GLP-1 Cost Without Insurance: Zepbound, Wegovy, Ozempic Prices

Without insurance, brand-name GLP-1 medicines now cost between $149 and $699 a month when bought through the manufacturers' own self-pay programs, as of October 14, 2026. The cheapest are the starter doses of the pills, Foundayo and the Wegovy and Ozempic tablets, at $149 a month. The weekly injections run $199 to $499 for semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and $299 to $699 for tirzepatide (Zepbound, Mounjaro), depending on dose and, for Zepbound, on refilling on time. These figures are a fraction of the list prices of roughly $1,000 to $1,350 a month, which few people actually pay.

What you will pay depends on four things: which drug, which dose, whether your insurance covers it, and whether you are on Medicare. This guide lays out each case with numbers taken from the manufacturers' and government pages. Prices in this market have changed several times in the past year, so confirm on the linked official pages before you fill a prescription.

Self-pay prices for every brand, October 2026

Drug	Form	Starter dose	Maintenance doses	List price per month
Wegovy (semaglutide)	Weekly pen	$199 for the first two fills of 0.25 or 0.5 mg, new patients, through Dec. 31, 2026	$349 for 0.25 through 2.4 mg; $399 for 7.2 mg	About $1,349
Wegovy tablets	Daily pill	$149 (1.5 mg)	$199 (4 mg); $299 (9 mg and 25 mg)	About $1,349
Ozempic (semaglutide)	Weekly pen	$199 for the first two fills of 0.25 or 0.5 mg, new patients, through Dec. 31, 2026	$349 for 0.25, 0.5 or 1 mg; $499 for 2 mg	$1,027.51 per pen
Ozempic tablets	Daily pill	$149 (1.5 mg)	$199 (4 mg); $299 (9 mg)	$1,027.51
Zepbound (tirzepatide)	Weekly vial or KwikPen	$299 (2.5 mg)	$399 (5 mg); $449 for 7.5 to 15 mg when refilled within 45 days; otherwise $499 (7.5 mg) and $699 (10, 12.5, 15 mg)	$1,086.37 for single-dose pens
Mounjaro (tirzepatide)	Weekly pen	From $499	From $499, all strengths	$1,112.16
Foundayo (orforglipron)	Daily pill	$149 (0.8 mg)	$199 (2.5 mg); $299 (5.5 and 9 mg); $349 (14.5 and 17.2 mg)	$649

Sources: NovoCare and NovoCare Pharmacy (Novo Nordisk) and Lilly's pricing and savings pages, checked October 14, 2026. The Ozempic tablet prices are those Novo Nordisk announced at launch on May 1, 2026; NovoCare currently describes them as starting at $149. A "month" is four weekly injections or 30 tablets.

All of these still require a prescription from a licensed clinician. The manufacturer programs sell the medicine; a doctor's visit or telehealth fee is separate.

Zepbound cost

Zepbound draws more price searches than any other drug in the class, partly because its pricing has the most moving parts.

• Without insurance, through Lilly's self-pay program: $299 a month for 2.5 mg, $399 for 5 mg, and $449 for 7.5, 10, 12.5 or 15 mg if you complete each refill within 45 days of receiving the previous one. Miss that window and the regular prices apply: $499 for 7.5 mg and $699 for the three highest doses. The prices are the same for single-dose vials (you draw up the dose with a syringe) and the four-dose KwikPen.
• With commercial insurance that covers Zepbound: as little as $25 for a one-, two- or three-month fill of single-dose pens with Lilly's savings card. Savings are capped per fill and at $1,300 a calendar year.
• With commercial insurance that does not cover it: $499 a month for single-dose pens with the savings card, or the self-pay vial and KwikPen prices above.
• With Medicare: $50 a month for the KwikPen through the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge if you meet the criteria, described below. Savings cards cannot be used with any government insurance.

The savings card is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2026. Lilly had not published 2027 terms when this was written.

How to keep Zepbound at the lower price: set a reminder to reorder about three weeks after each delivery, ask your prescriber to send refills ahead of time, and settle on a maintenance dose rather than climbing automatically. Zepbound's label lists 5 mg as a recommended maintenance dose, and it costs $50 a month less than the higher strengths.

Wegovy cost without insurance

Through NovoCare Pharmacy, new patients pay $199 a month for the first two fills at 0.25 mg or 0.5 mg, an offer that runs through December 31, 2026. After that, every strength from 0.25 mg to 2.4 mg is $349 a month, and the high-dose Wegovy HD 7.2 mg pen is $399. Wegovy tablets cost $149 for the 1.5 mg starting dose, $199 for 4 mg and $299 for 9 mg or the 25 mg maintenance dose.

With commercial coverage, the Wegovy savings offer brings the cost to as little as $25 a month, with savings capped at $100 a month. With Medicare, Wegovy injection and tablets are both included in the GLP-1 Bridge.

