How much is Zepbound without insurance?
Without insurance, Eli Lilly’s US self-pay price for Zepbound (tirzepatide) vials and KwikPens is $299 a month for 2.5 mg, $399 for 5 mg and $449 for 7.5 mg to 15 mg, if you refill within 45 days. That is Lilly’s price, checked on October 12, 2026. Its undiscounted price is $1,087 a month.
- GLP‑1 medicines are prescription-only in the US. A licensed clinician has to decide they suit you before any price applies.
- Prices here are list prices or the makers’ own published self-pay prices, each with its source and the date we checked it. We never quote a seller’s price, and we don’t name or rank pharmacies or telehealth companies.
- Prices and offers change often. Check the date next to each one.
- Nothing here promises any result, and nothing here is for sale.
What does each Zepbound dose cost on Lilly’s self-pay price?
Lilly lists the same self-pay prices for the single-dose vial and the KwikPen, rising with the dose up to $449 a month.1
| Zepbound dose | Vial or KwikPen, self-pay a month |
|---|---|
| 2.5 mg | Starting at $299 |
| 5 mg | Starting at $399 |
| 7.5, 10, 12.5 or 15 mg | Starting at $449 |
Eli Lilly’s self-pay prices, checked October 12, 2026.1 Lilly defines a month as 28 days.2
The $449 price for the higher doses has a condition. Lilly says you “must complete your refill purchase… within 45 days of the delivery/received date” of the last fill.1 Miss that window and Lilly’s regular price applies: $499 a month for 7.5 mg and $699 for 10, 12.5 or 15 mg.1
What does a year cost, and what is the full price?
At $449 a month, 13 fills of 4 weekly doses come to $5,837 a year on 7.5 mg or more.
That is our arithmetic from Lilly’s prices.1 On October 12, 2026 the government site TrumpRx.gov showed Zepbound’s undiscounted “original price” as $1,087 a month. TrumpRx showed Zepbound “$299/mo”, which is the 2.5 mg starting price.3
The single-dose pen is priced differently. For people whose commercial insurance doesn’t cover Zepbound, Lilly says you can “pay as low as $499” for a month of single-dose pens.2
Does the format change what you pay or what’s covered?
Yes. Medicare’s GLP‑1 Bridge covers only the Zepbound KwikPen, and CMS says “the single-dose Zepbound pen and Zepbound vials are NOT covered.”4
With commercial insurance that covers Zepbound, Lilly’s savings card can bring the cost to as little as $25 a fill, up to $1,300 of savings a year.1 Its terms exclude people in Medicare, Medicaid or other government programs.2
Storage differs too. Single-dose pens and vials can spend 21 days out of the fridge, KwikPens 30: see How long can Zepbound stay out of the fridge? Coverage routes are in Guide 6.
- Stomach effects are common. In the US weight trials, 25 to 29 in 100 people on Zepbound had nausea, depending on the dose, against 8 in 100 on a placebo (dummy injection).5
- Pancreas and gallbladder. The label warns of pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) and gallbladder problems.5
- Thyroid warning. Don’t use Zepbound with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (a rare thyroid cancer), or with MEN 2 (multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2, an inherited condition that causes gland tumors).5
- Birth control pills. The label advises switching to a non-oral method, or adding a barrier method, for 4 weeks after starting and after each dose increase.5
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Related questions
Sources
- Eli Lilly. Zepbound coverage and savings, information for healthcare professionals: self-pay single-dose vial and KwikPen prices and the 45-day refill condition; savings card terms. Maker’s page, checked Oct 12, 2026. zepbound.lilly.com
- Eli Lilly. Zepbound coverage and savings (patient page): Medicare section, commercial coverage without Zepbound, and savings card terms (“You are not enrolled in any state, federal, or government funded healthcare program…”). Maker’s page, checked Oct 12, 2026; plain text, no link to a purchase page.
- TrumpRx.gov (US federal government website). GLP‑1 listings: Wegovy pill $149/mo, Wegovy pen $199/mo, Ozempic $199/mo, Zepbound $299/mo, each shown next to an “original price” of $1,349, $1,349, $1,028 and $1,087. Checked Oct 12, 2026. trumprx.gov
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Medicare GLP-1 Bridge: information for prescribers. CMS Product No. 12235, June 2026. cms.gov (PDF)
- Eli Lilly. Zepbound (tirzepatide) US prescribing information, Medication Guide and Instructions for Use, revised 08/2026. US label. uspl.lilly.com
Last checked Oct 12, 2026 · Next review due Apr 12, 2027 · Report an error
How this answer was made. Written by the GLP Guidebook team from the sources above, all checked on Oct 12, 2026. It’s general information, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor, pharmacist or other licensed prescriber before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. In an emergency, call 911. How we write