Testosterone cream cost is not one price. Hone lists cream at about $60 a month plus a $135 or $155 membership; Henry lists a $129 monthly care-and-medication bundle. These are U.S. cash-pay examples for men with evaluated testosterone deficiency. Labs, dose-dependent charges, shipping and billing terms can change your total. Hone pricing · Henry program
Best for: men whose low testosterone has been properly checked, who want a needle-free option, and who are paying cash.
Not for you yet if: low testosterone has not been properly evaluated, you want to father a child soon, or you need insurance to pay. Symptoms or signs plus consistently low results—not a quiz or one blood test—are needed for a diagnosis. Outside testosterone can reduce sperm production. Clinical guidance
By TRT Provider Guide · Last verified: September 2026 (all prices checked September 17, 2026) · Editorial research, not clinically reviewed
Educational information, not medical advice. If you have chest pain, trouble breathing, or another urgent symptom, get emergency care.
The four prices of testosterone cream
| Which price? | What it covers | What we found (checked September 17, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The medication or medication package | The cream, or the drugs bundled with it, before required care fees | Hone estimates $60/month for cream. Male Excel lists $132/month for cream plus thyroid tablets, equivalent to $264 per 60-day supply. Those are not two cream-only quotes. Hone · Male Excel |
| 2. The program | Medication plus required membership or care bundle | Examples include Maximus’s $99.99/month six-month plan before labs, Henry’s $129/month published bundle, and Male Excel’s $231 recurring component subtotal before shipping. Maximus · Henry · Male Excel |
| 3. The first-year bill | Each charge, its date, and what remains unpriced | Henry’s 12-payment bundle model is $1,548. Other models below separate known subtotals from missing costs and from cash paid in days 0–364. There is no verified all-in market range. |
| 4. The FDA-approved alternative | A testosterone gel, with your own prescriber and separately priced care | GoodRx displayed $42.87 for one generic 1.62% 88-gram pump. The HRT Club listed brand AndroGel 1.62% at $40 a bottle, plus membership. Prices are not treatment quotes. GoodRx · The HRT Club |
Most price fights online happen because someone compares price 1 with price 3. Jump to: the cream alone · your first-year bill · insurance · the gel option
The cream's price, the program's price, the first-year bill, and the FDA-approved gel you should price before you decide.
That spread isn't random. Three things can move your number beyond the cream itself: the plan length you agree to, how many blood tests you pay for, and whether your price climbs when your dose changes. And lower-priced options deserve space here even when they aren't our named commercial partners. We'll show you those, too.
How we make money: Male Excel, Hone Health and Taurus Meds are commercial partners of TRT Provider Guide. We may earn commissions through paid referral links elsewhere on our site. The provider links in this article go directly to public information pages, not through affiliate tracking. Prices and conclusions do not depend on compensation. Read our affiliate disclosure.
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.
This page covers the cost of testosterone cream for adult men being evaluated or treated for testosterone deficiency. Testosterone for women, gender-affirming hormone care and adolescent care use different clinical frameworks; these program prices should not be carried over to those settings.
How much does testosterone cream cost per month?
Hone estimates about $60 a month for testosterone cream, before its required membership. Male Excel’s $132 monthly starting figure covers cream plus thyroid tablets, billed as a $264 supply lasting 60 days. A pharmacy’s tube price is a third type of quote, and its days’ supply must be known before comparing it with either program. Hone · Male Excel
Here's what the companies' own pages separate from the care fees.
| Where | Published medication price | What that price covers | What you pay on top |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hone Health | About $60 a month; an estimate | The compounded cream | A $135 Plus or $155 Premium monthly membership, plus entry and confirmation tests; confirm the required tier |
| Male Excel | From $132 a month; $264 per 60-day supply | Compounded cream plus thyroid tablets, sold as one package | A required $99 monthly membership, $99 initial consultation and shipping; confirm any extra testing fees |
| Defy Medical (store catalog) | Request a current quote | A listed 30 mL cream product; the public catalog view did not show a current price | An itemized quote for visits, labs, medication and delivery; how long a tube lasts depends on the prescription |
Company pages checked September 17, 2026. Hone and Male Excel both say the final price depends on your dose. A published medication estimate is not a pharmacy-only offer that bypasses the required care plan.
Notice what's missing from that table: Henry, Maximus and Fountain. Their checked offers bundle cream with a program rather than quote it by itself, which is why we put them in the first-year table below. Henry · Maximus · Fountain
Why "per month" can fool you
Cream programs don't all bill by the calendar month.
- Male Excel describes every-other-month billing for 60-day supplies. That does not prove that every payment is exactly 60 days apart. Pricing terms
- Fountain bills every 4 weeks, not every month. Thirteen four-week periods cover 364 days; a renewal can create a 14th cash charge within the first 365 days. Plan periods
- Henry ships cream in 90-day supplies but bills monthly. Program terms
- A tube from a pharmacy lasts as long as your prescription says it does. That might be a month. It might not.
So a "monthly" number is often an average of something that isn't monthly at all.
A tube is not a month
If you're comparing two cream quotes, turn each one into the same unit. Use this:
30-day cost = fill price × 30 ÷ the days' supply your pharmacist confirms
Male Excel's $264 package covers a 60-day supply, so it works out to $132 per 30 days. As a separate hypothetical example, a $78 tube that your pharmacist says will last 45 days works out to $52 per 30 days. The example is not a current Defy quote. Male Excel’s published inputs
Two warnings. First, only compare quotes for the same prescription, meaning the same strength, amount and cream base (the lotion-like material that carries the medicine). A different cream is not automatically a substitute. Second, never try to stretch a tube by using less than prescribed. That isn't saving money. It's changing your treatment without your clinician. FDA compounding guidance
What's bundled into the price
Some cream prices include other drugs.
-
Male Excel's advertised cream package includes thyroid tablets. Ask whether thyroid is optional for you, what testing and diagnosis support it, and what the cream costs without it. A package price does not establish a medical need for a second drug. Published package
Male Excel’s safety text describes desiccated thyroid. FDA says animal-derived desiccated thyroid products are not FDA-approved and are not eligible for compounding; that is a separate issue from the compounded testosterone cream. Ask for the exact thyroid product and the clinical reason for adding it. Male Excel safety information · Current FDA thyroid guidance
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Henry's $129 plan says a clinician may add anastrozole (a drug that lowers estrogen) at no extra cost when appropriate. No extra cost isn't the same as needed. Ask why it would be prescribed. Anastrozole is not testosterone. Henry’s program terms
What does a testosterone cream program cost in the first year?
A first-year cost is only complete when every required charge is known. Henry’s published $129 bundle produces a $1,548 twelve-payment model; Hone’s listed components produce about $2,430–$2,670, depending on tier and confirmation testing. Male Excel, Maximus and fixed-week plans need extra care with missing fees, testing requirements and payment dates. Henry · Hone Plus · Hone Premium
This is the table we wish existed when we started. We read each company's own price, plan and help pages on September 17, 2026, then did the math ourselves.
Our assumptions: prices don't change, you stay on the starting-price prescription, and you stay enrolled. A 12-payment model counts twelve monthly program charges plus the listed entry fees; it is not a promise about cash charged in a particular 365-day window. For a fixed-week cash model, day 0 is the first program payment and the window runs through day 364. Tests bought before enrollment, refill processing, taxes, extra care and actual renewal dates can change your bill.
