Both the Zepbound savings card (from Eli Lilly) and the Wegovy savings card (from Novo Nordisk) can dramatically lower your out-of-pocket costs — but the programs differ in caps, eligibility rules, and real-world savings. For most commercially insured patients, the Zepbound card currently offers a lower monthly floor, while the Wegovy card structure has changed significantly since 2023.
How Does Each Savings Card Work?
Manufacturer savings cards are not insurance. They act as a secondary payer that covers a portion of your copay after your commercial insurance processes the claim. You present the card (or digital ID) at the pharmacy alongside your insurance card, and the manufacturer pays the difference up to a stated cap.
- Zepbound Savings Card (Eli Lilly): Eligible commercially insured patients may pay as little as $25 per month for a 1-month or 3-month supply. The program covers up to $600 per 1-month fill or up to $1,800 per 3-month fill. As of the program terms available in 2024, the offer is valid for up to 24 months.
- Wegovy Savings Offer (Novo Nordisk): Eligible commercially insured patients may pay as little as $0 for the first month, then a stated monthly cost that Novo Nordisk has set at approximately $650 per month maximum out-of-pocket under the savings offer for ongoing fills, depending on insurance coverage and current program terms.
Program terms change frequently. Always verify current caps directly at zepbound.lilly.com/savings and wegovy.com before filling your prescription.
Side-by-Side Comparison Table
| Feature | Zepbound Savings Card | Wegovy Savings Offer |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Eli Lilly | Novo Nordisk |
| Minimum monthly cost (commercially insured) | As low as $25/month | As low as $0 first month; varies after |
| Maximum manufacturer contribution (per month) | Up to $600/fill | Varies; program structure updated 2023–2024 |
| Medicare/Medicaid eligible? | No | No |
| Duration of offer | Up to 24 months per program terms | Subject to change; verify at enrollment |
| 3-month supply option | Yes (up to $1,800 savings) | Varies by pharmacy/plan |
| Uninsured / cash-pay option | Lilly's self-pay vials ($399–$549/month) | No equivalent direct self-pay program |
| Where to enroll | zepbound.lilly.com/savings | wegovy.com or WeGoTogether program |
Most important point: Neither savings card works with Medicare, Medicaid, or any other federal or state government insurance program. If you have government coverage, you will need to explore patient assistance programs or manufacturer bridge programs instead — both Lilly and Novo Nordisk offer separate income-based assistance.
What Does the Timeline of Savings Look Like?
Because both drugs use a dose-escalation schedule over several months, your cost experience changes as your dose increases. Higher doses typically cost more at list price, so the manufacturer cap matters more at higher doses.
| Month | Zepbound Dose | Wegovy Dose | Typical List Price (approx.) | Estimated Cost With Savings Card |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 | 2.5 mg → 5 mg | 0.25 mg → 0.5 mg | ~$1,060–$1,060 (both drugs similar range) | Zepbound: ~$25 | Wegovy: ~$0–$25 (first month promo) |
| 5–8 | 5 mg → 10 mg | 1 mg → 1.7 mg | ~$1,060–$1,060 | Zepbound: ~$25 | Wegovy: varies by plan |
| 9–12 | 10 mg → 15 mg | 1.7 mg → 2.4 mg (maintenance) | ~$1,060–$1,350 | Zepbound: ~$25 | Wegovy: varies by plan |
| 13–24 | Maintenance (10–15 mg) | Maintenance (2.4 mg) | ~$1,060–$1,350 | Zepbound: ~$25 (card active up to 24 mo) | Wegovy: verify terms |
List prices sourced from manufacturer list price disclosures and GoodRx reference data as of 2024. Actual pharmacy pricing varies. Savings card value depends on your insurance's allowed amount.
Who Qualifies — and Who Gets Left Out?
Eligibility rules are nearly identical between the two programs, but there are meaningful differences in edge cases:
- Commercially insured patients: Both cards are designed for this group and provide the most benefit here.
- Uninsured / self-pay: Zepbound has a significant advantage. Eli Lilly sells Zepbound in single-dose vial form directly through LillyDirect for $399–$549 per month depending on dose, completely bypassing insurance. Novo Nordisk does not have a comparable self-pay direct program for Wegovy as of 2024.
- Medicare Part D patients: Neither card applies. However, under the Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare Part D out-of-pocket drug costs are capped at $2,000/year starting in 2025, which may improve affordability for Medicare patients without a savings card.
- Medicaid patients: Neither card applies. Coverage depends entirely on your state's Medicaid formulary.
- Insurance denials: If your insurance denies coverage for the drug entirely, the savings card may still reduce the cash price at some pharmacies — but this varies and is not guaranteed.
Does Insurance Coverage Change the Math?
Yes — significantly. The savings card bridges the gap between what your insurance pays and your copay, up to the stated cap. If your insurance covers a large portion of the drug's cost, the savings card easily covers the remainder and you pay the $25 floor. But if your insurance doesn't cover GLP-1s for weight loss (which is common — many plans exclude obesity medications), your out-of-pocket responsibility is the full list price minus whatever the manufacturer card contributes. In that scenario, the Zepbound self-pay vial option may be more practical than relying solely on the savings card.
A 2022 NEJM study by Jastreboff et al. confirmed tirzepatide (Zepbound's active ingredient) produced up to 20.9% mean weight loss over 72 weeks, and the 2021 NEJM STEP 1 trial by Wilding et al. showed semaglutide (Wegovy's active ingredient) produced approximately 14.9% mean weight loss — context that helps patients weigh cost against clinical outcomes when choosing between the two drugs with their prescriber.
Frequently Asked Questions
Savings card terms for both Zepbound and Wegovy change periodically, and what saves you the most depends heavily on your specific insurance plan, your dose, and whether you are insured at all. Before your next fill, talk with your prescriber or a pharmacist about which program applies to your situation — and ask specifically whether your plan uses an accumulator adjuster that could affect how much you ultimately save.
- Eli Lilly Zepbound Savings Card terms, LillyCares/Lilly Insulin Value Program, accessed 2024. https://www.zepbound.lilly.com/savings
- Novo Nordisk WeGoTogether Wegovy Savings Offer terms, accessed 2024
- FDA prescribing information for tirzepatide (Zepbound), Eli Lilly, 2023.
- FDA prescribing information for semaglutide injection 2.4 mg (Wegovy), Novo Nordisk, 2021.
- Wilding JPH et al. 'Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity.' NEJM 2021;384:989-1002.
- Jastreboff AM et al. 'Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity.' NEJM 2022;387:205-216.