- Brand-name, self-pay: the Wegovy® pill is $149 to $299 a month and the Wegovy® pen $199 then $349. Zepbound® is $299 to $449, rising to as much as $699 if a refill is late.
- Budget for the usual dose, not the starting one. A first year on Zepbound® comes to about $5,200; on the Wegovy® pen, about $3,900.
- Savings cards bring the price down to as little as $25, but only if you have commercial insurance. They do not lower the self-pay price.
- On Medicare? Since July 2026, eligible Part D members can get Wegovy®, Zepbound® KwikPen or Foundayo® for $50 a month.
- Telehealth programs add their own fee of $0 to $149 a month. Compounded programs cost less again, from about $99 to $300 a month all-in, but the medication is not FDA-approved.
Self-pay prices by medication and dose
Both manufacturers now sell directly to people paying cash: Lilly through LillyDirect and retail pharmacies, Novo Nordisk through NovoCare Pharmacy 13. These are the prices that telehealth programs pass on, and the ones TrumpRx.gov points to 5. They depend on the dose.
| Medication | Starting dose | Next step | Usual dose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wegovy® pillSemaglutide, once daily | $1491.5 mg | $1994 mg | $2999 or 25 mg |
| Foundayo®Orforglipron, once daily | $1490.8 mg | $1992.5 mg | $2995.5 mg and up |
| Wegovy® penSemaglutide, weekly | $199first two fills | $349up to 2.4 mg | $349 to $3992.4 mg; 7.2 mg is $399 |
| Zepbound®Tirzepatide, weekly, vial or KwikPen | $2992.5 mg | $3995 mg | $4497.5 to 15 mg, refilled on time |
Prices per month as listed by Lilly and Novo Nordisk, read October 19, 2026 134. The $199 Wegovy® pen price covers the first two fills (0.25 and 0.5 mg) for new patients and runs to December 31, 2026.
The $449 price for 7.5 mg and above only applies if each refill is delivered within 45 days of the last one. Miss that window and the same box costs $499 at 7.5 mg or $699 at 10 to 15 mg 1. If you are prone to running late, set a reminder for day 30.
What about Mounjaro®?
Mounjaro® is tirzepatide, the same medicine as Zepbound®, but it is approved for type 2 diabetes rather than for weight management. That makes a big difference to the cash price. Lilly's self-pay prices above, $299 to $449 a month, are for Zepbound® 1. Paying cash for Mounjaro® usually costs more: Mochi Health lists it from $499 a month 11, and Hims lists it at $1,899 a month 12.
If you are being treated for weight loss rather than diabetes, Zepbound® is the approved tirzepatide product and the cheaper self-pay route to the same medicine. If you have type 2 diabetes, check your insurance first, because Mounjaro® is more often covered for that use.
What a year really costs
Every GLP-1 starts low and steps up, usually every four weeks, until you reach a dose that works and that you tolerate. Brand-name prices rise with each step, so the first month is the cheapest you will pay. These estimates assume the standard schedule, reaching the usual dose in month three and staying there.
| Medication | Month 1 | From month 3 | First 12 months |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wegovy® pill | $149 | $299 | About $3,340 |
| Foundayo® | $149 | $299 | About $3,340 |
| Wegovy® pen | $199 | $349 | About $3,890 |
| Zepbound® | $299 | $449 | About $5,190 |
Some people stay on a lower dose because it works for them, and their costs are lower. Wegovy® 7.2 mg, the new higher dose for people who need more weight loss after at least four weeks on 2.4 mg, adds $50 a month.
Two patients who pay for Zepbound® themselves explain how they chose between these options:
Savings cards and coupons: who they help
Searching for a Zepbound® or Wegovy® coupon will turn up the manufacturers' savings cards. They are real and generous, but they are built for people with commercial insurance:
- Wegovy® savings offer: as little as $25 a month, saving up to $100 a month, if you have commercial insurance 3.
