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Comparison

Semaglutide vs tirzepatide: how do they compare?

Updated 13 sources 4 min read
Short answer

Semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic) is a GLP-1 receptor agonist, while tirzepatide (Zepbound, Mounjaro) acts on two receptors, GIP and GLP-1. In the SURMOUNT-5 head to head trial in adults with obesity and no diabetes, tirzepatide led to an average 20.2% weight loss at 72 weeks against 13.7% for semaglutide. Paying cash, the Wegovy pen costs $199 to $399 a month and the Zepbound KwikPen $299 to $449 with on-time refills, and only semaglutide also comes as a pill.

  • $149 to $299Wegovy pill (semaglutide), self-pay
  • $199 to $399Wegovy pen (semaglutide), self-pay
  • $199 to $499Ozempic pen (semaglutide), self-pay
On this page

Prices at a glance

  • Wegovy pill (semaglutide), self-pay$149 to $299
  • Wegovy pen (semaglutide), self-pay$199 to $399
  • Ozempic pen (semaglutide), self-pay$199 to $499
  • Zepbound KwikPen (tirzepatide), self-pay$299 to $449
  • Mounjaro (tirzepatide), list price$1,112.16
  • Commercial insurance with maker savings offer$25
  • Medicare GLP-1 Bridge$50

Side by side

Option A

semaglutide

  • Wegovy pill, self-pay[1]
    $149 to $299
    $149 (1.5 mg), $199 (4 mg), $299 (9 mg and 25 mg)
  • Wegovy pen, self-pay[1]
    $199 to $399
    $199 for a new patient's first 2 fills through December 31, 2026; then $349; Wegovy HD 7.2 mg $399
  • Ozempic pen, self-pay[2]
    $199 to $499
    $199 intro fills, then $349 (up to 1 mg) or $499 (2 mg)
Option B

tirzepatide

  • Zepbound KwikPen, self-pay[3]
    $299 to $449
    $299 (2.5 mg), $399 (5 mg), $449 (7.5 mg to 15 mg) with a refill within 45 days
  • Mounjaro, list price[4][5]
    $1,112.16
    Per 28-day supply; savings card can bring it to $25 with coverage

Applies to both

  • Commercial insurance with maker savings offer[1][2][3][5]$25Wegovy, Ozempic, Zepbound single-dose pen or Mounjaro, if your plan covers it; limits apply
  • Medicare GLP-1 Bridge[6]$50Wegovy and the Zepbound KwikPen only, if eligible

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

Semaglutide vs tirzepatide side by side

Semaglutide Tirzepatide
Brand names and maker Wegovy and Ozempic, Novo Nordisk[8][10] Zepbound and Mounjaro, Eli Lilly[9][11]
How it works GLP-1 receptor agonist[8] GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist[9]
Forms Weekly injection (Wegovy, Ozempic) or daily tablet (Wegovy pill, Ozempic tablets)[8][13] Weekly injection only: single-dose pen, vial or KwikPen[9]
Weight management dose range Wegovy pen 0.25 mg to 2.4 mg, up to 7.2 mg; Wegovy pill 1.5 mg to 25 mg[8] Zepbound 2.5 mg to 15 mg[9]
FDA-approved uses Wegovy: weight management, lowering heart risks in adults with heart disease and obesity or overweight, and MASH liver disease (injection). Ozempic: type 2 diabetes, heart and kidney risks[8][10] Zepbound: weight management and moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea with obesity. Mounjaro: type 2 diabetes and heart risks[9][11]
Lowest self-pay price Wegovy pill $149 a month (1.5 mg)[1] Zepbound KwikPen $299 a month (2.5 mg)[3]
Maintenance self-pay price Wegovy pen $349, pill $299[1] Zepbound $449 with a refill within 45 days[3]
Medicare GLP-1 Bridge Wegovy, $50 a month[6] Zepbound KwikPen only, $50 a month[6]

Does semaglutide or tirzepatide work best?

