This article is educational and does not replace medical advice. Prescription medication requires review by a licensed clinician and, when appropriate, a valid prescription. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved, and the FDA does not verify their safety, effectiveness or quality before marketing. Treatment eligibility is an individual clinical decision.
Brand GLP-1 prices collapsed. Most comparison sites still haven't noticed.
For three years the argument for compounded GLP-1 was simple arithmetic: roughly $1,000 a month for the brand against $200 for a compound. Lilly and Novo have now closed most of that gap themselves — and the comparison industry has not updated.
The short version
Zepbound fell to $299. Wegovy to $349. The oral tablet to $149. The price gap that justified compounded GLP-1 has largely closed, and almost nobody is saying so.
What actually changed
| Provider | Total / month | Billing | Dose | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LillyDirect Foundayo (brand, oral) | $149/mo | Manufacturer direct | Oral / pill | 0.8mg starter, Self Pay Journey Program. CHEAPEST verified path to an FDA-approved oral GLP-1 for weight loss. Verified |
| NovoCare Pharmacy Wegovy (brand) | $149/mo | Manufacturer direct | Oral / pill | Wegovy TABLETS, 1.5 mg ($199 at 4 mg). Cheapest verified path to FDA-approved ORAL semaglutide for weight loss. Verified |
| LillyDirect Foundayo (brand, oral) | $199/mo | Manufacturer direct | Oral / pill | 2.5mg — step-up dose between starter and maintenance. Verified |
| Found Foundayo (brand, oral) | $248/mo | $149 med + $99 membership | Oral / pill | $149 med (0.8mg starter) + $99 CORE membership on 12-month plan. Escalates by dose. Verified |
| Shed Foundayo (brand, oral) | $274/mo | $149 med + $125 membership | Oral / pill | $149 med (starter) + $125 membership. Fulfilled via LillyDirect. Escalates $149->$199->$299 by dose tier. Verified |
| Shed Wegovy (brand) | $274/mo | $149 med + $125 membership | Oral / pill | Wegovy pill $149-$299 by dose + $125 membership (required for brand). Verified |
| Found Wegovy (brand) | $297/mo | $198 med + $99 membership | Oral / pill | $198 Wegovy pill + $99 CORE membership on 12-month plan. Verified |
| Hims Foundayo (brand, oral) | $298/mo | $149 med + $149 membership | Oral / pill | $149 med (0.8mg starter) + $149 membership ($39 first month). Higher doses cost more. Verified |
| Hers Foundayo (brand, oral) | $298/mo | $149 med + $149 membership | Oral / pill | $149 med (starter) + $149 membership ($39 first month). Higher doses cost more. Verified |
| Hims Wegovy (brand) | $298/mo | $149 med + $149 membership | Oral / pill | $149 Wegovy pill + $149 membership ($39 first month). Same price at all doses. Verified |
| Hers Wegovy (brand) | $298/mo | $149 med + $149 membership | Oral / pill | $149 Wegovy pill + $149 membership ($39 first month). Verified |
| LillyDirect Foundayo (brand, oral) | $299/mo | Manufacturer direct | Oral / pill | 5.5mg and 9mg — mid maintenance dose. Verified |
| LillyDirect Zepbound (brand) | $299/mo | Manufacturer direct | Injectable | 2.5mg starter, Self Pay Journey Program. 5mg $399; 7.5-15mg $449. Verified |
| PlushCare Zepbound (brand) | $319/mo | $299 med + $20 membership | Injectable | $299 Zepbound 2.5mg vial + $19.99 membership. 5mg $399; 7.5mg+ $449. Cheapest membership in the category. Verified |
| WeightWatchers Clinic Wegovy (brand) | $323/mo | $249 med + $74 membership | Injectable | $249 med (12-month supply PAID UPFRONT, $2,988) + $74/mo WW Med+ membership. Verified |
| Shed Wegovy (brand) | $324/mo | $199 med + $125 membership | Injectable | Wegovy PEN from $199 (higher doses more) + $125 membership. Prior $149 reflected the pill, not the pen. Verified |
