How much does a GLP-1 cost without insurance?
Without insurance, brand GLP-1 drugs cost about $149 to $499 a month through the makers' self-pay programs in October 2026, and GLP-1 pills (Wegovy and Ozempic tablets) cost $149 to $299 a month by dose. Wegovy pens run $199 to $399, Zepbound $299 to $449 and Ozempic pens $199 to $499, while Mounjaro lists at $1,112.16. With commercial insurance that covers the drug, maker savings cards can bring the cost to $25, and eligible Medicare patients pay $50 a month through the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge.
Prices are national ranges from the sources listed below. Your price depends on your provider, location and case; confirm the cost with your provider before treatment. How we get these prices
| Item | Low | High | Typical | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ozempic (pen and pill, type 2 diabetes)[3][12] | $149 | $499 | Pill $149 to $299; pen $199 intro, then $349 or $499 | |
| Wegovy (pill and pen)[1] | $149 | $399 | Pill $149 to $299; pen $199 intro, then $349, HD $399 | |
| Zepbound (KwikPen and vials)[2] | $299 | $449 | $449 for 7.5 mg and up needs a refill within 45 days | |
| Mounjaro (type 2 diabetes)[4][5] | $1,112.16 | List price for 28 days; $499 with savings card if a commercial plan does not cover it | ||
| Compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide[13] | $99 | $549 | Telehealth listed prices; medians $199 and $256.50; not FDA approved | |
| Cheapest brand weight loss injection, cash[1] | $199 | Wegovy pen, first 2 fills for new patients, through December 31, 2026 |
GLP-1 prices changed often in 2025 and 2026, so every price in these guides was checked on the maker’s, retailer’s or government’s page on the date shown. We do not sell these drugs; talk with a clinician about which one, if any, fits you.
How much does a GLP-1 cost without insurance?
Novo Nordisk (Wegovy, Ozempic) and Lilly (Zepbound, Mounjaro) sell to self-pay patients at prices far below list price. Wegovy’s list price is $1,349.02 per package, while its self-pay prices are $149 to $399 a month.[1] Ozempic pens cost $349 a month for doses up to 1 mg and $499 for 2 mg after two $199 intro fills for new patients.[12] Lilly’s Zepbound KwikPen is $299 for 2.5 mg, $399 for 5 mg and $449 for higher doses if you refill within 45 days.[2] Mounjaro is the exception: Lilly lists no self-pay price on its savings page and says people without coverage should expect to pay full retail, about the $1,112.16 list price.[4][5]
TrumpRx lists deal prices of $149 for the Wegovy pill, $199 for the Wegovy pen and Ozempic, and $299 for Zepbound.[10] The makers’ own terms tie some of these to starting doses or new patients, so check the guide for your drug and dose.
How much do GLP-1 pills cost?
Two semaglutide tablets have self-pay prices. The Wegovy pill, approved for weight management, costs $149 a month for 1.5 mg, $199 for 4 mg and $299 for 9 mg and 25 mg.[1] The Ozempic pill, for type 2 diabetes, costs $149, $199 or $299 a month by dose.[3] See the Wegovy pill cost by dose for the 90-day dose schedule and what each step costs.
What is the cheapest way to get a GLP-1?
The cheapest route depends on your coverage:
- Commercial insurance that covers the drug: maker savings cards can bring Wegovy, Ozempic, Zepbound or Mounjaro to $25 a fill, up to each card’s caps.[1][2][5][12] The Zepbound and Mounjaro cards expire December 31, 2026.[2][5]
- Medicare: the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge covers Foundayo, Wegovy and the Zepbound KwikPen for weight loss at $50 a month, and that $50 does not count toward your drug plan deductible or out-of-pocket limit.[6] It runs July 1, 2026 through December 31, 2027.[7]
- No coverage: the lowest maker prices are $149 a month for the starting dose of a GLP-1 pill and $199 a month for a new patient’s first two Wegovy pen fills.[1]
Compounded versions are sold by telehealth companies for $99 to $549 a month, but they are not FDA approved; see compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide prices.[13] The cheapest weight loss injections guide compares brand cash prices side by side.
Where to buy: Costco, CVS and Walmart
A check of Costco’s pharmacy tool on October 29, 2026 found Ozempic and Wegovy at the same prices as Novo Nordisk’s self-pay program for members, and found Zepbound left off Costco’s GLP-1 member price list.[14] The Zepbound self pay cost guide covers Walmart pickup through LillyDirect. NovoCare can send a self-pay prescription to a local pharmacy of your choice for pickup.[1] CVS says it offers $25 a month for eligible commercially insured patients with a maker coupon and $50 a month under the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge, with pickup at about 9,000 stores.[15]
Will insurance pay for a GLP-1?
Coverage depends on the drug and your diagnosis. Ozempic and Mounjaro are approved for type 2 diabetes,[4][11] while Wegovy and Zepbound are sold for weight management. For Medicaid, KFF counted 13 states covering GLP-1s for obesity under fee-for-service as of January 2026.[8] Government plan members cannot use the makers’ savings cards.[1][2]
Guides in this section
- Cheapest weight loss injectionsWeight loss injections cost $199 to $449 a month paying cash through the makers' online self-pay programs in October 2026. The cheapest are the Wegovy pen at $199 a month for a new patient's first two fills (then $349) and the Zepbound KwikPen at $299 a month for the 2.5 mg starting dose. With commercial insurance, maker savings cards can cut the cost to $25, and eligible Medicare patients pay $50 a month.