| Program | To get started and continue | Blood tests and other gaps | First-year model—not a guaranteed bill | Later-year model at unchanged prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry | $129/month for the published visits, medication and labs bundle | Confirm the plan term, cream quantity limit and whether any patient-specific care is outside the bundle | $1,548 = 12 × $129 | $1,548 for another 12 payments |
| Maximus, six-month plan | $49.99 first month for the advertised new-customer offer, then $99.99/month; six-month commitment | Labs separate. The $99 home kit may not cover every required test. Payment can be upfront or by installments | $1,149.88 plan subtotal = $49.99 + 11 × $99.99. Conditional three-/four-kit examples: $1,446.88 / $1,545.88, not verified complete testing bills | $1,199.88 plan subtotal for 12 regular payments; add the required labs |
| Maximus, month to month | $199.99/month | Same testing gap; the six-month introduction is not applied here | $2,399.88 plan subtotal. Conditional three-/four-kit examples: $2,696.88 / $2,795.88 | $2,399.88 plan subtotal for 12 payments; add the required labs |
| Hone Plus | $45 entry test; $135 membership + about $60 cream per month | Confirmation: $45 or $50 in-lab across conflicting help pages, or $80 at home; follow-up labs and shipping described as included | $2,430 / $2,435 / $2,465 component models = $45 + confirmation + 12 × $195 | $2,340 for 12 membership-and-medication equivalents; any extra services remain separate |
| Hone Premium | $65 entry panel; $155 membership + about $60 cream per month | $25 confirmation; follow-up labs and shipping described as included | $2,670 component model = $65 + $25 + 12 × $215 | $2,580 for 12 membership-and-medication equivalents; any extra services remain separate |
| Male Excel | $99 consultation including home test; $99/month membership + $264 per 60-day cream-and-thyroid package | Homepage lists routine six-month blood testing in membership. Shipping and any additional or replacement testing remain unpriced | $2,871 subtotal with 12 memberships and six fills; $3,135 subtotal with seven fills. Neither includes shipping or other unquoted charges | $2,772 subtotal with 12 memberships and six fills; $3,036 with seven fills, before extras |
| Fountain Starter | $199 every 4 weeks | Provider describes labs and care as included; confirm the exact cream prescription and any exceptions | $2,786 fixed-week cash model = 14 charges on days 0–364 | $2,587 = 13 charges on days 365–729 under the same schedule |
| Fountain Standard | $499 every 12 weeks | Same need to confirm the patient-specific bundle | $2,495 fixed-week cash model = 5 × $499 | $1,996 = 4 charges on days 365–729 |
| Fountain Pro | $1,799 every 48 weeks | Same need to confirm the patient-specific bundle | $3,598 fixed-week cash model = 2 × $1,799 | $1,799 = 1 charge on days 365–729 |
| Defy Medical | Request an itemized consultation, cream, labs and delivery quote | No current complete cream-care total established from the catalog | Needs a written quote | Needs a written quote |
Sources: the linked company pages, Male Excel’s home-test FAQ and membership inclusions, Hone’s confirmation-test schedule, and Maximus’s lab policy. Checked September 17, 2026. Totals and charge dates are our math, not bills we received. The rows use different clearly labeled models; they are not an all-in lowest-to-highest ranking.
Why the Maximus lab examples are conditional: three $99 kits add $297 and four add $396. Its policy also lists in-lab testing and a larger cream panel, so do not assume those kits meet every requirement. An annual test may be billed before or after your one-year date. If a later year needed exactly one $99 kit, the corresponding plan-plus-kit examples would be $1,298.88 on the six-month rate or $2,498.88 month to month; neither is a complete verified care quote. Lab policy
Without the Maximus introductory offer, twelve $99.99 plan payments total $1,199.88 before labs. The temporary first-month saving is $50, not a different long-term rate. Current offer
A total with a missing piece is a subtotal, not your final bill. Where a company doesn't publish shipping, extra tests or the price at a higher dose, we left it out rather than guess, and said so.
Two lower-priced offers that aren't our named commercial partners
Henry has the lowest published monthly bundle among the cream programs compared here that describe labs as included: $129 a month, or $1,548 for twelve payments. One catch: Henry's testosterone page says there are no long-term contracts, but the same page says that cancelling before your contract term ends requires paying the rest of your contract balance, unless a clinician says you can't continue for medical reasons. Ask which plan you're on before you pay. Henry’s price and cancellation wording Its landing page describes an age range of 24–70 for this offer, another reason to confirm eligibility rather than assume every adult can enroll. Eligibility wording
Maximus has the lowest regular monthly plan rate in this comparison: $99.99 on its six-month plan, with $49.99 for the first month in the offer checked. Labs are extra, and Maximus's own policy says committed multi-month plans can't be ended early or partly refunded. The month-to-month price is $199.99. See our Maximus TRT cost guide. Published plans · Subscription terms
What the full-service memberships cost
Hone Health lists cream at about $60 a month on top of a membership. Its help center lists that cream under the Plus plan ($135 a month). Its cream product page labels cream a Premium product and lists Premium at $155. That's the difference between about $2,430 and $2,670 in year one. Hone also lists the in-lab confirmation test at $45 on one help page and $50 on another. Ask which plan your cream needs, and get the test price in writing. More in our Hone TRT cost guide. Plus help page · Cream page · Testing schedule
Male Excel charges a $99 consultation, a $99 monthly membership, and $264 per 60-day cream order at its starting price, plus shipping. Its own pricing FAQ says any change in your dose changes your cost. Details in our Male Excel cost breakdown. Its homepage now says routine blood tests every six months are part of membership; confirm the cost of any additional testing. Pricing · Membership
Fountain bills in 4-, 12- or 48-week blocks and calls its membership all-inclusive, with cream listed as one of its treatment options. Prepayment is not the same as an unrefundable commitment: its refund policy allows a prorated refund for future prepaid treatment months, but not shipped medication or treatment already received. Plans · Refund policy
Two billing calendars that catch people
Fountain's four-week billing. Thirteen 4-week periods cost $2,587. But if your first charge is on day 0, a 14th charge lands on day 364, so the cash leaving your account in your first year is $2,786. The Pro plan is worse for cash flow: 48 weeks is 336 days, so your second $1,799 charge arrives about a month before your one-year mark. That's $3,598 in your first 365 days. It buys coverage past the year, but you still have to have the money. Fountain’s stated refund policy for unused future months still matters if you cancel. Plans · Refund policy
Male Excel's 60-day supplies. Six orders cover 360 days, which gives the $2,871 subtotal. If charges occurred exactly every 60 days starting on day 0, a seventh would fall on day 360, giving $3,135 before shipping and other unquoted charges. Its pricing page instead describes every-other-month billing, so the seven-charge scenario is not a verified payment schedule. Ask for your actual charge dates. Billing description
The gap is not just the cream. Commitment, required care, testing and the billing calendar can all change what leaves your account—and incomplete subtotals cannot prove which provider will give you the lowest final bill.
Choosing between these programs on care-model fit, not just price? Our best testosterone cream providers comparison covers pharmacy disclosure, testing and application instructions.
The honest part: our partners aren't the cheapest
Male Excel does not publish one flat price for every cream prescription. Its cream-and-thyroid package starts at $132 a month on top of a required $99 membership, and its FAQ says the price changes when your dose does. The $2,871 six-fill subtotal is $1,323 more than Henry's $1,548 twelve-payment bundle model—before Male Excel's shipping and any other unquoted charges. Male Excel · Henry
If a low published bundle price is your top priority, Henry is a useful benchmark. Read Henry’s current program and cancellation terms before treating $1,548 as your final annual budget.
But look at what makes the lower monthly rates work: commitment or prepayment. Maximus's $99.99 rate needs a six-month term it won't end early. Fountain’s lower equivalent rates require longer prepayment, although its policy allows refunds for unused future treatment months. Male Excel advertises no term contract and cancel-anytime care, but that does not guarantee that cancelling reverses an order already charged or processed. Its membership describes unlimited e-visits with a dedicated provider. That access can matter when you have follow-up questions. Ask for the cancellation cutoff and any remaining charges in writing. Maximus terms · Fountain refunds · Male Excel pricing · Male Excel terms
Which testosterone cream route fits your budget?
