GLP-1 Price War: Every Option Compared (April 2026)
Foundayo ships April 6 at $149/month. Novo slashed Wegovy to $249. Medicare hits $50 in July 2026. Here's what every GLP-1 option actually costs right now.
The April 2026 GLP-1 price war is the first sustained downward move on weight-loss medication pricing since the original Wegovy launch in 2021. Prices across every category — brand-name, compounded, oral, injectable — have come down, and competitive pressure shows no sign of easing.
Key takeaways
- Wegovy direct cash-pay dropped to $349/month
- Zepbound direct cash-pay dropped to $499/month
- Compounded semaglutide is widely available at $99–$175/month
- Foundayo entered at $149/month for oral therapy
- Generic liraglutide (Saxenda) is now under $200/month at most pharmacies
What's driving prices down
Three forces converged: manufacturers responded to the insurance coverage retreat by introducing self-pay programs; the compounded telehealth segment matured into a real market with multiple credible players; and Foundayo created a credible oral alternative that put price pressure on injectables.
Direct-to-patient channels have proven they can move enough volume to justify aggressive pricing.
Who benefits most
Patients without insurance coverage for weight-loss indications. The cash-pay landscape in 2026 is roughly half the cost of cash-pay in 2024 across most categories. Patients with coverage have less to gain from the price war directly, but it is reshaping their plans' negotiating leverage with PBMs.