Wegovy vs Saxenda: STEP 8 Results, Dosing, Cost Compared
Wegovy (semaglutide) and Saxenda (liraglutide) are both GLP-1 medicines, weekly injection or daily tablet versus daily injection. In their own trials, average weight loss was 14.9% and 7.4%. Wegovy self-pay starts at $149 per month.
A quick overview of Wegovy and Saxenda
Wegovy and Saxenda: a side-by-side comparison
| Wegovy | Saxenda | |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine | Wegovy |  Saxenda |
| Active ingredient | semaglutide | liraglutide |
| Manufacturer | Novo Nordisk | Novo Nordisk |
| How it is taken | Weekly injection or daily tablet | Daily injection |
| Approved for | Weight loss, heart risk and MASH liver disease | Weight loss |
| First FDA approval | 2021 | 2014 |
| Average weight loss in trials | 14.9% (STEP 1, 68 weeks) | 7.4% (SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes, 56 weeks) |
| Most common side effect | Nausea 44% vs 16% on placebo | Nausea 39.3% vs 13.8% on placebo |
| List price | $1,349.02 per month | $1,349.02 per 5 pens |
| Self-pay from | $149 per month | Not listed |
| Medicare GLP-1 Bridge | $50 per month, eligible Part D | Not listed |
| FDA shortage | Resolved February 21, 2025 | On the FDA shortage list |
Sources: FDA label, FDA label (DailyMed), TrumpRx, Novo Nordisk pricing.
Weight loss compared
No trial has compared them side by side. So these results come from separate trials, each with its own people and length.
| Trial | Who took part | Length | Group | Average weight loss | Placebo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OASIS 4 | Adults with obesity or overweight, without diabetes | 64 weeks | Wegovy pill 25 mg daily | 13.6% | 2.4% |
| STEP 1 | Adults with obesity or overweight, without diabetes | 68 weeks | Semaglutide 2.4 mg weekly | 14.9% | 2.4% |
| STEP 2 | Adults with obesity or overweight who have type 2 diabetes | 68 weeks | Semaglutide 2.4 mg weekly | 9.6% | 3.4% |
| SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes | Adults with obesity or overweight who do not have type 2 diabetes | 56 weeks | Liraglutide 3.0 mg daily | 7.4% | 3% |
Sources for these trials: OASIS 4 (FDA label (DailyMed)), STEP 2 (PubMed), STEP TEENS (PubMed), and SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes (FDA label (DailyMed)).
Side effects compared
Each label tested its own group against its own placebo group, so compare each drug with its placebo first.
| Side effect | Wegovy | Placebo (Wegovy trials) | Saxenda | Placebo (Saxenda trials) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nausea | 44% | 16% | 39.3% | 13.8% |
| Diarrhea | 30% | 16% | 20.9% | 9.9% |
| Vomiting | 24% | 6% | 15.7% | 3.9% |
| Constipation | 24% | 11% | 19.4% | 8.5% |
| Abdominal Pain | 20% | 10% | Not listed | Not listed |
| Headache | 14% | 10% | 13.6% | 12.6% |
| Fatigue | 11% | 5% | Not listed | Not listed |
| Dyspepsia | 9% | 3% | 9.6% | 2.7% |
| Injection Site Reaction | Not listed | Not listed | 13.9% | 10.5% |
| Hypoglycemia in T2DM | Not listed | Not listed | 12.6% | 6.6% |
Price and coverage compared
| Medicine | How you pay | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Wegovy | List price before insurance | $1,349.02 per month |
| Wegovy | Wegovy Savings Offer (insured) | from $25 per month |
| Wegovy | Self-pay: Wegovy pill 1.5 mg | $149 per month |
| Wegovy | Self-pay: Wegovy pill 4 mg | $199 per month |
| Wegovy | Self-pay: Wegovy pill 9 mg and 25 mg | $299 per month |
| Wegovy | Cost when you pay on your own: 2 fills to start with the Wegovy pen intro, 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg | $199 per month |
| Wegovy | Self-pay: Wegovy pen 0.25 mg to 2.4 mg | $349 per month |
| Wegovy | Self-pay: Wegovy HD 7.2 mg pen | $399 per month |
| Wegovy | Self-pay via TrumpRx | $149 per month |
| Wegovy | Medicare GLP-1 Bridge (Wegovy, eligible Part D) | $50 per month |
| Saxenda | List price before insurance | $1,349.02 per 5 pens |
A price review dated November 2026 drew on TrumpRx 1 2, NovoCare 1 2, CMS, and Novo Nordisk pricing.
Which should you pick?
- For MASH liver disease, Wegovy is approved.
- Heart risk: reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke is an approved use of Wegovy.
- Medicare: Wegovy appears on the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge list
- Paying cash: $149 per month is one published self-pay price for Wegovy
Other medicines, your health history, and your coverage are weighed by your prescriber, who also decides whether you should switch between them.