An FDA-approved gel can lower the medication bill if you already have a prescriber; compare visits and labs before calling it the cheapest care route. Henry is a published bundle-price benchmark, while Hone separates membership, medication and entry testing. Male Excel offers a higher-priced package with dedicated-provider access and advertised cancel-anytime terms, with shipping and the actual prescription still to price. Gel price · Henry · Hone · Male Excel
Find your row.
| If you… | Start by comparing | Settle this first |
|---|---|---|
| Already have a prescriber and just need the medicine | An FDA-approved generic gel: the checked 88-gram 1.62% pump benchmark was $42.87; HRT Club brand AndroGel was $40 a bottle plus membership | It is a gel, not a cream. Confirm pack size, days’ supply, pharmacy price, visits and labs. Prices · Club |
| Have insurance and want to use it | An in-network primary care doctor or urologist and your plan’s covered product | Product-specific prior authorization, testing, network and renewal rules. Example plan policy |
| Want a low published cream bundle, paying cash | Henry’s $129 monthly offer | Which contract term applies, what cancelling leaves owed and what is outside the bundle. Program · Terms |
| Will commit for six months for a lower plan rate | Maximus’s $99.99/month rate before labs | Required full lab panel, payment timing, and no early exit or partial refund of the committed term. Plans · Terms |
| Want a membership with published testing steps and shipping included | Hone: about $195–$215 per month in listed membership-and-cream components | Whether your cream needs Plus or Premium and which tier serves your state. Plus · Premium · States |
| Want dedicated-provider access and advertised no-term-contract care | Male Excel: about $231 in recurring components before shipping at the starting price | The price at your prescription, bundled thyroid, routine versus extra tests and cancellation cutoff. Pricing · Membership |
| Want an itemized clinic and pharmacy quote | Defy Medical or your own clinician and a dispensing pharmacy | The actual tube price, days’ supply, required visits, testing and delivery fees. Defy catalog |
| Want to prepay for a lower equivalent rate | Fountain Standard or Pro | Renewal dates do not match a calendar-year anniversary; ask how its prorated future-month refund applies to your payment. Plans · Refunds |
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 low testosterone, read your labs, or guarantee a prescription.
Already have a prescriber? Skip ahead to the gel option. Need the prescriber too? These two partner programs are worth pricing.
Does one of these sound like what you want to pay for? Start there, and ask for your price in writing before you book.
Hone Health — the lower listed membership-and-cream subtotal of these two partners (about $195 on Plus), with follow-up labs and shipping described as included and a separately priced confirmation test before TRT. Plus inclusions View Hone's published Plus plan and pricing → (direct information link; Hone is a commercial partner) Confirm whether your cream plan is Plus ($135) or Premium ($155). A visit is an evaluation, not a promise of a prescription.
Male Excel — a published cream-and-thyroid package with 60-day supplies, advertised no-term-contract care and unlimited e-visits with a dedicated provider. Published terms See Male Excel's cream and care-plan prices → (direct information link; Male Excel is a commercial partner) The $99 consultation is an evaluation, not a promise of treatment. Confirm your state, required tests and whether your clinician needs an in-person examination before you commit. Initial process · Current federal telemedicine rule
Want the lower published bundle instead? Read Henry's $129 program details and cancellation terms.
Does testosterone cream cost more if your dose goes up?
At several programs, the quoted price can change with the prescription. Male Excel, Maximus and Hone all state that price depends on dosage, while Henry’s published $129 plan has a cream-quantity cap. A gel pump’s days’ supply also changes with the prescribed amount, so the bottle price alone does not tell you the monthly cost. Male Excel · Maximus · Hone · Henry · AndroGel label
A clinician may change a cream prescription after reviewing follow-up results. Before that happens, find out whether the new prescription would change your bill.
| Where you buy | What the published information says | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Henry | Flat $129/month; the program terms set a maximum cream quantity per 90-day shipment | Ask what happens if the clinician’s prescription falls outside that included quantity. |
| Male Excel | Its starting price is not fixed for every prescription; its FAQ says a dosage change changes cost | Ask for the new refill price before it is charged. |
| Maximus | Price varies by dosage and plan length and may vary by state | Ask for the price of the actual prescription, not a hypothetical dose you select. |
| Hone | Medication amounts are estimates; final costs vary by dose and treatment format | Ask for the written medication price separate from membership. |
| Fountain | Calls the membership all-inclusive; the checked offer did not establish a dose-price rule | Ask directly about quantity limits and any extra charge. |
| Defy Medical or a local compounding pharmacy | Request the fill price and pharmacist-confirmed days’ supply | A tube is not automatically one month. |
| FDA-approved AndroGel 1.62% pump | The labeled 88-gram pump provides 60 metered doses; it lasts 30 days at the labeled starting amount and 15–60 days across the labeled range | This is a pack-size calculation, not dosing advice. Use the days’ supply on your own prescription. |
Company pages and the AndroGel 1.62% prescribing information checked September 17, 2026. A different gel, strength or package needs its own calculation.
How to protect your budget
- Before your first refill, ask: "What will my refill cost if my dose changes, and will you tell me before you charge me?"
- Get it in writing. A message in the patient portal gives you a record. Ask for written confirmation of a phone quote.
- Ask whether a dose change restarts any plan term or changes your renewal date.
Male Excel says it sends a refill reminder before each 60-day supply runs out, and you respond about the plan from that message. That's the moment to ask. Refill process
What happens to your money if you cancel?
Cancelling future care and getting money back are different questions. Maximus does not allow early termination of committed multi-month plans, while Fountain says unused future treatment months can be refunded proportionally. Hone requires separate cancellation of membership and prescription orders, and Male Excel has nonrefund terms with stated exceptions. Maximus · Fountain · Hone · Male Excel
| Program | How cancellation is described | Refund or remaining-balance issue |
|---|---|---|
| Henry | Its page says you can cancel in your account, but also describes multi-month contracts | Cancelling before a contract ends can leave the balance due, unless a clinician determines treatment cannot continue for medical reasons. Confirm the term offered. |
| Maximus | Turn off auto-renewal through the dashboard or support; the existing committed term continues | No early termination or partial refund of a committed plan; shipped medication is nonrefundable. |
| Hone | Submit the membership cancellation form; the policy records cancellation when submitted. Contact support separately about prescription orders | No partial-month membership refunds. Processed or shipped medication orders cannot be cancelled or refunded. Stopping one subscription does not stop the other. |
| Male Excel | Advertises no contract and cancel-anytime care; confirm the cutoff for both membership and medication | Terms generally make fees nonrefundable. The homepage separately advertises a conditional refund of three months of membership fees under its 90-day guarantee—not a refund of all treatment costs. Guarantee |
| Fountain | Request cancellation by text or email; its terms describe access ending with the billing period | Its refund policy allows a prorated refund for future prepaid treatment months, but not medication shipments or treatment already received. Subscription terms |
| Defy Medical store | Ask separately about clinic appointments and medication orders | The store states that product sales are final. This does not establish every clinic cancellation fee. |
Company pages and terms checked September 17, 2026. Keep the cancellation confirmation and the next charge date for each subscription.
Hone has two billing switches. Cancelling membership does not cancel a pending prescription shipment; cancelling medication does not cancel membership. Its policy says medication may be charged about a week before the previous supply ends. Check both before the next order is processed. Order and membership policy
Male Excel’s guarantee is narrower than “money back.” Its homepage describes a three-month membership-fee refund after following its protocol for 90 days without the stated improvement. The written conditions, eligibility and request process matter; this is not a promise of medical results or a refund of medication, testing and shipping. Published guarantee
This is where Male Excel's advertised model may fit some men: no stated six-month term and 60-day medication supplies rather than a long prepayment. But an order already paid for is not automatically refundable, and Fountain’s prorated-refund policy is a real alternative to compare. Get each exit rule in writing, not just the phrase “cancel anytime.” Male Excel · Terms · Fountain
"Male Excel is more cost effective than many of the clinics around me and much more convenient." — Dan, identified by Male Excel as a verified patient
Quote shown on Male Excel's pricing page, checked September 17, 2026. Male Excel is a commercial partner. We did not verify this person's experience. It describes cost and convenience, not medical results. Original testimonial
Prefer a 60-day supply without a six-month plan commitment? See Male Excel's current cream and membership prices → (direct information link; Male Excel is a commercial partner) Ask for your refill price at your dose before each order processes.
Is an FDA-approved testosterone gel cheaper than cream?
