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One molecule. Two jobs.
Ozempic vs. Wegovy: both semaglutide, approved for different jobs at different doses
By the NexLife Medical Team · Medically reviewed by Adam Kennah, MD · Updated
Ozempic is FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes, up to 2 mg a week; Wegovy for weight loss, up to 7.2 mg. Both are Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide (2026 labels). For weight loss, compounded semaglutide (not FDA-approved, and neither brand) is $119 a month at NexLife on the 12-month plan, or $139 month to month.
- Ozempic: type 2 diabetes, plus heart and kidney protection
- Wegovy: weight, heart risk, MASH, and teens 12 and up
- January 1, 2027: both list prices fall to $675
$119/mo on a 12-month plan, all-inclusive, same price at every dose
Or $139/mo month to month
Brand-name Wegovy pen: $349 a month at NovoCare, or $399 for Wegovy HD
About 3 minutes of health questions · No insurance needed · Not prescribed? No charge for medication
See all 4 plans and what a year costs
| Plan | Per month | 12 months at this rate |
|---|---|---|
| 12-month Lowest monthly price | $119 | $1,428 |
| 6-month | $125 | $1,500 |
| 3-month | $132 | $1,584 |
| Month to month | $139 | $1,668 |
Month to month costs $240 more over 12 months than the 12-month plan. Plans renew until you cancel. Longer plans bill the way you choose at checkout.
Price Match Guarantee†. Paying less elsewhere? We match your regular monthly price. How it works
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Compounded, not FDA-approved. A licensed provider prescribes it only when it offers a significant difference for you. The vial shown is an illustration. Always use the strength on your pharmacy’s label.
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Compounded semaglutide isn’t FDA-approved, isn’t Ozempic or Wegovy and wasn’t studied in their trials. A licensed provider prescribes it only when it offers a significant difference for you.
At a glance
What’s the difference between Ozempic and Wegovy?
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Same medicine? | Yes: both are semaglutide from Novo Nordisk. But they’re separate products, with separate labels |
| Approved for? | Ozempic: type 2 diabetes in adults, plus heart and kidney protection. Wegovy: weight loss, heart risk with heart disease, and MASH |
| For weight loss? | Of the two, only Wegovy is approved for it. Using Ozempic for weight loss is off-label |
| Highest dose? | Ozempic: 2 mg a week. Wegovy: 2.4 mg, or 7.2 mg as Wegovy HD |
| Pen price, self-pay? | $349 a month for either at most doses; Ozempic 2 mg is $499 and Wegovy HD $399. New patients pay $199 for each of their first two fills of 0.25 or 0.5 mg, through December 31, 2026 |
| With Medicare? | A Part D plan should cover a |
From the Ozempic (May 2026) and Wegovy (June 2026) labels, NovoCare and Medicare.gov, checked November 1, 2026.
- Tell us about you About 3 minutes of health questions
- A licensed provider decides You’re prescribed only if it’s right for you
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Key takeaways
- Both are semaglutide. Ozempic treats type 2 diabetes, up to 2 mg weekly; Wegovy is for weight loss, up to 7.2 mg.
- Different labels: Ozempic’s adds heart and kidney protection in diabetes; Wegovy’s adds heart protection in heart disease, and MASH treatment.
- Self-pay, both pens are $349 a month at most doses (checked November 1, 2026). Ozempic 2 mg is $499; Wegovy HD, $399.
- Ozempic for weight loss is off-label. NovoCare’s self-pay program needs an approved use, and Medicare’s $50 Bridge covers Wegovy, not Ozempic.
- Both list prices fall to $675 a month on January 1, 2027, from $1,027.51 (Ozempic) and $1,349.02 (Wegovy).
- At NexLife, compounded semaglutide for weight loss is $119 a month on the 12-month plan. It isn’t FDA-approved or either brand.
Side by side
Ozempic vs. Wegovy: how do they compare?
Both are semaglutide shots from Novo Nordisk, and each has a daily pill version. They differ in what they’re approved for, how high the dose goes and how plans cover them.