| Found Wegovy (brand) | $347/mo | $248 med + $99 membership | Injectable | $248 Wegovy pen + $99 CORE membership on 12-month plan. Verified |
| Ro Foundayo (brand, oral) | $348/mo | $199 med + $149 membership | Oral / pill | $199 med + $149 Ro Body membership. Ongoing $199-$299 by dose. First month medication $149. Verified |
| Hims Wegovy (brand) | $348/mo | $199 med + $149 membership | Injectable | $199 Wegovy pen + $149 membership ($39 first month). Same price at all doses. Verified |
| Hers Wegovy (brand) | $348/mo | $199 med + $149 membership | Injectable | $199 Wegovy pen + $149 membership ($39 first month). Verified |
| Ro Wegovy (brand) | $348/mo | $199 med + $149 membership | Oral / pill | $199 med + $149 Ro Body membership. Annual prepay saves $50/mo; $74 membership on the annual plan. Verified |
| Ro Wegovy (brand) | $348/mo | $199 med + $149 membership | Injectable | $199-$399 med by dose + $149 Ro Body membership. Annual prepay saves $150/mo on medication. Verified |
| Hims Ozempic (brand) | $348/mo | $199 med + $149 membership | Injectable | $199 med + $149 membership. FDA-approved for T2D; off-label for weight loss only when clinically appropriate. Verified |
| Hers Ozempic (brand) | $348/mo | $199 med + $149 membership | Injectable | $199 med starter + $149 membership ($39 first month). FDA-approved for T2D. Verified |
| LillyDirect Foundayo (brand, oral) | $349/mo | Manufacturer direct | Oral / pill | 14.5mg and 17.2mg standard rate. DROPS to $299 with a refill within 45 days of previous delivery — its own 45-day rule, parallel to Zepbound's. Verified |
| NovoCare Pharmacy Wegovy (brand) | $349/mo | Manufacturer direct | Injectable | Month 3 onward, all maintenance doses. Cut from $499 in November 2025. Verified |
| NovoCare Pharmacy Ozempic (brand) | $349/mo | Manufacturer direct | Injectable | 0.25-1mg ongoing; $499 for the 2mg dose. FDA-approved for T2D. Verified |
| PlushCare Wegovy (brand) | $419/mo | $399 med + $20 membership | Injectable | $399 med + $19.99 membership (first month free). $129 initial visit billed separately. Verified |
| WeightWatchers Clinic Wegovy (brand) | $423/mo | $349 med + $74 membership | Injectable | $349 med + $74 WW Med+ membership ($25 first month). 12-month commitment available at $249/mo. Verified |
| Found Zepbound (brand) | $447/mo | $348 med + $99 membership | Injectable | $348 Zepbound KwikPen + $99 CORE membership on 12-month plan. Verified |
| Hims Zepbound (brand) | $448/mo | $299 med + $149 membership | Injectable | $299 Zepbound KwikPen + $149 membership ($39 first month). Higher doses cost more. Verified |
| Hers Zepbound (brand) | $448/mo | $299 med + $149 membership | Injectable | $299 Zepbound 2.5mg single-dose VIAL + $149 membership. Passes through Lilly's vial pricing: $299/$399/$449; refill within 45 days to hold the rate. NOTE: the pre-filled KwikPen is NOT in Lilly's vial-only self-pay programme, so a KwikPen price from Hers is UNCONFIRMED — verify at checkout. Verified |
| LillyDirect Zepbound (brand) | $449/mo | Manufacturer direct | Injectable | 7.5mg-15mg. MUST refill within 45 days of the previous delivery or the price rises. Verified |
| Shed Zepbound (brand) | $474/mo | $349 med + $125 membership | Injectable | $349 med ($349-$499 by dose) + $125 membership (required for brand). Was $299. Verified |
| Ro Zepbound (brand) | $548/mo | $399 med + $149 membership | Injectable | $399-$449 med by dose + $149 Ro Body membership. First month medication $299. Verified |
| PlushCare Ozempic (brand) | $1020/mo | $1,000 med + $20 membership | Injectable | RETAIL-LEVEL (~$1,000 med + $20 membership). NovoCare's direct programme is $349-$499 for the same drug. Verified |
| PlushCare Mounjaro (brand) | $1120/mo | $1,100 med + $20 membership | Injectable | RETAIL (~$1,100 med + $20 membership). Lilly runs NO Mounjaro self-pay programme. Zepbound is the same molecule at $299-$449. Verified |
