel, not proof that every diagnostic or safety test is covered.²⁰¹⁹
• Leadership: Peter Fotinos, MD, Chief Medical Officer, and Lorna A. Brudie, DO, Medical Director and a board-certified OB-GYN, per Male Excel. These are company-stated roles and credentials; we did not verify individual licenses or boards, and the leaders are not necessarily your prescriber.²¹ Several recent Trustpilot reviewers mention being seen by nurse practitioners.²²²³
• Support: phone help from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern, seven days a week.³
• Its own claims: Male Excel says it has treated more than 100,000 men; its company-written Trustpilot profile also claims 18 years of experience. We couldn't independently confirm either figure, and experience is not proof that this specific company has operated for 18 years.¹⁹²²

Where it stands out

• The wider state list. It lists 39 states, including 16 that Fountain doesn't.
• No long-plan prepayment. Membership is monthly, while 60-day medicine supplies are billed separately. Fountain Starter also avoids a long prepayment.³⁵
• A written guarantee. Follow the protocol for 90 days, and if you don't improve, you can ask for up to three months of membership fees back. The conditions are spelled out below.
• A pause option. Male Excel says you can pause through Member Support and restart later.¹⁹
• An at-home first test, which helps if a lab is far away. One new patient put it simply:

"I live in a rural area, no where near any lab." — Daniel, Male Excel reviewer on Trustpilot, with an experience date of September 15, 2026. One person's experience with getting started. It isn't a statement about results or what's typical.

• Room to opt out of arbitration. Male Excel's terms give a 30-day written opt-out process. No comparable opt-out was found in Fountain's current terms. Read the exact instructions and exceptions; this comparison does not decide whether a clause is enforceable.⁸¹¹

What to check before you pay

Its marketing puts symptoms first. Male Excel's TRT page says it treats "based on symptoms" and calls standard lab cutoffs outdated. That wording is not proof of how every clinician practices, but symptoms alone are not the guideline standard. Read the testing section before you commit to treatment.²⁴¹

Its testosterone is compounded. Male Excel's homepage says its testosterone is compounded in the United States. Its cream page describes a compounded blend in a Lipoderm base. Compounded medicines are not FDA-approved. More below.¹⁹²⁵²⁶

You can't use your own pharmacy. Male Excel's terms say prescriptions go to its contracted pharmacies, and it won't send yours to a different one.⁸

The packaging isn't child-resistant. Male Excel's terms say its pharmacies don't ship in child-resistant packaging. Store the medicine where kids can't reach it.⁸

Refills bill fast. Male Excel's FAQ says you have 48 hours to act on the refill reminder before you're billed and treatment ships. Don't let that text sit.⁴

Male Excel bundles thyroid medicine into its prices

The listed Male Excel testosterone prices bundle thyroid tablets at a typical starting amount; its homepage says thyroid support is used when clinically appropriate. Its safety text says desiccated thyroid is not an Orange Book product and is not for weight loss. That is not the whole approval issue: FDA says animal-derived desiccated thyroid products are not FDA-approved.³¹⁹²⁷

Ask two things: Is the thyroid medicine optional? And what diagnosis and test results support adding it for me? Right now you're being quoted a price for two drugs, not one.

A current thyroid-product warning: FDA's current public notice says animal-derived thyroid medicines are unapproved biological products and are not eligible for compounding. It describes risk-based enforcement while the agency develops guidance—not a finding that every Male Excel prescription violates the law. Fountain also has older advertising for compounded desiccated thyroid, so the same product question applies there. Ask for the exact drug, manufacturer or pharmacy, current approval status, and a thyroid-free quote if your clinician does not recommend thyroid treatment. Do not change an existing thyroid prescription without the prescriber.²⁷¹⁴

What Male Excel's 90-day guarantee really covers

• It refunds membership fees only for the first three months, up to $297. Medication and the $99 start aren't covered.
• You need 90 days of continuous participation: attend scheduled appointments, follow the protocol, and be ready to show you did.
• You must ask within 30 days after the 90-day period ends.
• Improvement is judged by Male Excel's own symptom assessment.
• Male Excel can change the guarantee for new members, though it says changes won't affect people already enrolled.¹⁰

It's a real promise, but a narrow one. Read the full guarantee terms before you pay.

For a deeper look, see our Male Excel cost guide and Male Excel reviews.

Decision point: Male Excel

Does the home-test model and published state coverage sound like your situation? Review Male Excel's evaluation process → (direct information link; a clinician still decides whether treatment is right for you.)

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Fountain TRT: who does it fit, and what should you check?

Fountain TRT is a cash-pay online program billed every 4, 12, or 48 weeks, with medication, visits, shipping, and covered monitoring bundled. It may fit someone in its 25-state published list who wants a lab draw and video visit, with a lower rate for a larger prepayment. The evaluation charge, state lab exceptions, conflicting public state lists, and terms for unused prepaid time still need checking.⁵⁷⁶¹²⁹

What you get

• Plans:
  • Starter: $199 every 4 weeks
  • Standard: $499 every 12 weeks
  • Pro: $1,799 every 48 weeks
• What the price covers: medication, provider visits, labs (except where state law prohibits it), shipping, and 24/7 concierge support.⁵⁷
• Testosterone formats: testosterone cypionate injections or testosterone cream. Separate non-testosterone option: enclomiphene. Optional add-ons include anastrozole and tadalafil. One set of Fountain patient materials lists testosterone cypionate at 200 mg/mL; that does not establish the concentration or FDA status of every patient's product.⁵²⁸
• Process:
  1. A short online quiz.
  2. A lab visit. Fountain names Labcorp; at-home collection costs extra.
  3. A 20-minute video visit.
  4. Advertised 2-day shipping after prescribing—not a promise of delivery two days after a quiz. An older Fountain page says follow-up visits happen every 3 to 6 months.⁵¹⁷
• Leadership: co-founder Doron Stember, MD, a board-certified urologist trained in sexual and reproductive medicine, per Fountain.¹⁷
• Who treats you: independent, physician-owned medical groups Fountain contracts with. Its terms name Duval Medical, P.A.; Quaker Ridge Medical, PLLC; Avalon Medical, PC; and Redwood Medical, PC.¹¹
• Guarantee: "Pay nothing if not qualified." Fountain's return policy limits this to the applicable evaluation guarantee when the clinician finds the patient ineligible; it does not promise treatment results or a refund of shipped medicine.⁵¹²

