GLP-1 Costs Compared: Wegovy, Zepbound, Ozempic and More
The same family of medicines can cost you anything from a $25 copay to around $1,350 a month, depending on which one you take and how you pay. Here is what each maker’s own programs charge, by coverage, and where Medicare’s $50 program fits.
By mendmeds · Published · 6 min read
The short version
- As of November 2026, mendmeds tracks 8 GLP-1 medicines with active maker programs, and every copay card among them quotes as little as $25 for people whose private insurance covers the drug.
- Without insurance, 3 of them have a maker self-pay price: Foundayo, Wegovy and Zepbound.
- Free-drug patient assistance exists for Ozempic, Rybelsus, Trulicity and Victoza, all diabetes medicines; none of the weight-management GLP-1s has one in our data.
- On Medicare, the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge covers Foundayo, Wegovy and Zepbound KwikPen for weight management at $50 a month, from July 1, 2026 to December 31, 2027, for people who qualify.
What they cost before any help
| Medicine | Maker | Approved for | Typical monthly cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundayo | Eli Lilly and Company | Weight management | Varies by dose |
| Mounjaro | Eli Lilly and Company | Type 2 diabetes | $1,100 |
| Ozempic | Novo Nordisk | Type 2 diabetes | $1,000 |
| Rybelsus | Novo Nordisk | Type 2 diabetes | $1,000 |
| Trulicity | Eli Lilly and Company | Type 2 diabetes | $900 |
| Victoza | Novo Nordisk | Type 2 diabetes | $950 |
| Wegovy | Novo Nordisk | Weight management | $1,350 |
| Zepbound | Eli Lilly and Company | Weight management | $1,100 |
Typical monthly cost is before insurance or any program. Your pharmacy’s price may differ.
We also track Saxenda, but no maker program for it is active in our data.
If you have no insurance
Only 3 of these medicines have a self-pay price from the maker itself. You buy through the maker’s pharmacy program at a set price, without insurance.
| Medicine | Program | Price, as the maker states it | For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundayo | Foundayo Self-Pay via LillyDirect | self-pay cash price starting at $149/month (0.8 mg), $199/month (2.5 mg), and $299/month (5.5 mg, 9 mg, 14.5 mg, 17.2 mg) for a 1-month prescription | No insurance, private insurance, Medicare Part D or Medicaid |
| Wegovy | NovoCare Pharmacy Self-Pay (Wegovy) | Injectable Wegovy pen: $199 for each of the first two monthly fills of the two starting doses for patients new to the program, then $349 per month for 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 1.7 mg, or 2.4 mg; $399 per month for Wegovy HD 7.2 mg. Oral Wegovy pill (new formulation): $149 per month for the 1.5 mg and 4 mg doses through August 31, 2026 (4 mg rises to $199/month after that date); $299 per month for the 9 mg and 25 mg doses. | No insurance |
| Zepbound | Zepbound KwikPen / Vial Self-Pay (LillyDirect) | as low as $299/month for 2.5 mg, $399/month for 5 mg, and $449/month for 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg, or 15 mg single-patient-use KwikPen or vial; the 7.5 mg+ tier’s $449 price requires refilling within 45 days of the prior fill (regular price $499-$699 without it) | No insurance |
Compare them carefully. Several prices change with the dose, and some offers apply only to the first fills or the starting doses. Each medicine’s page links the maker’s full terms and the date we checked them.
If you have private insurance
| Medicine | Card | What you pay, as the maker states it |
|---|---|---|
| Foundayo | Foundayo Savings Card (commercial insurance) | as low as $25 per month with commercial coverage |
| Mounjaro | Mounjaro Savings Card | as little as $25 for a 1-, 2-, or 3-month fill |
| Ozempic | Ozempic Savings Card | as little as $25 per month |
| Rybelsus | Rybelsus Savings Card (NovoCare) | as little as $25 for a 1-, 2-, or 3-month prescription |
| Trulicity | Trulicity Savings Card | as little as $25 for up to a 3-month prescription |
| Wegovy | Wegovy Savings Offer (commercial insurance) | as little as $25 per 28-day fill |
| Zepbound | Zepbound Savings Card (commercial insurance with coverage) | as little as $25 for a 1-, 2-, or 3-month fill |
Read whether the card needs your plan to cover the medicine. Some plans exclude weight-management drugs, and a card that only lowers your share of a covered drug does nothing if the plan does not cover it.