| Ozempic | Wegovy | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | Novo Nordisk | Novo Nordisk |
| The medicine | Semaglutide, a | Semaglutide, a |
| FDA-approved forfrom each label | Adults with type 2 diabetes: lowering blood sugar; lowering the risk of heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death with heart disease; lowering the risk of kidney decline, kidney failure or cardiovascular death with chronic kidney disease | Weight reduction in adults (pen or pill), and in children 12 and older with obesity (pen). Lowering the risk of heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death in adults with heart disease and obesity or overweight (pen or pill). MASH with moderate to advanced liver scarring (pen) |
| Approved for weight loss? | No: using it for weight loss is off-label | Yes |
| How you take it | A weekly shot from a multi-dose pen (about a month of doses) or a single-dose syringe. Ozempic tablets: once a day | A weekly shot from a single-dose pen (NovoCare sells 4 a month), a single-dose syringe or a 4-dose 2.4 mg FlexTouch pen. The Wegovy pill: once a day |
| Dose rangeweekly shot | 0.25 mg to start; 0.5, 1 or 2 mg to maintain; 2 mg at most | 0.25 mg to start; 1.7 or 2.4 mg to maintain; 7.2 mg at most, as Wegovy HD |
| Main trialsname and source | SUSTAIN 6 (NEJM, 2016): heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death in 6.6% vs. 8.9% on placebo. FLOW (NEJM, 2024): kidney failure, kidney decline or cardiovascular death in 18.7% vs. 23.2% | STEP 1 (NEJM, 2021): 14.9% average weight loss vs. 2.4% on placebo at 68 weeks. SELECT (NEJM, 2023): heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death in 6.5% vs. 8% |
| Common side effectslabel %, vs. placebo | On 1 mg: nausea 20.3% (6.1%), vomiting 9.2% (2.3%), diarrhea 8.8% (1.9%), constipation 3.1% (1.5%) | On 2.4 mg: nausea 44% (16%), vomiting 24% (6%), diarrhea 30% (16%), constipation 24% (11%) |
| Self-pay price, a monthNovoCare, checked November 1, 2026 | $349 at 0.25 mg to 1 mg, $499 at 2 mg. Tablets $149 to $299 | $349 at 0.25 mg to 2.4 mg, $399 for Wegovy HD. Pill $149 to $299 |
| List price, a month | $1,027.51 today; $675 from January 1, 2027 | $1,349.02 today; $675 from January 1, 2027 |
| Medicare2026 to 2027 | A Part D plan should cover a | For weight loss, the $50 |
NexLife Price Match Guarantee†. Already on compounded semaglutide with another licensed provider, and paying less? We match your regular monthly price. How it works
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
From the Ozempic (revised May 2026) and Wegovy (revised June 2026) labels, NovoCare, TrumpRx.gov, CMS and Medicare.gov, checked November 1, 2026. List prices are the “original price” TrumpRx.gov shows. Trial figures are as each label reports them. Side-effect rates come from each drug’s own placebo trials, not one shared trial. These figures are for the FDA-approved brands.
Same or not?
Is Ozempic the same as Wegovy?
Both are semaglutide, made by Novo Nordisk. But they’re separate products, approved for different uses at different doses, with different pens and different coverage.
What’s alike
- The medicine, semaglutide, from the same maker, Novo Nordisk
- A weekly shot that starts at 0.25 mg for 4 weeks, then steps up
- The same boxed warning about thyroid tumors
- A daily pill version: Ozempic tablets and the Wegovy pill
- The same list price, $675 a month, from January 1, 2027, and one Medicare negotiated price, $274
What’s different
- What the FDA approved each for: diabetes and its heart and kidney risks, or weight, heart risk and MASH
- How high the dose goes: 2 mg for Ozempic, 2.4 mg for Wegovy, or 7.2 mg as Wegovy HD
- The pen: Ozempic’s pens hold several weekly doses; NovoCare sells Wegovy as single-dose pens, 4 a month
- Who can take it: Ozempic is for adults with type 2 diabetes; the Wegovy pen also treats teens 12 and older with obesity
- How plans cover them, because coverage follows the approved use
Not interchangeable. They’re separate products with separate labels, so one can’t stand in for the other without a new prescription. Wegovy’s label advises against using it with any other semaglutide product.
Approved uses
What are Ozempic and Wegovy approved for, and what did trials show?
Ozempic is a diabetes medicine with heart and kidney benefits in its label. Wegovy is a weight-loss medicine with heart and liver uses. Each label lists the trials behind those approvals.
Ozempic: blood sugar
With diet and exercise, Ozempic lowers blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. It isn’t approved for weight loss.
Ozempic: heart and kidneys
In adults with type 2 diabetes, it’s approved to lower the risk of heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death with heart disease, and of kidney decline, kidney failure or cardiovascular death with chronic kidney disease.
Wegovy: weight
Approved for long-term weight reduction in adults with obesity, or overweight with a weight-related condition, and in children 12 and older with obesity (pen only). Wegovy HD, 7.2 mg, was approved on March 19, 2026, the FDA says.
Wegovy: heart and liver
Approved to lower heart attack and stroke risk in adults with heart disease and excess weight, as a pen or a pill. The pen also treats MASH, a fatty liver disease, under an accelerated approval.
Ozempic came first: its label gives 2017 as semaglutide’s first U.S. approval. Wegovy’s pill was added to its label in December 2025.
The trials in each label
| Trial | Who took part | What it found |
|---|---|---|
| SUSTAIN 6NEJM, 2016; Ozempic label | 3,297 adults with type 2 diabetes and heart disease, about 2 years | Heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death in 6.6% on Ozempic vs. 8.9% on placebo |
| FLOWNEJM, 2024; Ozempic label | 3,533 adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease, on Ozempic 1 mg, about 41 months | Kidney failure, a 50% drop in kidney function, or kidney or cardiovascular death in 18.7% vs. 23.2% |
| SUSTAIN 1Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol, 2017; Ozempic label | Adults with type 2 diabetes, on Ozempic alone, 30 weeks | 3.8 kg (8.4 lb) lost on 0.5 mg and 4.7 kg (10.4 lb) on 1 mg, vs. 1.2 kg on placebo |
| SUSTAIN FORTELancet Diabetes Endocrinol, 2021; Ozempic label | 961 adults with type 2 diabetes, 40 weeks | 6.4 kg (14.1 lb) lost on 2 mg vs. 5.6 kg (12.3 lb) on 1 mg, not a significant difference |
| STEP 1NEJM, 2021; Wegovy label | 1,961 adults without type 2 diabetes, 68 weeks | 14.9% average weight loss on 2.4 mg vs. 2.4% on placebo |
| SELECTNEJM, 2023; Wegovy label | 17,604 adults 45 or older with heart disease and a BMI of 27 or more, without diabetes | Heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death in 6.5% on Wegovy vs. 8% on placebo |
| STEP UPNovo Nordisk, 2025 | 1,407 adults with obesity, 72 weeks | 18.7% average weight loss on 7.2 mg vs. 15.6% on 2.4 mg and 3.9% on placebo |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
From each label’s clinical studies section and Novo Nordisk’s STEP UP announcement (January 17, 2025), read November 1, 2026; each year is the trial’s publication year (STEP UP’s is Novo’s announcement), and the figures are as each label reports them. Not head to head: Ozempic’s weight results are in kilograms, from shorter trials of people with type 2 diabetes at lower doses. These trials studied FDA-approved Ozempic and Wegovy; compounded semaglutide wasn’t studied.