Where it stands out

• Lower advertised rates with prepayment. Pro annualizes to about $1,954, before evaluation and exceptions—not a $1,954 one-year invoice.⁵
• One treatment-plan fee. There's no separate membership stacked on top of the listed plan price, but the evaluation and possible exceptions are still separate checks.⁵⁷
• A lab draw and face-to-face video visits from the start.
• Urology leadership, per Fountain. Fountain describes Stember's training in sexual and reproductive medicine. That does not promise that he—or a urologist—will conduct your visit.¹⁷²⁹
• Pharmacy choice, on paper. Fountain's terms say you can have a prescription sent to a pharmacy you choose. There's no published discount if you do, since the medicine is bundled in.¹¹

"It's a little more expensive but worth every penny." — Jorge M., Fountain TRT reviewer on Trustpilot (posted August 19, 2026; experience dated March 19, 2026). One person's experience. It isn't a statement about results or what's typical.

What to check before you pay

The clock is 4 weeks, not a month. Fountain's older homepage still says "$199 per month." Its current plan cards say "per 4 weeks." Thirteen periods cover 364 days; our first-year cash model includes a 14th charge on day 364.¹⁷⁵

The public refund wording conflicts. Fountain's current return policy says it doesn't refund shipped medication or past treatment, and says it can refund the remaining amount for unused prepaid future treatment. The terms on fountaintrt.com say payments for services and medications are final, even if unused. The older page is not proof it overrides the current return policy. Get the agreement and refund calculation that apply to your purchase in writing before you prepay $499 or $1,799.¹²⁹¹¹

"24/7" means the support team. Fountain says it typically replies within 10 minutes. Its clinical telehealth consent is different: it says telehealth services run 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, with providers "typically" available daily for follow-up questions. Its older consent also says nurse practitioners or physician assistants may provide care.⁵²⁹³⁰

The state list isn't settled. See the state section.

Scheduling has drawn complaints. In an August 25, 2026 Trustpilot review, a customer reported a provider cancellation shortly before the visit, said the next opening was about a week away, and wrote that he canceled and was getting a full refund. We did not verify that a refund was paid. Fountain's profile displayed no replies to negative reviews when checked. This is a customer-experience signal, not a typical wait-time measure.³¹

For a deeper look, see our Fountain TRT cost guide and Fountain TRT reviews.

Decision point: Fountain

Live in a Fountain state and ready to compare the lower prepaid rate? Review Fountain's plan prices → or check its published state list (direct information links)

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Daily microdosing vs standard injections vs cream: does the format matter?

Male Excel advertises a small daily injection or twice-daily cream, while Fountain offers injections or cream on a clinician-set schedule. The guidance checked does not establish one clinic's schedule as best for everyone. Enclomiphene is a separate non-testosterone option, not a third testosterone format.^3255132

Male Excel's daily approach

Male Excel says daily microdosing keeps levels steadier than larger weekly shots, and that it avoids routine estrogen blockers. That's the company's stated reasoning, not a finding from a major guideline. Male Excel prices its injections below its cream.²⁴

Fountain's approach

Fountain's providers select the format and schedule with the patient. Its materials show injection schedules, but those are not instructions for you and do not establish one schedule for every member.⁵²⁸

Fountain lists anastrozole, an estrogen-lowering drug, as an optional add-on "if appropriate." Male Excel publishes the opposite stance. If estrogen management matters to you, ask each company when it would add or skip anastrozole, and what lab result would decide it.⁵²⁴

Shots vs cream: the practical trade-offs

• Cream means no needles. But it's a daily habit, and it can rub off onto partners and children through skin contact. Both companies warn about this, and so does the NIH's MedlinePlus. Children exposed to testosterone can show early signs of puberty.²⁵²⁹
• Injections skip the skin-transfer risk, but you need to be comfortable giving yourself a shot.¹³

How to apply or inject is your clinician's and pharmacist's job, so this page doesn't cover it. See our treatment-format guide for the broader choices and questions to discuss.

The oral options aren't testosterone

Both companies sell a pill, and neither pill is testosterone replacement.

• Male Excel's Triclozene is listed on its pricing page as clomiphene citrate with thyroid ingredients. Its TRT page links to the same product as "Enclomiphene Citrate." Those are related but different drugs, so ask which one you'd get. The pricing page shows it at both $95 and $120 a month.³²⁴
• Fountain's enclomiphene appears as a separate option on its plan page, and older patient materials also describe it alongside TRT. Neither use turns enclomiphene into testosterone.⁵²⁸

Clomiphene and enclomiphene can stimulate the body's hormone signals rather than replace testosterone directly. Enclomiphene is not FDA-approved for any use. FDA-approved clomiphene products are approved for ovulatory dysfunction in women desiring pregnancy; use in men is off-label. A compounded clomiphene blend such as Triclozene does not inherit an approved product's status. Neither is "natural TRT," and neither should be presented as a fertility guarantee.^323322634

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Is the testosterone compounded or FDA-approved, and who fills it?

Male Excel describes its testosterone as compounded and restricts prescriptions to contracted pharmacies; its FAQ names AnazaoHealth in Tampa and WellDyneRx-Fl in Lakeland. Fountain's checked public pages do not establish FDA status and dispensing pharmacy for each testosterone product, although its terms allow pharmacy choice. Ask for the exact finished product and dispensing location—neither a drug name nor a concentration proves FDA approval.^19481126

Two different kinds of medicine

"Compounded" doesn't mean unregulated. Pharmacies still answer to state boards and federal law. But it isn't the same as FDA-approved. And "bioidentical," a word Male Excel uses, isn't a safety rating.²⁶

What each company says it dispenses

Male Excel. Its homepage describes testosterone compounded in the U.S., and its cream page describes a compounded preparation in a Lipoderm base. Its FAQ publicly names Anazao Health Corp. in Tampa, Florida, and WellDyneRx-Fl in Lakeland, Florida, as pharmacy partners. Those are provider disclosures, not independent confirmation that either location fills every prescription or a finding about its current license or inspection status.¹⁹²⁵⁴

Fountain. Its patient materials include testosterone cypionate at 200 mg/mL. That strength alone cannot tell you whether a vial is FDA-approved or compounded. We did not find a current product-by-product FDA-status and dispensing-pharmacy list on the pages checked.²⁸⁵¹¹

This matrix records what the public sources disclose, not a certification of a pharmacy or a clinical endorsement.^194251126

Can you use your own pharmacy?

