Wegovy vs Zepbound Cost: Insurance, Savings Cards, and Cash Pay

Reviewed by Sydney Duong, RD, GLPeak Clinical Lead · Last updated 2026-06-17

Quick answer: At list price, Wegovy and Zepbound both run roughly $1,300/month. With commercial insurance plus manufacturer savings cards, both can drop to as low as $25/month. The bigger pricing difference is on cash pay: Lilly's LillyDirect Zepbound vials start around $349/month for the lowest dose, while NovoCare's Wegovy cash-pay program is closer to $499/month.

Insurance + savings card path

If your plan covers either drug for weight management and you have commercial (non-government) insurance, the manufacturer savings cards bring both to roughly $25/month — Wegovy via NovoCare, Zepbound via the Lilly savings card.

Prior authorization criteria are similar (BMI ≥30, or ≥27 with a comorbidity). The deciding factor is usually which one your specific plan's formulary prefers.

Cash-pay (no insurance) comparison

• LillyDirect Zepbound vials: ~$349/month (2.5 mg), scaling up with dose.
• NovoCare Wegovy cash-pay: ~$499/month, fixed across doses.
• Both ship to your home, both require a real prescription.
• Both are FDA-approved branded drugs — not compounded.

Which to ask your prescriber about

If outcomes matter most: Zepbound has the higher average weight loss in head-to-head trials (SURMOUNT-5).

If cost matters most without insurance: Zepbound's self-pay vials are currently the cheaper FDA-approved option.

If your insurance covers one and not the other: take the covered one and use the savings card.

Frequently asked questions

Do Medicare or Medicaid cover either Wegovy or Zepbound?

Both are excluded from Medicare Part D for weight loss. Wegovy has a narrow Medicare coverage path for cardiovascular risk reduction. Medicaid coverage of either drug varies by state.

Is the LillyDirect Zepbound vial the same as the autoinjector pen?

Same molecule (tirzepatide), same FDA approval. The vial requires drawing the dose with a syringe — slightly more setup than the autoinjector pen, but the medication is identical.

Can I use a Wegovy savings card and the NovoCare cash-pay program together?

No. The savings card requires insurance coverage. The cash-pay program is for people without coverage. They're two separate paths.

Related GLPeak tools

• Wegovy vs Zepbound (clinical)
• Does Insurance Cover Wegovy?
• Savings card (Glossary)
• Prior authorization (Glossary)

Educational only — not medical advice. Consult your prescriber before changing any medication.