GLP-1 Drugs Ranked by Weight Loss and Cost

Ozempic is a GLP-1 drug. So are Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound, Rybelsus, Saxenda, Trulicity, and Foundayo. If you are finding "GLP-1 vs Ozempic," you're not comparing two different things. GLP-1 is drug class. Ozempic is one drug inside that class. It's like searching "SUV vs Toyota." A Toyota can be an SUV.

That confusion is common, and it matters because once you understand that all of these drugs belong to same family, real question changes. It's not "which is better, GLP-1 or Ozempic?" It's "which GLP-1 drug is best fit for me?" And answer depends on what you're treating, how much weight you need to lose, whether you're okay with injections, and what you can afford.

What are GLPv1 drugs and why are there so many?

GLP 1 drugs mimic a hormone your body makes naturally called glucagon-like peptide-1. This hormone tells your brain you're full, slows down how fast food moves through your stomach, and helps regulate blood sugar. The drugs amplify that signal so it lasts longer and hits harder than what your body produces on its own.

The reason there are so many is that different companies have developed different versions of this concept. Some target only GLP-1 receptor. Others, like tirzepatide, hit two receptors at once (GLP-1 and GIP), which is why it tends to produce more weight loss. Newer drugs in development target three receptors. Each generation has gotten more effective and more convenient, moving from twice-daily injections in 2005 to once weekly shots and daily pills today.

Which GLP 1 drugs are FDA approved right now?

Here's full GLP-1 drugs list as of April 2026, grouped by active ingredient.

Semaglutide (made by Novo Nordisk):

Semaglutide is most widely prescribed GLP 1 ingredient in world right now. It comes in three brand names, each approved for different uses.

• Ozempic: weekly injection, approved for type 2 diabetes. Doses from 0.25 mg to 2 mg. Often prescribed off-label for weight loss.

• Wegovy: weekly injection and daily pill, approved for weight loss and cardiovascular risk reduction. Injection doses from 0.25 mg to 7.2 mg (Wegovy HD). Pill doses at 1.5 mg, 4 mg, 9 mg, and 25 mg.

• Rybelsus: daily pill, approved for type 2 diabetes only. Doses at 3 mg, 7 mg, and 14 mg.

All three contain same molecule. Wegovy and Ozempic differ mainly in approved indication and dosing range, not in how drug works. Rybelsus is oral formulation with different absorption characteristics.

Tirzepatide (made by Eli Lilly):

Tirzepatide is a dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist. It activates two receptors instead of one, which appears to drive stronger weight loss and blood sugar control than semaglutide alone.

• Mounjaro: weekly injection, approved for type 2 diabetes. Doses from 2.5 mg to 15 mg.

• Zepbound: weekly injection, approved for weight loss and obstructive sleep apnea. Same drug, same doses, different label.

Liraglutide (made by Novo Nordisk):

Liraglutide is older daily injection GLP 1. It's less effective than semaglutide or tirzepatide for weight loss, but it's been on market longest and has most long term safety data.

• Victoza: daily injection, approved for type 2 diabetes. Doses from 0.6 mg to 1.8 mg.

• Saxenda: daily injection, approved for weight loss. Dose at 3 mg daily.

Dulaglutide (made by Eli Lilly):

• Trulicity: weekly injection, approved for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular risk reduction. Doses from 0.75 mg to 4.5 mg. Produces modest weight loss (3 to 5 pounds on average), much less than semaglutide or tirzepatide.

Orforglipron (made by Eli Lilly):

• Foundayo: daily pill, approved for weight loss. This is newest GLP-1 on market. It's a small molecule, which means it doesn't require empty stomach timing that semaglutide pills need. Early data shows weight loss in 10 to 15% range.

Exenatide (made by AstraZeneca):

• Byetta: twice daily injection for type 2 diabetes. The first GLP-1 ever approved (2005). Rarely prescribed today.

• Bydureon: once weekly extended-release version. Also rarely used now that newer options exist.

That's complete list. If you're trying to orient yourself, two drugs most people are choosing between right now are semaglutide (Wegovy/Ozempic) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound). Everything else is either older, less effective, or newer with less long-term data.

How do GLP-1 drugs compare on weight loss?

The head-to-head data is clearer than it's ever been. A 2025 trial published in New England Journal of Medicinedirectly compared tirzepatide and semaglutide in people with obesity over 72 weeks. The results were straightforward.

People on tirzepatide lost an average of 20.2% of their body weight. People on semaglutide lost 13.7%. For someone starting at 220 pounds, that's roughly 44 pounds with tirzepatide versus 30 pounds with semaglutide. Both are substantial. Tirzepatide was clearly ahead.

Here's how all FDA-approved GLP-1 drugs rank by weight loss in clinical trial data, from most to least. These numbers draw from individual pivotal trials and a 2025 meta-analysis of 12 GLP-1 agents that pooled data across 26 randomized controlled trials:

1. Tirzepatide 15 mg (Zepbound): roughly 18 to 22% body weight loss

2. Semaglutide 7.2 mg injection (Wegovy HD): roughly 16 to 18% body weight loss

3. Semaglutide 2.4 mg injection (Wegovy): roughly 14 to 16% body weight loss

4. Oral semaglutide 50 mg (Wegovy pill, high dose): roughly 12 to 15% body weight loss

5. Orforglipron (Foundayo): roughly 10 to 15% body weight loss (limited long-term data)

6. Liraglutide 3 mg (Saxenda): roughly 5 to 8% body weight loss

7. Dulaglutide 4.5 mg (Trulicity): roughly 3 to 5% body weight loss

These numbers come from controlled clinical trials where patients also followed reduced-calorie diets and increased physical activity. Real-world results tend to be lower. A person who doesn't change their eating habits at all will likely lose less than what trials report.

