Table of Contents
About Calibrate
Calibrate is a weight loss program that bridges the gaps between medication, lifestyle, and biology. They look at weight loss from an inclusive angle wherein they want to supply their clients with all the tools necessary to transform their lives in a sustainable and healthy fashion.
The brand admits that weight loss isn’t always as simple as moving more and eating less. They recognize that sometimes, doctor-recommended medications can help manage the more difficult parts of the process. With tons of social media followers, it appears that Calibrate’s framework has worked for many people.
About Found
Found sees weight loss as the byproduct of complex interactions between food, exercise, gut health, mental health, support systems, genetics, and more. They’re a weight loss company in name alone, focusing more on improving all health markers in someone’s life so that people can live their best lives.
They offer affordable monthly plans for Americans who want to reevaluate their health from a holistic perspective.
So, the point of this Calibrate vs Found review is to compare the two companies and see their similarities and differences. It should arm you with the knowledge necessary so that you can figure out which one is best for you.
What to Consider
In this Calibrate vs Found review, I will assume that you’re looking to accomplish more than just cutting a few pounds for the beach. Both services offer you insight into how you can make positive and sustainable changes to live a healthier life.
By proxy, you’ll likely lose some fat too and potentially gain muscle. I’ll compare how the two companies can set up a program for you, offer support through your journey, how scientifically credible they are, and what extra they provide.
Program personalization
Each plan that Calibrate and Found offer is developed specifically for single clients. They don’t copy and paste plans. As such, regardless of which company you select, you can rest assured knowing that they’re working on a plan tailored to your wants and needs.
Support
Both companies connect you with a medical professional after you sign up. Calibrate connects customers with doctors in a virtual one-on-one appointment while Found uses messaging services to connect clients with clinicians.
Beyond that, Found users can connect with their coaches whenever they please through the Found app.
Credibility
The two brands in this Calibrate vs Found review publish tons of scientific literature to support their business models. Each is committed to science-based weight loss.
Their droves of customer reviews also support that they are credible weight loss companies. They don’t distribute magical “weight loss pills,” even though they can prescribe medications, nor do they promote unhealthy crash diets.
Extras
Calibrate and Found don’t provide much outside their weight loss plans because the plans themselves are so detailed. There isn’t any need to fluff up their catalog with products outside of those that will help customers.
Accessibility
Calibrate is available in all 50 states. They also accept insurance. Actually, they’ll go one step further and help you find the best medication under your current insurance plan.
Meanwhile, Found’s medication-based plans are only offered in 31 states. They do not accept insurance so customers have to sign up for the Rx Plan to receive medications.
With all that out of the way, let’s compare Calibrate vs Found by looking at how each company works.
Calibrate vs Found: How it Works
Calibrate and Found both adopt a multi-faceted weight loss approach. They can teach you how to intelligently and safely make changes in your lifestyle, prescribe you FDA-approved medication, and hold you accountable for your improvements by connecting you with one of their staff members.
It’s only the details of their functioning that Calibrate and Found differ. To illustrate that, let’s begin with Calibrate’s model. They offer a long-term plan called the Calibrate Metabolic Reset that involves:
- GLP-1 medications under a doctor’s guidance
- One-on-one video coaching
- Lifestyle changes
Their GLP-1 medications include Wegovy, Saxenda, Ozempic, and Mounjaro. They work differently than other weight loss drugs (usually stimulants). These medications can reduce inflammation, shift your set point, slow down digestion so you feel fuller for longer, and increase insulin sensitivity.
These medications work alongside the other biweekly coaching sessions Calibrate offers to help you create better habits. Calibrate doesn’t just want you to work out harder. They can teach you how to train for your goals, how to build an exercise routine, how to rest and recover properly, and how to manage your emotions.
While Calibrate’s marketing frequently mentions weight loss, it’s important to note that many of their tools aren’t based on the number on the scale. They’re more holistic so that you can sustain your improved habits and bodily changes throughout the rest of your life.
Everything Calibrate offers is web-based so you can do it all from the brand’s app.
Now, let’s talk about how Found runs the shows. Their approach is just as holistic though they emphasize movement, nutrition, and rest more than medication. That being said, they recognize that medication can help clients reach their goals safely so they also include them in plans.
