What the evidence says
Reported, not advice: each line is from a published trial, a label or the FDA, quoted in full below. Which medicine suits you is a decision for you and your prescriber.
Approval
Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved, so the FDA does not review them for safety, effectiveness or quality before they are sold.
FDA, concerns with unapproved GLP-1 drugs used for weight lossZepbound's evidence
In SURMOUNT-5, tirzepatide at 10 or 15 mg cut weight by 20.2% over 72 weeks.
SURMOUNT-5, N Engl J Med 2025;393:26-36 (PubMed abstract)Where to get each, cheapest first
Compounded tirzepatide · 15 programs
Zepbound · 4 programs
- Sesame CareZepbound vial (brand tirzepatide)4.5 (4.4k)$358/mo$299 + $59 membershipFull breakdown
- Pallas HealthZepbound (brand tirzepatide, cash-pay)$1,069/moFirst month from $139first month $139 semaglutide, $179 tirzepatideno membership feeFull breakdown
- WellorithmZepbound Pen (brand tirzepatide)3.3 (2)$1,199/mono membership feeFull breakdown
Common questions
What is the difference between Compounded tirzepatide and Zepbound?
The same molecule, made two ways. Zepbound is the FDA-approved product; compounded tirzepatide is mixed by a pharmacy, usually costs less, and is not FDA-reviewed.
Which is cheaper, Compounded tirzepatide or Zepbound?
Compounded tirzepatide, this week: from $119 a month all-in at SnagRx, against $358 for Zepbound at Sesame Care. That is $239 a month, $2,868 a year.
What is Compounded tirzepatide approved for?
Not FDA-approved for anything. Compounded, not FDA-approved, taken as a weekly injection from a vial.
What is Zepbound approved for?
Weight loss; sleep apnea with obesity. FDA-approved brand, taken as a weekly injection.
Where these facts come from
We track prices. Every clinical and manufacturer claim about Compounded tirzepatide and Zepbound on this page is quoted here in its source’s own words, with the date we read it. We do not write medical guidance and we do not tell anyone what dose to take.
2 sources · read Oct 2
- 01read Oct 2
compounded drugs are not FDA approved. This means the agency does not review compounded drugs for safety, effectiveness or quality before they are marketed. ... FDA received multiple reports of adverse events, some requiring hospitalization, that may be related to dosing errors associated with compounded injectable semaglutide products.
FDA, concerns with unapproved GLP-1 drugs used for weight loss - 02read Oct 2
adult participants with obesity but without type 2 diabetes were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive the maximum tolerated dose of tirzepatide (10 mg or 15 mg) or the maximum tolerated dose of semaglutide (1.7 mg or 2.4 mg) subcutaneously once weekly for 72 weeks. ... The least-squares mean percent change in weight at week 72 was -20.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], -21.4 to -19.1) with tirzepatide and -13.7% (95% CI, -14.9 to -12.6) with semaglutide (P<0.001). ... The most common adverse events in both treatment groups were gastrointestinal, and most were mild to moderate in severity and occurred primarily during dose escalation. ... (Funded by Eli Lilly; SURMOUNT-5 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT05822830.)
SURMOUNT-5, N Engl J Med 2025;393:26-36 (PubMed abstract)