• Male Excel: no. Its terms say that, to keep its protocols consistent, it won't send your prescription to a different pharmacy.⁸
• Fountain: yes, on paper. Its terms and telehealth consent say you can pick your pharmacy. But the medicine is part of the plan price, and Fountain doesn't publish a lower price for filling it elsewhere.¹¹²⁹

Ask both companies: "What exact product will I get? Is it FDA-approved or compounded? Which pharmacy location fills it, and can I review its current state license?"

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How is low testosterone confirmed before either one prescribes?

The American Urological Association's guideline requires symptoms or signs plus two early-morning total testosterone tests on separate days to support diagnosis. The Endocrine Society also requires symptoms or signs and consistently low, accurately measured results, confirmed with a repeat morning fasting test. Neither company's checked public pages establish a complete two-test rule and its cost, so ask before paying for ongoing treatment.^3533146

This section explains what a diagnosis requires. It matters more than price.

What the guidelines actually say

The American Urological Association (guideline):

• A total testosterone level (all the testosterone in your blood) below 300 ng/dL is a reasonable cutoff in support of a diagnosis.
• The diagnosis should be made only after two total testosterone tests on separate days, both early in the morning.
• A diagnosis also requires symptoms or signs, like low sex drive or changes in erections. A number alone isn't enough.³⁵³³

The Endocrine Society (guideline and its July 16, 2026 statement):

• What diagnosis requires: symptoms or signs plus consistently low, accurately measured total testosterone, with free testosterone when indicated—for example, when total testosterone is near the lower limit or a condition affects the proteins that bind it. Free testosterone is the portion not bound to proteins. It is not a required separate test for every person.¹³⁶
• How to confirm it: repeat an early-morning fasting total testosterone test. In men with confirmed hypogonadism, LH and FSH, hormones from the pituitary gland, help distinguish a testicular cause from a pituitary or hypothalamic cause.¹
• A weight-related situation: the Society's July 2026 statement says weight loss is typically first-line when low testosterone is linked to excess weight (BMI over 27) and no other cause is found. That is a clinician-led evaluation, not a diagnosis from body weight alone.³⁷
• A lab caution: different labs measure testosterone differently, and that can lead to a wrong diagnosis.³⁷

No single number is a diagnosis. Not 300, and not any other.

Why this matters with online programs

At the Endocrine Society's June 2026 meeting, University of Michigan researchers reported that only a small share of men prescribed testosterone had received testing that met the guideline. This was conference research based on a retrospective review of 200 patients at Michigan Medicine who started testosterone during 2020–2025—not a study of Male Excel, Fountain, or online clinics as a group.³⁸

Symptoms of low testosterone overlap with poor sleep, depression, thyroid problems, weight changes, and some medications. That overlap is why guidelines want repeat tests before treatment.³⁶

Male Excel's "symptoms first" approach

Male Excel's TRT page says it treats "based on symptoms, the way it should be." Its first test is an at-home kit. That's convenient, but it's one test.²⁴²⁰

What to do: ask how the clinician will confirm the result with a repeat early-morning test, whether fasting is required, what assay is used, and whether the second test costs extra. You can ask Male Excel, go through your primary care doctor, or do both. A first home kit is not proof that the company never orders further testing.¹²⁰

Fountain's lab-first approach

Fountain's FAQ says your provider orders and reviews lab tests, with treatment only if results support candidacy. That is a provider statement, not an independently verified diagnostic protocol. Fountain still doesn't publish a complete second-test rule and price on the pages checked, so ask.⁶

In an August 13, 2026 Trustpilot review, Michael Bullis reported that his testosterone was healthy and Fountain did not sell him treatment. That's one report, not proof of what testing every patient receives.³¹

If your levels come back "normal"

Don't shop around for a clinic that will prescribe anyway. Ask what else could explain how you feel. A primary care doctor or an endocrinologist can help.¹

Decision point: not sure your diagnosis is solid?

Map your care route with Find My TRT Path → It's a free educational tool, not a diagnosis. It helps you sort out which kind of care fits your situation and what to ask. See the blood-test guide for the questions to discuss with a clinician.

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What labs and follow-up does each include once you start?

Male Excel advertises 60-day check-ins and six-month blood testing; Fountain advertises regular labs and ongoing video visits, with an older page naming visits every three to six months. Those service descriptions do not establish each patient's first safety check or full panel. Ask for the schedule in writing, including testosterone, hematocrit, blood pressure, and prostate monitoring when indicated.^1945173639

What gets watched once you're on treatment

• Hematocrit is the share of your blood made of red blood cells. Testosterone can raise it, so guidelines call for checking it before and after you start.³⁶
• PSA (prostate-specific antigen) is a blood marker used in prostate assessment. Whether and when it should be checked depends on age, risk, symptoms, and a discussion with the clinician; it is not a universal test schedule for every man.¹³⁶
• Blood pressure. In February 2025, FDA required testosterone labeling changes that included blood-pressure warnings (FDA). Your clinician should explain how yours will be checked.
• Your testosterone level, to make sure the dose is doing what it should.³⁶

Provider descriptions are not a clinical adequacy finding.^19204517

A Male Excel reviewer, Benjamin, described almost four months without a repeat blood test in a September 2026 review. That is a reason to ask about follow-up, not proof that a particular schedule was safe or unsafe for him. The Endocrine Society guideline generally calls for checking testosterone and hematocrit at three to six months, at twelve months, and then annually, with timing tailored to the treatment format and patient. Ask about earlier testing when clinically needed—not just whether the membership advertises six-month labs.²³³⁶

For comparison, Hone Health says it retests men every three months in their first year, then every six months. That is Hone's stated service schedule, not independent proof of better clinical outcomes.

Warning signs that need care right now

Call 911 for:

• chest pain or shortness of breath

• sudden weakness or trouble speaking

A newly painful, swollen leg needs urgent medical assessment; call 911 when it comes with chest pain or breathing trouble. An erection lasting more than four hours needs emergency care, including when an erectile-dysfunction add-on is involved.¹³⁴⁰

Both companies say they don't handle emergencies.⁸²⁹

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What if you want kids now or someday?