Why Wegovy’s weight results look bigger. Its weight trials used higher doses, ran longer and enrolled people without diabetes, so the numbers can’t be set side by side.
Which fits you
Ozempic or Wegovy: which is right for you?
It depends on why you’re taking it. Here’s where each one fits.
If you have type 2 diabetes
Ozempic is the one approved to lower blood sugar, with heart and kidney protection in its label. A Part D plan “should cover
GLP-1 medications” for type 2 diabetes, Medicare.gov says.If weight loss is the goal
Wegovy is the semaglutide approved for it. Ozempic isn’t: using it only for weight is off-label, so plans and NovoCare’s self-pay program can turn down an Ozempic prescription written only for weight.
If you have heart disease but not diabetes
Wegovy’s heart indication covers adults with heart disease and excess weight. Ozempic’s covers people with type 2 diabetes.
If you have chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes
Ozempic is approved to lower the risk of kidney decline, kidney failure and cardiovascular death in that group.
If cost is the barrier
Self-pay, the Wegovy pill starts at $149 a month and the Wegovy pen is $349 ($399 for Wegovy HD). For weight loss, compounded semaglutide, which isn’t FDA-approved, is $119 a month at NexLife on the 12-month plan, or $139 month to month.
If your coverage changes January 1, 2027
Both list prices fall to $675 that day, which can lower coinsurance tied to list price. What else changes in 2027.
Your provider decides. A licensed provider weighs your health history, other conditions and medicines before prescribing either one.
Step by step
How do you choose between Ozempic and Wegovy?
Start with why you’re taking it; the approved use then shapes coverage, price and how high the dose goes.
- Start with why you’re taking it. Ozempic is FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes, with heart and kidney protection in its label. Wegovy is the semaglutide approved for weight loss; using Ozempic only for weight is off-label.
- Match the label to your other conditions. With heart disease and excess weight but no diabetes, Wegovy’s heart use fits; with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease, Ozempic’s kidney use does. Of the two, only the Wegovy pen treats MASH.
- Check your coverage. Plans treat Ozempic as a diabetes medicine; they cover Wegovy for weight only if they include weight-loss drugs. With Medicare, the $50 GLP-1 Bridge covers Wegovy for weight, not Ozempic, through December 31, 2027, if you qualify.
- Compare self-pay prices at your dose. At NovoCare, both pens are $349 a month at most doses; Ozempic 2 mg is $499 and Wegovy HD $399. New patients pay $199 for each of their first two fills, through December 31, 2026 (checked November 1, 2026).
- Weigh side effects and safety. Both carry the same thyroid-tumor boxed warning. In separate trials, 20.3% on Ozempic 1 mg had nausea (6.1% on placebo), and 44% on Wegovy 2.4 mg did (16% on placebo).
- Let your provider decide, and don’t use both. A licensed provider weighs your health history, other conditions and medicines. Switching takes a new prescription, and Wegovy’s label advises against combining it with other semaglutide products.
These steps follow the two labels; your provider decides which one, if either, fits you.
Doses
Ozempic vs. Wegovy dosage: how far does each go?
Both start at 0.25 mg a week for 4 weeks, then step up, at least 4 weeks per step. Ozempic stops at 2 mg; Wegovy goes to 2.4 mg, or 7.2 mg as Wegovy HD.
| Ozempic | Wegovy pen | |
|---|---|---|
| First 4 weeks | 0.25 mg a week | 0.25 mg a week |
| Next stepsat least 4 weeks each | 0.5 mg; then 1 mg if needed; then 2 mg if needed | 0.5 mg, 1 mg, then 1.7 mg |
| Maintenance | 0.5, 1 or 2 mg, set by blood sugar. 1 mg for the kidney use | 1.7 or 2.4 mg from week 17. Up to 7.2 mg (Wegovy HD) for adults who need more weight loss after 4 weeks on 2.4 mg |
| Highest dose | 2 mg a week | 7.2 mg a week |
| The pens | Multi-dose pens: one for the 0.25 and 0.5 mg doses, one for 1 mg, one for 2 mg. Single-dose syringes too | Single-dose pens (NovoCare sells 4 a month, including the 7.2 mg Wegovy HD pen), single-dose syringes or a 4-dose 2.4 mg FlexTouch pen |
| A missed dosewhat the label says | Take it within 5 days. After that, skip it and keep your usual day | Take it if the next dose is more than 2 days away; if not, skip it. After 2 or more missed doses in a row, the steps restart lower |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
The schedules in each label (Ozempic revised May 2026, Wegovy June 2026), read November 1, 2026. They describe the label, not a plan for you: your provider decides your dose and when it changes.
The pills step up differently. The Wegovy pill starts at 1.5 mg a day and reaches 25 mg by day 91. Ozempic tablets come in 1.5, 4 and 9 mg and share a label with Rybelsus (3, 7 and 14 mg). Pill and shot doses aren’t the same in milligrams.
