Price comparison

Is compounded tirzepatide still cheaper than Zepbound?

Reviewed August 2026

Quick answer

Usually yes, but by far less than it used to be — and not always. The approved product now sells direct for $299 at the starting dose and $449 at maintenance, against a compounded median of $249. Where a compounded seller’s price climbs with the dose, the comparison can invert entirely.

What the approved product actually costs now1

DoseListSavingPriceCondition
2.5 mg$1087−$788$299—
5 mg$1087−$688$399—
7.5 mg$1087−$638$449First fill or refill within 45 days
10 mg$1087−$638$449First fill or refill within 45 days
12.5 mg$1087−$638$449First fill or refill within 45 days
15 mg$1087−$638$449First fill or refill within 45 days

The page states one list price and a saving per strength; the price above is the subtraction, so you can check it. Note the condition attached to 7.5 mg and higher: that price holds on a first fill or a refill within 45 days. A refill outside that window is a different transaction, which is the same kind of timing condition this site was built to surface on the compounded side.

Widely-repeated figures for this price were wrong in both directions when we checked them — secondary sources reported $550–590 for a starting dose and a $346 average. Neither matches the page. We use only what the page itself showed, on the date shown, which is the same standard applied to every seller in how we verify.

How that compares with the compounded market2

What the compounded market charges, per month

061218sellers$50 to $75 a month — 1 seller$75 to $100 a month — 5 sellers$100 to $125 a month — 4 sellers$125 to $150 a month — 22 sellers$150 to $175 a month — 10 sellers$175 to $200 a month — 10 sellers$200 to $225 a month — 13 sellers$225 to $250 a month — 20 sellers$250 to $275 a month — 15 sellers$275 to $300 a month — 15 sellers$300 to $325 a month — 11 sellers$325 to $350 a month — 11 sellers$350 to $375 a month — 8 sellers$375 to $400 a month — 6 sellers$400 to $425 a month — 6 sellers$425 to $450 a month — 5 sellers$450 to $475 a month — 1 seller$475 to $500 a month — 3 sellers$625 to $650 a month — 1 seller$700 to $725 a month — 1 sellermedian $249.00Zepbound, direct$299 – $449$0$200$400$600true cost per calendar month
168 sellers publish enough to compute a real month. Half of them sit between $177 and $325. 6 charge more than Zepbound does direct.

One row per seller. Median, not average.