An FDA-approved testosterone gel can cost less for medication alone if you already have a prescriber. GoodRx displayed $42.87 for one generic 1.62% 88-gram pump, while The HRT Club listed brand AndroGel 1.62% at $40 a bottle plus a $12 monthly or $99 yearly membership. Those prices exclude your own visits, blood tests and any applicable delivery charges. GoodRx · The HRT Club product · Membership
This is the comparison a cream-only quote doesn't give you. The links in this section are direct information links, not paid referrals.
| FDA-approved gel | Where | Price checked September 17, 2026 | What the quote does not establish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Generic testosterone gel 1.62%, one 88-gram pump | GoodRx public dosage-and-price table | $42.87 displayed GoodRx benchmark; listed retail benchmark $399.09 | Not a verified coupon at your ZIP code or pharmacy. Confirm the exact product, quantity and live price. |
| AndroGel 1.62% (brand), bottle | The HRT Club | $40 a bottle, plus membership of $12/month or $99/year | Confirm the dispensed pack and days’ supply. Annual-member shipping is free on orders of $50 or more; a single $40 bottle does not meet that threshold. Membership terms |
| AndroGel 1.62% (brand), retail pharmacy | Your pharmacy or insurer | Request a brand-specific cash or covered-price quote | A discount page that defaults to generic testosterone is not a verified brand AndroGel price. Coverage depends on the plan and exact product. Example coverage policy |
| Generic Testim-equivalent testosterone 1%, thirty 5-gram tubes | GoodRx public dosage-and-price table | $96.63 displayed benchmark | Single-use tubes; a different strength and package from the 1.62% pump. Do not treat the products or directions as interchangeable. Product-specific warning |
What a year of medication can cost: first confirm the pharmacist’s days’ supply. The examples below assume that each dispensed pump or bottle is a 30-day supply, the price stays fixed, and each refill is paid at the start of its supply period. These are medication purchase models, not dosing directions or complete care bills.
| Medication example | 12 fills: 360 days of supply | 13 fills: payments on days 0–360, covering 390 days |
|---|---|---|
| Generic 1.62% pump at $42.87 per fill | $514.44 = 12 × $42.87 | $557.31 = 13 × $42.87 |
| HRT Club brand AndroGel at $40 per fill, plus one $99 annual membership | $579 = 12 × $40 + $99 | $619 = 13 × $40 + $99 |
Add your prescriber’s visits, blood tests, and any shipping or tax to both. The second column is not a full 365-day supply; the third shows why a refill before the anniversary can raise first-year cash spending. A different prescribed days’ supply changes the calculation. Price inputs · Club fees · AndroGel pack information
The $40 AndroGel, and who's behind it
The HRT Club is a membership medication service. Its launch announcement identifies Besins Healthcare as its parent company; the current product page also carries Besins Healthcare’s name. That ownership relationship belongs beside the price. Company announcement · Product page
That doesn't make the price less real. The HRT Club names Transition Pharmacy Services in Pennsylvania as a dispensing pharmacy. Confirm which pharmacy will fill your prescription; we did not independently verify its license. Dispensing disclosure
The catch: you still need a prescription. The HRT Club points men to its telehealth partner, Posterity Health, for an evaluation. We couldn't find that visit's price. Service information
What the gel price doesn't include
A pharmacy price is the medicine. A cream program's price may also include a prescriber, blood tests, refill handling for a controlled drug, and someone to call. If you already have a doctor who orders your labs, a pharmacy fill can avoid buying a second care membership. If you don't, you're pricing the care, not just the drug. HRT Club exclusions · Henry’s bundle
Gel and cream are not the same product
The AndroGel 1.62% label says its dose and application site "are not substitutable with other topical testosterone products." A compounded cream and an FDA-approved gel use different bases and strengths and can absorb differently. Don't compare them milligram for milligram, and never apply one product's instructions to another. AndroGel prescribing information · FDA on compounded drugs
Both gels and creams can transfer testosterone through skin contact. AndroGel’s boxed warning concerns secondary exposure in children; its patient instructions also warn about exposure to women. Ask your clinician and dispensing pharmacist for the precautions for your exact product, not instructions copied from another gel or cream. AndroGel warning and patient information · AUA guideline
Want to compare programs that prescribe gel? See our best testosterone gel providers. Looking at Taurus Meds? Its checked page labels a product ‘Testosterone Gel’ but repeats an injection description beneath it; it does not establish a cream offer. Our Taurus Meds testosterone gel page explains what to confirm first. The word “gel” alone does not establish FDA approval; get the exact product and dispensing pharmacy. Taurus’s published offer · FDA compounding distinction
Why is there no FDA-approved testosterone cream, and does it change the price?
There is no FDA-approved testosterone cream identified in the FDA’s testosterone product information, and the prescription creams compared here are compounded. Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved and are not reviewed by FDA for safety, effectiveness or quality before marketing. A compounded preparation and an FDA-approved gel are therefore different choices, not interchangeable names for the same product. FDA testosterone information · FDA compounding guidance
A few plain definitions help here.
- FDA-approved means the manufacturer proved to the FDA that a specific finished product is safe and effective for its approved use, and that it's made to consistent standards. FDA testosterone information
- Compounded means a pharmacy mixes the medicine for a prescription. The FDA says compounded drugs are not FDA-approved, and it doesn't review them for safety, effectiveness or quality before they reach patients. FDA explanation
- Schedule III means testosterone is a federally controlled substance. You need a valid prescription for any form of it. DEA scheduling · Prescription labeling
Compounding can be legal and useful. But it changes how the price works.
- The pharmacy sets the price. There's no national list price, so two quotes for "testosterone cream" can describe different strengths and bases. FDA’s description of customized compounded preparations
- Do not assume a discount-card quote applies. The gel prices shown here identify commercially manufactured products. Ask the dispensing pharmacy whether it offers any discount on your exact compounded prescription. Product-specific price table
- You may not be able to shop around. Male Excel's terms say it won't send your prescription to a different pharmacy. Ask any program whether you can fill your prescription elsewhere before you assume you can. Male Excel prescription policy
The AUA's testosterone guideline says commercially made testosterone products should be prescribed rather than compounded ones “when possible.” That's a conditional recommendation based on lower-quality (Grade C) evidence, but it's worth knowing when you price an FDA-approved gel. The recommendation is also quoted in a New York State insurance-appeal record; that individual appeal does not determine your coverage. AUA guideline · State record quoting recommendation 28
One more date to know. In June 2026, the FDA asked makers of approved testosterone products to update their labels, including removing a long-standing limitation about age-related low testosterone. That request covers FDA-approved products. It doesn't approve any cream. A request to change labeling is not proof that every product’s current label has already changed. FDA update · HHS announcement
Is testosterone cream cheaper than injections?
Some injection prescriptions have lower medication prices, but a vial price and a monthly cream price are not matching units. GoodRx displayed $22.66 for a 10 mL vial of testosterone cypionate at 100 mg/mL and $48.79 at 200 mg/mL. At the program level, Male Excel lists injection-and-thyroid packages from $120 a month versus $132 for cream-and-thyroid, while Henry publishes $129 for either treatment format. Cypionate prices · Male Excel · Henry
| Where | Injection price | Cream or separate gel comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Henry | $129/month published bundle | $129/month published cream bundle; confirm applicable quantity and plan terms |
| Male Excel | From $120/month for the injection-and-thyroid package, plus membership and shipping | From $132/month for cream-and-thyroid, plus membership and shipping |
| Hone | From $28 per vial, plus membership | About $60 per month for cream, plus membership; vial and monthly prices are different units |
| Retail pharmacy, GoodRx benchmark | One 10 mL generic cypionate vial: $22.66 at 100 mg/mL, or $48.79 at 200 mg/mL | No compounded-cream price established here. Separately, a generic 1.62% 88-gram gel pump benchmark was $42.87. Gel price |
Checked September 17, 2026. These are exact product or program examples, not equivalent doses or guaranteed 30-day costs. How long a vial or pump lasts depends on the prescription and the pharmacy’s instructions.
So why might someone pay more for cream? Avoiding needles can matter more than the drug price. The trade is a product-specific routine and the need to prevent testosterone from reaching partners or children through skin contact. Topical-product precautions
Weighing the two formats beyond price? Read our guides to TRT without needles and TRT treatment options, or compare testosterone cypionate providers.
How much do the blood tests add?
Blood tests can be included, separately billed, or partly included. Hone’s listed entry and confirmation charges total $90–$125 on Plus or $90 on Premium, while Maximus lists $99 home kits and separate in-lab options. Henry and Fountain describe labs as included, and Male Excel now describes a home test with its initial consultation plus routine six-month testing in membership; ask each company about additional tests. Hone Plus · Hone Premium · Maximus · Henry · Fountain · Male Excel FAQ · Membership
Your clinician chooses the panel. Common terms you may see include:
- Total testosterone: all the testosterone measured in your blood. It helps assess testosterone deficiency but does not diagnose it on its own.