Is the Wegovy pill cheaper than the shot? At maintenance doses, yes: $299 a month for 25 mg tablets versus $349 for the 2.4 mg pen. The pill produced somewhat less weight loss in its trial (13.6% at 64 weeks) than the injection did in its own (14.9% at 68 weeks). See Foundayo vs the Wegovy pill.

Ozempic cost without insurance

Ozempic's self-pay structure mirrors Wegovy's: $199 a month for the first two fills of the 0.25 mg or 0.5 mg pen for new patients through December 31, 2026, then $349 a month for the 0.25, 0.5 or 1 mg pens and $499 for the 2 mg pen. The Ozempic tablet, launched in May 2026 for type 2 diabetes, was announced at $149, $199 and $299 for 1.5, 4 and 9 mg.

With commercial insurance that covers it, the savings offer lowers the cost to as little as $25 a month, with savings capped at $100 a month. Novo Nordisk also runs a Patient Assistance Program that provides Ozempic pens at no cost to people who qualify based on income and insurance status.

Mounjaro cost without insurance

Mounjaro is the most expensive of the group for cash payers. LillyDirect lists single-dose pens starting at $499 a month at every strength. People with commercial insurance that does not cover Mounjaro can also get to $499 a month with the savings card; those whose plan does cover it can pay as little as $25 per fill, with savings capped at $150 a month and $1,950 a year. The card expires December 31, 2026.

If you are paying cash for tirzepatide and qualify for Zepbound's approved uses, Zepbound is $50 to $200 a month cheaper for the same molecule. See Mounjaro vs Zepbound.

What 12 fills actually cost

Starter prices make the headlines, but the bill is driven by the maintenance dose. These examples assume a new cash-paying patient who moves up on the fastest labeled schedule and stays at the stated dose.

Drug and target dose	How the 12 fills break down	Total for 12 fills
Wegovy tablets, 25 mg	$149 + $199 + $299, then 9 at $299	$3,338
Foundayo, 17.2 mg	$149 + $199 + $299 + $299 + $349, then 7 at $349	$3,738
Wegovy pen, 2.4 mg	2 at $199, then 10 at $349	$3,888
Ozempic pen, 1 mg	2 at $199, then 10 at $349	$3,888
Zepbound, 5 mg	$299, then 11 at $399	$4,688
Zepbound, 10 mg, refills on time	$299 + $399 + $449, then 9 at $449	$5,188
Zepbound, 10 mg, refills late	$299 + $399 + $499, then 9 at $699	$7,488
Mounjaro, any dose	12 at $499	$5,988
Any injection at list price	12 at roughly $1,030 to $1,350	About $12,300 to $16,200

Two footnotes. Injection fills last four weeks, so a full calendar year takes 13 fills, not 12; add one more fill at the maintenance price. And none of this includes clinician visits, lab work or supplies such as syringes for vials.

The cheapest GLP-1 options

If the question is simply which FDA-approved product costs least out of pocket:

1. At the start: any of the three pills at $149 a month.
2. At maintenance, for weight management: Wegovy tablets 25 mg at $299, then Foundayo at $299 to $349 depending on dose, then the Wegovy pen at $349.
3. At maintenance, for type 2 diabetes: Ozempic tablets at $199 to $299, or the Ozempic pen at $349 for up to 1 mg.
4. Tirzepatide: Zepbound 5 mg at $399, or higher doses at $449 with on-time refills.

Cheapest is not the same as best value. A drug that produces half the result, or one you stop after three months because of side effects, is not a bargain. How the options compare on effectiveness is in the best GLP-1 for weight loss and Wegovy vs Zepbound.

With insurance: what changes

Your coverage	What typically applies
Commercial plan that covers the drug	Your copay or coinsurance, reduced by the manufacturer savings card to as little as $25 a month. Expect prior authorization: a type 2 diabetes diagnosis for Ozempic or Mounjaro; BMI and related conditions for Wegovy, Zepbound or Foundayo.
Commercial plan that excludes the drug	The self-pay prices above. A purchase outside your plan usually does not count toward your deductible or out-of-pocket maximum.
High-deductible plan	You may owe the plan's negotiated price until the deductible is met, which can exceed the manufacturer's self-pay price. Ask the pharmacy to quote both before you fill.
Medicare Part D	Ozempic and Mounjaro are generally covered for type 2 diabetes. Weight-management drugs are available through the GLP-1 Bridge at $50 a month for those who qualify. Manufacturer savings cards cannot be used.
Medicaid	Diabetes use is generally covered; weight-management coverage varies by state.
TRICARE and VA	Each has its own formulary and criteria. Manufacturer savings cards cannot be used.

Health savings account and flexible spending account funds can generally be used for prescription medicines, including these, when prescribed to treat a medical condition. Keep the receipt and prescription record.

Medicare: the $50 GLP-1 Bridge

For most of Medicare's history, Part D could not pay for drugs used for weight loss. A temporary program now provides a route.

