How do you compare the price of a prescribed GLP-1 or compounded peptide?

Published self-pay prices (snapshot, October 2026)

• Wegovy pen, per Novo Nordisk's page: $199 a month for the first two months at the 0.25 or 0.5 mg dose for new patients, then $349 a month for 0.25 to 2.4 mg. The 7.2 mg dose is listed at $399. The page lists the pill at $149 for 1.5 mg, $199 for 4 mg and $299 for 9 and 25 mg.
• Zepbound KwikPen, per Lilly's March 16, 2026 statement: self-pay starts at $299 a month for 2.5 mg.
• Terms change. Check the manufacturer's page for current prices and eligibility.

Comparing like with like

• Same drug, same strength, same quantity. A price for one dose or month is not comparable to a price for a different supply.
• Ask what the price includes: the drug alone, or visits, lab work and shipping.
• The Wegovy page itself suggests asking the pharmacist to compare all pricing options.
• A compounded product is not an FDA-approved product, so it is not the same product as an approved one even when the active ingredient has the same name.

A red flag from FDA

FDA's statement on unapproved GLP-1 drugs lists prices that seem too good to be true among the red flags. A low price does not by itself show a product is unsafe, but FDA treats it as a reason for caution.

What we could not source

• We found no FDA or FTC guidance on how consumers should compare drug prices.
• We found no primary source stating that practitioners overcharge, or giving typical markups, so we do not say so.
• Zepbound prices above the starting dose and vial prices were not confirmed on the manufacturer's own page.