- Zepbound® savings card: as little as $25 per fill if your commercial plan covers Zepbound®, saving up to $100 a month and $1,300 a year. If your commercial plan does not cover it, the card brings the single-dose pen to as low as $499 a month. The cards run to December 31, 2026 1.
- Not eligible: anyone on Medicare (including Part D and Advantage), Medicaid, TRICARE, VA or other government programs 1.
If you have no insurance, there is no coupon that beats the self-pay prices above. Sites offering a bigger discount on brand-name GLP-1s are worth treating with suspicion.
TrumpRx.gov
TrumpRx.gov launched in February 2026 and lists the Wegovy® pill from $149, the Wegovy® pen and Ozempic® from $199, and Zepbound® from $299 5. It does not sell anything itself; it sends you to the manufacturers' cash-price programs, and the listed price is the lowest dose. It is a useful place to check prices, not a cheaper way to buy. Our TrumpRx guide covers it in detail.
Medicare: the $50 GLP-1 Bridge
Medicare has not traditionally covered weight loss medication. Since July 1, 2026, the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge lets eligible Part D members get Wegovy® (pen or pill), Foundayo® or the Zepbound® KwikPen for $50 a month, through the end of 2027 6. You need prior authorization and a qualifying BMI: 35 or more on its own, or lower with certain conditions such as prediabetes, heart failure or past heart attack or stroke 7. People with type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea or MASH use their regular Part D coverage instead. Our Medicare guide sets out who qualifies.
Insurance is shrinking, which is why this matters
Employer coverage of GLP-1s for weight loss is falling. In the Business Group on Health's September 2026 survey of large employers, the share covering them dropped from 72% to 60% in a year, and 14% had dropped coverage or planned to by 2027 9. If your plan has stopped paying, you are choosing between self-pay brand-name medication, a telehealth program and a compounded option.
Telehealth programs: what they add
You need a prescription to buy any of these at the self-pay price. If you do not have a doctor who will prescribe, a telehealth program provides one, and most charge for it:
- Membership programs such as Ro and Hers charge $39 for the first month and $149 a month after, on top of the medication at the prices above. Paying cash, that puts a usual dose of the Wegovy® pill at about $448 a month. See Ro vs Hers.
- Prepaying can cut a membership. Ro's falls to as little as $74 a month if you pay a year up front.
- Your own doctor may prescribe at no extra monthly cost, and you then order directly from LillyDirect, NovoCare or a pharmacy.
Our guide to membership fees compares what every major program charges.
Compounded GLP-1s: lower prices, different rules
Compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide are made by licensed pharmacies rather than by Novo Nordisk or Lilly. They typically cost from about $99 to $300 a month including the clinician, which is why many people paying cash choose them. Our #1 pick, TotalRx, is $129 a month for compounded semaglutide on a 12-month plan, with the price locked for life.
The trade-off is that compounded medications are not FDA-approved, and FDA has said they should be used only when an approved drug cannot meet a patient's medical need 10. Our compounded vs brand-name guide explains what that means and what to check before you choose one.
Paying with an HSA or FSA
A prescribed GLP-1 treating a condition a doctor has diagnosed, such as obesity, generally counts as medical care under IRS rules 8. In practice:
- Many FSA administrators want a letter of medical necessity from your prescriber. Ask for one when you start.
- Telehealth membership fees are less clear-cut. They are likely eligible when they pay for diagnosis and treatment, but the IRS has not ruled on them specifically, so check with your plan.
- Some programs accept HSA and FSA cards at checkout; others need you to pay and claim it back.
Five ways to pay less
- Check your insurance first, even if you think it excludes weight loss. A savings card on a covering plan is the cheapest route by far.
- On Medicare, ask about the Bridge. $50 a month is a fraction of the cash price.
- Consider a pill. The Wegovy® pill and Foundayo® start at $149 and top out at $299, below the injections.
- Refill on time. On Zepbound®, a late refill can cost $250 more.