True monthly cost by $25 price band, 168 sellers. Median $249.00. Zepbound direct: $299.00 at the starting dose, $449.00 at a maintenance dose.
Price bandSellersWhich sellers
$50 to $751RxPepsDirect
$75 to $1005WeightRx, Collective, Lavender Sky Health, PreventiveMD, Teleios Health
$100 to $1254NextMeds, Lean Meds, Bayan Health, MaxLife
$125 to $15022Embody, BiltRx, OzielRx, Ascend Medical, Shape Vantage, Fifty 410, Jyra Health, FitFlow, Cora Health, EverSlim, Fresh Day Meds, Stealth Health, NewSelf, GobyMeds, Care Clinics, Potere Health MD, RxPros, FMmeds, boostAGErx, Mondae, Mint Med, CoreAge Rx
$150 to $17510Strut Health, Brightmeds, SnagRx, TeleClinic, TrueMe, Pepti, VitaStir, He & She MD, NexLife, LifeRx.md
$175 to $20010Balanced Hormone Health, Trava Health, Fidelity Medical Clinic, YourHealthRx, Ivy Rx, Rewinding RX, MyFastRx, Aurelius Health Group, KERNX Health, NuuVim
$200 to $22513Trellis Vitality, Carocare Wellness, LifespanningRx, Kongo, Maximus, Independent Wellness, Gimme Care, Big Easy Weight Loss, Ondra Health, Primary Clinic (Direct GLP), Recovery Delivered, Medro, Healthicare
$225 to $25020Nouri, Midi Health, Invyncible, EdgeRx, Lttl, Rylo Health, Good Girl Rx, ZYP Medical, DreamHug Medical, Trimi Health, Coby Health, PepHaūs, HealthRX, Belle Health, bmiMD, GOAL.MD, Ivologist, Tonik Wellness, Vytora Health, Trillium Meds
$250 to $27515TOM Weight Loss, Sunlight, Revel Health, DoctorAdam, Bionomy Health, Precision Telemed, Optimized Health, Harmony Wellness Clinic, Zera Health, Medsol RX, Blue Sky MD, Yucca Health, DadVantage Men's Health, Rebody Health, Livea
$275 to $30015Effecty, Green Cap Health, Welling Health, NP2GO, Piper, NuBloom, Found, Vita Bella, PlexusDx, Eden, OnlineSemaglutide.org, Care Bare Rx, Get Thin MD, Loop Health, Aspen
$300 to $32511TMates, NiceRx, EOS Health, Superior Remedies, Rixa Health, The Edit, PeterMD, REMEVi, ReadyRx, Bodybuilding Health+, AquaVita NextGen
$325 to $35011Alan Meds, Vaylen, HealthSource, Pallas Health, Bon Health, Oxford's Medical Weight Loss (The Calibrate Clinic), RxSpan MD, Fitish, Elara Health and Wellness, Remi Meds, CeliaRx
$350 to $3758Shapely, Peak Wellness, Elara MD, Zappy Health, Semaglutide Online, Amble, Enhance MD, Zealthy
$375 to $4006Sprout Health, Wellorithm, HumeCare+, Willow, Apex MD, ClickSlim
$400 to $4256SkinnyRx, Curex, TeleCareSpot, RestorLife Med, BetterMe Rx, Tryozi
$425 to $4505Synergy Rx, Joey Med, Wholesome Clinic, Premium Health, Elevate Health
$450 to $4751Vital Edge
$475 to $5003Lean Rx, Fierce Health, WeightCare
$625 to $6501VirtualCare2Go
$700 to $7251Rivas Medical Weight Loss
Compounded sellers with a computed monthly cost168
Median computed monthly$249
Cheaper than the brand at maintenance161
Brand, starting dose$299
Brand, maintenance dose$449

Where the comparison inverts3

One seller's price, rung by rung up the dose ladder

  • VitaStir, true monthly cost
  • Zepbound, direct from the manufacturer
$0$150$300$450$600$750true monthly costZepbound maintenance $449Zepbound at 2.5 mg: $299.00 a monthZepbound at 5 mg: $399.00 a monthZepbound at 7.5 mg: $449.00 a monthZepbound at 10 mg: $449.00 a monthZepbound at 12.5 mg: $449.00 a monthZepbound at 15 mg: $449.00 a monthVitaStir at 2.5 mg: $145.00 every 28 days — $157.62 a monthVitaStir at 5 mg: $299.00 every 28 days — $325.03 a monthVitaStir at 7.5 mg: $399.00 every 28 days — $433.73 a monthVitaStir at 10 mg: $449.00 every 28 days — $488.09 a monthVitaStir at 12.5 mg: $499.00 every 28 days — $542.44 a monthVitaStir at 15 mg: $599.00 every 28 days — $651.15 a monthpasses Zepbound at 10 mg$651.15$449.002.557.51012.515dose, mg per week
VitaStir bills $145.00 every 28 days at the starting dose — $157.62 a calendar month, which is what puts it near the top of the index. That price is for 2.5 mg. Every rung up the label's own dose ladder raises it, and by 10 mg it costs $488.09 — more than Zepbound charges direct at any maintenance dose. At 15 mg it is $651.15, 45% above the approved product.

Price rungs matched to the label's dose ladder in order. Each rung is VitaStir's own charge divided by the 28 days it covers, times 30.4375. Zepbound figures are its published net price at each strength.