How do GLP-1 drugs compare on side effects?

The side effects across GLP-1 drugs are remarkably similar because they all work through same basic mechanism. The differences are in degree, not in kind.

Nausea is most common side effect across all GLP-1 drugs. It happens because drug slows how fast food leaves your stomach, and your body needs time to adjust. In clinical trials, nausea affected roughly 20 to 45% of patients depending on drug and dose. It's usually worst during first few weeks and during dose increases. For most people it fades by month two or three.

Diarrhea, constipation, and vomiting follow nausea as next most common side effects. Again, these are GI-related and tend to be temporary.

Where drugs differ slightly is in dropout rates. Liraglutide and semaglutide trials had lower dropout rates than orforglipron trials. Some data suggests orforglipron causes more nausea early on, though it may level out over time as more long-term data accumulates.

Rare but serious side effects are similar across class: pancreatitis (less than 2% across all trials), gallbladder problems, and a theoretical thyroid cancer risk based on animal studies that hasn't materialized in human data.

If you're comparing Trulicity vs Ozempic specifically, Trulicity tends to cause fewer GI side effects but also produces less weight loss. That tradeoff is real, and some doctors choose Trulicity specifically for patients who couldn't tolerate semaglutide's GI effects.

How do GLP-1 drugs compare on cost?

Cost varies dramatically depending on whether you have insurance, which drug your plan covers, and whether you use manufacturer discount programs.

At list price, most brand-name GLP-1 drugs cost between $950 and $1,350 per month. But actual out-of-pocket price for self-pay patients has dropped sharply in 2026 thanks to manufacturer programs.

Here's a rough comparison of self-pay pricing through manufacturer programs:

• Wegovy pill (starter doses): $149 per month through NovoCare

• Foundayo (orforglipron): $149 per month through select programs

• Wegovy injection (starter doses): $199 per month for first two fills, then $349

• Zepbound vials: $299 to $449 per month through LillyDirect

• Ozempic: $199 for first two fills, then $349 to $499 through NovoCare

• Trulicity: $389 per month through Eli Lilly

• Saxenda: roughly $1,400 per month with few discount options

If you're trying to compare Saxenda vs Zepbound on both effectiveness and cost, Zepbound wins on both counts. It produces more weight loss and costs less through self-pay programs. Saxenda made sense when it was only weight-loss GLP-1, but it's hard to justify now unless you specifically need a daily injection with most long-term safety data available.

Is Ozempic or Mounjaro better?

This is comparison most people are actually asking about when they search "GLP-1 vs Ozempic." Ozempic is semaglutide. Mounjaro is tirzepatide. Both are weekly injections. Both treat type 2 diabetes. And both are commonly used off-label for weight loss.

On weight loss, tirzepatide (Mounjaro) produces more. The SURMOUNT-5 trial showed 20.2% body weight loss with tirzepatide versus 13.7% with semaglutide over 72 weeks. That's about a 6.5 percentage point difference, which translates to roughly 15 extra pounds of weight loss for someone starting at 220 pounds.

On blood sugar control, tirzepatide also produced slightly better A1C reductions in head-to-head trials (SURPASS-2).

On cardiovascular outcomes, semaglutide has more data. The SELECT trial demonstrated a 20% reduction in major cardiovascular events (heart attack, stroke, cardiovascular death) in people with obesity and heart disease. Tirzepatide's cardiovascular outcomes trial is still in progress.

On cost for self-pay patients, Wegovy injection at maintenance ($349) is cheaper than Zepbound vials at maintenance ($449). But Wegovy pill at starter doses ($149) is cheapest brand-name GLP-1 in any form.

If you're weighing whether to switch between them, switching from Wegovy to Zepbound guide covers practical steps.

What about next generation of GLP-1 drugs?

Two drugs in late-stage development are worth knowing about because they may change this comparison within next year or two.

Retatrutide (Eli Lilly) is a triple receptor agonist that targets GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon receptors. Phase 2 data showed weight loss of up to 24% at highest dose, which would make it most effective anti-obesity drug ever tested. Phase 3 results are expected soon.

Amycretin (Novo Nordisk) is another dual agonist, this time targeting GLP-1 and amylin receptors. Early data suggests weight loss comparable to tirzepatide, possibly higher. Phase 3 trials are ongoing.

Both survodutide vs tirzepatide and mazdutide vs tirzepatide are comparisons that have emerged as these next-generation drugs move through trials. Neither is FDA-approved yet, but they're worth following if you want to understand where this drug class is heading.

If your current GLP-1 isn't working well enough or costs too much, and you're exploring what else is out there, Mounjaro alternatives guide covers both currently available and upcoming options.

How do you choose right GLP-1 drug?

There's no single best GLP-1 drug. The right one depends on your diagnosis, your body's response, and your budget. But a few general patterns hold.

If your main goal is maximum weight loss and you can afford it, tirzepatide (Zepbound) has strongest clinical data right now. If you need cardiovascular protection on top of weight loss, semaglutide (Wegovy) has proven outcomes data from SELECT trial. If you can't tolerate injections, Wegovy pill or Foundayo are your oral options. If you have type 2 diabetes and your insurance covers it, talk to your doctor about which drug your formulary favors, because difference between a $25 copay and a $349 self pay price is entire decision for a lot of people.

A full GLP-1 drugs list with detailed head-to-head data on every drug, including pipeline compounds and their expected timelines, is something this page will cover in depth in a dedicated comparison guide.

Your doctor can help you weigh clinical differences against practical ones. The good news is that every drug on this list works. They differ in how much, how fast, and at what cost. But GLP-1 class as a whole has changed what's possible for people with obesity and type 2 diabetes, and options keep getting better.