Sadly, I couldn’t find any information on Found’s website about the medication their doctors prescribe. Though they claim these medications can help curb your appetite, stabilize your blood sugar, or reduce hunger, they don’t name any specific drugs.
Instead, Found focuses on coaching strategies. They’ll connect you with one of their experts who can help you develop a personalized diet plan, assess your goals, create a workout regimen, and keep you updated with insights into training and nutrition.
They call these “Lifestyle Tools” since they also encompass sleeping, recovery, and mental well-being. They predict that users should become proficient with their new lifestyle and be able to stick to the changes within seven months and, by that point, will have definitely seen results.
To summarize this section of my Calibrate vs Found review, the brands have similar frameworks but Calibrate is more upfront with the medications they may recommend you.
Calibrate vs Found: Subscriptions & Pricing
Weight loss is technically a pursuit anyone can begin on their own, but it’s hard to know what to do while a sea of misinformation surrounds losing fat. Thus, it’s important there are services like Calibrate and Found that provide customers with robust knowledge about weight loss. This information can’t come for free of course, which is why I’m going to look at each brand’s pricing.
Up first is Calibrate. They offer a monthly price of $138 but you can pay for the entire year in one lump sum of $1,649. Included in this plan are:
- 30-minute virtual doctor’s appointment
- Access to support teams
- One-on-one biweekly coaching sessions
- A multi-faceted health plan incorporating exercise, nutrition, sleep, and mood
- Access to the Calibrate App and its tracking tools
What’s not covered by this monthly payment is your medication. Calibrate will help new users find an insurance plan that works for them with their prescription. Their website claims that most members pay $25 per month for their GLP-1 medication.
Found’s plans are based on whether or not you want or need medication. You have to answer a questionnaire to obtain a price estimate from Found as they generate plans based on your goals, current weight, family history, prescription history, and more. It’s an in-depth assessment.
To give you a fair comparison in this Calibrate vs Found review, I looked at other consumer resources to gain an idea of the average Found price. Found charges on a monthly basis on a sliding scale model depending on whether you choose the Wellness Path or the Rx Path.
The former does not include any medications and only costs $29 per month. You’ll receive access to Found’s app, long-term planning tools, communication with Found’s team, and more with this plan. The only thing you won’t get is a prescription.
That’s where the Rx Path comes in. It can cost anywhere from $99 to $149 per month, but that includes the price of the medication and shipping. This also means that Found does not accept any form of medical insurance to cover the cost of prescriptions.
In short, Found’s plans are cheaper than Calibrate’s by a fair bit. Even the most expensive Found plan is only slightly pricier than Calibrate’s average plan, but that doesn’t take into account that you may have to pay more for your Calibrate medication.
Calibrate vs Found: Scientific Backing
Weight loss is as much of a skill as it is a science. Success comes from combining those elements; making informed decisions backed by science, and turning those decisions into automatic functions.
However, it’s important to know the science playing behind the stars of this Calibrate vs Found review. As such, I’m going to spend this section comparing and contrasting the science supporting each company. This will also include success rates and other anecdotes that fall outside the realm of customer testimonials.
As I’ve done in other segments of my Calibrate vs Found review, I’ll begin with the former brand. They base their findings on a 2015 study in which the GLP-1 drug liraglutide was associated with weight loss when combined with diet and exercise.
Of course, nearly everything will work to help you lose weight if you combine it with diet and exercise. However, those who used the GLP-1 reported better weight loss results than the control group who only took a placebo. Both groups received the same lifestyle and exercise counseling services.
That study doesn’t explain what that counseling included nor does it disclose if everyone’s exercise was standardized. However, those limitations aren’t the end of the world because Calibrate does not force clients to take medication. The brand prescribes them, but they also employ other lifestyle changes so that customers can develop a healthier life.