VitaStir's published price ladder restated as a true monthly cost, against Zepbound's direct price at the same dose.
DoseVitaStir billedVitaStir per monthZepbound per month
2.5 mg$145.00 every 28 days$157.62$299.00
5 mg$299.00 every 28 days$325.03$399.00
7.5 mg$399.00 every 28 days$433.73$449.00
10 mg$449.00 every 28 days$488.09$449.00
12.5 mg$499.00 every 28 days$542.44$449.00
15 mg$599.00 every 28 days$651.15$449.00

A compounded price is not one number when the seller charges more as the dose rises. The figure such a seller advertises is its entry price, and the comparison that matters is at the dose a person actually maintains on — which the approved label puts at 5 mg, 10 mg or 15 mg, not 2.5 mg.

It is not a hypothetical. These sellers charge more per calendar month than the approved product costs direct, today, at any dose:

  • Rivas Medical Weight Loss — $717.46 a month against $449 for the approved product, while advertising $715.
  • VirtualCare2Go — $629 a month against $449 for the approved product.
  • WeightCare — $499 a month against $449 for the approved product.
  • Fierce Health — $497 a month against $449 for the approved product.
  • Lean Rx — $488.09 a month against $449 for the approved product, while advertising $449.
  • Vital Edge — $450 a month against $449 for the approved product.

And these start below it, then climb past it on their own published ladder — so the price a reader compares is not the price they end up paying:

  • VitaStir — advertises $145, starts at $157.62, and reaches $651.15 at the top of its own published ladder, against $449 for the approved product.
  • Recovery Delivered — advertises $219, starts at $223.20, and reaches $497.14 at the top of its own published ladder, against $449 for the approved product.
  • Midi Health — advertises $210, starts at $228.28, and reaches $471.78 at the top of its own published ladder, against $449 for the approved product.
  • Invyncible — advertises $210, starts at $228.28, and reaches $475.59 at the top of its own published ladder, against $449 for the approved product.
  • Harmony Wellness Clinic — advertises $250, starts at $253.65, and reaches $456.56 at the top of its own published ladder, against $449 for the approved product.
  • NP2GO — advertises $250, starts at $283, and reaches $600 at the top of its own published ladder, against $449 for the approved product.
  • Rixa Health — advertises $303.33, starts at $304.38, and reaches $570.70 at the top of its own published ladder, against $449 for the approved product.
  • Remi Meds — advertises $349, starts at $349, and reaches $639 at the top of its own published ladder, against $449 for the approved product.
  • CeliaRx — advertises $350, starts at $349.50, and reaches $449.50 at the top of its own published ladder, against $449 for the approved product.
  • Elara MD — advertises $349, starts at $354.09, and reaches $658.46 at the top of its own published ladder, against $449 for the approved product.
  • Wholesome Clinic — advertises $349, starts at $435.62, and reaches $557.01 at the top of its own published ladder, against $449 for the approved product.

This is not an argument against compounded tirzepatide. It is an argument against comparing an entry price with a maintenance price, which is what almost every comparison of these two markets currently does.

What you are actually trading4

Price is one axis. The approved product carries a reviewed label, FDA-reviewed manufacturing, a standardized concentration, and an expiry backed by stability data. A compounded preparation has none of those three things, and its concentration is set by the pharmacy rather than standardized — which is why the same dose is a different mark on a different vial.

There are also eligibility conditions on the direct price: it is an out-of-pocket price, and the order is completed through the manufacturer’s own pharmacy service rather than at the price page. Whether it applies to you is a question for them, not for us.

And the legal ground under the compounded market is still moving — see the current legal position, which is dated for that reason.

