GLP-1 doses usually start low and step up every few weeks. Many price lists step up with them. Before you enroll, ask for the price at every dose step, not only the starting price, and add up the first four shipments. On the manufacturer price lists we checked, month 4 can cost much more than month 1.
The price you see on a GLP-1 telehealth landing page is usually the price of the first dose, and the first dose is the lowest. This post explains why doses rise, how that changes what you pay under different pricing models, and how to get the full price schedule before you commit. Prices are from manufacturer and provider pages we opened on October 29, 2026. Confirm them at checkout.
The schedules below are the label's standard steps, shown only to explain pricing. Your prescriber decides whether, when and how far your dose changes. Many people stay at a dose longer or stop at a lower one.
Why GLP-1 doses step up
Both Wegovy and Zepbound labels start patients on a dose that is not meant for long-term use, then increase it in steps toward a maintenance dose. The 2.5 mg Zepbound dose, for example, is labeled for starting treatment only and not as a maintenance dose. The practical effect for your budget: the dose you pay for in month one is rarely the dose you pay for by month four.
Escalation also explains why "from" prices can mislead. A program can honestly advertise its lowest price, and that price can still apply to only the first four weeks of a plan you expect to run for many months. The question is not whether the starting price is real. It is what the price becomes once you reach the dose your prescriber expects you to stay on.
Escalation is not automatic, either. Your prescriber may hold you at a dose longer, skip a step or lower the dose based on how you respond. A good price schedule tells you what you would pay in each of those cases, not just on the standard path.
The label schedules
Wegovy injection (semaglutide), once weekly
| Weeks | Weekly dose |
|---|---|
| 1–4 | 0.25 mg |
| 5–8 | 0.5 mg |
| 9–12 | 1 mg |
| 13–16 | 1.7 mg |
| 17 onward | 2.4 mg recommended maintenance for adult weight reduction (1.7 mg is an option). The label allows 7.2 mg if 2.4 mg has been tolerated for at least 4 weeks and more weight loss is clinically indicated. |
Wegovy tablets (semaglutide), once daily
Days 1–30 at 1.5 mg, days 31–60 at 4 mg, days 61–90 at 9 mg, then 25 mg from day 91 as the maintenance dose.
Zepbound (tirzepatide), once weekly
The label starts at 2.5 mg for 4 weeks, then 5 mg. After that, the dose may go up in 2.5 mg steps, with at least 4 weeks on each dose. Maintenance doses for weight reduction are 5 mg, 10 mg or 15 mg, and 15 mg is the maximum.
Three ways programs price doses
Dose-tiered
Price rises at defined dose steps. Common for brand self-pay and for some compounded bundles.
Flat-rate
One price regardless of dose. Simpler to budget, but the starting price may be higher.
Bundle by top dose
A multi-month plan priced by the highest dose it includes.
Here is how the partners and manufacturers we checked describe their models (October 29, 2026):
- GobyMeds tiers its 3-month compounded bundles. Its pricing page says tirzepatide bundle pricing is based on the highest weekly dose in your 12-week plan: $399 for the 1.5–3 mg tier, $499 for plans reaching up to 9 mg, and $599 for 11 mg or higher. Semaglutide 3-month bundles run $299, $399 or $499, with the top tier for plans reaching 1.9 to 2.3 mg.
- Gala GLP-1 says a higher dose is available at no additional cost.
- HealthRX and BiltRx list plan or monthly prices on their product pages without dose tiers. That may mean flat pricing, or it may mean the page does not show tiers. Ask before assuming.
Compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide are not FDA-approved. Compounded concentrations also vary by pharmacy, so the number of milligrams in a tier name does not tell you the volume you will draw. HealthRX's page says to use only the dose and syringe instructions supplied with your prescription.
Month 1 vs. month 4: dated examples
These examples apply each manufacturer's listed self-pay prices to the label's standard schedule, assuming the dose rises at every step. That is an illustration, not a prediction of your dose.
| Shipment | Dose | Listed price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (weeks 1–4) | 0.25 mg | $199 |
| 2 (weeks 5–8) | 0.5 mg | $199 |
| 3 (weeks 9–12) | 1 mg | $349 |
| 4 (weeks 13–16) | 1.7 mg | $349 |
| 16-week total | $1,096 | |
The $199 price is a new-patient offer for the first two fills of the two lowest doses, listed for fills through December 31, 2026. After that, NovoCare lists $349 for doses up to 2.4 mg and $399 for 7.2 mg.
| Bottle (30 tablets) | Daily dose | Listed price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.5 mg | $149 |
| 2 | 4 mg | $199 |
| 3 | 9 mg | $299 |
| 4 | 25 mg | $299 |
| 4-bottle total | $946 | |
| Shipment (28 days) | Dose | Refilled within 45 days | Refilled later |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2.5 mg | $299 | $299 |
| 2 | 5 mg | $399 | $399 |
| 3 | 7.5 mg | $449 | $499 |
| 4 | 10 mg | $449 | $699 |
| 16-week total | $1,596 | $1,896 | |
The Zepbound example shows that dose is not the only variable. Lilly's terms say the $449 price for 7.5 mg and up requires a refill within 45 days of your previous delivery. Above 7.5 mg, the listed price stays at $449 if you refill on time. Needles or syringes are bought separately.