- Compare the all-in monthly figure, medication plus any membership, at the dose you will be on in month three.
Questions and answers
How much is Zepbound without insurance?
Self-pay through LillyDirect or a retail pharmacy, Zepbound® is $299 a month at 2.5 mg, $399 at 5 mg and $449 at 7.5 mg and above, as long as each refill is within 45 days of the last. A late refill at the higher doses costs $499 to $699.
How much is Mounjaro without insurance?
Mounjaro® is tirzepatide approved for type 2 diabetes, and buying it for cash usually costs more than Zepbound®, the same medicine approved for weight management. Telehealth programs list it from about $499 a month (Mochi) to $1,899 (Hims), against $299 to $449 for Zepbound® through Lilly's self-pay program.
How much is Wegovy without insurance?
The Wegovy® pill is $149 a month at 1.5 mg, $199 at 4 mg and $299 at 9 and 25 mg. The Wegovy® pen is $199 a month for the first two fills for new patients, then $349 a month, or $399 for the 7.2 mg dose.
Is there a Zepbound coupon for people without insurance?
Not one that lowers the self-pay price. Lilly's savings card needs commercial insurance: with coverage it can bring Zepbound® to as little as $25, and on a commercial plan that excludes Zepbound® it brings the pen to as low as $499. Without insurance, the LillyDirect self-pay price is the lowest legitimate price.
Is TrumpRx cheaper than buying direct?
No. TrumpRx.gov does not sell medication; it points you to the manufacturers' own self-pay prices, which are the same whichever way you reach them.
Does Medicare cover Wegovy or Zepbound for weight loss?
Since July 1, 2026, the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge lets eligible Part D members get Wegovy®, Foundayo® or the Zepbound® KwikPen for $50 a month, with prior authorization and BMI criteria. It runs through 2027.
Can I use my HSA or FSA for GLP-1 medication?
Usually yes, for a prescribed medication treating a diagnosed condition such as obesity. Many FSA administrators ask for a letter of medical necessity, so check with yours.
What is the cheapest way to get a GLP-1?
With commercial coverage, a savings card. On Medicare, the $50 Bridge if you qualify. Paying cash, the Wegovy® pill or Foundayo® at their starting doses, or a compounded program, which costs less still but is not FDA-approved.
Why is my price going up after the first month?
Two reasons. Brand-name prices step up with the dose, and most people increase their dose every four weeks at first. And the $199 Wegovy® pen price is an introductory rate for the first two fills only.
Keep reading
Sources
- Eli Lilly: Zepbound® coverage and savings, self-pay prices and savings card terms
- Eli Lilly: Zepbound® single-dose vial price announcement
- NovoCare Pharmacy: Wegovy® self-pay prices and savings offer
- Eli Lilly: Foundayo™ (orforglipron) approval and self-pay price
- TrumpRx.gov: listed GLP-1 prices
- CMS: Medicare GLP-1 Bridge launch
- CMS: Medicare GLP-1 Bridge eligibility for providers
- IRS Publication 502: Medical and Dental Expenses
- SHRM: employers dropping GLP-1 coverage (Business Group on Health survey, September 2026)
- FDA: concerns with unapproved GLP-1 drugs used for weight loss
- Mochi Health: treatment options and prices (read October 19, 2026)
- Hims: weight loss prices (archived October 17, 2026)
How we write our guides. We read the manufacturers' prescribing information, FDA and other official sources, published trials and each provider's own pricing and policies, and link to them so you can check our work. Figures were correct when we last checked them on October 19, 2026; prices and rules change often, so confirm them before you act. Medical disclaimer. This guide is general information, not medical advice, and no one at ProviderCompare is your clinician. Talk to a licensed healthcare professional before starting, changing or stopping any medication. Compounded GLP-1 medications are not FDA-approved and do not undergo FDA review for safety, effectiveness or quality. Brand names are trademarks of their owners, used for identification only.