SURMOUNT-5 is the head to head trial. It randomly assigned 751 adults with obesity and no type 2 diabetes to the highest dose they could tolerate of tirzepatide (10 mg or 15 mg) or semaglutide (1.7 mg or 2.4 mg), injected weekly for 72 weeks.[7] The results:[7]

  • Average weight change: 20.2% with tirzepatide and 13.7% with semaglutide.
  • Waist size: down 18.4 cm with tirzepatide and 13.0 cm with semaglutide.
  • Bigger losses: more people on tirzepatide lost at least 10%, 15%, 20% and 25% of their weight.

The trial was open label, so participants knew which drug they took, and it was funded by Eli Lilly.[7] Separate placebo-controlled trials on each label show the same pattern without comparing the drugs directly: 20.9% average loss on Zepbound 15 mg at 72 weeks against 3.1% on placebo,[9] and 14.9% on Wegovy 2.4 mg at 68 weeks against 2.4% on placebo.[8] The Wegovy HD 7.2 mg dose averaged 18.8% at 72 weeks against 3.9% on placebo.[8] A trial average does not predict what one person will lose, so talk with a clinician about your health history.

Semaglutide vs tirzepatide for type 2 diabetes

For type 2 diabetes the brands are Ozempic (semaglutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide). In the 40-week SURPASS-2 trial on the Mounjaro label, adults with type 2 diabetes on metformin lowered their A1C by 2.3 points on Mounjaro 15 mg and 1.9 points on semaglutide 1 mg, and lost 11.2 kg against 5.7 kg.[11] See Ozempic vs Mounjaro for the full comparison.

Common side effects of semaglutide and tirzepatide

Side effects reported in at least 5% of people in the label trials:

  • Zepbound (tirzepatide): nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, indigestion, injection site reactions, fatigue, allergic reactions, burping, hair loss and acid reflux.[9]
  • Wegovy (semaglutide): nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, abnormal skin sensations, headache, fatigue, indigestion, dizziness, bloating, burping, low blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, gas, gastroenteritis (stomach and gut inflammation), acid reflux and hair loss.[8]

Both labels carry a boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumors in rodents, and neither drug should be used by people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN 2.[8][9] Both labels raise the dose slowly to lower the risk of stomach side effects.[8][9]

Semaglutide vs tirzepatide cost

The table at the top lists prices by brand. Paying cash, semaglutide has the lowest entry price, $149 a month for the starting Wegovy pill dose, while tirzepatide starts at $299 for the 2.5 mg Zepbound KwikPen.[1][3] With commercial insurance that covers the drug, the makers’ savings offers can bring Wegovy, Ozempic, the Zepbound single-dose pen and Mounjaro to as little as $25, up to each offer’s limits.[1][2][3][5] The Zepbound and Mounjaro cards expire December 31, 2026.[3][5] For dose-by-dose prices see the Wegovy pill cost, Zepbound self pay cost, Ozempic cost per month and Mounjaro cost guides.

Compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide

Compounded versions are not FDA approved, and the FDA does not review compounded drugs for safety, effectiveness or quality before they are sold.[12] The trial results above apply to the FDA-approved brands. The compounded semaglutide cost guide covers those prices.

How to choose between them

There is no single right answer for everyone. Your diagnosis, other health conditions, whether you want a pill or a weekly shot, and what your insurance covers all matter. Talk with a clinician about which drug, if any, fits you. Care Anytime members can reach state-licensed doctors by phone or video for non-emergency care through virtual physician access; we do not sell these drugs.

Frequently asked questions

Is tirzepatide stronger than semaglutide for weight loss?

In SURMOUNT-5, the one published head to head trial of the two for obesity, adults without diabetes lost an average 20.2% of body weight on tirzepatide and 13.7% on semaglutide after 72 weeks. The trial was open label and funded by Eli Lilly, which makes tirzepatide. Results vary by person, so talk with a clinician about which, if either, fits you.

