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Ozempic vs Wegovy: same medicine, so what is the difference in dose, weight loss, cost and coverage?

Both are semaglutide from Novo Nordisk. Here is how the doses, approvals, side effects, cash prices and coverage differ in the US. Not a recommendation.

GLP Guidebook teamPublished Oct 14, 20267 min read14 sourcesWritten from published sources
What we checked14 sources, each one opened and linked to the sentence it supportsLast checked Oct 14, 2026 · Next review due Apr 14, 2027 · How we write

Written for the United States. Reading from India? India version

The short answer

Ozempic and Wegovy both contain semaglutide. Ozempic is approved for type 2 diabetes at up to 2 mg a week; Wegovy is approved for weight and heart risk, usually at 2.4 mg. In one trial in people with diabetes, weight fell 9.6% on 2.4 mg and 7.0% on 1.0 mg, and stomach side effects affected 64 and 58 in 100. Both pens are $349 a month cash at most doses.

At a glance

ItemOzempicWegovy
Medicine and makerSemaglutide, made by Novo Nordisk1Semaglutide, made by Novo Nordisk2
Approved in the US forType 2 diabetes in adults, plus lowering heart and kidney risk in some adults with type 2 diabetes1Weight in adults and children 12 and older; lowering heart risk with heart disease; a liver disease called MASH2
How it’s takenInjection once a week; Ozempic tablets once a day1,13Injection once a week; Wegovy pill once a day2
Dose steps (injection)0.25 mg for 4 weeks, then 0.5 mg; 1 mg and 2 mg if needed, after at least 4 weeks each10.25, 0.5, 1 and 1.7 mg for 4 weeks each, then 2.4 mg; 7.2 mg (Wegovy HD) after at least 4 weeks on 2.4 mg2
Weight change at these doses in one trial (STEP 2, 68 weeks, type 2 diabetes)7.0% lost at 1.0 mg, against 3.4% on placebo. Stomach side effects: 58 in 100, against 34 on placebo39.6% lost at 2.4 mg, against 3.4% on placebo. Stomach side effects: 64 in 100, against 34 on placebo3
Most common side effects (label)Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, constipation1Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, stomach pain, headache, tiredness2
Maker’s self-pay price$349 a month (0.25 to 1 mg) or $499 (2 mg); about $4,537 or $6,487 a year5$349 a month (0.25 to 2.4 mg) or $399 (7.2 mg); about $4,537 or $5,187 a year6
List price$1,027.51 a month, falling to $675 on Jan 1, 20277,9$1,349.02 a month, falling to $675 on Jan 1, 2027 for doses up to 2.4 mg8,9
CoverageMedicare Part D can cover it for type 2 diabetes; not on the $50 Medicare Bridge10,11Employer coverage for weight varies; Medicare Part D can cover it for heart risk; the $50 Medicare Bridge covers it for weight10,11,12

Not a ranking: the columns sit in alphabetical order. Prices are the makers’ published self-pay and list prices, checked Oct 14, 2026. A year of weekly doses is 13 four-week fills (our arithmetic). In STEP 2 both doses were semaglutide given in the same trial, not the branded products.

Key takeaways

  • Ozempic and Wegovy both contain semaglutide from Novo Nordisk; Ozempic is approved for type 2 diabetes and Wegovy for weight, heart risk and MASH.1,2
  • In STEP 2, adults with type 2 diabetes lost 9.6% of their weight on semaglutide 2.4 mg and 7.0% on 1.0 mg, against 3.4% on placebo.3
  • Stomach side effects in STEP 2 affected 64 in 100 people on 2.4 mg and 58 in 100 on 1.0 mg, against 34 in 100 on placebo.3
  • Novo Nordisk’s self-pay price is $349 a month for both pens at most doses; Ozempic 2 mg is $499 and Wegovy HD is $399.5,6
  • Medicare’s $50 GLP‑1 Bridge covers Wegovy for weight, while Ozempic is covered by Part D plans for type 2 diabetes.10,11
Before you go further
  • This compares labels and trials. It doesn’t say which medicine suits you, and we don’t rank brands: a prescriber decides.
  • Prices are the maker’s published self-pay and list prices, never a seller’s.
  • Both carry the same risks: see below and our side effects guide.
On this page
  1. Are Ozempic and Wegovy the same medicine?
  2. Does Wegovy cause more weight loss than Ozempic?
  3. Does the higher Wegovy dose cause more side effects?
  4. What do Ozempic and Wegovy cost without insurance?
  5. Why might insurance cover one and not the other?
  6. Which one? What does a doctor weigh?
  7. Questions people ask
  8. How we researched this
  9. Sources

Are Ozempic and Wegovy the same medicine?