If your plan runs a copay accumulator, the card’s payments may not count toward your deductible. Copay accumulators and maximizers explains how to tell.
Free medicine through patient assistance
| Medicine | Program | Household income limit | Medicare Part D |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ozempic | Novo Nordisk Patient Assistance Program (NNPAP) - Ozempic | 200% of the poverty level | Not accepted |
| Rybelsus | Novo Nordisk Patient Assistance Program - Rybelsus | 400% of the poverty level | Not accepted |
| Trulicity | Lilly Cares Foundation Patient Assistance Program - Trulicity | 300% of the poverty level | Accepted |
| Victoza | Novo Nordisk Patient Assistance Program - Victoza | 400% of the poverty level | Accepted |
None of the weight-management medicines (Foundayo, Wegovy and Zepbound) has a patient assistance program in our data. The poverty-level table turns each income limit into dollars for your household size, and what patient assistance applications ask for covers the paperwork.
If you are on Medicare
Since July 1, 2026, the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge has covered three weight-management medicines: Foundayo tablets, Wegovy (injection or tablet) and Zepbound in the KwikPen form only. The single-dose Zepbound pen and vials are not covered. You pay $50 a month whatever your income. CMS says the program runs through December 31, 2027.
Medicare’s fact sheet lists four requirements, and you must meet all of them:
- You have Part D drug coverage, through a standalone drug plan or a Medicare health plan that includes drug coverage. Some special plan types, such as private fee-for-service, cost plans and PACE, do not qualify.
- You are not eligible to get a GLP-1 through your own drug plan. If your plan has already been paying for one, you keep getting it there.
- You do not have type 2 diabetes, moderate-to-severe sleep apnea or fatty liver disease. With any of those, contact your drug plan, which may already cover a GLP-1 for you.
- You are at least 18 and meet one of Medicare’s BMI conditions, which start at a BMI of 27 with certain other conditions.
Three things work differently from your normal drug coverage. The $50 does not count toward your plan’s deductible or yearly out-of-pocket limit, Extra Help does not lower it, and these drugs cannot go on the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. Your doctor sends the prescription, the pharmacy checks your eligibility, and your doctor then submits a form to Medicare for approval. Refills on the same drug do not need a new approval, even if the dose changes.
Maker copay cards are not an option on Medicare: none of the GLP-1 cards we track accepts it. For type 2 diabetes, the patient assistance programs for Trulicity and Victoza do accept Part D.
Common questions
What is the cheapest GLP-1 without insurance?
Among the makers’ own self-pay programs we track, Foundayo has the lowest starting price, at $149 a month, and prices rise with the dose. Without insurance, Foundayo, Wegovy and Zepbound are the only ones with a maker self-pay price.
Does Medicare cover Wegovy or Zepbound for weight loss?
Through the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge, yes, for people who meet its four requirements: Wegovy and Zepbound KwikPen, plus Foundayo, at $50 a month from July 1, 2026 to December 31, 2027.
Can I use a Wegovy or Zepbound copay card with Medicare?
No. Copay cards are for private insurance only. On Medicare, the GLP-1 Bridge is the route for weight management.
Is there a patient assistance program for Wegovy or Zepbound?
Not in our data. The makers’ free-drug programs we track cover their diabetes GLP-1s: Ozempic, Rybelsus, Trulicity and Victoza.
Want the numbers for your own prescription? Pick your drug and see which programs it offers, what each one requires, and the source we checked.
Sources
Keep reading
This article is general information, not medical, legal or financial advice. Program rules change, so check the program’s own page before you apply.