Testosterone therapy can suppress sperm production, and the Endocrine Society recommends against starting it when near-term fertility is planned. AUA/ASRM guidance also warns against testosterone alone for men interested in current or future fertility. A reproductive urologist is a better first stop when having a child or an existing fertility problem is central to the decision.¹²

What testosterone does to sperm

When testosterone comes from outside your body, your brain dials down the signals that tell your testes to make sperm. Male Excel's FAQ says TRT can impact sperm production. Fountain's older consent tells patients to speak up if they're trying to conceive, because testosterone can reduce sperm production.²⁴³⁰

How much sperm production drops varies from man to man. Recovery after stopping isn't guaranteed, and there's no promised timeline.³⁶²

What each company offers if fertility is a concern

• Male Excel says its provider may recommend enclomiphene when fertility is a priority. Its oral product, Triclozene, is listed as clomiphene-based.²⁴³
• Fountain lists enclomiphene as a separate program option and also describes its use alongside TRT in older materials.⁵²⁸

Neither clomiphene nor enclomiphene is FDA-approved for male fertility, and neither is TRT. An add-on or alternative is not a promise to protect your fertility. Discuss your goals, testing, and options with a fertility-aware clinician before choosing the program.³²²³⁴

Who should see a fertility specialist first

• You're trying to conceive now or plan to soon; there is no universal one-year safety boundary.
• You know you have a low sperm count, or you've had trouble conceiving.
• You've had testicular problems or surgery.

See our TRT and fertility guide for the questions to take to a clinician. Find My TRT Path can also help you map your options.

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Can you cancel, and do you get money back?

Both companies allow cancellation requests, but stopping future renewals is not the same as getting past payments back. Male Excel's terms make sales final apart from written exceptions, including its limited membership guarantee; Fountain's current policy excludes shipped medicine and past care from refunds. Because Fountain's current and older public terms differ on unused prepaid time, get the terms for your purchase and the refund calculation in writing.^81011129

This is a comparison of published contract wording, not a ruling on your legal rights or the enforceability of a clause.^8101112299

How to cancel without surprises

1. Know your next charge date. Under the modeled schedule, Fountain renews on day 28 (Starter), day 84 (Standard), or day 336 (Pro). Male Excel's FAQ says its refill reminder gives you 48 hours before billing and shipping. Ask for confirmation that both membership and medication renewals have been canceled.
2. Cancel in writing and save the confirmation.
3. Ask what stops. Does canceling end the membership, the medicine, or both? Is a refill already being made?
4. Don't stop medicine on your own. Canceling a subscription is a billing step. Talk to a clinician before you stop or switch treatment.

Get your records before a switch. Ask for lab reports, clinical notes, the medication list, and the last prescription details. Fountain's consent lists support@fountain.net and 1-833-967-3100 for record requests; ask about the format, delivery time, and any charge. For Male Excel, ask Member Support to connect you with the treating medical group's records process.²⁹⁸

Decision point: the fine print

Copy the before-you-pay questions for both companies →

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Do Male Excel or Fountain TRT take insurance, Medicare, or HSA/FSA?

Neither company's checked program pages offer an insurance-paid membership. Male Excel's terms exclude insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid billing; Fountain's older published cash-pay terms also name Medicare and Medicaid, while its current program page says insurance is not accepted. HSA/FSA reimbursement is a separate expense-eligibility question, and an in-network primary care doctor or urologist is the better route when insurance payment is essential.⁸⁵⁹¹⁵

• Male Excel's terms say it doesn't accept commercial insurance and isn't enrolled in Medicare or Medicaid. They also say that neither you nor its lab, medical group, or pharmacies will submit claims to insurers for its services.⁸
• Fountain's older published terms say it isn't enrolled with any payer, including Medicare and Medicaid. They describe cash payment and a bill on request, without promising reimbursement.⁹
• Fountain lab bills: Fountain's older terms say the lab that runs your blood work may bill your insurance or bill you directly. In July 2026, one reviewer said he received a separate lab bill after signing up through a promotion. Ask first.⁹³¹

The insurance route: ask your plan about an in-network evaluation, lab coverage, and coverage or prior authorization for the exact prescribed FDA-approved product. With cash payment, get separate written quotes for the drug, visits, and labs. Neither a diagnosis nor a pharmacy coupon guarantees coverage or the lowest total cost. Our online-versus-local care comparison can help you compare the two billing models.

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What is changing in 2026 that could affect your plan?

Temporary federal rules allow qualifying telehealth prescribing of controlled medicines, including testosterone, without a prior in-person visit through December 31, 2026; they do not waive other federal or state requirements. Separately, FDA requested further testosterone label changes in June 2026, which should not be assumed to appear on every product label. A plan prepaid into 2027 should come with a written explanation of what happens if care requirements change.⁴¹⁴²⁴³

The telehealth prescribing deadline

Testosterone is a Schedule III controlled substance, which means federal law controls how it's prescribed and refilled (DEA). It always requires a valid prescription.⁴⁴

Federal law generally requires a prior in-person evaluation for controlled-substance prescribing over the internet unless an exception applies. The fourth temporary extension allows covered prescribing through December 31, 2026, including qualifying audio-video telehealth for Schedule III testosterone. A legitimate medical purpose, usual professional practice, and applicable prescribing and state-practice rules still apply; a text questionnaire alone is not this audio-video pathway. The extension does not stop a clinician or state rule from requiring an in-person visit.⁴¹⁴²¹⁸

The extension is the operative date verified for this comparison. We did not establish a final replacement rule that guarantees the same access throughout a plan extending into 2027. Do not budget on a predicted rulemaking date.