For weight loss
Can you take Ozempic for weight loss?
Only off-label. Ozempic isn’t FDA-approved for weight loss. That affects who will sell it to you at the self-pay price, and who will pay for it.
Ozempic isn’t approved for weight loss
Its label covers type 2 diabetes and its heart and kidney risks. A provider may still prescribe it off-label; that’s the provider’s call, and it affects who will pay.
NovoCare’s self-pay program needs an approved use
Its terms ask for a prescription “for an FDA-approved indication within that product’s labeling.” For weight loss, that’s Wegovy.
Plans can ask why it’s prescribed
A plan can check for a type 2 diabetes diagnosis before paying for Ozempic, so an off-label claim for weight loss alone can be denied. Your plan’s drug list says which rules apply.
Medicare draws the same line
Its $50
GLP-1 Bridge covers the Wegovy pen and pill for weight loss, not Ozempic, and isn’t open to people with type 2 diabetes, whose Part D plan “should coverGLP-1 medications” instead, Medicare.gov says.
One molecule, different doses. Ozempic’s highest dose is 2 mg; Wegovy’s weight-loss doses go to 2.4 mg and 7.2 mg. Taking Ozempic off-label for weight isn’t the same plan as taking Wegovy, even though both are semaglutide.
In their words
What do the FDA and the Wegovy label say about weight loss?
Two lines behind a key difference: which brand is approved for weight, and how high its dose goes.
Wegovy’s label gives its pen and pill a weight-loss use that Ozempic’s doesn’t have; here is the pill’s wording:
“To reduce excess body weight and maintain weight reduction long term in adults with obesity, or in adults with overweight in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbid condition.”
Novo Nordisk, Wegovy prescribing information, section 1, Indications and usage, Wegovy tablets (revised June 2026)
Ozempic’s label stops at 2 mg a week; Wegovy now goes higher, the FDA announced on March 19, 2026:
“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved a new higher dose (7.2 mg) of Wegovy (semaglutide) injection, called Wegovy HD, for weight loss and long-term maintenance of weight loss for certain adult patients.”
U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA approves fourth product under National Priority Voucher program, higher dose semaglutide, March 19, 2026
Cost
Ozempic vs. Wegovy cost: every way to pay in 2026 and 2027
Self-pay, both pens are $349 a month at most doses at NovoCare (checked November 1, 2026). Ozempic 2 mg costs more ($499); Wegovy HD costs $399. Both list prices fall to $675 in 2027.
| How you pay | Ozempic | Wegovy |
|---|---|---|
| NovoCare self-paya pen month is 28 days | $349 at 0.25 mg to 1 mg; $499 at 2 mg | $349 at 0.25 mg to 2.4 mg; $399 for Wegovy HD |
| New-patient offerNovoCare and TrumpRx.gov | $199 for each of a new patient’s first two fills through December 31, 2026 (0.25 or 0.5 mg) | $199 for each of a new patient’s first two fills through December 31, 2026 (0.25 or 0.5 mg) |
| Daily pill, self-pay30 tablets | Ozempic tablets: $149 at 1.5 mg, $199 at 4 mg, $299 at 9 mg | Wegovy pill: $149 at 1.5 mg, $199 at 4 mg, $299 at 9 or 25 mg |
| TrumpRx.gova pharmacy coupon | $199 for each of a new patient’s first two fills through December 31, 2026, then $349, or $499 at 2 mg | $199 for each of a new patient’s first two fills through December 31, 2026, then $349, or $399 for Wegovy HD. Pill from $149 |
| Commercial insurance | Covered as a diabetes medicine where your plan includes it; a plan can ask for the diagnosis | For weight loss, covered only if your plan includes weight-loss drugs; its heart and MASH uses may be covered otherwise. Savings card: as little as $25, up to $100 off a month |
| Medicare | A Part D plan should cover | For weight loss, the $50 |
| List price, a monthwhat Novo charges wholesalers | $1,027.51, falling to $675 on January 1, 2027 | $1,349.02, falling to $675 on January 1, 2027 |
| A year at the pen price13 fills | $4,537 at $349; $6,487 at $499 | $4,537 at $349; $5,187 at $399 |
NexLife Price Match Guarantee†. Already on compounded semaglutide with another licensed provider, and paying less? We match your regular monthly price. How it works
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Self-pay prices from NovoCare’s terms, wegovy.com and TrumpRx.gov; list prices are the “original price” TrumpRx.gov shows; Medicare from Medicare.gov; all checked November 1, 2026. The medication alone: the prescriber’s visit is extra. NovoCare’s self-pay program needs a prescription for an FDA-approved use.
| Compounded semaglutide | A month | A year at that price |
|---|---|---|
| Online programs17 in our price index; not FDA-approved | $119 to $299, all in (median $199) | Varies by program |
| NexLife12-month plan | $119 | $1,428 |
| NexLifemonth to month | $139 | $1,668 |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Compounded semaglutide isn’t FDA-approved and isn’t Ozempic or Wegovy. NexLife’s providers prescribe compounded semaglutide for weight loss. It isn’t a treatment for type 2 diabetes and doesn’t replace Ozempic or your diabetes care. Prices all in, month to month, from our
What 2027 changes. The $675 list price can lower what you pay if your coinsurance or deductible follows list price, Novo Nordisk says. The cut doesn’t affect self-pay prices. Under self-pay, NovoCare’s Wegovy page says: “Pricing to be updated after December 31, 2026.” Medicare’s negotiated price for semaglutide, $274 for a 30-day supply, also starts on January 1, 2027. That’s what Medicare pays for covered uses, not your copay.