That’s the only science I could find regarding Calibrate, so let’s shift the focus to the science behind Found. Their approach looks at genetic and external factors that influence our weight including:
- Hormones
- Gut bacteria
- Mental health
- Emotional well-being
- Support systems
Their response is to address all these factors while still instructing clients how to diet and exercise properly for their lifestyle. They don’t follow a one-size-fits-all template. Instead, their team is filled with doctors and experts from the Metabolic and Weight Control Center at Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
Found’s acknowledgment that, although weight loss is about “calories in, calories out,” each of us possesses individual factors that alter how that equation plays out is supported by science. There have been plenty of studies linking gut bacteria, mental health, and overall support systems to weight loss.
As a whole, Found’s scientific basis is firmer because they draw from so many time-tested truths. Calibrate’s is solid too, but they focus on the benefits of medication in conjunction with diet and exercise instead of adopting a wider lens like Found.
Calibrate vs Found: What Do Customers Think?
The part people care about the most in weight loss journeys is the destination. While those who endure the process enjoy the lessons they’ve learned, the skills they’ve acquired, and the healthy habits they’ve adopted, most folks would rather see the before and after photo.
To please those people reading this Calibrate vs Found review, I’ll look at what customers have said about both brands. I’ll examine what they liked, what they didn’t like, what their results were, and how they enjoyed the process.
Calibrate holds a few impressive statistics. These are the average ratings that customers gave Calibrate on various websites:
- Calibrate: 4.6/5 stars based on more than 480 pieces of customer feedback
- Consumer Affairs: 4.6/5 stars based on more than 360 pieces of customer feedback
- Reviews.io: 4.5/5 stars based on more than 250 pieces of customer feedback
- Trust Pilot: 3/5 stars based on more than 100 pieces of customer feedback
These are all highly complimentary scores, indicating that generally, people loved Calibrate. I was surprised to read so many customer reviews that focused less on the results and more on the process. Here’s one positive testimonial from Consumer Affairs that shows what I mean.
“Calibrate targets all aspects of health and weight with medical help, clean eating, counseling, exercise, sleep, and reconfiguring your relationship with yourself. I avoid using the word diet because Calibrate is not a quick fix – it is a year-long (at least) commitment to health and food is, honestly, only one part of the program. And my coach, Kelly, is the best!”
That being said, some users flaunted their gains in their Calibrate reviews. More power to them, we truly love to see it. Many of their results were realistic and healthy. Nobody was dropping 200 pounds in four months; instead, Calibrate losers were slowly chipping away at adipose tissue while improving their overall health markers.
“I am now 8 months into the program, and have lost 80lbs, or 28% of my starting body weight. My labs and blood pressure have all returned to “normal” ranges. I feel better than I ever have in my entire life. Unlike all of those times I’d lost weight before, I don’t feel like I’m “dieting.” I have gradually, with the help of my coach, incorporated small changes which have added up to become a completely different lifestyle that still feels effortless to maintain,” wrote one user.
Other Calibrate users said the service helped them repair their relationship with food. They didn’t see food as a reward or as numbers on a scale. Rather, they accepted that food was food and could make better choices based on what Calibrate taught them.
Most clients said that Calibrate changed their lives for the better. After being on the program for a while, they stopped caring about the results, not because they weren’t achieving them, but because they’d fallen in love with health.
The negative Calibrate reviews brought up how long it took the app to reply to users. Some said they waited upwards of a week to hear back from the Calibrate team. This is disappointing when you consider that customers are paying for Calibrate’s expertise and insight. If they can’t speak with anyone there, then what are they paying for?
These less-than-positive Calibrate reviews were in the minority though, as many customer testimonials read more like this 5/5 stars review I found on Trust Pilot.
“Calibrate has been the only program that I see consistent results. I feel like the medication is a big help, but it combined with coaching and the course material all creates a more realistic and attainable goal. It has made more more self aware and has also showed me that I need to slow down and make more time for myself. As a mom, a wife, and full time employee I am always giving to someone else to the point of depletion. I am now realizing to be the best me I need to give to myself as well!!!”
Now, that’s all well and good, but there are two brands in this Calibrate vs Found review, so I can’t just focus on one company. As such, allow me to show you what customers thought about Found.
There weren’t nearly as many aggregate Found review scores online. The only one I located was on Trust Pilot where 43 customers gave them an average score of 3/5 stars. Found claims that they hold a 4.7/5 stars average score based on more than 3,300 pieces of customer feedback on their website, but none of the reviews I saw were rated.