What it means for you: a 48-week Fountain Pro period beginning September 16, 2026 ends August 18, 2027, beyond December 31, 2026. Ask Fountain what happens to your prepaid time if an in-person visit becomes required. Male Excel's site already says treatment may require an in-person medical exam under DEA and state rules.⁵³⁴¹

The FDA's label changes

• February 2025: FDA required removal of boxed-warning language about increased adverse cardiovascular outcomes from testosterone product labels, added TRAVERSE findings, and required blood-pressure warning changes. This was not a finding that every testosterone product is risk-free (FDA).
• June 18, 2026: HHS and the FDA asked manufacturers for more updates:
  • remove the statement that safety and effectiveness aren't established for age-related low testosterone
  • update prostate cancer information
  • revise warnings about enlarged prostate These were requests. Check each product's current label rather than assuming every label has changed.⁴³

The Endocrine Society's July 2026 statement notes that TRAVERSE found no meaningful rise in heart attack or stroke. It also notes roughly a 50% relative increase in pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in the lungs). The Society says more research is needed on long-term risks. The Society describes more than 5,200 men followed for one to four years; its relative-risk figure does not mean that half of patients had a blood clot. These findings do not establish the same safety profile for every testosterone format, compounded preparation, patient population, or online program.³⁷³⁹

Both companies' checked safety text includes older heart-risk wording. A marketing page is not a substitute for the current label for the exact prescribed product or an individual risk review. Ask each clinician how blood pressure, hematocrit, symptoms, and relevant risks will be monitored.³³⁰³⁹¹

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Are Male Excel and Fountain TRT legit, and what do reviews and records show?

Both companies publish U.S. business identities and describe care through separate medical groups; a website seal or customer rating does not verify an individual clinician or pharmacy. On the Trustpilot pages checked September 16, 2026, Male Excel showed 4.5 with 6,470 reviews and Fountain 4.4 with 316 reviews. Reviews can describe service and billing, but they do not prove treatment safety, effectiveness, or current appointment availability.^8112231

Same basic structure

Both companies say the platform itself isn't a medical practice, and that care comes from separate medical groups owned by licensed physicians. Male Excel's own terms describe that structure, as do Fountain's. That structure alone neither validates nor discredits the care; ask who your clinician is and confirm that person's authority to treat you.⁸¹¹¹⁸

Business, laboratory, and medical-group identities above are provider-stated. We did not verify incorporation records, individual licenses, or accreditation through an independent registry.^81911517

Trustpilot, read carefully (checked September 16, 2026)

Review invitations and self-selection affect who posts, so these are not matched patient samples. Review volume does not establish how many new patients a company is signing up, and neither rating measures clinical quality. We did not verify the underlying appointments, bills, or medical records.²²³¹

Fountain's program page says it has a "4.9 star TrustScore." Its Trustpilot page showed 4.4 when we checked.⁵³¹

Complaints worth asking about

These are single reports, not proof of company policy.

Fountain:

• a provider visit canceled shortly before it started, with the next slot about a week out; the reviewer said he was getting a refund, which we did not independently confirm (August 25, 2026)
• a separate laboratory bill after a promotion, reported by Robert Morie (posted July 8, 2026; experience dated July 2)
• weekly-price wording that led a reviewer to expect weekly billing (posted July 9, 2026; experience dated June 4)
• a report about hematocrit concerns and inconsistent communication or notes among clinicians (July 2026); it is not independent proof of clinical error³¹

Male Excel:

• a question about why no repeat blood test had come at about four months (September 2026)²³
• Dan Mann reported being offered testosterone before completing a home test, then receiving different home and laboratory results (experience dated December 15, 2025; review visible at this check). We did not verify the records, timing, or reported offer. It supports asking how diagnosis is confirmed—not diagnosing him or treating one report as company-wide proof.²²

Read the marketing as marketing

Male Excel's claims we can't confirm:

• 96% of patients see "life-changing results" (a figure from its own survey of 32,795 members)¹⁹
• its cream is "20x more powerful" than commercial cream³

Fountain's claims we can't confirm:

• it's the "#1 highest-rated online TRT service"
• members typically see testosterone rise 213%
• it's the "only" program with its combination of services⁵

In 2024, a KFF Health News report, also published by CBS News, cited Male Excel's ads while describing physicians' criticism of telehealth testosterone marketing. That was reporting on industry advertising, not an enforcement action.

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Where do public claims about Male Excel and Fountain disagree?

Both companies have public pages that disagree on prices, state lists, product names, or terms; promotional material can add more confusion. The disagreement itself does not establish why a page differs or which terms govern a particular purchase. Use this table to know what to confirm on screen before you pay.

Sources for the other rows: current Male Excel pricing, its TRT page, Fountain's current FAQ, other public homepage, current plans, Trustpilot profile, consent, and FDA's 2025 labeling notice. All checked September 16, 2026.

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Who should choose neither Male Excel nor Fountain (at least for now)?

Neither program should replace a proper diagnosis, a fertility-focused evaluation, or specialist care for a complex medical risk. The Endocrine Society recommends against starting testosterone in the conditions listed below; some require further evaluation before any decision, and others are reasons not to use it. If insurance payment is essential, start with an in-network care route rather than either cash-pay membership.¹⁸⁵

The Endocrine Society's guideline recommends against starting testosterone in men who:

• plan to have a child soon
• have breast or prostate cancer
• have a prostate lump, or a raised PSA that a urologist hasn't checked
• have a high hematocrit (red blood cell level)
• have severe sleep apnea that isn't being treated
• have severe urinary symptoms
• have heart failure that isn't under control
• had a heart attack or stroke in the last 6 months
• have thrombophilia, a tendency to form blood clots—not every condition broadly called a clotting disorder¹

The FDA's June 2026 request may change some prostate wording on product labels. That's a reason to see a specialist, not a reason to skip one.⁴³

Also look elsewhere if you:

• are under 18; this comparison covers adult care, not pediatric or adolescent hormone treatment
• need women's hormone care or gender-affirming care. This page compares the providers' adult-male low-testosterone programs; it is not a clinical framework for those different needs. FountainHRT is Fountain's separate women's program.³⁷
• are seeking bodybuilding or athletic-performance treatment rather than medical evaluation, or need advice tied to military or sport rules; use the relevant clinician and organization-specific process
• have symptoms that feel urgent (get urgent or emergency care)

Not sure where you land? Use Find My TRT Path to sort it out.

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What are the best options if neither one fits?

If neither company fits, compare a different care model rather than assume another online program will solve the problem. An in-network doctor can be the right route for insurance, diagnosis, or a specific FDA-approved product; Hone and Taurus may be additional quote options for other needs. Their prices and features below are provider-stated, not a full comparative review or proof they cost less overall.⁴⁶⁴⁷⁴⁸

Disclosure: Taurus Meds is a commercial partner of TRT Provider Guide. The links in this section are direct information links, not tracked referral links; no commission claim is made for Hone Health here.

Still weighing it?