| Found Ozempic (brand) | $1199/mo | $1,100 med + $99 membership | Injectable | RETAIL-LEVEL ($1,100 med + $99 membership). NovoCare sells it direct for $349. Verified |
| Found Mounjaro (brand) | $1199/mo | $1,100 med + $99 membership | Injectable | RETAIL ($1,100 med + $99 membership). Zepbound is the identical molecule at $299-$449 via LillyDirect. Verified |
| Eden Zepbound (brand) | $1498/mo | $1,399 med + $99 membership | Injectable | RETAIL-LEVEL. $1,399 med + $99 membership. LillyDirect sells the identical drug for $299-$449. Verified |
| Eden Wegovy (brand) | $1794/mo | $1,695 med + $99 membership | Injectable | RETAIL-LEVEL. $1,695 med + $99 membership. NovoCare sells the identical drug direct for $149-$349. Verified |
| Hers Mounjaro (brand) | $2048/mo | $1,899 med + $149 membership | Injectable | RETAIL ($1,899 med + $149 membership). No manufacturer self-pay programme exists for Mounjaro. Verified |
The gap that is left
The two brand lines are the benchmark. Brand Foundayo (oral, FDA-approved) starts at $149, above the $94 median of our compounded semaglutide index. Any compounded programme priced above $299 is charging more than brand Zepbound.
What to actually do
- Check your insurance first. With commercial coverage and a manufacturer savings card, brand Zepbound or Wegovy can cost roughly $25/month. Nothing else competes.
- Then check LillyDirect and NovoCare directly. $149 for an oral, $299-$449 for brand Zepbound.
- Then, and only then, compare compounded programmes — and only consider ones priced clearly below the $299 brand floor.
- If you are currently paying $350-$400 for a compound, re-price today. You are paying at or above brand for a product the FDA has not reviewed.
Limitations of this analysis
Frequently asked questions
Is compounded GLP-1 still cheaper than brand?
Sometimes. Programmes priced below roughly $299 still undercut brand Zepbound's starting dose. Programmes at $349-$399 — including bmiMD, Henry Meds' oral, and MEDVi at higher doses — cost more than the FDA-approved drug.
What is the cheapest FDA-approved GLP-1?
Foundayo (orforglipron) at $149/month via LillyDirect, and the oral Wegovy tablet at $149 via NovoCare, both at starting doses. Both escalate with dose.
Why did the manufacturers cut prices?
Competitive and political pressure, and a strategic move to recapture the cash-pay market that compounding had taken. Novo cut Wegovy from $499 to $349 in November 2025; Lilly repriced Zepbound vials in December 2025.
Update history
| Date | What changed |
|---|---|
| November 9, 2026 | NexLife's prices changed on November 6, 2026 (semaglutide $109 / $105 / $99 / $95 a month on month-to-month / 3 / 6 / 12-month plans; tirzepatide $129 / $125 / $119 / $115). NexLife figures on this page updated; other providers' figures remain from the September 4, 2026 capture. |
| September 4, 2026 | Every provider price on this page re-verified. NexLife cut three programmes: standard semaglutide $145 → $119, standard tirzepatide $186 → $139 and microdose tirzepatide $147 → $129 (12-month rates); figures, charts and rankings updated. |
| July 12, 2026 | Brand pricing re-verified against LillyDirect and NovoCare. |
| July 6, 2026 | Competitor pricing dataset refreshed; 18 providers, 89 offerings. |
Sources
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration — labels, compounding guidance, adverse-event reporting.
- Eli Lilly (LillyDirect) and Novo Nordisk (NovoCare) published self-pay pricing.
- NexLife published program pages, transcribed September 4, 2026.
- Provider pricing dataset — captured from provider pages and confirmed September 4, 2026. Verified.
- Our pricing-verification methodology and source policy.