- Free testosterone and SHBG (sex hormone-binding globulin): free testosterone is the unbound portion; SHBG is a carrier protein. These can help clarify selected results, rather than being required in every case.
- LH (luteinizing hormone) and FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone): signals from the pituitary gland that can help a clinician investigate why testosterone is low.
- Hematocrit: the share of your blood made of red blood cells. Testosterone can raise it, so it gets watched.
- PSA (prostate-specific antigen): a prostate blood marker whose use depends on age, risk and a discussion with your clinician—not a universal test schedule for every man. Clinical testing and monitoring guidance
Here's what those tests cost at the places we checked.
| Where | Published testing price or inclusion | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. hospital-price study | Median listed total-testosterone price $84.90. Across the study’s self-pay testosterone-test price data, the median was $98, with a middle-half range of $54.65–$148.84 | Historical hospital data, not a current consumer lab quote or a full TRT panel. Only 51.7% of 6,700 hospitals reported any testosterone-test price. |
| Hone Plus | $45 entry test; confirmation $45 or $50 at a lab, or $80 at home | The $45/$50 official-page discrepancy remains unresolved. Follow-up labs are described as included. Testing schedule |
| Hone Premium | $65 entry panel; $25 confirmation | Follow-up labs are described as included. |
| Maximus | $99 home kit; Quest options listed at $19.99–$115 per panel | The cream protocol lists more tests than testosterone alone. Ask for the price of all required baseline, confirmation and follow-up tests; do not assume four $99 kits cover them. |
| Henry | Labs described as included in the $129 program | Ask which tests repeat, when they repeat, and whether an extra diagnostic confirmation is included. |
| Fountain | Labs described as included in membership | Ask which tests repeat, when they repeat, and whether any local or patient-specific services cost extra. |
| Male Excel | Initial consultation describes an included home test; the homepage lists routine six-month blood testing in the $99 membership | Additional or replacement tests may cost extra. Ask specifically about two separate early-morning diagnostic samples. Membership · Specimen policy |
Hospital figures: DeMasi and colleagues, published online August 13, 2025, in the 2026 volume of the International Journal of Impotence Research. They are study results, not September 2026 retail prices. Company information checked September 17, 2026.
Why a second test is worth paying for
The Endocrine Society says diagnosis requires compatible symptoms or signs plus consistently low testosterone, with a low result confirmed by repeat morning fasting testing. The AndroGel 1.62% label requires morning testosterone results on at least two separate days before treatment. One test, a symptom quiz or a single cutoff such as 300 ng/dL is not a diagnosis by itself. Endocrine Society guidance · AndroGel label
A clinically appropriate confirmation test is part of getting the diagnosis right. That does not prove every testing fee is necessary or fairly priced. Hone lists confirmation as a separately priced step before TRT; ask other programs whether the same step is included. Hone testing process
Can you use labs you already have?
Sometimes. Maximus says it accepts qualifying uploaded results from the last six months; its cream panel lists total testosterone, free testosterone or SHBG, LH, FSH, PSA and hematocrit. Acceptance depends on the clinician’s requirements, and an existing panel may not replace a second early-morning diagnostic sample. Ask any program before you buy a new kit. Maximus lab policy · Diagnostic guidance
The topical-product lab mistake that can cost money
Testosterone gel on the skin where blood is drawn can contaminate the sample and make the measured result falsely high. In a published two-patient case report, gel applied near the blood-draw site was associated with misleading results and potentially inappropriate prescription changes. The report concerns gel; it does not measure how often this happens with compounded cream. Original case report
A bad sample can mean paying for another test, or a dose change you didn't need. Tell whoever draws your blood that you use a topical testosterone product, and follow your clinician's and lab's instructions for the draw.
Want a plan that prices each testing step up front? Review Hone's listed tests and plan costs before paying → (direct information link; Hone is a commercial partner) Follow-up labs and shipping are included in Hone's memberships. Paying for a test doesn't mean you'll be prescribed. Plan inclusions
Could my state or an in-person visit change the cost?
Yes. A national price does not mean the same plan is available in every state, and a provider can still require an in-person examination or extra testing. The federal telemedicine extension runs through December 31, 2026, but it does not waive state law, clinical judgment or a prescriber’s legal authority. DEA and HHS extension
Two examples show why state checks belong before payment:
- Male Excel lists services as unavailable in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Current FAQ
- Hone publishes different state lists for Plus and Premium. Its September 2026 list shows New York under Premium but not Plus, so the cheaper tier is not available everywhere. State-by-state plan list
For Henry, Maximus, Fountain, Defy and pharmacy-only services, confirm availability for the exact testosterone product and the state where you will be during care, not just whether the company accepts an address. This page does not claim to have verified a treating clinician in every state.
The current federal flexibility can permit qualifying DEA-registered clinicians to prescribe Schedule II–V controlled medicines through an audio-video visit without a prior in-person evaluation, subject to applicable requirements. It is not a right to a prescription, an approval quiz, or a guarantee that your program will be fully online. Current federal rule
What should I confirm about the clinician, pharmacy and records?
Ask for the treating clinician’s name and license, the actual dispensing pharmacy, any required local examination and its fee, and who handles urgent clinical questions versus billing support. Also ask how to obtain your lab results, visit notes and prescription history if you leave, whether access continues after cancellation, and whether there is a records charge.
Male Excel names AnazaoHealth and WellDyneRx in its FAQ, but that does not identify the pharmacy assigned to every prescription. Its terms restrict filling elsewhere; Fountain’s terms instead describe a choice of pharmacy. Ask whether choosing another pharmacy changes the package price. Male Excel FAQ · Prescription policy · Fountain prescription policy
Need help deciding which care setting to price? Compare online TRT with local care or use Find My TRT Path.
Does insurance cover testosterone cream?
Do not assume your insurer will cover a compounded cream or a cash-pay care membership. The programs’ billing rules, the exact prescription and your plan’s covered-drug list all matter; Medicare Part D specifically excludes bulk compounding powders as Part D drugs. An FDA-approved gel may have a covered option, and eligible prescribed medication may be paid with HSA or FSA funds. Male Excel’s cash-pay terms · Medicare manual, section 10.4 · Example gel policy · IRS medical expenses
| How you pay | Compounded testosterone cream | FDA-approved testosterone gel |
|---|---|---|
| Private insurance | Check the specific product and clinic. Male Excel’s terms say its services are cash-pay and claims will not be submitted; Fountain says no insurance is involved. Defy says it does not take insurance but can help with a CMS-1500 form for you to submit. Male Excel terms · Fountain · Defy | Coverage, prior authorization, testing documentation and copays are product- and plan-specific. A covered gel does not make every cream program covered. Example insurer policy |
| Medicare Part D | Bulk compounding powders are not Part D drugs. A compound may have a covered component in other circumstances; the rule is not a blanket ban on every compounded prescription. Ask your plan about each ingredient and the exact prescription. CMS section 10.4 | Depends on the plan’s covered-drug list and its restrictions. Check Part D coverage directly rather than assuming a cash price or manufacturer promotion applies. |
| HSA or FSA | Legally prescribed medicines can be eligible medical expenses. Confirm the eligibility of each separate membership or care fee, rather than assuming the whole package qualifies. IRS Publication 502 · Publication 969 | The same expense rules apply. The HRT Club also describes HSA/FSA payment eligibility, but that is not insurance coverage. Club information |
Government and company sources checked September 17, 2026. Confirm benefits with your own plan or account administrator before paying.
Testosterone cream cost with insurance vs. without
Without insurance, the dated prices in this guide are comparison inputs, not your personal bill. With insurance, your plan may cover in-network visits, blood tests and a listed FDA-approved gel, subject to copays, deductibles and other rules. Do not assume a cash-only program will submit claims or provide reimbursable care. Example plan policy · Male Excel terms
Paying with HSA or FSA money
Paying an eligible expense from a health savings account uses tax-advantaged money. As a simple federal-income-tax example, a $1,000 eligible expense × a 24% marginal tax rate = $240 in potential income-tax savings compared with paying from after-tax income. That assumes the contribution and expense meet the HSA rules; state taxes and other factors are not included. Keep itemized receipts, do not claim the same expense twice, and check with your account administrator or tax adviser. That's a tax saving, not insurance coverage. See TRT providers that accept HSA or FSA. IRS HSA rules
Five questions to ask your insurer
- "Is [the exact product name] covered, and does it need prior authorization?"
