Cost-per-mg comparison.
Normalize peptide and GLP-1 pricing across vials, pens, and compounding pharmacies. Useful for comparison shopping on FDA-approved products. Pre-filled with current list prices for Zepbound and Wegovy.
| Product | Price (USD) | Total mg | Cost per mg | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $35.30 | ||||
| $110.42 | ||||
| $8.00 |
How to use this honestly
Cost per mg is a useful first-pass comparison, but it's not the only number that matters. Efficacy at equivalent doses is not uniform across products even within the same drug class. And for compounded versus FDA-approved versions of the same molecule, purity and fill accuracy differ.
For FDA-approved products like Zepbound and Wegovy, list prices are similar (~$1,060/month) but real out-of-pocket cost depends heavily on insurance coverage, manufacturer savings programs (LillyDirect, NovoCare), and pharmacy discounts. A cash-pay patient paying list on a non-covered prescription is in a very different situation than a patient with covered Wegovy at $0 copay.
For research-use-only peptides sold at much lower cost per mg, low price does not imply regulatory or quality equivalence to an FDA-approved product.
Frequently asked
Why are Zepbound and Wegovy's cost per mg so different?
Because the effective doses are different. Zepbound pens contain 2.5–15 mg of tirzepatide per monthly supply (depending on dose); Wegovy pens contain 1.7–2.4 mg of semaglutide per monthly supply. The monthly list prices are similar, but mg-for-mg you're getting more tirzepatide per dollar simply because the therapeutic dose range is higher in absolute mg.
Is cost per mg a meaningful comparison between different peptides?
Between different peptides with different mechanisms and dose ranges, no — not directly. A mg of tirzepatide and a mg of semaglutide produce meaningfully different clinical effects. Cost per mg is most useful when comparing the same molecule across vendors or formulations.
What about manufacturer savings programs?
Both Lilly (LillyDirect) and Novo Nordisk (NovoCare) offer savings cards and direct-to-patient programs that can substantially reduce cost for eligible patients. For uninsured or under-insured patients, these programs often bring cash-pay cost below list. Check eligibility on the manufacturer websites.
See also: tirzepatide cost breakdown · semaglutide cost breakdown