• Read Hone Health's men's-program information →
• Review Taurus Meds' published program information →
• Map your situation with Find My TRT Path →

For the wider market, see our guide to the best online TRT providers.

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Before you pay: what should you ask both companies?

Before paying either company, get your full first charge, renewal dates, exact product and pharmacy, testing plan, and refund rules in writing. Two questions do most of the work: "How will you confirm low testosterone with repeat early-morning testing before treatment, and what does that cost?" and "What exact product, and which pharmacy, will I get?"

Ask Male Excel

1. What is my total first charge, and when does the $99 membership start billing? Does the quote assume calendar-month billing or a strict 60-day refill clock?
2. What does shipping cost per 60-day order?
3. Is my testosterone compounded or an FDA-approved manufactured product? Which pharmacy fills it?
4. Is the thyroid medicine optional, what diagnosis and tests support it, and what would my quote be without it? What is its exact product and approval status?
5. How will you confirm low testosterone with a second early-morning test before treatment, and what will it cost?
6. When is my first follow-up lab, does it include hematocrit, and what PSA or other monitoring is appropriate for me?
7. If I pause, what stops billing: the membership, the medicine, or both?
8. What do I need to document to use the 90-day guarantee?

Ask Fountain

1. What is my evaluation fee, and is it refunded if I'm not prescribed?
2. Which lab is covered in my state, are supplies included, and could I ever get a separate lab bill?
3. Is my testosterone an FDA-approved manufactured product or compounded? Which pharmacy?
4. How will you confirm low testosterone with a second early-morning test before treatment, and what will it cost?
5. If I prepay 12 or 48 weeks and cancel, will you refund unused future time? Please identify the agreement, calculation, and any exclusions in writing.
6. What date will my next charge post, and for how much?
7. Who is my prescriber (name and credentials), and how often are video follow-ups?
8. What happens to my prepaid time and care if a move, clinician availability, or a telehealth-rule change requires a different care arrangement?

A message you can copy and send

Before I pay, please send me the full quote for my state and treatment format. Please list:

• the evaluation fee
• the membership or plan fee
• medication
• labs, including any separate lab bills
• follow-up visits
• supplies and shipping
• my next payment date, and how often I'll be billed

Please also tell me the exact product I'd receive, whether it is FDA-approved or compounded, and which pharmacy location fills it. Please explain your cancellation and refund terms, including what happens to prepaid time and how I can get my medical records. And please explain how you confirm low testosterone with repeat early-morning testing before treatment, when safety follow-up happens, and what those tests cost.

I understand a clinician decides whether treatment is right for me.

If you're switching from another provider

1. Ask your current provider for your lab results and clinical notes before you cancel.
2. Tell the new provider exactly what you take now.
3. Let a clinician plan the handoff. Don't stop or change your medicine on your own.

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How did we compare Male Excel and Fountain TRT?

We read the public pricing, FAQ, policy, consent, and review sources cited here on September 16, 2026 and recalculated the bills and state-list comparison. Medical and regulatory statements were checked against the official sources cited, following How We Review TRT Providers. We didn't buy either program, contact support, or receive care.

Our method, How We Review TRT Providers, keeps four things separate:

• facts we confirmed
• claims the companies make
• what individual customers report
• our own judgment

It also separates complete quotes from partial price models instead of repeating a teaser price. We don't give providers numeric scores. See our editorial standards and privacy policy; this article and the educational tool are not a clinical consultation.

What we actually verified: September 16, 2026

Provider-stated facts checked on their public sites:

• Male Excel pricing: the $99 entry price, $99 required monthly membership, starting medicine prices, included thyroid bundle, 60-day supplies, every-other-month wording, and extra shipping³
• Male Excel policies: its 11 excluded states, refill-response wording, compounded-product descriptions, named pharmacy partners, pharmacy restriction, packaging, insurance terms, refunds, arbitration, pause advertising, and guarantee conditions⁴¹⁹⁸¹⁰
• Fountain: three plan prices and periods, stated inclusions, 25-state FAQ and other 20-state list, terms, return policy, consent, and separate support versus clinical-access wording^57617111229
• Customer-experience sources: the displayed Trustpilot ratings/counts and the attributed reviews used above; not the underlying appointments, bills, or clinical records²²²³³¹

Medical, regulatory, and calculated checks:

• The Endocrine Society's diagnosis and monitoring guidance and July 2026 statement; AUA/ASRM fertility guidance; the AUA diagnostic recommendations cited above, also summarized in FDA's published advisory-committee materials^1363723533
• FDA's February 2025 testosterone-label changes, June 2026 requested updates, and current warning about unapproved animal-derived thyroid products³⁹⁴³²⁷
• the DEA/HHS telehealth extension through December 31, 2026⁴¹⁴²
• testosterone's Schedule III status⁴⁴
• the FDA's position that compounded drugs aren't FDA-approved²⁶
• Our arithmetic for supply periods, annualized rates, advance payments, renewal dates, and the 50-state set comparison

Not independently confirmed: marketing patient counts and outcome percentages, support response times, individual clinician credentials or availability, current pharmacy licenses, the exact medicine a new patient would receive, and every patient's full testing panel or care schedule. Male Excel does name pharmacy partners; that is not the same as verifying a specific dispensing transaction.

Personal quote still required: Fountain's current evaluation price and applicable lab exception; Male Excel's shipping, first membership charge date, and refill clock; repeat diagnostic-test charges; dose- or product-related price changes; and any taxes or other applicable extras. An unknown fee is not $0.

What we didn't do: buy either program, complete checkout, order a lab kit, have a visit, test support or cancellation, access patient records, or independently check individual clinician/pharmacy licenses or current certification status.

Commercial disclosure: Male Excel and Taurus Meds are commercial partners. The provider links in this article are direct public information links, not tracked referral links.

How we calculated cost: Male Excel's $2,727/$2,871 advertised-price subtotals combine entry, twelve memberships, and six 60-day supplies. Its separate $2,747/$2,893 models normalize medicine to 365 days. Fountain's rate is plan price × 365 ÷ plan days; its cash model counts unchanged payments on days 0 through 364. We show strict-cycle cash separately and exclude unpriced extras without treating them as free. The models compare bills, not equivalent medicines or clinical outcomes.

Spotted an error? Use our corrections page. The verification date records the checks completed for this article; it is not a promise that a price, policy, or rule will stay unchanged.