The honest summary

Twelve months of it

  • RxPepsDirect — price climbs with dose
  • Collective — one price at every dose
  • Zepbound, direct from the manufacturer
$0$1,000$2,000$3,000$4,000$5,000cumulative spendCollective is ahead from month 3RxPepsDirect, month 1: $45.66 spent so farRxPepsDirect, month 2: $136.97 spent so farRxPepsDirect, month 3: $266.33 spent so farRxPepsDirect, month 4: $433.74 spent so farRxPepsDirect, month 5: $646.80 spent so farRxPepsDirect, month 6: $897.91 spent so farRxPepsDirect, month 7: $1,149.02 spent so farRxPepsDirect, month 8: $1,400.13 spent so farRxPepsDirect, month 9: $1,651.24 spent so farRxPepsDirect, month 10: $1,902.35 spent so farRxPepsDirect, month 11: $2,153.46 spent so farRxPepsDirect, month 12: $2,404.57 spent so farCollective, month 1: $85.58 spent so farCollective, month 2: $171.16 spent so farCollective, month 3: $256.74 spent so farCollective, month 4: $342.32 spent so farCollective, month 5: $427.90 spent so farCollective, month 6: $513.48 spent so farCollective, month 7: $599.06 spent so farCollective, month 8: $684.64 spent so farCollective, month 9: $770.22 spent so farCollective, month 10: $855.80 spent so farCollective, month 11: $941.38 spent so farCollective, month 12: $1,026.96 spent so farZepbound, month 1: $299.00 spent so farZepbound, month 2: $698.00 spent so farZepbound, month 3: $1,147.00 spent so farZepbound, month 4: $1,596.00 spent so farZepbound, month 5: $2,045.00 spent so farZepbound, month 6: $2,494.00 spent so farZepbound, month 7: $2,943.00 spent so farZepbound, month 8: $3,392.00 spent so farZepbound, month 9: $3,841.00 spent so farZepbound, month 10: $4,290.00 spent so farZepbound, month 11: $4,739.00 spent so farZepbound, month 12: $5,188.00 spent so far$2,404.57RxPepsDirect$1,026.96Collective$5,188.00Zepbound136912months on treatment
RxPepsDirect is the cheapest first month here — $45.66, against $85.58 from Collective. It does not stay that way. By month 3 the flat price has already cost less in total, and it never gives the lead back. Over 12 months RxPepsDirect comes to $2,404.57 against $1,026.96 — 2.3× as much. The cheapest price in the index is not the cheapest year.

Cumulative true monthly cost. A ladder moves one label dose step per month and holds at its top rung once the ladder ends; Zepbound follows its own published price at each strength on the same schedule. No discounts, no shipping, no consultation fees.

Cumulative spend by month for RxPepsDirect, Collective, Zepbound.
MonthRxPepsDirect (spent so far)Collective (spent so far)Zepbound (spent so far)
Month 1$45.66$85.58$299.00
Month 2$136.97$171.16$698.00
Month 3$266.33$256.74$1,147.00
Month 4$433.74$342.32$1,596.00
Month 5$646.80$427.90$2,045.00
Month 6$897.91$513.48$2,494.00
Month 7$1,149.02$599.06$2,943.00
Month 8$1,400.13$684.64$3,392.00
Month 9$1,651.24$770.22$3,841.00
Month 10$1,902.35$855.80$4,290.00
Month 11$2,153.46$941.38$4,739.00
Month 12$2,404.57$1,026.96$5,188.00

At a starting dose, most compounded sellers are meaningfully cheaper than $299. At a maintenance dose the gap narrows sharply, and for a seller whose price climbs with the dose it can close or reverse. The number to compare is the one you will be paying in month six, not the one on the landing page — which is exactly what the index computes.

Price information only. Nothing here is medical advice, and the cheaper option is not therefore the right one.

Sources

  1. trumprx.gov Zepbound vial page, read directly in a browser (the price is rendered client-side and a plain fetch returns only marketing copy) DailyMed
  2. This site's price index, computed from what sellers actually bill Read it
  3. Sellers' own published price ladders, recorded during verification
  4. DailyMed SPL records for MOUNJARO and ZEPBOUND, both Eli Lilly and Company DailyMed