Ozempic vs Mounjaro

Short version

• Different molecules. Ozempic contains semaglutide from Novo Nordisk; Mounjaro contains tirzepatide from Eli Lilly ^{[3] [2]}.
• Same main use. Both are for type 2 diabetes. Ozempic also lowers heart and kidney risks in adults with diabetes; Mounjaro lowers major heart events in high-risk adults with diabetes and is approved down to age 10 ^{[3] [2]}.
• Weight. In SURMOUNT-5, tirzepatide produced more average weight loss than semaglutide (20.2% vs 13.7%) and a larger drop in waist size (18.4 vs 13.0 cm) ^[1].
• Price. Ozempic has a Novo self-pay price; Mounjaro mostly relies on insurance and Lilly's savings card ^{[6] [8]}.

Side-by-side

Ozempic vs Mounjaro, label and price facts as of Oct 17, 2026

	Ozempic	Mounjaro
Drug and maker	Semaglutide, Novo Nordisk [3]	Tirzepatide, Eli Lilly [2]
First approved	Semaglutide first approved 2017 [9]	May 13, 2022 [10]
Approved for	Type 2 diabetes; major heart events with CVD; kidney decline with CKD [3]	Type 2 diabetes in adults and age 10+; major heart events in high-risk adults [2]
Start	0.25 mg weekly for 4 weeks, then 0.5 mg [3]	2.5 mg weekly [2]
Max dose	2 mg weekly [3]	15 mg weekly (10 mg in children) [2]
Missed dose window	5 days [3]	4 days [2]
Nausea in diabetes trials	15.8% (0.5 mg), 20.3% (1 mg) vs 6.1% placebo [3]	12% to 18% (5 to 15 mg) vs 4% placebo [2]
List price	$1,028 a month [4]	$1,112.16 per 28 days [5]
Self-pay	$349 (0.25 to 1 mg), $499 (2 mg); $199 for 2 starter fills [6]	Not confirmed from Lilly
With commercial insurance	As little as $25; up to $100 off a month [6]	As little as $25; up to $150 off a month [8]

Why Mounjaro is often called "better"

The claim comes from weight data. SURMOUNT-5 compared tirzepatide and semaglutide for obesity and found 20.2% versus 13.7% average weight loss at 72 weeks, with more people on tirzepatide reaching 25% loss ^[1]. Separately, Zepbound (tirzepatide) trials in adults with type 2 diabetes found 12.8% and 14.7% average loss at 10 and 15 mg ^[11]. The trial abstract does not explain why tirzepatide produced more loss, and better on average does not mean better for every person.

For people whose goal is weight rather than diabetes, the weight-labeled brands are Zepbound and Wegovy. See Wegovy vs Zepbound.

Which is safer?

No trial has shown one to be safer. Both carry the thyroid C-cell tumor boxed warning ^{[3] [11]}. Low blood sugar is the main added risk in diabetes care: on Mounjaro with a sulfonylurea, 9.9% to 13.8% had glucose below 54 mg/dL, and with basal insulin 14% to 19% ^[2]. Ozempic's label carries the same class warnings ^[3].

Muscle loss

In a SURMOUNT-1 body-scan substudy, about a quarter of the weight lost on tirzepatide was lean mass and three-quarters was fat ^[12]. We did not find comparable semaglutide body-composition data in our reviewed sources. See keeping muscle on a GLP-1.

Price difference

Without insurance, Ozempic is cheaper to buy direct: $349 a month at 0.25 to 1 mg and $499 at 2 mg through NovoCare, with $199 for new patients' first two starter fills through Dec 31, 2026 ^[6]. Mounjaro lists at $1,112.16 for 28 days ^[5]. Lilly's Mounjaro card cuts that to as little as $499 when a commercial plan does not cover it, but it cannot be used without commercial insurance ^[8]. Ozempic's list price falls to $675 on Jan 1, 2027 ^[13]. More on Ozempic cost and Mounjaro cost.

Taking them together or switching

Do not take Ozempic and Mounjaro in the same week. Lilly's tirzepatide label for Zepbound says it is not recommended with any GLP-1 receptor agonist ^[7], and Novo's semaglutide label for Wegovy says the same ^[9]. When switching, the labels give no conversion between the two drugs; each label's own start is 0.25 mg for Ozempic and 2.5 mg for Mounjaro ^{[3] [2]}, and your prescriber sets the dose. See switching GLP-1s.

More detail: Ozempic, Mounjaro, Mounjaro vs Zepbound and Ozempic vs Wegovy.