Lilly defines a month as 28 days, and NovoCare's pen "month" is a box of four weekly pens. A 4-week supply means about 13 purchases a year, not 12. Our post on why four weeks is not one calendar month walks through the difference.
Insurance-based programs can work differently. NPR reports that the $50 Medicare GLP-1 Bridge copay does not rise with higher doses, for those who qualify. Our insurance and prior authorization guide covers coverage-based paths.
How to get the full dose-price schedule
Most providers will answer this if you ask plainly. Send it through the provider's support channel before you pay, and keep the reply.
Then check the answer against these points:
- Is there a price for every dose, or only "from" prices?
- Does a dose increase mid-bundle trigger an extra charge or a new bundle?
- If your dose stays the same or goes down, does the price drop?
- Are membership or care fees charged every month on top of medication?
- Do refill-timing rules, like Lilly's 45-day window, change the price?
Then enter the schedule into our true-cost calculator, which models price changes across shipments. The comparison table shows which programs publish tiered versus flat pricing. If a price changes after you enroll and was not disclosed, our post on subscriptions versus prescriptions explains which part of your plan the change belongs to.
Partners to check
Partners to check, listed alphabetically and not ranked. Prices change; confirm the current quote and terms on each provider's site. You can also browse the full provider directory.
BiltRx
Lists one monthly price per molecule on its product pages. Ask whether that price holds at higher doses and what consult and shipping add.
Paid partner linksGala GLP-1
Says higher doses are available at no additional cost. Confirm the plan price and term at checkout.
Paid partner linkGobyMeds
Publishes dose-tiered 3-month bundles for both molecules. Find the tier your likely dose falls into.
Paid partner linkHealthRX
Plan prices on its product pages are not broken out by dose. Ask whether a dose change affects renewals.
Details: semaglutide listing · tirzepatide listing
Paid partner linksFrequently asked questions
Why does my GLP-1 price go up after the first month?
Two common reasons: the first shipment is often an intro price, and many programs charge more at higher doses. On the Wegovy and Zepbound labels, doses step up during the first months of treatment, so tiered prices rise with them.
What is the Wegovy dose escalation schedule?
Per the label, Wegovy injection starts at 0.25 mg weekly for four weeks, then 0.5 mg, 1 mg and 1.7 mg for four weeks each, then 2.4 mg as the recommended adult maintenance dose. Your prescriber decides your actual schedule.
What is the Zepbound dose escalation schedule?
Per the label, Zepbound starts at 2.5 mg weekly for four weeks, then 5 mg, with possible increases of 2.5 mg after at least four weeks on each dose. Maintenance doses are 5, 10 or 15 mg, with 15 mg the maximum.
Is flat-rate GLP-1 pricing better than dose-tiered pricing?
Not automatically. Flat-rate pricing is easier to budget and doesn't rise with dose, but its starting price may be higher. Compare the total for the first four shipments and beyond at your likely dose.
Does Zepbound cost more at 15 mg than at 7.5 mg on LillyDirect?
Not if you refill on time. Lilly's terms list $449 for 7.5 mg through 15 mg when you refill within 45 days of your previous delivery. Late refills move to $499 for 7.5 mg and $699 for 10 mg and up.
Sources
We opened each source below while preparing this article (checked October 29, 2026). Listing a source does not mean it endorses this site.
- Novo Nordisk: Wegovy prescribing information (revised 06/2026) — injection and tablet escalation schedules
- Eli Lilly: Zepbound prescribing information (revised 08/2026) — escalation schedule, maintenance doses
- NovoCare: Price your Wegovy — pen and pill self-pay prices, new-patient offer
- LillyDirect: Zepbound — prices by dose
- Lilly: Zepbound self-pay terms and conditions — 45-day refill condition, 28-day month
- GobyMeds: Pricing — dose-tiered bundles
- Gala GLP-1 — higher dose at no additional cost
- HealthRX: Semaglutide — plan prices
- HealthRX: Tirzepatide — plan prices, dosing instructions
- BiltRx: Compounded semaglutide — monthly price
- NPR: Some Medicare beneficiaries can now get popular obesity drugs for $50 a month — copay doesn't rise with dose
- FDA: Concerns with unapproved GLP-1 drugs used for weight loss — compounded drugs not FDA-approved