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Male Excel vs Fountain TRT FAQ

These answers use the same provider statements and assumptions as the comparison above. Your written quote and clinician's evaluation still determine your bill and care plan.

Is Male Excel cheaper than Fountain TRT? Not on the published-charge model shown above: Male Excel injections normalize to about $2,747 for 365 days including entry, before extras, while Fountain's plan rates are about $1,954–$2,594 before evaluation and exceptions. But that does not establish either company's complete personal bill. Male Excel's familiar $2,727 subtotal buys only six 60-day medicine supplies plus twelve memberships and entry.³⁵

Is Fountain TRT $199 a month? No. Starter is $199 every 4 weeks. Thirteen periods cover 364 days; assuming payment at the start of each period, the 14th charge lands on day 364. Standard is about $166.33 per 4 weeks ($499 ÷ 3), and Pro about $149.92 ($1,799 ÷ 12), but you pay $499 or $1,799 up front—not those smaller figures every four weeks.⁵¹¹

What does Male Excel's $99 a month include? The required Medical Membership. Male Excel advertises provider access, check-ins every 60 days, and six-month blood testing, but its FAQ is less definite about testing cadence. Medication and shipping are billed separately; confirm the exact panel and schedule for your plan.³¹⁹⁴

Which states does Male Excel serve? All states except Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island, per its FAQ checked September 16, 2026. That is 39 states; confirm actual care availability and your location before paying.⁴

Which states does Fountain TRT serve? Its TRT FAQ lists these 25 states:

• Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho
• Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan
• Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico
• New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania
• Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin

An older Fountain page lists a different set, so confirm at intake.⁶¹⁷

Are Male Excel's injections daily? Male Excel describes its injection protocol as a small daily under-the-skin injection and its cream as twice daily. That is its advertised model, not a personal dose or schedule recommendation; your clinician must decide your prescription.³²⁵

Does Fountain TRT offer injections, or only cream? Both. Its current program page lists testosterone cypionate injections and testosterone cream. Enclomiphene also appears as a separate non-testosterone option; it is not TRT.⁵³²

Is the testosterone compounded? Male Excel says its testosterone is compounded. Fountain doesn't say for each product. Compounded medicines aren't FDA-approved, so ask each company what exact product you'd receive.¹⁹⁵²⁶

Do I need blood work before starting? Yes, both describe blood testing before prescribing. Guidelines require symptoms or signs plus consistently low results, with appropriate repeat early-morning testing; a single screening result or quiz is not a diagnosis. Ask each company whether the second test is included and who reviews it.²⁰⁶¹³⁵

Can I cancel anytime? Both allow cancellation requests. Refunds are limited: Male Excel's general terms make sales final apart from written exceptions such as its membership guarantee. Fountain does not refund shipped medicine or past care, while its current policy allows a remaining-time refund in qualifying prepaid situations; confirm the applicable agreement in writing.^8101211

Can I use my own pharmacy? Not with Male Excel, whose terms keep prescriptions with its contracted pharmacies. Fountain's terms say you can choose a pharmacy, but the medicine is bundled into the plan price.⁸¹¹

Do they take insurance or Medicare? Neither advertises insurance-paid program care. Male Excel's terms exclude insurance and Medicare/Medicaid billing; Fountain's older published cash-pay terms also name those programs. HSA/FSA eligibility and reimbursement require a separate check of the exact expense—an itemized receipt is not a guarantee.⁸⁵⁹¹⁵

Will TRT affect my fertility? It can suppress sperm production, sometimes severely. Discuss current and future fertility plans before treatment; a reproductive urologist is the right first stop when conception or an existing fertility problem is a priority. Neither an add-on nor a clinic can guarantee preserved fertility or recovery on a set timeline.²¹

Do I need an in-person visit? Not necessarily under the qualifying federal telehealth pathway extended through December 31, 2026. Testosterone remains prescription-only and Schedule III, and the pathway requires applicable clinical, audio-video, federal, and state conditions. Your clinician or state rules may still require an in-person visit.^41424418

Is Male Excel the same as ExcelMale? No. Male Excel says it isn't connected to the ExcelMale forum.⁴

Is Fountain TRT the same as FountainHRT? Same company, different programs. FountainTRT is for men. FountainHRT is the women's program, with its own details.⁷

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Still not sure which TRT care route fits you? Use our free Find My TRT Path tool.

The quick version:

• Want an at-home first test, its provider-stated daily model, or a state on Male Excel's list but not Fountain's? Look at Male Excel's details, then confirm the full quote and care plan.
• Willing to prepay and in a Fountain state? Compare Fountain's lower published rates, the evaluation charge, and the terms for unused prepaid time.
• Low T not confirmed, fertility a priority, or care needs more complex? Start with the appropriate clinician before buying treatment.

Review Male Excel's current costs → · See Fountain's current plans (direct information links)

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Sources

The public sources below were checked September 16, 2026. Provider statements, customer reports, and clinical guidance have different limits, as noted in the article.

Footnotes

1. Endocrine Society, Testosterone Therapy for Hypogonadism guideline. Diagnosis, conditional free-testosterone testing, contraindications and monitoring recommendations. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹

2. AUA/ASRM, Diagnosis and Treatment of Infertility in Men, Part II. Fertility, testosterone monotherapy and non-testosterone alternatives. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰

3. Male Excel, current HRT costs. Published starting prices, supply periods, membership, included thyroid and shipping exclusions. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²² ↩²³ ↩²⁴ ↩²⁵ ↩²⁶ ↩²⁷ ↩²⁸ ↩²⁹ ↩³⁰ ↩³¹ ↩³² ↩³³ ↩³⁴

4. Male Excel, FAQ. Published state exclusions, refill-response process, testing language, reimbursement-letter policy and named pharmacy partners. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²² ↩²³ ↩²⁴ ↩²⁵ ↩²⁶ ↩²⁷

5. Fountain, current TRT program and plans. Plan charges and periods, intake, formats, support and advertised inclusions. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²² ↩²³ ↩²⁴ ↩²⁵ ↩²⁶ ↩²⁷ ↩²⁸ ↩²⁹ ↩³⁰ ↩³¹ ↩³² ↩³³ ↩³⁴ ↩³⁵ ↩³⁶ ↩³⁷ ↩³⁸ ↩³⁹ ↩⁴⁰ ↩⁴¹ ↩⁴² ↩⁴³ ↩⁴⁴ ↩⁴⁵ ↩⁴⁶ ↩⁴⁷ ↩⁴⁸