A year of the Wegovy pen at NovoCare’s $349 is $4,537, 13 four-week fills. A year of compounded semaglutide at NexLife, which isn’t FDA-approved and isn’t Wegovy or Ozempic, is $1,428 on the 12-month plan or $1,668 month to month. More on Wegovy’s prices: Wegovy price in 2027.
Coverage
How do insurance and Medicare cover Ozempic and Wegovy?
By the approved use. Plans treat Ozempic as a diabetes medicine. They cover Wegovy for weight only if the plan includes weight-loss drugs. Medicare covers it for weight only through its Bridge.
Employer and individual plans
Coverage follows the approved use. Ozempic is a diabetes medicine; Wegovy needs a plan that covers weight-loss drugs, or one of its other uses, such as heart risk.
Medicare Part D
A Part D plan “should cover
GLP-1 medications to treat” type 2 diabetes, moderate to severe sleep apnea or fatty liver disease, Medicare.gov says.The Medicare
GLP-1 BridgeFrom July 1, 2026 to December 31, 2027, people with Part D who qualify pay $50 a month for the Wegovy pen or pill for weight loss, with prior authorization. Ozempic isn’t on its list.
Savings cards
Wegovy’s card takes the price as low as $25, up to $100 off a month, with commercial coverage. Medicare, Medicaid and other government plans can’t use it.
Denied? You can appeal, ask your provider about the covered option, or pay yourself. More:
The pills
Ozempic tablets vs. the Wegovy pill
Each brand has a daily semaglutide pill. Ozempic tablets are for type 2 diabetes; the Wegovy pill is for weight and heart risk.
| Ozempic tablets | Wegovy pill | |
|---|---|---|
| Approved for | Lowering blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes, and lowering the risk of heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death in those at high risk | Weight reduction, and lowering heart attack and stroke risk in adults with heart disease and excess weight |
| Strengths | 1.5, 4 and 9 mg | 1.5, 4, 9 and 25 mg |
| Self-pay, a monthNovoCare, checked November 1, 2026 | $149, $199 or $299 | $149, $199 or $299 (9 and 25 mg) |
| How to take it | Each morning on an empty stomach, with up to 4 ounces of plain water; wait at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking or other pills | Each morning on an empty stomach, with up to 4 ounces of plain water; wait at least 30 minutes before eating, drinking or other pills |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
From the Ozempic tablets and Rybelsus label (revised January 2026), NovoCare’s terms and the Wegovy label (revised June 2026), read November 1, 2026. Rybelsus (3, 7 and 14 mg) shares Ozempic tablets’ label; the two aren’t substitutable milligram for milligram. NovoCare’s self-pay list shows Ozempic tablets, not Rybelsus.
NexLife Price Match Guarantee†. Already on compounded semaglutide with another licensed provider, and paying less? We match your regular monthly price. How it works
Pills or shots, side by side:
Switching
Can you switch from Ozempic to Wegovy?
Yes, with a new prescription. Your provider decides your starting dose; the labels don’t give a conversion.
Get a new prescription
For Wegovy, that usually means a weight-loss prescription. Neither label gives a switching schedule, so your provider decides your starting dose.
Don’t use both
Wegovy’s label advises against combining it with other semaglutide products or any
GLP-1 medicine.Use each brand’s own pens
The pens differ: Ozempic’s hold several weekly doses, while NovoCare sells Wegovy as single-dose pens. Follow the directions for the pen you’re prescribed.
Check coverage first
With type 2 diabetes, Medicare’s $50 Bridge isn’t open to you, and an employer plan may cover Ozempic but not Wegovy.
Compounded
Compounded semaglutide vs. Ozempic and Wegovy: what’s different?
It’s semaglutide too, but it isn’t either brand and it isn’t FDA-approved.
“This means that FDA does not verify the safety, effectiveness or quality of compounded drugs before they are marketed.”
Neither brand
Compounded semaglutide isn’t Ozempic or Wegovy. A state-licensed 503A pharmacy prepares it for one patient’s prescription.
Not FDA-approved
The FDA doesn’t review compounded drugs for safety, effectiveness or quality before they’re sold, and a compounded drug isn’t a generic.
Not studied in these trials
SUSTAIN, STEP and SELECT used FDA-approved Ozempic and Wegovy. They don’t show how a compounded version works.
Usually cheaper
Online programs charge $119 to $299 a month in our price index, all in (median $199, checked November 1, 2026), against $349 for a self-pay Wegovy pen. Paying less elsewhere? Price Match Guarantee†
These trials studied FDA-approved Ozempic and Wegovy; compounded semaglutide wasn’t studied. A licensed provider prescribes compounded semaglutide only when it offers a significant difference for you. More: compounded vs. brand-name semaglutide and compounded semaglutide, explained.
At NexLife
Compounded semaglutide at NexLife: what you get, and what it costs
Compounded semaglutide is $119 a month on the 12-month plan, or $139 month to month. The price is the same at every dose, and a licensed provider decides if it’s right for you.
| 12-month plan | $119 a month |
|---|---|
| 6-month plan | $125 a month |
| 3-month plan | $132 a month |
| Month to month | $139 a month |
The same price at every dose, with no membership fee. Month to month, $139 is $60 under the $199 median of the 17 semaglutide programs in our
Included: a licensed provider who follows your dose, the medication, a nutrition plan, a 1:1 coaching call, free expedited shipping and real people 24/7 at
Who fills it: Absolute Pharmacy in Lutz, FL, or Boudreaux’s New Drug Store in Lake Charles, LA, both state-licensed 503A partner pharmacies. Questions about your order come to us, not the pharmacy.