For the most part, positive Found reviews praised the service’s professionalism. The entire Found staff, from the physicians to the coaches to the support members, were described as knowledgeable and encouraging. New Found members quickly learned how to make changes and felt motivated to improve their health.
Here’s what one customer wrote in their 5/5 stars Found review on Trust Pilot.
“I have been extremely satisfied with my experience at Found. The physicians have been responsive and thorough. My coach has been very supportive! She gave me some great cues that totally changed how I eat. It has been a game changer. Amber is there as much as I need her and she checks in when I’ve been MIA cruising along. I would highly recommend Found to anyone.”
Found’s overall model was successful in helping many clients lose weight. Those who used Found did not attribute their improvements to one aspect. They praised the coaching, the logging, the exercise recommendations, and the community. In short, they felt the entire app was worthwhile.
“This program is so easy and it’s working!!! I struggle constantly with my weight, but with the support of my Found team it has been surprisingly easy to stay on track. The app makes it easy to log your different categories and your Coach checks in with words of encouragement and suggestions, but never to the point you want to say leave me the hell alone lol. I look forward to seeing myself be successful and using the tools I’m learning to live a healthy lifestyle”
Complaints about Found stemmed from the lack of clarity with cancellation fees. Some customers decried that the brand didn’t inform them about their cancellation policy and kept charging them after they wanted to leave.
However, one advantage Found had over Calibrate in customer reviews was how frequently users mentioned speaking with their coaches. Some customers messaged their Calibrate coaches multiple times a week. The coaches were regularly available so users felt that they were only minutes away from obtaining an answer to their problems.
It’d be unfair if I didn’t include one final Found custom review that revealed how most users felt about the service. So, here’s one from Trust Pilot.
“I really like getting the extra tools such as newsletters, participating in the monthly challenges, being able to interact with others in the FB group and having my Coach only a text away. The support and tools are there for success with the FOUND program.”
I’ll wrap up this section of my Calibrate vs Found review by summarizing customer sentiments for both companies. Calibrate had more customer ratings than Found and their users reported more holistic changes. These customers praised the improvements Calibrate made in their lives beyond just weight loss.
Meanwhile, Found users said that the brand’s communication played a huge role in their success. Their coaches were regularly available and the plans were well thought-out.
Calibrate vs Found: Promotions & Discounts
I wish that either company in this Calibrate vs Found review offered regular discounts but it seems that isn’t the case. Out of the two, Calibrate was the only one with a promotion. They offered a free month for new members who signed up with the code ONEMONTHFREE.
It didn’t appear that either brand had any other promotions.
Calibrate vs Found: Shipping & Returns
The last comparison to make in this Calibrate vs Found review is between the brands’ refund policies.
Calibrate only offers refunds during the first 72 hours after signing up. You pay for every month upfront, so you can cancel your membership whenever you’d like but you’ll have to ride out the end of the month. You cannot earn back any money you’ve given to Calibrate unless it’s in the beginning 72-hour window right after you start working with them.
Meanwhile, Found has a 30-day money-back guarantee. They’ll refund you the money for your first month’s membership and the price of any medications if you cancel your membership within the first 30 days.
As you can see, Found’s refund policy is much more flexible than Calibrate’s. It’s a little crazy that the latter only gives customers three days to figure out if they enjoy a program that’s supposed to change their lives. Found’s is generous. After nearly a month with them, you should have a solid idea of whether or not their services are right for you.
Who Will You Shop With?
I’ll wrap up this Calibrate vs Found review by giving you my two cents. I don’t think you could go wrong with either company.
They both approach weight loss not as an end goal but as a symptom of a healthier lifestyle. Both welcome medication and mental health into the equation and create personalized plans.
However, there are some notable differences. Calibrate is up-front about the medications they prescribe. They’re available in all 50 states and they have more customer reviews.
Meanwhile, Found is more affordable and has a more forgiving refund policy. They also allow more contact between coaches and clients.
If you’re going to take away anything from this Calibrate vs Found review, it should be the points I just laid out. Those will be the straws that break the camel’s back and ultimately guide you toward the company that’s right for you.
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