How much does semaglutide or tirzepatide cost per month without insurance?

Without insurance, you still pay a set self-pay rate when you use the makers' pharmacies, not the full sticker price. Self-pay means you pay cash without billing insurance. In September 2026 pricing, you pay $149 to $399 a month for brand Wegovy by dose and form, and about $299 to $499 a month for brand Zepbound vials by dose.

What do Wegovy and Zepbound cost without insurance right now?

You pay $149 a month for the 1.5 mg daily Wegovy pill, $199 a month for 4 mg, and $299 a month for 9 mg and 25 mg through NovoCare (NovoCare savings offer).

You pay $349 a month for Wegovy pens in 0.25 mg through 2.4 mg doses and $399 a month for the 7.2 mg HD pen. The HD pen is the higher dose pen. New patients pay $199 a month for the first two pen fills through December 31, 2026, then move to $349 or $399 (NovoCare savings offer).

You pay about $299 to $499 a month for Zepbound single-dose vials through LillyDirect Self Pay Journey, with lower doses priced lower and higher doses at $499 (Educated Patient report). You would face about $1,000 to $1,640 a month if you paid list without either program (WeHealth cost guide).

What people report

These cash-pay reports describe compounded routes.

• "$199/month, not using insurance, for the non trade name stuff that is FDA-disallowed and made in specialty pharmacies." (r/Semaglutide, thread "How much do you pay?", date not shown in excerpt)
• "which works out to $187/month." (r/tirzepatidecompound, thread "Costs per mg per month", date not shown in excerpt, from a person on 7.5 mg who wrote about getting 15 mg prescribed and using it across two months)
• "$299/month ALL strengths" (r/tirzepatidecompound, thread "What's the cheapest place you found for paying out...", date not shown in excerpt, from a telehealth price listing shared in the thread) with "Monthly membership fee: $69" listed alongside it.

The pattern is people paying $187 to $199 a month by splitting a larger fill across two months or using specialty pharmacies, or $299 a month plus a $69 membership for compounded tirzepatide. These are individual workarounds. They do not set typical brand cost and they say nothing about safety or legal status.

Where do you get these self-pay prices?

You get Wegovy self-pay pricing with a valid prescription from a licensed prescriber. You enroll in the NovoCare savings offer or NovoCare Pharmacy and choose home delivery or pickup at a local pharmacy. NovoCare posted these tiers September 18, 2026 (NovoCare savings offer).

You get Zepbound self-pay vials with a valid prescription through LillyDirect Self Pay Journey. You fill by dose and receive single-dose vials by home delivery or designated pharmacy pickup. LillyDirect pricing described September 13, 2026 runs lower for lower doses and reaches $499 (Educated Patient report).

You pay outside insurance when you use either route. Money you spend does not count toward your deductible or out-of-pocket limits (NovoCare pharmacy page). The $199 starter rate for Wegovy pens covers two fills for new patients and ends December 31, 2026.