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GLP-1 weight loss drugs, explained.

How the FDA-approved GLP-1s used for chronic weight management in the US differ. 2026 pricing across retail, DTC, insurance and compounded channels, and which telehealth programs prescribe each.

Pick the molecule before you pick the program. Wegovy and Ozempic are the same drug, semaglutide. Zepbound and Mounjaro are the same drug, tirzepatide, which adds a second gut hormone (GIP) and produced more average weight loss than semaglutide in the SURMOUNT-5 head-to-head trial. Saxenda is the older daily option, largely priced out by the weekly drugs.

The brand split is mostly about the label. Wegovy and Zepbound carry the obesity approval. Ozempic and Mounjaro carry the type 2 diabetes approval. Each pair shares an active ingredient, and Zepbound and Mounjaro share the same 5, 10 and 15 mg doses. Wegovy is dosed higher than Ozempic. If you have diabetes, the diabetes-labeled brand is usually the one insurance will cover.

So for most people starting today the real choice is semaglutide versus tirzepatide. Tirzepatide tends to drive more weight loss; semaglutide has the longer real-world track record and more compounded supply, which is why it carries the lowest cash prices.

Retatrutide, a triple agonist still in phase 3, took off 24.2 percent of body weight at 48 weeks in its published phase 2 trial. That is a bigger number than any approved GLP-1 has posted in its own clinical trials. Its phase 3 topline is higher again, announced by the maker rather than published. Orforglipron, the first once-daily pill with no food rules, already launched as Foundayo. The drugs in clinical trials tracker lists the phase and expected timeline for each.

Compare four things before you commit: the active ingredient, the trial weight-loss number at the maintenance dose (not the starter dose), the side-effect profile, and what you will actually pay once the introductory discount ends. The guides below break down each drug on exactly those.

Drug profiles

Orforglipron
orforglipron
Eli Lilly's oral GLP-1, branded Foundayo. The first FDA-approved oral non-peptide GLP-1 (approved April 2026).

What each one costs

Real 2026 pricing across retail, manufacturer-direct, insurance and compounded channels, verified the week of September 14.

On price alone, Strut Health is the cheapest cash route on the chart, from $149 a month. That price buys compounded semaglutide, a pharmacy-made version that is not FDA-approved and is not Wegovy, Ozempic, Zepbound or Mounjaro.

Check price →

Common questions

What is the difference between Wegovy and Zepbound?

Wegovy is semaglutide. Zepbound is tirzepatide, which acts on a second gut hormone (GIP) as well as GLP-1. In the SURMOUNT-5 head-to-head trial, tirzepatide produced more average weight loss than semaglutide. Semaglutide has the longer real-world track record and the lower cash prices.

Which GLP-1 is cheapest?

Compounded semaglutide is the cheapest route to the medication at $149 a month. A licensed pharmacy makes it against a prescription. The FDA has not approved it and it is not Wegovy or Ozempic. Among brand-name drugs, Zepbound vials through LillyDirect start around $299 a month at the lowest dose.

Which GLP-1 has the best clinical evidence?

Both semaglutide and tirzepatide have large registration trials (STEP for semaglutide, SURMOUNT for tirzepatide). Tirzepatide produced higher average weight loss in the head-to-head SURMOUNT-5 trial, while semaglutide has more years of real-world use behind it.

This week's best deals

Cheapest first month$188 for Wegovy pill at Hims & Hers ($448/mo after)Same price at every dose$199/mo all-in for compounded semaglutide at ShedCheapest 12-month plan$159/mo at Shed, $1,908 paid up front for the year

Compare all programs on the chart →

Sources

Evidence checked August 31, 2026

Every figure above is taken from the document beside it, the FDA label or the trial that produced it, so you can read the source instead of trusting us. No clinician reviews these pages. What that means.

  1. Tirzepatide against semaglutide head to head: 20.2 percent of body weight against 13.7 percent at 72 weeksSURMOUNT-5, Aronne et al., N Engl J Med 2025;393:26-36
  2. That Wegovy is semaglutide and carries the obesity approvalFDA prescribing information for Wegovy, injection and tablets (DailyMed, revised June 2026)
  3. That Zepbound is tirzepatide and carries the obesity approvalFDA prescribing information for Zepbound (DailyMed, revised August 2026)
  4. That Ozempic carries the type 2 diabetes approval on the same molecule as WegovyFDA prescribing information for Ozempic injection (DailyMed, revised June 2026)
  5. That Mounjaro carries the type 2 diabetes approval on the same molecule as ZepboundFDA prescribing information for Mounjaro (DailyMed, revised August 2026)
  6. Retatrutide: 24.2 percent of body weight at 48 weeks on 12 mg, in the published phase 2 trialRetatrutide phase 2, Jastreboff et al., N Engl J Med 2023;389:514-526
John Samaras, editor of GLP Chart
Written and edited by John SamarasAbout this siteContact
Why you can trust GLP Chart. Same scoring framework applied to every program. No paid placements. We never remove unfavorable information at an advertiser's request. Pricing is pulled from each program's public-facing page every Monday.