Side-by-Side Tirzepatide Comparison

Compare Tirzepatide Forms & Provider Programs

Released: Last reviewed: NexLife pricing verified: Updated:

Verified current. Pricing, program details, and FDA compounding status were independently rechecked on September 20, 2026. Pharmacy and state-availability records were last verified September 4, 2026. See our methodology and FDA news.

Side-by-side comparison of brand-name Zepbound®, brand-name Mounjaro®, compounded tirzepatide, and the comparison-class GLP-1 medications.

Dr. Parmis - Medical Researcher
Researched By
Dr. Parmis
Medical Researcher · Western University of Health Sciences
Medically Reviewed By
Dr. Jonathan Snipes, MD · Kim Callender, NP (FNP-BC)
Last medically reviewed: October 14, 2026 · This page is informational and does not constitute medical advice.
Compounded tirzepatide: Compounded tirzepatide is not FDA-approved and is not the same as Mounjaro® or Zepbound®. Both brand names are owned by Eli Lilly and Company.

Tirzepatide forms head-to-head

Compounded · For Weight Loss
Compounded Tirzepatide
Via three named pharmacies
FDA approvalNot FDA-approved
MechanismDual GLP-1/GIP
DosingWeekly SC, 2.5-15 mg
NexLife priceFrom $139/mo*
Pharmacy503A or 503B
Best forCash-pay patients
Brand · For Weight Loss
Zepbound®
Eli Lilly and Company
FDA approvalYes (chronic weight)
MechanismDual GLP-1/GIP
DosingWeekly SC, 2.5-15 mg
Retail / mo$1,059
LillyDirect / mo$349-$549
TrialSURMOUNT-1 (22.5% (efficacy estimand))
Brand · For T2 Diabetes
Mounjaro®
Eli Lilly and Company
FDA approvalYes (T2D)
MechanismDual GLP-1/GIP
DosingWeekly SC, 2.5-15 mg
Retail / mo$999
Off-labelCommon for weight
TrialSURPASS series

Tirzepatide vs comparison-class GLP-1 medications

Dual GLP-1/GIP · Most effective
Tirzepatide
Mounjaro® / Zepbound® / compounded
Max weight loss22.5% (efficacy estimand) (SURMOUNT-1)
NexLife$139/mo*
Brand /mo$1,059 (Zepbound retail)
GLP-1 RA · Single-receptor
Semaglutide
Ozempic® / Wegovy® / Rybelsus®
Max weight loss14.9% (STEP-1)
Compounded /mo$129-$249
Brand /mo$1,349 (Wegovy retail)
GLP-1 RA · Daily injection
Liraglutide
Saxenda® / Victoza®
Max weight loss8.0% (SCALE)
Brand /mo$1,349
StatusLargely superseded

Why tirzepatide produces more weight loss

Tirzepatide is the first dual incretin agonist — it activates both the GLP-1 receptor AND the GIP receptor simultaneously. Semaglutide and other "single-class" GLP-1 medications activate only the GLP-1 receptor. The combined activation produces additive effects on appetite suppression, insulin secretion, and adipose tissue insulin sensitivity. SURPASS-2 directly compared tirzepatide to semaglutide and demonstrated tirzepatide produced more weight loss than semaglutide 1 mg (−11.2 kg on tirzepatide 15 mg vs −5.7 kg at 40 weeks).

Pivotal trial results

Mean weight loss in pivotal trials — max dose, ITT
Tirzepatide 15 mg weekly
SURMOUNT-1, NEJM 2022 · n=2,539 · PMID 35658024
20.9%
body weight · 72 wk
Tirzepatide 10 mg weekly
SURMOUNT-1, NEJM 2022
19.5%
body weight · 72 wk
Semaglutide 2.4 mg weekly
STEP-1, NEJM 2021 · n=1,961
14.9%
body weight · 68 wk
Liraglutide 3.0 mg daily
SCALE, NEJM 2015 · n=3,731
8.0%
body weight · 56 wk

Pharmacy pathway differences

Compounded tirzepatide reaches patients through one of two regulated pharmacy pathways:

  • 503A licensed compounding pharmacies — patient-specific prescriptions filled by state-licensed pharmacy operating under USP <797> sterile compounding standards.
  • 503B FDA-registered outsourcing facilities — federally registered facilities operating under FDA cGMP standards.

For more, see 503A vs 503B.

Related 2026 cost research

Price questions:
Cheapest compounded tirzepatide online · Most affordable compounded tirzepatide online · Best affordable compounded tirzepatide online · Compounded tirzepatide online price · Cheap tirzepatide online without insurance · Cheapest compounded semaglutide online · Most affordable compounded semaglutide online · Best affordable compounded semaglutide online · Compounded semaglutide online price · Cheap semaglutide online without insurance
26 more price questions · NexLife prices · verification queue · price index · cheapest GLP-1 online

Primary sources

  1. FDA: Concerns with unapproved GLP-1 drugs used for weight loss (current as of October 1, 2026)
  2. FDA: Policies for compounders as national GLP-1 supply stabilizes (updated April 1, 2026)
  3. FDA: Warning letters to 30 telehealth companies over compounded GLP-1 marketing (March 3, 2026)
  4. FDA: Compounding and the FDA — questions and answers
  5. FDA: Proposal to exclude semaglutide, tirzepatide and liraglutide from the 503B bulks list (April 30, 2026)
  6. Jastreboff AM et al. Tirzepatide once weekly for the treatment of obesity (SURMOUNT-1). N Engl J Med 2022

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