- "What would I pay for it at an in-network pharmacy after my deductible?"
- "Are the doctor visits and blood tests covered, and what do they cost me?"
- "Would a compounded testosterone cream be covered at all?"
- "What test results does my plan need before it approves testosterone?"
Does coverage stop once your levels are "normal"?
Male Excel's pricing FAQ says insurers treat you as cured once your testosterone reaches "normal." That isn't a universal rule. UnitedHealthcare's current testosterone policy allows continued approval, under stated conditions, when follow-up levels are in the normal range. Ask your own plan how renewals work. Male Excel’s statement · UnitedHealthcare’s reauthorization criteria
If using insurance matters to you, a cash-pay cream program probably isn't your first stop. Our list of TRT providers that take insurance is a better place to start.
Not sure whether insurance, cash-pay or a specialist is your best starting point? Map your care route with Find My TRT Path → It lays out the route and the questions to ask. It doesn't diagnose you, read your labs, or guarantee a prescription. What the tool does
Why do websites say testosterone cream costs anywhere from $30 to $1,000 a month?
Those ranges often price different things: a compounded tube, a brand-name gel, or an entire care program. The ten public pages below mix those categories, which makes their numbers look more comparable than they are. These are comparisons of what the pages say—not evidence that every quoted price is available to you.
A page can be answering a different question without offering a usable quote for yours. Here's how the checked pages line up.
| Page and displayed date | Price wording it gives | What it is pricing | What the comparison needs |
|---|---|---|---|
| SingleCare — updated November 12, 2025 | $400–$1,000/month for gels and creams | A broad range with brand and even nasal-product examples | Do not use it as a current compounded-cream quote. The checked generic 1.62% pump benchmark was $42.87, with care priced separately. Price source |
| Hims — November 4, 2025 | $200–$500/month for topical treatments | Gels, creams and patches grouped together | Separate the formulation and the medication-only price from care. HRT Club lists brand AndroGel at $40 per bottle plus membership. Product |
| BetterCare — June 2, 2026 | $200–$600/month for gels and creams; $300–$600 for patches | Mixed treatment formats | Do not assume a patch is currently available: UnitedHealthcare’s policy change history records removal of the off-market Androderm brand. Policy history |
| FormBlends — reviewed July 2, 2026 | $45–$80/month for cream; $280–$350 for AndroGel | A cream estimate and a separate brand-gel estimate | Its assertion that compounded products meet the same FDA requirements can mislead: compounded drugs are not FDA-approved. FDA distinction |
| PeakPerformax — March 13, 2026 | $50–$150/month for cream; $200–$350 for generic gel | Medication estimates | The checked generic gel benchmark was lower, but a local pharmacy quote is still required. Exact pack and price |
| MedSwitcher — April 8, 2026 | $60–$150/month for telehealth cream | A cream estimate; other sections price care packages | It also calls Jatenzo the only FDA-approved oral testosterone. FDA approved Kyzatrex in July 2022, so that claim is incorrect. FDA approval |
| HealthRX — May 26, 2026 | $50–$120/month for cream; $80–$150 for discounted generic gel | Medication estimates | Its Hone figure of $149 including medication does not match Hone’s checked $135/$155 membership fees plus medication. Plus · Premium |
| Policy Lab — May 21, 2026 | $40–$100/month in a passage about compounded cream or injections | Medication-only estimates across different formats | The figure does not include a complete membership, testing and follow-up bill. |
| Hone’s own blog — updated July 31, 2026 | $200–$600/month in its cream-cost table | A general cost range, not a current Hone quote | Hone’s own cream product page lists medication from $60/month plus membership. Product page |
| Preston’s Pharmacy — September 3; year not displayed | About $60–$150/month for compounded gel in Virginia | One pharmacy’s description of a gel, not a national cream-program price | Visits and labs must be priced separately; a local gel estimate does not establish the cost of another prescription. |
The takeaway: before you trust any single "monthly cost," ask which of the four prices it is. Pages checked September 17, 2026. Displayed publication dates are not proof that every price was rechecked on that date.
Why is the "testosterone cream" on Amazon so cheap?
A low price on a shopping listing does not tell you whether it is prescription testosterone. An over-the-counter product marketed as a testosterone cream or booster should not be treated as the prescribed drug; a pharmacy listing for prescription testosterone is a different category. Testosterone is Schedule III and requires a valid prescription, whatever website is involved. DEA scheduling · Prescription label
Check the active ingredient, prescription requirement and dispensing pharmacy—not just the word “testosterone” in the title. If a website offers prescription testosterone without a valid prescription, that's not a deal. And don't use a friend's or family member's prescription. AndroGel's own safety information says never to give it to anyone else, and that selling or giving it away is against the law. AndroGel patient information
How can you lower your testosterone cream cost safely?
Price an FDA-approved gel with your own doctor, ask whether existing labs are accepted, check HSA or FSA eligibility, and get your actual prescription price in writing. Compare the commitment and refund terms before prepaying; a lower monthly rate can require a larger payment or a noncancellable term. Never save money by stretching, sharing or changing a prescription. Gel comparison · Lab acceptance · HSA rules · Example commitment
- Get the diagnosis step right first. Payment doesn't guarantee a prescription. Henry says so plainly, and Fountain says you pay nothing if you don't qualify. Know each program's rule before you pay. Our low-testosterone testing guide explains the process. Henry’s prescription terms · Fountain’s stated offer
- Ask whether recent labs can be used. At a program that accepts the complete results, that may avoid buying another kit. It does not remove a clinically needed confirmation test. Maximus policy
- Price the FDA-approved gel. If you have a doctor, compare a generic gel with a GoodRx coupon, and brand AndroGel through The HRT Club. Confirm the exact pack and the full cost of your existing care. Drug prices · Club fees
- Choose a commitment you can afford to keep. Compare month-to-month and prepaid prices, including refunds, before assuming you can try a discounted long-term plan for just one month. Maximus terms · Fountain refunds
- Ask what's bundled. Thyroid tablets at Male Excel and anastrozole at Henry should each have a clear medical reason. Male Excel package · Henry program
- Ask for shipping per order, and the refill price at your dose.
- Use HSA or FSA money for prescribed medicine and eligible care. Check each fee’s eligibility. IRS rules
- Never cut corners on the medicine itself. Don't stretch a supply, share a prescription, change the prescribed amount, or buy from a site that doesn't require a prescription.
Copy this quote request
Send this through a program's portal or email before you pay. A written answer gives you a record to compare with the bill.
Please send me an itemized quote for the testosterone cream being considered for me. Please list the cream price separately from membership, visits, first blood tests, confirmation tests, follow-up labs, shipping and any other required charges.
Please tell me the product's strength, amount, days' supply and dispensing pharmacy, whether it is compounded, and whether any other medication is bundled with it. If something is bundled, please tell me whether it is optional and what the cream costs without it.
Please tell me what I pay today and whether it is refunded if I am not prescribed, the date and amount of each later charge, the minimum commitment, the renewal price, how to cancel, and what is refundable. Please tell me what my refill will cost if my dose changes, and whether my prescription can be filled at another pharmacy.
Please confirm availability in my state, any required in-person visit, whether two separate early-morning diagnostic tests are included, the follow-up testing schedule, and who pays for extra or replacement samples. Please explain how I can obtain my results and medical records if I cancel, and any fee for doing so.
If any cost can't be quoted yet, please tell me what has to happen before it can.
You can ask about general prices and policies without sending private medical details. A quote for your exact prescription may require a clinical evaluation; use the provider’s secure process rather than sending sensitive records in an ordinary price-inquiry email.
Want to turn the answers into a first-year number? Open our first-year TRT cost worksheet → Add each charge and its date, and leave anything unanswered blank. A blank means you still need to ask. Looking for the lowest-priced programs overall? See our cheapest online TRT clinic comparison.
Who shouldn't start with a cash-pay cream program?
