GLP-1 Medication Comparison Guide

Published by the GLP-1 Navigator editorial team · Last reviewed 30 July 2026

Compiled from FDA prescribing information, manufacturer labeling and published clinical trial results. We are not clinicians and this page is not medically reviewed — see our editorial policy for exactly how we source and check this material.

Several GLP-1 receptor agonists are available, each with different active ingredients, approved uses, dosing schedules and expected results. Understanding how they differ helps you have a better-informed conversation with your healthcare provider — who is the only person who can decide which, if any, is appropriate for you.

One distinction causes more confusion than any other: several of these products share an active ingredient but are sold under different names for different approved uses. Semaglutide is sold as Ozempic (type 2 diabetes) and Wegovy (weight management). Tirzepatide is sold as Mounjaro (type 2 diabetes) and Zepbound (weight management). Liraglutide is sold as Victoza (diabetes) and Saxenda (weight management). Same molecule, different label, different approved dose ceiling, and often very different insurance treatment.

At a glance

Brand	Active ingredient	Frequency	Primary approved use	Average weight loss in trials
Ozempic	Semaglutide	Weekly	Type 2 diabetes	~15%
Wegovy	Semaglutide	Weekly	Chronic weight management	15–17%
Mounjaro	Tirzepatide	Weekly	Type 2 diabetes	up to 22%
Zepbound	Tirzepatide	Weekly	Chronic weight management	up to 22%
Trulicity	Dulaglutide	Weekly	Type 2 diabetes	3–5%
Victoza	Liraglutide	Daily	Type 2 diabetes	10–12% (as Saxenda)

Trial averages are group results over roughly 68 weeks at maintenance dosing. Individual results vary substantially, and trial participants also received structured diet and activity support.

The medications in detail

Ozempic (Semaglutide) — Novo Nordisk

FDA approved: Type 2 diabetes (2017). The same molecule was approved for weight management in 2021 under the name Wegovy.

Dosing: Weekly injection, starting at 0.25 mg and titrating up to 2.0 mg.

Average weight loss: around 15% of body weight in clinical trials.

Notable: Strong cardiovascular outcome data, once-weekly dosing, and a long established safety record. Frequently prescribed off-label for weight loss, which is a common source of insurance denials.

Wegovy (Semaglutide) — Novo Nordisk

FDA approved: Chronic weight management (2021).

Dosing: Weekly injection, starting at 0.25 mg and titrating up to 2.4 mg.

Average weight loss: 15–17% of body weight.

Notable: A higher dose ceiling than Ozempic, specifically indicated for weight management, and approved for adolescents aged 12 and over.

Mounjaro (Tirzepatide) — Eli Lilly

FDA approved: Type 2 diabetes (2022). Approved for weight management in 2023 under the name Zepbound.

Dosing: Weekly injection, starting at 2.5 mg and titrating up to 15 mg.

Average weight loss: up to 22% of body weight.

Notable: Works on two receptors — GIP as well as GLP-1 — and has produced the highest average weight loss of the group in trials, along with strong blood sugar control.

Trulicity (Dulaglutide) — Eli Lilly

FDA approved: Type 2 diabetes (2014).

Dosing: Weekly injection, available in 0.75 mg, 1.5 mg, 3 mg and 4.5 mg.

Average weight loss: 3–5% of body weight — modest compared with the others.

Notable: A simple injection device, good cardiovascular outcome data, and generally well tolerated. It is a diabetes medication first; weight loss is a secondary effect.

Victoza (Liraglutide) — Novo Nordisk

FDA approved: Type 2 diabetes (2010). Approved for weight management in 2014 under the name Saxenda.

Dosing: Daily injection — not weekly, which is the main practical difference from the rest of this list.

Average weight loss: 10–12% of body weight as Saxenda.

Notable: The longest track record of the group and the most accumulated safety data. The daily injection schedule suits some people and not others.

🔄 Titration is key

All GLP-1 medications require gradual dose escalation over several weeks or months. This is not caution for its own sake — going up slowly is the single biggest lever for keeping side effects tolerable while your body adjusts. Never rush the titration schedule your healthcare provider sets, and tell them if a step is not going well rather than pushing through it.

What a typical titration looks like

Exact schedules differ by product and by prescriber, but the shape is consistent: start low, hold each dose for about four weeks, and only step up if the current dose is being tolerated well.

Weeks 1–4: the lowest starting dose. This dose is about acclimatisation, not results — appetite change is common but weight loss is usually minimal.
Weeks 5–8: first step up. Side effects often reappear briefly after each increase, then settle.
Weeks 9 onward: further steps at roughly four-week intervals until you reach either the target dose or the highest dose you tolerate comfortably.
Maintenance: many people stay below the maximum dose long-term. The best dose is the one that gives you results you can sustain with side effects you can live with — not necessarily the highest number on the label.

Side effects, and which ones matter most

Gastrointestinal effects are by far the most common and usually ease over the first weeks at a given dose:

Very common: nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, abdominal pain, reduced appetite, burping and reflux.
Common: fatigue, headache, dizziness, injection-site reactions.

Most of these are manageable, and much of the management is dietary — which is covered in detail in our nutrition guide.

A smaller number of effects are the reason these are prescription medications with monitoring:

Pancreatitis: severe, persistent abdominal pain, sometimes radiating to the back, with or without vomiting. Treated as urgent.
Gallbladder problems: rapid weight loss of any kind raises gallstone risk; symptoms include upper-right abdominal pain, fever or jaundice.
Dehydration and kidney injury: usually a downstream consequence of prolonged vomiting or diarrhoea rather than a direct drug effect — which is why fluid intake matters so much.
Low blood sugar: mainly a risk when a GLP-1 is combined with insulin or a sulfonylurea, which may need dose adjustment.
Thyroid C-cell tumours: these products carry a boxed warning based on rodent studies. They are contraindicated for anyone with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2.
Vision changes in people with existing diabetic retinopathy, which can be affected by rapid improvements in blood sugar.

This list is not exhaustive, and it is not a substitute for the prescribing information. Read the FDA-approved label for your specific medication, and contact your healthcare provider or emergency services about severe or persistent symptoms — particularly intense abdominal pain, ongoing vomiting, or signs of an allergic reaction.

Cost and insurance, realistically

Coverage is where most people actually get stuck, and it usually turns on the approved use rather than the molecule:

Diabetes indications (Ozempic, Mounjaro, Trulicity, Victoza) are generally covered more readily.
Weight-management indications (Wegovy, Zepbound, Saxenda) are covered far less consistently, and some plans exclude weight-loss drugs as a category.
Prior authorisation is common — your prescriber submits clinical justification before the plan agrees to pay.
Step therapy may require you to try and fail on a cheaper option first.
Documented criteria often include a BMI of 30 or more, or 27 or more alongside a weight-related condition.
Manufacturer savings programmes exist for most of these products and are worth checking if coverage is denied, though eligibility rules vary and commonly exclude government insurance.

Questions worth bringing to your provider

Given my medical history, which of these is the most appropriate starting point — and why that one?
What titration schedule are you planning, and what should I do if a step is poorly tolerated?
Which side effects should prompt me to call you, and which should I simply expect?
How will we monitor muscle loss as well as weight loss?
What is the plan if my insurance denies coverage?
What does stopping look like, if I need to stop?

Medical disclaimer. This page is general educational information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your medical history, other medications or individual risk factors. Only a licensed healthcare provider can advise on whether any of these medications is appropriate for you.

Sources and further reading

U.S. Food & Drug Administration — Drugs, for approved labeling and safety communications
CDC — Diabetes
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine

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