Yes: both contain semaglutide, made by Novo Nordisk, but they are approved for different uses and come in different doses.1,2

Semaglutide copies GLP‑1, a hormone your gut releases after eating. It helps the pancreas release insulin when blood sugar is high, slows how fast the stomach empties and reduces hunger.1,2

Think of it like a medicine and its brands. The medicine is what works in your body; the brand is the name on the box. Ozempic is the diabetes brand, with weekly doses up to 2 mg.1 Wegovy is the weight brand, usually kept at 2.4 mg, with a 7.2 mg Wegovy HD dose.2

Novo NordiskOzempic penWeekly, 0.25 to 2 mg. Type 2 diabetes1
Novo NordiskOzempic tabletsDaily, 1.5 to 9 mg. Type 2 diabetes13
Novo NordiskWegovy penWeekly, 0.25 to 7.2 mg. Weight; heart risk; MASH2
Novo NordiskWegovy pillDaily, 1.5 to 25 mg. Weight; heart risk2

All four contain semaglutide. The pills differ from the shots: see GLP‑1 pills vs injection.

Does Wegovy cause more weight loss than Ozempic?

In STEP 2, people with type 2 diabetes lost 9.6% of their weight on semaglutide 2.4 mg, the Wegovy dose, and 7.0% on 1.0 mg, an Ozempic dose.3

STEP 2 ran for 68 weeks in 1,210 adults with type 2 diabetes and a BMI of 27 or more. People were put into groups at random. Neither they nor their doctors knew who had which dose or a dummy injection (placebo). Everyone got the same diet and activity advice. Novo Nordisk paid for it.3

STEP 2
Semaglutide 2.4 mg vs 1.0 mg vs placebo
1,210 adults with type 2 diabetes · 68 weeks
2.4 mg−9.6%
1.0 mg−7.0%
Placebo−3.4%
Average change in body weight. For someone starting at 220 lb (100 kg), that is about 21 lb against 15 lb and 7 lb (our arithmetic). Some people lost much more and some very little.3

In adults without diabetes, a separate trial, STEP 1, found 14.9% weight loss on 2.4 mg over 68 weeks, against 2.4% on placebo. Stomach side effects made 4.5 in 100 stop, against 0.8 in 100 on placebo.4 It enrolled different people, so its numbers can’t be set against STEP 2 directly.

Does the higher Wegovy dose cause more side effects?

Somewhat: in STEP 2, stomach side effects affected 64 in 100 people on 2.4 mg and 58 in 100 on 1.0 mg, against 34 in 100 on placebo.3

Most were mild to moderate. Each label also counts side effects against placebo in its own trials:3

  • Ozempic 0.5 and 1 mg: 16 to 20 in 100 felt sick, against 6 in 100 on placebo.1
  • Wegovy 2.4 mg: 44 in 100 felt sick, against 16 in 100 on placebo. Side effects made about 7 in 100 stop, against 3 in 100.2

Those two come from different trials in different people, so the numbers can’t be compared directly.1,2

RisksThe risks, in brief
  • Stomach effects are the most common, mostly while the dose goes up.1,2
  • Pancreatitis (an inflamed pancreas): severe stomach pain that won’t go away and may spread to the back. Both labels say to stop if it is suspected.1,2
  • Gallstones were reported in 16 in 1,000 people on Wegovy 2.4 mg, against 7 in 1,000 on placebo.2 On Ozempic, 4 to 15 in 1,000, against none on placebo.1
  • Low blood sugar. With insulin or a sulfonylurea (a type of diabetes pill), the risk of low blood sugar rises.1,2
  • Thyroid warning. Both carry a boxed warning: not for people with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) or MEN 2, a rare inherited condition that causes gland tumors.1,2
  • Surgery and sedation. Tell the team before any planned procedure: a slower-emptying stomach raises the risk of breathing in food under anesthesia.1,2
  • Pregnancy. Both labels say to stop at least 2 months before a planned pregnancy.1,2
Full detail in our side effects guide →
Get help now: call 911 or go to the ER for severe stomach pain that won’t go away, with or without vomiting (it can be pancreatitis), or for swelling of the face or throat or trouble breathing. For a possible overdose, Poison Control is 1-800-222-1222.1,2,14
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What do Ozempic and Wegovy cost without insurance?