Start with clinical evaluation—not a cream subscription—if your symptoms and testosterone results have not been properly assessed, you want children soon, or you need insurance to pay. A cancer history, high red blood cell count, untreated severe sleep apnea, or a recent heart attack or stroke can change whether treatment is appropriate. Young children at home require a careful transfer-prevention plan, not an automatic ban on all topical treatment. Clinical guidance · Topical exposure warning
- Not diagnosed yet? Start with a primary care doctor or urologist, and read our low-testosterone testing guide. Diagnosis needs both the clinical picture and appropriate repeat testing. Endocrine Society
- Want children in the near future? Testosterone from outside the body can lower sperm production. The Endocrine Society recommends against starting testosterone in men planning fertility in the near term. Talk with a urologist or reproductive urologist first. See TRT and fertility and TRT providers for fertility. The extent of sperm suppression and later recovery vary; neither infertility nor preserved fertility can be promised. Clinical guidance · Product fertility warning
- Need insurance to pay? Start with TRT providers that take insurance.
- Young children at home? Topical testosterone can transfer through skin contact, and children exposed to testosterone gel have shown signs of early puberty. Talk through the precautions, or another format, before you start. AndroGel warning
- History of prostate or breast cancer, a high red blood cell count, or untreated severe sleep apnea? These need a specialist's review first. Endocrine Society guidance
- Heart attack or stroke recently? The Endocrine Society recommends against starting testosterone within six months of a heart attack or stroke. Your clinician must assess your situation before treatment. Guideline recommendation 2.2
- Seeking women’s hormone care, adolescent care or gender-affirming care? This adult-male testosterone-deficiency price guide does not establish the right tests, treatment or costs for those settings. Use an appropriately experienced clinician. Seeking testosterone for bodybuilding or athletic performance? These care comparisons are not a route to nonmedical testosterone use. Scope of the adult-male guideline · Approved-product information
Read more in our TRT safety and monitoring guide.
One provider-specific storage detail matters for households with children: Male Excel’s terms state that medication is not dispensed in child-resistant packaging. Ask the pharmacist about secure storage and the actual packaging before delivery. Male Excel prescription policy
What did we actually verify, and what remains unknown?
We checked the linked public pricing, plan, help-center and terms pages on September 17, 2026, and recalculated the cost examples. Product labeling, government sources, specialty guidance and original research support the medical and policy discussion within their stated scope. This is public-source research, not purchased treatment, a checkout test or a clinical-quality assessment.
What we actually verified: September 17, 2026
How we checked: We read public company pages and policies, GoodRx’s product-and-quantity price tables, FDA and DEA information, Endocrine Society guidance, product labeling, CMS and insurer documents, IRS publications, and the cited research abstracts. We did not buy treatment, open an account, contact support, test cancellation or confirm a local pharmacy’s stock.
Confirmed from primary sources
- FDA distinguishes approved testosterone products from compounded preparations; the compounded creams in this comparison are not FDA-approved. FDA · Compounding guidance
- Testosterone is a Schedule III controlled substance. DEA
- The Endocrine Society’s diagnostic standard requires symptoms or signs plus consistently low results, confirmed by repeat morning fasting testing. The linked state record quotes the AUA’s manufactured-over-compounded recommendation. Endocrine Society · AUA quotation
- The AndroGel 1.62% label's pump size, starting dose, and "not substitutable" statement. Label
- The FDA's June 2026 request to update testosterone labels. FDA
- The DEA/HHS extension permits qualifying telemedicine prescribing through December 31, 2026, subject to applicable federal and state requirements. DEA announcement
- The historical hospital price-study figures, Medicare’s Part D rule on bulk compounding powders, and the published UHC continuation criteria. Study · CMS · Insurer policy
Stated by the companies (published, not tested by us)
- Published program prices, plan lengths, inclusions, shipping statements, cancellation policies, routine testing, state lists and dose-price statements. Reading a policy confirms what it says, not how reliably every patient receives the service.
- The HRT Club's $40 AndroGel price and membership fees. Current offer · Membership
- Male Excel’s published claim that its cream is “20x more powerful than commercial cream.” We did not establish a valid clinical comparison and do not rely on that claim. Original marketing wording
Our own math and judgment
- The 12-payment subtotals, fixed-week cash schedules, 12-versus-13-fill medication examples, HSA calculation, care-route comparison and bottom line. None is a patient’s actual invoice or a medical-quality score.
What we couldn't confirm
- Whether a Hone cream prescription needs the Plus or Premium plan, and whether Hone's in-lab confirmation test is $45 or $50. The article preserves both published possibilities rather than selecting the cheaper one.
- Male Excel’s shipping amount, extra or replacement-test fees, exact cancellation cutoff, and whether thyroid is optional for a particular prescription. Routine six-month testing is now described as included; that does not establish the price of every additional test. Membership · Terms
- A complete patient-specific Maximus lab bill. The policy lists both home kits and in-lab testing, and the cream panel needs more than a testosterone-only result. Lab policy
- Fountain’s dose-price limits and an exact state-by-state cream offer. Its public refund rule is available and is included above; only the individual application of that rule needs confirmation. Offer · Refunds
- Which contract term Henry applies to a given sign-up.
- Defy Medical’s current tube price and complete first-year cream-care bill from the accessible catalog.
- The HRT Club's shipping on a single bottle, and its telehealth partner's visit price.
- The exact strength, base, treating clinician, dispensing pharmacy, appointment availability and extra fees for any individual. We did not independently verify individual professional or pharmacy licenses, inspect facilities, or establish a service-wide certification.
Customer-experience signal: The short Dan quote is attributed to Male Excel’s own pricing page. It is not an independently verified patient interview or proof of typical savings.
Before you pay: Turn the unanswered items into a written quote using the request above. An unknown fee is not $0, and a published provider statement is not a guarantee.
We don't change the "last verified" date for a wording edit. It moves only when the facts are re-checked.
Our full method is How We Review TRT Providers. It separates verified facts, company statements, customer experiences and our own conclusions. This cost guide does not assign numeric provider scores. See our editorial standards and corrections policy.
Testosterone cream cost: frequently asked questions
A cream price is usable only when you know what it includes and how long the supply lasts. These answers address the remaining billing questions; treatment decisions still require a clinician’s evaluation.
How much does testosterone cream cost per month?
Hone estimates cream at about $60 a month plus a $135 or $155 membership. Male Excel’s $132 figure is a cream-and-thyroid package before its $99 membership, while Henry publishes a $129 monthly care-and-medication bundle. These are different purchases, not one cream-only price range. Hone · Male Excel · Henry
How much does testosterone cream cost without insurance?
Use the cash-pay examples above as starting points, not a universal bill. Henry’s twelve-payment bundle model is $1,548; Hone’s listed first-year components produce $2,430–$2,670; Male Excel’s six-fill model is $2,871 before shipping and any other unquoted charges. The actual prescription, lab requirements and charge dates can change the total. Henry · Hone Plus · Hone Premium · Male Excel
Is testosterone cream covered by insurance?
Coverage depends on the exact preparation, pharmacy, care provider and health plan. Cash-pay program fees are not automatically reimbursable, and a covered FDA-approved gel does not establish coverage for compounded cream. Call your plan and ask about the exact product and each care charge. Example insurer policy · Cash-pay terms
Does Medicare cover testosterone cream?
Medicare’s Part D manual says bulk compounding powders are not Part D drugs. That can prevent payment for a cream made from bulk testosterone powder, but it is not a blanket statement that no ingredient in any compounded prescription can be covered. Ask your Part D plan about the exact prescription and any covered FDA-approved options. CMS manual, section 10.4
Is testosterone cream FDA-approved?
No FDA-approved testosterone cream is identified in FDA’s testosterone information. The prescription creams compared here are compounded, and FDA does not review compounded drugs for safety, effectiveness or quality before marketing. FDA-approved gels are a separate product category. FDA testosterone information · Compounding guidance
Is AndroGel cheaper than testosterone cream?
It can be cheaper for the medicine alone. The HRT Club listed brand AndroGel 1.62% at $40 a bottle plus $12/month or $99/year membership; GoodRx displayed $42.87 for a generic 1.62% 88-gram pump. Confirm your days’ supply and add your own clinical care, labs and any delivery charges before comparing it with a cream program. Club product · Membership · Generic benchmark
How long does a tube of testosterone cream last?