What happens next: a 3-minute online assessment, then a licensed provider reviews it and prescribes only if treatment is right for you. Not prescribed? No charge for medication. Your partner pharmacy usually ships within 1 to 2 business days.
Ways to pay: HSA or FSA cards (NexLife provides a letter of medical necessity), or Affirm, Klarna or Afterpay at checkout. People with Medicare can pay for themselves.
Paying less elsewhere? If you already take compounded semaglutide or tirzepatide through another licensed U.S. telehealth provider or clinic, send a receipt from the last 60 days and we match your regular monthly price. Price Match Guarantee†
NexLife’s providers prescribe compounded semaglutide for weight loss. It isn’t a treatment for type 2 diabetes and doesn’t replace Ozempic or your diabetes care.
Safety
What do the Ozempic and Wegovy labels warn about?
Both carry the same boxed warning about thyroid tumors, and most of the same serious warnings.
The boxed warning, for both
In rodents, semaglutide caused thyroid C-cell tumors; whether it does in people isn’t known. Don’t use either if you or a family member has had medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), or if you have MEN 2.
Who shouldn’t take them
Anyone with that thyroid history, or who has had a serious allergic reaction to semaglutide. Don’t take Ozempic and Wegovy together.
Serious side effects in both labels
Pancreatitis, gallbladder problems, low blood sugar with insulin or similar diabetes medicines, kidney injury from dehydration, severe stomach problems, serious allergic reactions, eye problems in type 2 diabetes, and food or liquid entering the lungs under anesthesia. Wegovy’s also lists a faster heart rate.
Pregnancy
Both labels say to stop at least 2 months before a planned pregnancy, because semaglutide stays in the body for weeks.
When to call: right away for severe stomach pain that won’t go away, signs of an allergic reaction, or vomiting or diarrhea that won’t stop; and tell every provider before surgery. Questions? Call or text
Vial math
How many units is your semaglutide dose?
It depends on your vial’s strength. Here are the Wegovy label’s dose steps at two example strengths.
| Weeks | Weekly dose | At 2.5 mg/mL | At 5 mg/mL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 4 | 0.25 mg | 0.1 mL (10 units) | 0.05 mL (5 units) |
| 5 to 8 | 0.5 mg | 0.2 mL (20 units) | 0.1 mL (10 units) |
| 9 to 12 | 1 mg | 0.4 mL (40 units) | 0.2 mL (20 units) |
| 13 to 16 | 1.7 mg | 0.68 mL (68 units) | 0.34 mL (34 units) |
| 17 onward | 2.4 mg | 0.96 mL (96 units) | 0.48 mL (48 units) |
The math: mL = dose ÷ strength (mg per mL); units = mL × 100. At 2.5 mg/mL, 1 mg is 1 ÷ 2.5 = 0.4 mL, or 40 units. At 5 mg/mL, the same 1 mg is 0.2 mL, or 20 units.
Both strengths are examples only. The same dose is a different number of units at a different strength, so read the strength on your own vial’s label. Your prescription sets your dose and schedule, which may differ from these label steps. Every step: the semaglutide dosage chart.
What does NexLife cost?
One flat price at every dose.
No membership fee. Provider care, a nutrition plan, coaching and shipping are included. Paying less with another licensed provider? We match your regular monthly price.†
GIP + 12-month plan $139/mo
Tirzepatide
Weekly and dual-action. Care, coaching and shipping included. On a 12-month plan; $169/mo month to month.
Check my eligibilityCompounded, not FDA-approved · Not prescribed? No charge for medication
12-month plan $119/mo
Semaglutide
Weekly
Compounded, not FDA-approved · Not prescribed? No charge for medication
Compounded, not FDA-approved. A licensed provider prescribes it only when it offers a significant difference for you. Vials shown are illustrations. Always use the strength on your pharmacy’s label. Every plan and price · Price Match Guarantee† terms
The NexLife Price Match Guarantee†
Paying less elsewhere?
Keep your price. Upgrade your care.
Already on compounded tirzepatide or semaglutide? Pay less with another licensed U.S. telehealth provider or clinic, and we match your regular monthly price for as long as your plan stays active.† Plus a provider who follows your dose, a nutrition plan, a coaching call and real people 24/7.
- 1Send a receipt from the last 60 days
- 2A NexLife provider reviews your prescription
- 3Pay your matched price, at every dose
Locked while your plan is activeSame price at every doseNo membership fee
†Terms: see the Price Match Guarantee† details below. Compounded medications aren’t FDA-approved; a provider prescribes one only when it offers a significant difference for you.
Ozempic vs. Wegovy: your questions
Fair questions about NexLife
- Will my price go up with my dose?
- No. You pay the same at every dose.
- What if I’m not prescribed?
- You aren’t charged for medication.
- Can I cancel?
- Yes, by email. It takes effect 30 days after we receive it. Plans renew until you cancel; our cancellation policy has the details.
- Do I need insurance?
- No. Pay with an HSA or FSA card, or with Affirm, Klarna or Afterpay at checkout.
Is Ozempic the same as Wegovy?
