Saxenda vs Ozempic: Daily vs Weekly, Weight Loss and Price
Saxenda (liraglutide) and Ozempic (semaglutide) are both GLP-1 medicines, daily injection versus weekly injection. Ozempic self-pay starts at $199 per month.
Quick facts on Saxenda and Ozempic
Ozempic and Saxenda compared side by side
| Saxenda | Ozempic | |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine | Saxenda |  Ozempic |
| Active ingredient | liraglutide | semaglutide |
| Manufacturer | Novo Nordisk | Novo Nordisk |
| How it is taken | Daily injection | Weekly injection |
| Approved for | Weight loss | Heart risk and Type 2 diabetes are included, along with kidney disease for people with Type 2 diabetes |
| First FDA approval | 2014 | 2017 |
| 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 20.3% vs 6.1% on placebo |
| List price | $1,349.02 per 5 pens | $1,027.51 per pen |
| Self-pay from | Not listed | $199 per month |
| FDA shortage | On the FDA shortage list | Resolved February 21, 2025 |
Sources: FDA label, FDA label (DailyMed), Novo Nordisk pricing, TrumpRx.
Weight loss compared
They come from separate trials that had different participants and time frames.
| Trial | Who took part | Length | Group | Average weight loss | Placebo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes | No Type 2 diabetes; all participants were adults with obesity or overweight | 56 weeks | Liraglutide 3.0 mg daily | 7.4% | 3% |
Trial sources: SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes (FDA label (DailyMed)).
Side effects side by side
Every label tested its own participants against its own placebo group, so start by comparing each drug with its own placebo.
| Side effect | Saxenda | Placebo (Saxenda trials) | Ozempic | Placebo (Ozempic trials) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nausea | 39.3% | 13.8% | 20.3% | 6.1% |
| Diarrhea | 20.9% | 9.9% | 8.8% | 1.9% |
| Constipation | 19.4% | 8.5% | 5% | 1.5% |
| Vomiting | 15.7% | 3.9% | 9.2% | 2.3% |
| 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% | Not listed | Not listed |
| Abdominal pain | Not listed | Not listed | 7.3% | 4.6% |
Price and coverage side by side
| Medicine | How you pay | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Saxenda | List price before insurance | $1,349.02 per 5 pens |
| Ozempic | List price before insurance | $1,027.51 per pen |
| Ozempic | Ozempic Savings Offer (insured) | the monthly price starts at $25 for up to 3 months |
| Ozempic | Self-pay: Ozempic pill (from 1.5 mg) | $149 per month |
| Ozempic | Ozempic pen intro, self-pay: 0.25 mg plus 0.5 mg for the first 2 fills | $199 per month |
| Ozempic | Self-pay: Ozempic pen doses of 1 mg, 0.5 mg and 0.25 mg | $349 per month |
| Ozempic | Self-pay: Ozempic pen 2 mg | $499 per month |
| Ozempic | Self-pay via TrumpRx | $199 per month |
In November 2026, prices were checked through NovoCare, TrumpRx, and Novo Nordisk pricing 1 2.
Who should pick which?
- If you want to lose weight without diabetes, only Saxenda has approval.
- For Type 2 diabetes, only Ozempic has an approval for diabetes.
- For people with type 2 diabetes, Ozempic has approval for kidney disease.
- Approval covers lowering both heart attack and stroke risk with Ozempic
- Because approval covers them, some children under 18 can use Saxenda.
- For cash payment, Ozempic has a published self-pay price of $199 per month.
Your prescriber takes your health history, other medicines and coverage into account.