It depends entirely on your prescription: the cream's strength, the amount in the tube, and how much you're told to use. Ask your pharmacist for the days' supply, then compare quotes by 30-day cost. Never use less than prescribed to make a tube last longer.
Does a lab-test offer include the cream?
Usually not. A $45 or $65 entry test is the first step toward an evaluation. Medication, membership and follow-up care are typically charged separately once a clinician decides treatment is appropriate. Ask what happens, and what you pay, after the test. Hone’s separate charges
Does "cancel anytime" mean I get money back?
Not necessarily. Cancelling may stop the next renewal without refunding medication or a committed term. Maximus excludes early refunds on committed plans; Fountain allows prorated refunds for future prepaid treatment months; Hone requires separate membership and prescription cancellation. Male Excel’s general nonrefund terms have stated exceptions, including a narrower membership-fee guarantee. Maximus · Fountain · Hone · Male Excel terms · Guarantee
What if I'm not prescribed testosterone?
Ask before you pay. Henry says payment does not guarantee a prescription, while Fountain advertises that you pay nothing if you do not qualify. Do not assume every test or consultation is refundable: Hone’s refund policy, for example, says lab fees are nonrefundable once a kit has shipped. Get the rule for your first payment in writing. Henry · Fountain offer · Hone refund policy
Can I have my cream prescription filled at a cheaper pharmacy?
Maybe not. Male Excel's terms say it won't send your prescription to a different pharmacy. Other programs have their own rules, and a compounded cream may not be something another pharmacy can make the same way. Ask before you sign up. Fountain’s terms describe a choice of pharmacy, but you still need to confirm whether outside dispensing changes the package price. Male Excel policy · Fountain policy
Does testosterone cream cost the same for women?
The prices on this page are for the described adult-male testosterone-deficiency offers, not a price list for women. Menopause care and gender-affirming hormone care have different clinical questions and prescribing needs. Ask an appropriately experienced clinician for the exact prescription and a separate care-and-pharmacy quote.
What's the bottom line on testosterone cream cost?
If you already have a prescriber, price the FDA-approved gel first. GoodRx’s checked benchmark was $42.87 for one generic 1.62% 88-gram pump, but the days’ supply and the cost of visits and labs still matter. Exact product price
If you want the cream with care built in, Henry’s $1,548 twelve-payment model is a useful published bundle benchmark—not a guarantee that it is the cheapest complete bill for you. Maximus has a lower plan fee on a six-month commitment, but the complete lab bill remains separate. Hone’s listed components produce about $2,430–$2,670 in the first-year models; Male Excel’s six-fill subtotal is $2,871 before shipping and other unquoted charges. Either way, get your price at your prescription in writing. Henry · Maximus · Hone Plus · Hone Premium · Male Excel
And if your low testosterone hasn't been confirmed, or children are in your near-term plans, start with that conversation instead. It's the cheapest way to avoid paying for the wrong care. Clinical guidance
Ready to compare a full-service membership? Compare Hone's published membership tiers → (Hone is a commercial partner) Review Male Excel's separate cream and membership fees → (direct information link; Male Excel is a commercial partner) A visit is an evaluation, not a prescription. Nobody can promise you'll be approved.
Still not sure which TRT care route fits you? Use our free Find My TRT Path tool.
TRT Provider Guide is the independent decision resource for testosterone replacement therapy care. We are not a clinic, pharmacy, laboratory, drug manufacturer, insurer or medical practice. This page is educational information, not medical advice, and it doesn't diagnose low testosterone or decide whether you qualify for treatment. Prices and policies were checked September 17, 2026, and change often. Confirm current terms with any company before you pay.
Which sources support these prices and rules?
Company sources establish published offers and policies, not independently tested care quality. Government guidance, product labeling and original research support the separate regulatory, clinical and calculation checks.
Company, pharmacy and pricing sources
Checked September 17, 2026. A provider’s displayed publication date is different from our verification date.
- Male Excel: Hormone Treatment Costs, membership and guarantee information, FAQ, Terms and Conditions, and Excel Medical’s service terms. Prices, thyroid package, home-test and routine-monitoring descriptions, state exclusions, pharmacy policy, cancellation and refunds.
- Hone Health: Testosterone Cream for Men, Plus Membership, Premium Membership, Plus TRT Lab Testing Schedule, Order Cancellation and Refund Policy, and Service Availability by State. The Plus/Premium and $45/$50 confirmation-price conflicts remain disclosed.
- Henry Meds: Programs, Testosterone Therapy, and TRT treatment page. Published bundle, cream quantity limit, eligibility wording and contract qualifications.
- Maximus: Testosterone Cream, Lab Testing: Costs and Policies, and Return, Refund & Subscription Policy. Introductory and regular prices, payment options, testing gaps and commitment terms.
- Fountain: FountainTRT, Terms of Use, and Return & Refund Policy. Fixed-week billing, stated inclusions, pharmacy choice and future-month refunds.
- Defy Medical: Anazao 30 mL cream listing and 30 mL cream catalog listing. Product listings and store policies; neither accessible catalog view established a current tube price.
- The HRT Club: AndroGel 1.62% listing and testosterone membership information. Product price, separate fees, shipping threshold, prescription requirement and named dispensing pharmacy.
- The HRT Club ownership and care partner: its February 18, 2025 launch announcement and June 17, 2025 Posterity Health announcement. Company announcements, not independent clinical evaluations.
- GoodRx: testosterone dosage-and-quantity prices and testosterone cypionate dosage-and-quantity prices. Public pack-specific benchmarks, not local stock checks or completed coupon purchases.
- Taurus Meds: published testosterone offer. A “Testosterone Gel” heading does not establish a cream offer or an exact FDA-approved gel product.
Government, clinical and research sources
- FDA: Testosterone Information, including the June 2026 labeling request; Compounding and the FDA: Questions and Answers; and Actions to Address Unapproved Thyroid Medications.
- HHS: FDA Requests Updates to Testosterone Therapy Labeling, June 18, 2026. A request for label updates is not approval of compounded cream.
- DailyMed: AndroGel 1.62% prescribing information. Product-specific confirmation testing, pump contents, non-substitution warning, transfer precautions and fertility information.
- FDA: Kyzatrex approval package, approval dated July 27, 2022. Used only to check the claim that Jatenzo is the sole approved oral testosterone.
- Endocrine Society: Testosterone Therapy for Hypogonadism guideline resources. Diagnosis, repeat morning testing, fertility, risk assessment and monitoring.
- AUA: Testosterone Deficiency Guideline. The manufactured-versus-compounded recommendation and its grade were cross-checked against the quotation in New York State DFS appeal 202108-140376; that 2021 appeal is not a current coverage decision for other patients.
- DEA: Drug Scheduling and telemedicine flexibilities through December 31, 2026.
- CMS: Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Manual, Chapter 6, section 10.4, compounded products and bulk compounding powders.
- UnitedHealthcare: Testosterone Replacement or Supplementation Therapy policy, effective February 1, 2026. Product-specific authorization, reauthorization and policy history; not a universal diagnostic standard.
- IRS: Publication 502 and Publication 969. Prescribed-medication expenses, HSA/FSA rules and recordkeeping.
- DeMasi M, et al.: Testosterone testing in the United States: limited price transparency and significant variability. International Journal of Impotence Research. 2026;38:605–610; published online August 13, 2025. The abstract reports historical hospital-price data, not current retail quotations.
- Kirk D, Misita C: Spuriously Elevated Testosterone Measurements Caused by Application of Testosterone Gel at or Near the Phlebotomy Site. Annals of Pharmacotherapy. 2013;47:e5. A two-patient case report, not a prevalence study.
Other cost pages checked
These sources are used to compare their published price descriptions, not as authorities for diagnosis, safety or FDA status.
SingleCare · Hims · BetterCare · FormBlends · PeakPerformax · MedSwitcher · HealthRX · Policy Lab · Hone Health blog · Preston’s Pharmacy
Privacy policy · Affiliate disclosure · How We Review TRT Providers · Corrections
Compare the complete year-one bill: Cheapest Testosterone Cream Online compares current treatment prices, labs, memberships, commitments, and FDA-approved topical alternatives.