Both are Novo Nordisk semaglutide: Ozempic is FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes, up to 2 mg; Wegovy for weight, up to 7.2 mg (2026 labels). They’re separate products with their own labels, pens and doses, and plans cover them for different uses. Don’t use them together.
Can compounded semaglutide replace Ozempic or Wegovy?
Not as a diabetes medicine. NexLife’s providers prescribe compounded semaglutide for weight loss; it isn’t a treatment for type 2 diabetes and doesn’t replace Ozempic or your diabetes care. It isn’t FDA-approved or Wegovy and wasn’t studied in their trials, and a licensed provider prescribes it only when it offers a significant difference for you.
Can I take Ozempic for weight loss instead of Wegovy?
Only off-label. Ozempic is FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes and its heart and kidney risks; Wegovy is the semaglutide approved for weight. NovoCare’s self-pay program needs a prescription for a use on the product’s label, and plans can deny Ozempic without a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. Your provider decides.
Why does insurance cover Ozempic but not Wegovy?
Because they’re approved for different things. Ozempic is a diabetes medicine, so plans judge it by their diabetes rules, while Wegovy needs a plan that covers weight-loss drugs, or one of its other uses. Medicare covers Wegovy for weight loss only through its $50
Does Medicare cover Ozempic or Wegovy in 2027?
Yes, for different uses. For type 2 diabetes, a Part D plan “should cover
Will Ozempic and Wegovy cost less in 2027?
Their list prices will: both fall to $675 a month on January 1, 2027, from $1,027.51 for Ozempic and $1,349.02 for Wegovy. Novo says the cut doesn’t affect self-pay prices; NovoCare’s Wegovy page notes, “Pricing to be updated after December 31, 2026.” The cut can lower what you pay if your coinsurance or deductible follows list price.
Is Wegovy a higher dose of Ozempic?
In a sense: both are semaglutide, and Wegovy goes higher. Ozempic’s top dose is 2 mg a week; Wegovy’s usual maintenance dose is 2.4 mg, and Wegovy HD is 7.2 mg. But they’re separate products with their own pens and labels, so one can’t stand in for the other without a new prescription.
Is there an Ozempic pill like the Wegovy pill?
Yes. NovoCare lists Ozempic tablets in 1.5, 4 and 9 mg, at $149 to $299 a month self-pay (checked November 1, 2026), for type 2 diabetes. The Wegovy pill, 1.5 to 25 mg, is the one approved for weight loss, and both are taken each morning on an empty stomach.
Can I switch from Ozempic to Wegovy?
Yes, with a new prescription for an approved use, usually weight. Neither label gives a switching schedule, so your provider decides your starting dose. Don’t use both: Wegovy’s label advises against combining it with other semaglutide products. With Medicare, the $50 Bridge isn’t open to people with type 2 diabetes.
Do Ozempic and Wegovy have the same side effects?
Mostly the same kinds, at different rates, because Wegovy goes to higher doses. In separate trials, 20.3% on Ozempic 1 mg had nausea (6.1% on placebo), and 44% on Wegovy 2.4 mg did (16% on placebo). Both labels carry the same thyroid-tumor boxed warning.
Which works better for weight loss, Ozempic or Wegovy?
No trial compares them head to head, though Wegovy’s weight results look bigger. In STEP 1, Wegovy 2.4 mg averaged 14.9% weight loss vs. 2.4% on placebo at 68 weeks. Ozempic’s weight trials were shorter and used lower doses in people with type 2 diabetes. Compounded semaglutide wasn’t studied in these trials.
Is Ozempic or Wegovy cheaper without insurance?
Neither, at most doses. At NovoCare, both pens are $349 a month (checked November 1, 2026); Ozempic 2 mg is $499 and Wegovy HD $399. New patients pay $199 for each of their first two fills (through Dec. 31, 2026). For weight loss, compounded semaglutide, which isn’t FDA-approved, is $119 a month at NexLife on the 12-month plan.
Can teens take Ozempic or Wegovy?
Of the two, only Wegovy, and only as a pen: it’s approved for children 12 and older with obesity. The Wegovy pill’s weight use is for adults, and Ozempic is for adults with type 2 diabetes. A licensed provider weighs health history, other conditions and medicines before prescribing either one.
Important safety information
Compounded tirzepatide and semaglutide are not FDA-approved, and the FDA hasn’t reviewed them for safety, effectiveness or quality. A provider prescribes them only when they offer a significant difference for you compared with an FDA-approved product. Both medicines may cause thyroid tumors, including cancer: don’t use either if you or a family member has had medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2).
Read the full safety information
In studies with rodents, both medicines caused thyroid tumors; it isn’t known whether they cause them in people. Tell your provider if you notice a lump or swelling in your neck, hoarseness, trouble swallowing or shortness of breath. Serious side effects can include inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), gallbladder problems, low blood sugar (especially with insulin or sulfonylureas), kidney problems from dehydration, severe stomach problems, serious allergic reactions, vision changes in people with type 2 diabetes, and a faster heart rate. Tell your care team before any surgery or procedure that uses anesthesia or deep sedation. Don’t combine either medicine with other
Tirzepatide can make birth control pills less effective: switch to a non-oral method, or add a barrier method such as condoms, for 4 weeks after you start and for 4 weeks after each dose increase. Both medicines may harm an unborn baby. Semaglutide should be stopped at least 2 months before a planned pregnancy. Tell your provider right away if you’re pregnant, planning to be, or breastfeeding.
