The list price of a GLP-1 like Wegovy or Zepbound is over $1,000 a month, but almost nobody pays that number. What you actually pay depends entirely on how you buy it — and the five common paths can differ by more than $10,000 a year for the exact same drug. This calculator lays all five side by side so you can see your real monthly and yearly cost, and what each pound of weight loss costs you.
The five ways people pay
There are five realistic ways to pay for a GLP-1 in 2026: through commercial insurance with a copay and deductible; through insurance plus a manufacturer savings card; self-pay at full retail cash; self-pay through a manufacturer direct-pharmacy program like LillyDirect or NovoCare; or through a compounded version. Each has a very different price, and the cheapest option depends on whether your plan covers the drug for weight loss at all.
How insurance, deductibles, and savings cards stack up
If your plan covers the drug, your early-year cost is dominated by any deductible you still owe — you pay the negotiated price for each fill until it is met, then a flat copay. A manufacturer savings card can floor a covered patient's cost near $25 a month, but only up to an annual maximum (about $1,300 for Zepbound) and never on Medicare, Medicaid, or other government plans. Once the card's annual cap is used up, you revert to your plan's copay for the rest of the year.
Self-pay, direct pharmacy, and the compounding question
Without coverage, retail cash is the most expensive path by far. Manufacturer direct programs — LillyDirect for Zepbound at about $449 a month, NovoCare for Wegovy at about $349 — cut that dramatically. Compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide can be cheaper still, but after the FDA declared the shortages resolved, compounding is only legal for a documented individual medical need an approved product cannot meet, and compounded drugs are not FDA-reviewed for quality. Always confirm current prices with your plan and pharmacy before deciding.