• What it is: the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge, a demonstration running from July 1, 2026 through December 31, 2027, nationwide.
• Drugs included: Foundayo tablets, Wegovy injection or tablets, and the Zepbound KwikPen. Zepbound vials and single-dose pens, Ozempic and Mounjaro are not included.
• Cost: a $50 copay for each one-month supply. It does not count toward your Part D deductible or out-of-pocket limit, cannot be lowered by Extra Help, and cannot be spread out with the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan.
• Who qualifies: people 18 or older with Medicare drug coverage who, when they start treatment, have a BMI of 35 or higher; or a BMI of 30 or higher with diastolic heart failure, uncontrolled high blood pressure or chronic kidney disease at stage 3a or higher; or a BMI of 27 or higher with prediabetes, a previous heart attack or stroke, or symptomatic peripheral artery disease.
• Who does not: people already getting a GLP-1 drug through their Part D plan, and people with type 2 diabetes, moderate to severe sleep apnea or fatty liver disease, whose Part D plan may cover a GLP-1 for those conditions instead.
• How to start: your provider sends the prescription and completes a prior authorization, certifying that the drug is part of a diet and exercise program. Approval is valid through December 31, 2027 unless you change drugs.

Separately, Medicare's negotiated price for semaglutide products (Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy), announced in November 2025 and reported at $274 for a 30-day supply, takes effect on January 1, 2027. That figure is what Medicare plans pay, not a copay, but it should lower costs for enrollees who take semaglutide for a covered use. What follows the Bridge after 2027 has not been finalized; CMS has described a longer-term model called BALANCE.

TrumpRx, discount cards and retail pharmacies

TrumpRx.gov is a federal price-comparison site. It lists the manufacturers' cash offers, showing starting prices of $149 a month for the Wegovy pill, $199 for the Wegovy pen, $199 for Ozempic and $299 for Zepbound when checked for this article. You cannot buy drugs from the site; it directs you to the manufacturer program or a participating pharmacy. Medicare's own guidance notes that purchases made with discount programs instead of your plan do not count toward your deductible or out-of-pocket maximum.

Commercial discount cards and retail or telehealth partners often pass through the same manufacturer self-pay prices, sometimes with a membership or visit fee on top. If a seller quotes a price well below the manufacturer's own for a brand-name pen, ask exactly what product you would receive.

Compounded versions: why "cheaper" has a catch

Compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide are still advertised, often around $100 to $200 a month. Know what you are comparing:

• Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved and are not reviewed for safety, effectiveness or quality before sale.
• The shortages that allowed pharmacies to make near-copies of the brand-name injections were declared over, for tirzepatide in late 2024 and for semaglutide on February 21, 2025.
• On February 6, 2026, the FDA said it intends to restrict GLP-1 active ingredients destined for mass-marketed compounded products. On April 30, 2026, it proposed keeping semaglutide, tirzepatide and liraglutide off the list of bulk substances that outsourcing facilities may use.
• There is no approved generic of semaglutide or tirzepatide in the United States.

With brand-name starter doses at $149 to $299, the gap has narrowed. Products sold without any prescription, such as supplements and GLP-1 patches, are a different category again: they contain no GLP-1 drug.

Ten ways to lower what you pay

1. Check your formulary first. Call the number on your insurance card or look up the drug list. A covered alternative beats any cash price.
2. Ask your prescriber to submit prior authorization, and to appeal a denial with documentation of BMI, related conditions and past weight-loss attempts.
3. Activate the manufacturer savings card if you have commercial insurance.
4. Compare your plan's price with the self-pay price before meeting a deductible.
5. Use the manufacturer pharmacy for cash purchases: NovoCare Pharmacy for Ozempic and Wegovy, LillyDirect for Zepbound, Mounjaro and Foundayo.
6. Refill Zepbound inside 45 days to keep the $449 price.
7. Ask whether a lower maintenance dose is enough. Zepbound 5 mg and Wegovy 1.7 mg are both labeled maintenance options.
8. Consider a pill if injections are not essential for you.
9. On Medicare, ask about the GLP-1 Bridge and whether a covered indication applies under Part D, such as cardiovascular disease (Wegovy) or sleep apnea (Zepbound).
10. If your income is limited, ask about manufacturer patient assistance programs and your state's Medicaid rules.

Will GLP-1 prices keep falling?

What is known as of October 2026:

• The $199 introductory offers for Ozempic and Wegovy pens, and Lilly's Zepbound and Mounjaro savings cards, are all dated to end on December 31, 2026. The companies have extended similar offers before, but 2027 terms have not been announced.
• The Medicare-negotiated semaglutide price begins January 1, 2027.
• The Medicare GLP-1 Bridge runs through December 31, 2027.
• More pills are reaching the market, and they have launched at lower prices than injections.

No one can promise next year's price. If you are budgeting for long-term treatment, plan around today's maintenance-dose price and recheck the official pages each quarter. For how the drugs themselves compare, start with Ozempic vs Mounjaro and semaglutide vs tirzepatide.