This is a summary, not the complete safety information. Read the full Prescribing Information for FDA-approved tirzepatide (Zepbound) and semaglutide (Wegovy), and talk with your provider. You can report side effects to the FDA at
† NexLife Price Match Guarantee: for new NexLife members switching from a licensed U.S. telehealth provider or clinic with an active prescription for compounded tirzepatide or semaglutide. We match your regular all-in monthly price there (medication plus any required membership, program or visit fee, on a month-to-month plan); first-month offers, coupons, referral credits and prepaid multi-month rates aren’t matched. Proof from the last 60 days required. A licensed provider must determine that treatment is right for you. Not open to people with Medicare, Medicaid or TRICARE coverage. Full terms.
About NexLife. NexLife is a telehealth and care-coordination platform. Care is delivered through affiliated, physician-owned medical groups, and licensed providers decide whether treatment is right for you. NexLife doesn’t make or compound medication: state-licensed partner pharmacies fill each prescription, and we coordinate the rest. Available only in states where our affiliated providers are licensed.
Who wrote and medically reviewed this page?
Leads the NexLife Medical Team, which writes and medically reviews NexLife’s guides, including this one.
Labels, NovoCare’s prices, TrumpRx.gov and Medicare checked November 1, 2026.
- How we checked. Every fact here comes from the Ozempic, Ozempic tablets and Wegovy labels, Novo Nordisk’s announcements, NovoCare’s terms and savings page, wegovy.com, TrumpRx.gov, CMS and Medicare.gov, read on November 1, 2026. Compounded prices come from our
GLP-1 price index, checked November 1, 2026. Trial results carry the trial’s name and year; figures are as each label reports them, and we list announced changes only. Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus are trademarks of Novo Nordisk; Zepbound and Foundayo of Eli Lilly and Company. NexLife isn’t affiliated with either. - Every fact, sourced. Each price and rule links to the page it comes from.
- How we make money. NexLife is a telehealth and care-coordination platform. We earn revenue when people join NexLife.
- Corrections, fast. See something wrong or out of date? Email care@nexlife.us and we’ll fix it.
Paying less elsewhere? We match it.†
You know how they differ. Next: a 3-minute check.
A licensed provider reviews your health history and decides if compounded semaglutide is right for you: $119 a month on the 12-month plan, or $139 month to month, at every dose.
4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot · Medical director Adam Kennah, MD (NPI 1144260043) · LegitScript-certified
Compounded medications aren’t FDA-approved. A provider prescribes one only when it offers a significant difference for you.
- 1Tell us about you
Start online with your health history.
- 2A licensed provider decides
Online, following your state’s rules. You’re prescribed only if treatment is right for you.
- 3We ship it, then stay with you
Our partner pharmacy usually ships within 1 to 2 business days. Free shipping, and questions come to us 24/7, never to the pharmacy.
Sources
- Ozempic (semaglutide) prescribing information, Novo Nordisk, revised May 2026. Read November 1, 2026.
- Ozempic and Rybelsus (semaglutide) tablets prescribing information, Novo Nordisk, revised January 2026. Read November 1, 2026.
- Wegovy (semaglutide) prescribing information, Novo Nordisk, revised June 2026. Read November 1, 2026.
- Wegovy prescribing information, the FDA’s copy of the June 2026 revision (section 14.1, SELECT). Read November 1, 2026.
- The New England Journal of Medicine: Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity, STEP 1 (2021). The published trial.
- TCTMD: SUSTAIN 6, published in The New England Journal of Medicine (September 16, 2016). For the trial’s year, read October 25, 2026.
- TCTMD: FLOW, published in The New England Journal of Medicine (May 24, 2024). For the trial’s year, read November 1, 2026.
- Swansea University: SUSTAIN 1, The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, 2017;5(4):251-260. For the trial’s year, read November 1, 2026.
- NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service: SUSTAIN FORTE, The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology (2021). For the trial’s year, read November 1, 2026.
- Cleveland Clinic: SELECT, published in The New England Journal of Medicine (November 11, 2023). For the trial’s year, read November 1, 2026.
- Novo Nordisk: Semaglutide 7.2 mg in the STEP UP obesity trial (January 17, 2025). Read November 1, 2026.
- FDA: approval of Wegovy HD, higher-dose semaglutide (March 19, 2026). Read November 1, 2026.
- NovoCare Pharmacy: terms, self-pay prices and safety information (Wegovy and Ozempic). Read November 1, 2026.
- NovoCare: Wegovy savings offer and self-pay pricing. Checked November 1, 2026.
- Novo Nordisk: What to pay for Wegovy. Checked November 1, 2026.
- TrumpRx.gov:
GLP-1 listings. Checked November 1, 2026. - TrumpRx.gov: Ozempic. Checked November 1, 2026.
- TrumpRx.gov: Wegovy pen. Checked November 1, 2026.
- TrumpRx.gov: Wegovy pill. Checked November 1, 2026.
- Novo Nordisk: US list price reduction for Wegovy, Ozempic and Rybelsus (February 24, 2026). Read November 1, 2026.
- CMS: Medicare drug price negotiation, negotiated prices for 2027 (fact sheet). Read November 1, 2026.
- Medicare.gov: Weight loss drugs (the Medicare
GLP-1 Bridge). Read November 1, 2026. - CMS: Medicare
GLP-1 Bridge. Read November 1, 2026. - FDA: Compounding and the FDA, questions and answers. Read November 1, 2026.
- NexLife:
GLP-1 price index. Compounded semaglutide prices checked November 1, 2026. - NexLife: pricing, every plan.