Paying cash, both pens cost $349 a month at most doses; Ozempic 2 mg is $499 and Wegovy HD 7.2 mg is $399.5,6

  • Ozempic pen: $349 a month for 0.25, 0.5 or 1 mg; $499 for 2 mg.5
  • Wegovy pen: $349 a month from 0.25 to 2.4 mg; $399 for Wegovy HD 7.2 mg.6
  • New patients: both offer $199 for the first 2 fills of 0.25 or 0.5 mg, through Dec 31, 2026.5,6

List prices differ: $1,027.51 a month for Ozempic and $1,349.02 for Wegovy.7,8 Novo Nordisk says both fall to $675 a month on January 1, 2027, without changing self-pay prices. Wegovy HD wasn’t named in that announcement.9 More detail: Ozempic without insurance and Wegovy without insurance.

Why might insurance cover one and not the other?

Because coverage follows the approved use: Ozempic is covered as a diabetes drug, while Wegovy for weight depends on your plan, or on Medicare’s Bridge.10,11,12

Ozempic. Medicare Part D plans can cover GLP‑1s for type 2 diabetes.10 Ozempic isn’t approved for weight loss, so a prescription for weight is off-label, meaning a use the FDA hasn’t approved.1 Medicare can’t pay for drugs used only for weight loss.10

Wegovy. In 2025, 19% of employers with 200 or more workers covered GLP‑1s mainly for weight loss, and 43% of those with 5,000 or more.12 Medicare Part D can cover Wegovy to lower heart risk.10 For weight, the $50 Medicare GLP‑1 Bridge covers Wegovy pens and pills for people who meet its rules, through Dec 31, 2027.11 See how Medicare covers GLP‑1s.

Which one? What does a doctor weigh?

The approved use usually decides it: we don’t recommend either, and a prescriber looks at your diagnosis, your other conditions and what your plan covers.

  • Diagnosis. Ozempic is approved for type 2 diabetes. Wegovy is approved for weight, heart risk with heart disease, and MASH.1,2
  • Kidney disease with type 2 diabetes. Ozempic has an approval to lower the risk of kidney failure in that group.1
  • Age. Wegovy is approved for weight from age 12. Ozempic’s label is for adults.1,2
  • Dose needed. Ozempic stops at 2 mg; Wegovy goes to 2.4 mg and 7.2 mg.1,2
  • Cost and coverage. Coverage, not the cash price, often decides what you pay.10,12

The Wegovy label says not to use it with other semaglutide products or any other GLP‑1 medicine, so the two are never taken together.2 Our guide to seeing a doctor and the medicines covers the visit.

Questions people ask

Is Ozempic the same as Wegovy?

They contain the same medicine, semaglutide, from the same maker. Ozempic is approved for type 2 diabetes with doses up to 2 mg; Wegovy is approved for weight and heart risk, usually at 2.4 mg.1,2

Which leads to more weight loss, Ozempic or Wegovy?

In STEP 2, people with type 2 diabetes lost 9.6% on the Wegovy dose and 7.0% on 1.0 mg over 68 weeks. Stomach side effects affected 64 in 100 and 58 in 100, against 34 in 100 on placebo. Only Wegovy is approved for weight loss.2,3

Can you take Ozempic and Wegovy together?

No. The Wegovy label says not to use it with other semaglutide products, which includes Ozempic.2

Why is Ozempic covered but Wegovy isn’t?

Plans usually cover Ozempic as a diabetes drug. Employers choose whether to cover weight loss: 19% of firms with 200 or more workers did in 2025. Medicare can’t pay for drugs used only for weight loss, except through its Bridge.10,11,12

Do Ozempic and Wegovy cost the same without insurance?

At most doses, yes: $349 a month for the pen. Ozempic 2 mg is $499 and Wegovy HD 7.2 mg is $399.5,6

How we researched this

We used the STEP 2 trial (Lancet, 2021) and STEP 1 (New England Journal of Medicine, 2021), the current US labels for Ozempic (revised May 2026) and Wegovy (revised June 2026), Novo Nordisk’s price guides and list prices, and KFF and CMS documents on coverage, all checked on October 14, 2026.1,2,3,4,5,6,10,11

Pound figures and yearly totals are our arithmetic.