- Compounded GLP-1 costIn an October 2026 index of U.S. telehealth sellers, compounded semaglutide had a median listed price of $199 a month (range $99 to $399) and compounded tirzepatide a median of $256.50 a month (range $129 to $549) on each seller's shortest plan. Compounded drugs are not FDA approved, and the FDA ended its shortage-era leeway for compounding these drugs in 2025. Brand self-pay prices from the makers now start at $149 to $299 a month.
- Mounjaro costMounjaro's list price is $1,112.16 for a 28-day supply, which is roughly the monthly cost without insurance or a savings program. With commercial insurance that covers Mounjaro, the Lilly savings card lets you pay as little as $25 for up to a 3-month fill. If you have commercial insurance that does not cover it, the card brings a 1-month fill to as low as $499. The card expires December 31, 2026, and does not work with Medicare or Medicaid.
- Ozempic costThe cost of Ozempic per month without insurance is $349 for the 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg and 1 mg pen and $499 for the 2 mg pen through Novo Nordisk's NovoCare program, and new patients pay $199 a month for their first two fills through December 31, 2026. The Ozempic pill costs $149 to $299 a month by dose, and Costco lists the same pen prices for members. With commercial insurance that covers it, the savings offer can bring Ozempic down to $25 a month.
- Wegovy costWithout insurance, the Wegovy pill costs $149 a month for the 1.5 mg dose, $199 for 4 mg and $299 for 9 mg and 25 mg through Novo Nordisk's NovoCare program, so the first three months on the label's dose schedule cost $647. The Wegovy pen costs $349 a month for most doses and $399 for the 7.2 mg Wegovy HD dose, and new patients pay $199 a month for their first two fills through December 31, 2026. With commercial insurance that covers Wegovy, you can pay as little as $25 a month, and eligible Medicare patients pay $50 a month.
- Zepbound costZepbound self pay costs $299 a month for the 2.5 mg dose, $399 for 5 mg and $449 for 7.5 mg to 15 mg through Lilly's self-pay offer for the KwikPen, if you refill within 45 days, and Walmart pharmacies are a pickup option for LillyDirect. With commercial insurance that covers the single-dose pen, the Zepbound Savings Card can bring it to $25 a fill through December 31, 2026, and eligible Medicare patients pay $50 a month for the KwikPen.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Ozempic at Costco?
A check of Costco's pharmacy price tool on October 29, 2026 found member prices of $199 for the first two fills of the 0.25 mg or 0.5 mg Ozempic pen, then $349, $349 for 1 mg and $499 for 2 mg. Those match Novo Nordisk's own self-pay prices.
Will insurance pay for a GLP-1?
It depends on your plan and your diagnosis, since Ozempic and Mounjaro are approved for type 2 diabetes and Wegovy and Zepbound for weight management. Ask your plan whether the drug is on its formulary and needs prior authorization.
Does Medicaid cover GLP-1s for weight loss?
It depends on your state. KFF counted 13 state Medicaid programs covering GLP-1s for obesity under fee-for-service as of January 2026, down from 16 in October 2025.
Why are GLP-1 list prices so much higher than self-pay prices?
List prices are what makers charge before discounts. Novo Nordisk lists Wegovy at $1,349.02 per package while selling it self-pay for $149 to $399 a month. Novo Nordisk plans to cut Wegovy and Ozempic list prices to $675 starting January 1, 2027, which it says will not change self-pay prices.
Do I need a prescription to buy a GLP-1?
Yes. Every drug in these guides needs a prescription, and the FDA advises filling it at a state-licensed pharmacy. The FDA also warns that counterfeit Ozempic is sold in the U.S.
Sources
- Novo Nordisk NovoCare. Price your Wegovy: self-pay and savings offers for the pill and pen. Accessed October 30, 2026.
- Eli Lilly and Company. Zepbound coverage and savings. Accessed October 30, 2026.
- Novo Nordisk NovoCare. Ozempic pill and pen price guide (May 2026). Accessed October 30, 2026.
- Eli Lilly and Company. Mounjaro frequently asked questions. Accessed October 30, 2026.
- Eli Lilly and Company. Mounjaro savings and resources. Accessed October 30, 2026.
- Medicare.gov. Medicare GLP-1 Bridge: GLP-1 drugs for $50 a month (fact sheet, June 2026). Accessed October 30, 2026.
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Medicare GLP-1 Bridge. Accessed October 30, 2026.
- KFF. Medicaid coverage of and spending on GLP-1s (January 16, 2026). Accessed October 30, 2026.
- Novo Nordisk. Novo Nordisk to lower list prices of Wegovy, Ozempic and Rybelsus (February 24, 2026). Accessed October 30, 2026.
- TrumpRx.gov. TrumpRx GLP-1 prices. Accessed October 30, 2026.
- Novo Nordisk. Ozempic: uses and important safety information. Accessed October 30, 2026.
- Novo Nordisk NovoCare. Ozempic cost navigator: frequently asked questions. Accessed October 30, 2026.
- HealthRx. Compounded GLP-1 price index (prices checked October 16, 2026; publisher sells compounded GLP-1s). Accessed October 30, 2026.
- Kymata Health. GLP-1 prices at Costco, Walmart, CVS and GoodRx (prices checked October 29, 2026). Accessed October 30, 2026.
- CVS Health. CVS Health enhances its direct-to-consumer weight management offerings (August 5, 2026). Accessed October 30, 2026.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA's concerns with unapproved GLP-1 drugs used for weight loss. Accessed October 30, 2026.