Compounded tirzepatide runs a typical $249 a month. Compounded semaglutide runs $189. That is $60 a month more for tirzepatide, median to median. Both figures count each seller once, at its lowest published month.
The compounded markets side by side
| Tirzepatide | Semaglutide | Tirzepatide vs semaglutide | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest published month | $86 | $76 | $10 more |
| Typical (median) month | $249 | $189 | $60 more |
| Sellers counted | 360 | 380 | Each seller once, at its lowest month |
A median of lowest months says nothing about the dose behind each one. Each seller’s ladder is on the tirzepatide price board and the semaglutide price board.
Fees sit outside these figures too. The all-in monthly calculator adds consult and membership fees to any quote.
Why a price per milligram misleads here
The usual Wegovy maintenance dose is 2.4 mg a week[2]. Zepbound’s maintenance doses are 5, 10 or 15 mg a week[1]. The two molecules are dosed on different scales.
So a cheaper milligram of tirzepatide is not a cheaper treatment. Compare a month at the dose you will take. The cost-per-mg tool is built for one compound at a time, which is where it works.
The brand prices
| Stage | Zepbound (tirzepatide) | Wegovy pen (semaglutide) |
|---|---|---|
| First month | $299 | $199 (first 2 fills, new patients) |
| Lowest maintenance dose | $399 (5 mg) | $349 (up to 2.4 mg) |
| Top dose | $449 (15 mg, on-time refill) | $399 (7.2 mg) |
Lilly and Novo Nordisk price their weight-loss brands differently. Lilly prices by dose[3]. Novo charges one price from 0.25 to 2.4 mg[4]. The full brand comparison is in Zepbound vs Wegovy cost. The diabetes brands are in Mounjaro vs Ozempic.
What the extra spend buys, in the one direct trial
SURMOUNT-5 randomly assigned 751 adults with obesity and no type 2 diabetes[5]. Each took the highest tolerated dose for 72 weeks[5]. That was tirzepatide 10 or 15 mg, or semaglutide 1.7 or 2.4 mg[5].
Weight fell 20.2% on tirzepatide and 13.7% on semaglutide[5]. Waist size fell 18.4 cm against 13.0 cm[5]. The trial was open-label and funded by Lilly[5].
The rules on compounded versions
Neither drug is on FDA’s shortage list or the outsourcing-facility bulk list[7]. State pharmacies may not regularly compound copies of either[7]. FDA says it will not act on four or fewer such prescriptions a month from one compounder[7].
FDA has also received adverse-event reports that may be related to doses beyond the approved labels, for both[6]. How each is bought legally online is in tirzepatide online and semaglutide online.