Before you move on

  • Ask which use your prescription is written for.
  • Ask which brand your plan covers, and for what.
  • Check the Medicare Bridge rules if you have Medicare.
  • Plan for stomach side effects while the dose rises.
  • Never take two semaglutide products together.
Cost calculatorSide effects and risksWhat GLP‑1s doWho pays: insurance and MedicareAll GLP-1 prices

More comparisons

USUnited StatesMounjaro vs Ozempic: how do blood sugar, weight loss, side effects and cost compare?USUnited StatesZepbound vs Wegovy: which loses more weight, and how do side effects, cost and coverage compare?USUnited StatesWegovy pill vs Foundayo vs Wegovy injection: how do the GLP‑1 pills differ from the shot?
About GLP Guidebook

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An independent guide to GLP‑1 medicines. We don’t sell medicines, take drug-company money, earn commissions or link to any provider. Once a month: FDA approvals and warnings, Medicare and Medicaid changes, and makers’ price changes. How we write

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Sources

  1. Novo Nordisk. Ozempic (semaglutide) injection: US prescribing information. Revised 05/2026. US label. Link
  2. Novo Nordisk. Wegovy (semaglutide) injection and tablets: US prescribing information. Revised 06/2026. US label. Link
  3. Davies M, et al. Semaglutide 2.4 mg once a week in adults with overweight or obesity, and type 2 diabetes (STEP 2). Lancet 2021;397:971-984. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00213-0. PMID 33667417. Funded by Novo Nordisk. Link
  4. Wilding JPH, et al. Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity (STEP 1). N Engl J Med 2021;384:989-1002. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2032183. PMID 33567185. Funded by Novo Nordisk. Link
  5. Novo Nordisk. Ozempic pill and pen price guide (US26NC00009, May 2026): pen $349 a month for 0.25, 0.5 or 1 mg and $499 for 2 mg; new patients $199 for the first 2 fills through Dec 31, 2026; insured copay “as little as $25”, “Government beneficiaries excluded”. Checked Oct 14, 2026. Link
  6. Novo Nordisk. Wegovy price guide (US26NC00049, April 2026): pen $349 a month from 0.25 to 2.4 mg, Wegovy HD 7.2 mg $399; new patients $199 for the first 2 fills through Dec 31, 2026; pill $149 to $299; insured copay “as little as $25”, “Government beneficiaries excluded”. Checked Oct 14, 2026. Link
  7. Novo Nordisk Pricing. Ozempic wholesale acquisition cost (list price): $1,027.51 per pen at every dose. Checked Oct 14, 2026. Link
  8. Novo Nordisk Pricing. Wegovy wholesale acquisition cost (list price): $1,349.02 for 4 pens at every dose. Checked Oct 14, 2026. Link
  9. Novo Nordisk. Novo Nordisk announces significant reduction in US list price for Wegovy, Ozempic and Rybelsus ($675 a month from Jan 1, 2027; self-pay prices unchanged). News release, February 24, 2026. Link
  10. KFF. What to know about the BALANCE Model for GLP-1s in Medicare and Medicaid and the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge. May 11, 2026. Link
  11. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Medicare GLP-1 Bridge: information for prescribers ($50 a month, July 1, 2026 to Dec 31, 2027; covers Foundayo, Wegovy injection and tablets, and the Zepbound KwikPen). June 2026. Link
  12. KFF. 2025 Employer Health Benefits Survey (19% of firms with 200 or more workers cover GLP-1s primarily for weight loss; 43% of firms with 5,000 or more). Link
  13. Novo Nordisk. Rybelsus and Ozempic (semaglutide) tablets: US prescribing information. Revised 01/2026. US label. Link
  14. Poison Control (National Capital Poison Center). Poison help line 1-800-222-1222. Link

Last checked Oct 14, 2026 · Next review due Apr 14, 2027 · Report an error

How this page was made. Written by the GLP Guidebook team from the sources above. It’s general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor, pharmacist or prescriber before starting, stopping or changing any medicine. We don’t sell, prescribe or recommend any brand or provider. How we write