Is semaglutide or tirzepatide cheaper?

At starting doses, semaglutide is cheaper paying cash: the Wegovy pill starts at $149 a month and the Wegovy pen at $199 for a new patient's first two fills, against $299 for the 2.5 mg Zepbound KwikPen. At maintenance doses, the Wegovy pen is $349 and the Zepbound KwikPen is $449 with a refill within 45 days.

Do semaglutide and tirzepatide have the same side effects?

The most common side effects on both labels are stomach and gut effects: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain and indigestion. Both labels carry a boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumors seen in rodents. In SURMOUNT-5, most side effects in both groups were gastrointestinal, mild to moderate and happened mainly while the dose was being raised.

Can you take semaglutide and tirzepatide together?

No. The Zepbound label says using it with any GLP-1 receptor agonist is not recommended, and the Wegovy label says using it with any other GLP-1 receptor agonist is not recommended. Ask your clinician before switching from one to the other.

Ozempic vs tirzepatide: what is the difference?

Ozempic is a brand of semaglutide, made by Novo Nordisk and approved for type 2 diabetes. Tirzepatide is a different drug, made by Eli Lilly and sold as Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes and as Zepbound for weight management and sleep apnea. Semaglutide acts on the GLP-1 receptor; tirzepatide acts on two receptors, GIP and GLP-1.

Which brand names contain semaglutide and which contain tirzepatide?

Semaglutide is the ingredient in Wegovy (weight management) and Ozempic (type 2 diabetes), both made by Novo Nordisk. Tirzepatide is the ingredient in Zepbound (weight management and sleep apnea) and Mounjaro (type 2 diabetes), both made by Eli Lilly.

Does Medicare cover semaglutide or tirzepatide for weight loss?

Through the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge, eligible Part D enrollees pay $50 a month for Wegovy (injection or tablet) or the Zepbound KwikPen. People with type 2 diabetes, moderate to severe sleep apnea or fatty liver disease are not eligible for the Bridge and should ask their drug plan, which may already cover a GLP-1.

Sources

  1. 1 Novo Nordisk NovoCare. Price your Wegovy: self-pay and savings offers for the pill and pen. Accessed Oct 30, 2026.
  2. 2 Novo Nordisk NovoCare. Ozempic cost navigator: frequently asked questions. Accessed Oct 30, 2026.
  3. 3 Eli Lilly and Company. Zepbound coverage and savings. Accessed Oct 30, 2026.
  4. 4 Eli Lilly and Company. Mounjaro frequently asked questions. Accessed Oct 30, 2026.
  5. 5 Eli Lilly and Company. Mounjaro savings and resources. Accessed Oct 30, 2026.
  6. 6 Medicare.gov. Medicare GLP-1 Bridge: GLP-1 drugs for $50 a month (fact sheet, June 2026). Accessed Oct 30, 2026.
  7. 7 New England Journal of Medicine (abstract on PubMed). Aronne LJ et al. Tirzepatide as Compared with Semaglutide for the Treatment of Obesity (SURMOUNT-5), 2025. Accessed Oct 30, 2026.
  8. 8 DailyMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine). Wegovy (semaglutide) injection and tablets: prescribing information. Accessed Oct 30, 2026.
  9. 9 DailyMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine). Zepbound (tirzepatide) injection: prescribing information. Accessed Oct 30, 2026.
  10. 10 DailyMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine). Ozempic (semaglutide) injection: prescribing information. Accessed Oct 30, 2026.
  11. 11 DailyMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine). Mounjaro (tirzepatide) injection: prescribing information. Accessed Oct 30, 2026.
  12. 12 U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA's concerns with unapproved GLP-1 drugs used for weight loss. Accessed Oct 30, 2026.
  13. 13 DailyMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine). Rybelsus and Ozempic (semaglutide) tablets: prescribing information. Accessed Oct 30, 2026.