6. Fountain, TRT FAQ. Twenty-five-state list and public evaluation description. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴

7. Fountain, program homepage. Required TRT monitoring is advertised with a state-law exception; separate TRT and women’s HRT programs. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹²

8. Male Excel, Terms and Conditions. July 2026 terms; billing, pharmacy restriction, packaging, insurance, refunds and dispute provisions. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²² ↩²³ ↩²⁴ ↩²⁵ ↩²⁶

9. Fountain, terms on fountaintrt.com. Older public wording about lab billing, nonrefundability and cash payment; not assumed to override the agreement for a new purchase. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³

10. Male Excel, Excel Advantage Guarantee terms. Membership-only refund and participation/request conditions. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

11. Fountain, Terms of Service. Current-site terms, dated April 3, 2024; medical groups, pharmacy choice, subscription billing and dispute clauses. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²²

12. Fountain, Return Policy. Shipped medication, past care, applicable evaluation guarantee and remaining prepaid treatment. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³

13. MedlinePlus, Testosterone Topical. Transfer warning, serious symptoms and storage precautions; product instructions are formulation-specific. ↩ ↩² ↩³

14. Fountain, New Add-On Products. March 3, 2025 advertisement; $175 thyroid price is historical, not a current verified quote. ↩ ↩²

15. IRS Publication 969, Health Savings Accounts and Other Tax-Favored Health Plans. Qualified-expense and reimbursement rules; not a finding that every program fee qualifies. ↩ ↩² ↩³

16. IRS Publication 502, Medical and Dental Expenses. Medical-expense definitions and exclusions. ↩

17. Fountain, other public TRT homepage. Different twenty-state list, older monthly pricing and three-to-six-month follow-up wording. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹²

18. HHS, Licensing Across State Lines. Patient location, state authorization and cross-state practice requirements. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

19. Male Excel, program homepage. Provider statements about testing, compounded medicines, support, membership, outcomes and pause option. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰

20. Male Excel, at-home male hormone test. Initial collection process and advertised markers; not proof that all confirmatory testing is included. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

21. Male Excel, HRT specialists. Provider-stated roles and credentials, not an independent license verification. ↩

22. Trustpilot, Male Excel profile. Dated snapshot and attributed individual reports; underlying care and bills not independently verified. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

23. Trustpilot, Male Excel reviews, page 2. Benjamin’s follow-up-testing report; individual customer-experience signal only. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

24. Male Excel, online TRT program. Symptoms-first marketing, treatment descriptions and alternative-drug wording. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

25. Male Excel, Testosterone Lipoderm Cream. Compounded cream description and provider-stated frequency. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

26. FDA, Understanding the Risks of Compounded Drugs. Compounded preparations are not FDA-approved. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸

27. FDA, Actions to Address Unapproved Thyroid Medications. Current public guidance on animal-derived thyroid products, lack of approval, compounding and risk-based enforcement. ↩ ↩² ↩³

28. Fountain, patient-material archive. Provider documents identify formulations and separate enclomiphene use. Individual patient instructions are not recommendations for readers. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

29. Fountain, telehealth consent. Current-site consent, dated July 24, 2024; clinical-access language, records and pharmacy choice. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹

30. Fountain, consent on fountaintrt.com. Clinician types and fertility warnings in older public consent. ↩ ↩² ↩³

31. Trustpilot, FountainTRT profile. Dated snapshot and attributed individual reports; underlying care and bills not independently verified. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸

32. Operation Supplement Safety, Clomiphene and Enclomiphene: Drugs, Not Dietary Supplements. January 12, 2026 information on drug identity and approval status. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

33. FDA, Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee materials. June 2022 materials, especially PDF pages 37–39: diagnostic-guideline context and enclomiphene’s unapproved application. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

34. DailyMed, Clomiphene Citrate Tablets, Accord Healthcare. Label updated December 1, 2025; prescription status, indication and lack of an approved male-fertility indication. ↩ ↩²

35. American Urological Association, Testosterone Deficiency Guideline. Diagnostic recommendations 1–3. The same recommendations are summarized in the FDA advisory materials cited alongside this link. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

36. Bhasin et al., Testosterone Therapy in Men With Hypogonadism: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline. 2018 full guideline, especially diagnostic recommendations and monitoring tables. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹

37. Endocrine Society, Statement on Testosterone Replacement Therapy. July 16, 2026 statement; symptoms plus testing, reversible causes and limits of safety evidence. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

38. Endocrine Society, Testosterone therapy in men may be overprescribed, inconsistent with clinical guidelines. June 13, 2026 conference-research release; retrospective Michigan Medicine sample, not provider-specific or nationally representative evidence. ↩

39. FDA, Class-Wide Labeling Changes for Testosterone Products. February 28, 2025 notice; cardiovascular warning changes and blood-pressure warnings. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

40. MedlinePlus, Tadalafil. Prolonged erection and urgent adverse-effect guidance. ↩

41. DEA/HHS, Fourth Temporary Extension of Telemedicine Flexibilities. Published December 31, 2025; qualifying prescribing through December 31, 2026, with applicable conditions. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

42. HHS, DEA Telemedicine Extension Through 2026. January 2, 2026 explanation of the extension and retained safeguards. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

43. HHS/FDA, Request for Updates to Testosterone Therapy Labeling. June 18, 2026 request; not a statement that every finished-product label has already changed. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

44. DEA, Drug Scheduling. Testosterone is listed as Schedule III. ↩ ↩² ↩³

45. GlobeNewswire, Male Excel TRT 2026 promotional release. April 16, 2026 promotional publication. Used only to document its own wording, not as authority for current cost, coverage, clinical benefits or FDA approval. ↩ ↩² ↩³

46. Hone Health, Men’s HRT Membership Overview and Payment Breakdown. Help-center article and attached May 28, 2026 payment document: $1,548 in twelve $129 payments, medicine separate; other advertised memberships differ. ↩ ↩²

47. Hone Health, its comparison with Hims. Provider-stated $135/$155 tiers and follow-up testing; used only for Hone’s own service statements. ↩ ↩²

48. Taurus Meds, program homepage. Free initial-test advertising; offer conditions and full plan price need a personal quote. ↩ ↩²