Saxenda vs Mounjaro: Weight Loss, Dosing, Cost Compared
Saxenda (liraglutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide) are both GLP-1 medicines, daily injection versus weekly injection.
At a glance: Saxenda and Mounjaro
Saxenda and Mounjaro compared
| Saxenda | Mounjaro | |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine | Saxenda |  Mounjaro |
| Active ingredient | liraglutide | tirzepatide |
| Manufacturer | Novo Nordisk | Eli Lilly |
| How it is taken | Daily injection | Weekly injection |
| Approved for | Weight loss | Type 2 diabetes and heart risk |
| First FDA approval | 2014 | 2022 |
| Average weight loss in trials | 7.4% (SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes, 56 weeks) | Not listed |
| Most common side effect | Nausea 39.3% vs 13.8% on placebo | Nausea 18% vs 4% on placebo |
| List price | $1,349.02 per 5 pens | $1,112.16 per fill |
| FDA shortage | On the FDA shortage list | Resolved December 19, 2024 |
Sources: FDA label, FDA label (DailyMed), Novo Nordisk pricing, pricinginfo.lilly.com.
Weight loss compared
No trial has compared them side by side, so these numbers come from separate studies with different participants and different lengths.
| Trial | Who took part | Length | Group | Average weight loss | Placebo | A1C change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes | Adults with obesity or who are overweight, without type 2 diabetes | 56 weeks | Liraglutide 3.0 mg daily | 7.4% | 3% | Not listed |
| SURPASS-1 | Adults living with type 2 diabetes who rely only on diet and exercise | 40 weeks | Tirzepatide 5 mg weekly | Not listed | Not listed | -1.87 percentage points (mean HbA1c change) |
| SURPASS-1 | Adults living with type 2 diabetes who rely only on diet and exercise | 40 weeks | Tirzepatide 10 mg weekly | Not listed | Not listed | -1.89 percentage points (mean HbA1c change) |
| SURPASS-1 | Adults living with type 2 diabetes who rely only on diet and exercise | 40 weeks | Tirzepatide 15 mg weekly | Not listed | Not listed | -2.07 percentage points (mean HbA1c change) |
SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes (FDA label (DailyMed)), SURPASS-1 (PubMed). Sources for both trials.
Side effects compared
Each drug label's trial tested people receiving that drug against its own placebo group. Compare each drug with its placebo first.
| Side effect | Saxenda | Placebo (Saxenda trials) | Mounjaro | Placebo (Mounjaro trials) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nausea | 39.3% | 13.8% | 18% | 4% |
| Diarrhea | 20.9% | 9.9% | 17% | 9% |
| Constipation | 19.4% | 8.5% | 7% | 1% |
| Vomiting | 15.7% | 3.9% | 9% | 2% |
| Injection Site Reaction | 13.9% | 10.5% | Not listed | Not listed |
| Headache | 13.6% | 12.6% | Not listed | Not listed |
| Hypoglycemia in T2DM | 12.6% | 6.6% | Not listed | Not listed |
| Dyspepsia | 9.6% | 2.7% | 8% | 3% |
| Decreased Appetite | Not listed | Not listed | 11% | 1% |
| Abdominal Pain | Not listed | Not listed | 6% | 4% |
Price and coverage compared
| Medicine | How you pay | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Saxenda | List price before insurance | $1,349.02 per 5 pens |
| Mounjaro | List price before insurance | $1,112.16 per fill |
| Mounjaro | Mounjaro Savings Card (insured) | from $25 for up to a 3-month fill |
| Mounjaro | Commercial plan that does not cover it | $499 per month |
Novo Nordisk pricing, pricinginfo.lilly.com, mounjaro.lilly.com. Price information checked in November 2026.
Who should pick which?
- Without diabetes, only Saxenda has approval for weight loss.
- Only Mounjaro has approval for type 2 diabetes.
- Mounjaro has approval to lower heart attack and stroke risk.
Your prescriber considers your health history, which medicines you take, and your coverage, then decides if you switch between them.