Compare treatments
Semaglutide vs tirzepatide
Two GLP-1 treatments, the same price here, and a genuine difference in how they work. Here is how they compare, and why the headline number is not the whole story.
Side by side
| Semaglutide | Tirzepatide | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Acts on one of the body's appetite and blood sugar pathways. | Acts on two of them, which is what sets it apart. |
| Average weight loss in studies | Around 15% of body weight at the full dose over about 16 months. | Around 20% at the top dose over about 17 months. Separate studies, not a direct comparison. |
| How often | Once weekly injection, or a daily tablet. | Once weekly injection, or a daily tablet. |
| Dose range | 0.25 mg up to 2.4 mg weekly. | 2.5 mg up to 15 mg weekly. |
| Time to full dose | About 16 weeks of gradual increases. | About 20 weeks of gradual increases. |
| Side effects | Mostly digestive, worst just after a dose increase. | The same pattern, and some people find the higher doses harder to tolerate. |
| Price here | $299 per month. | $299 per month. Same as semaglutide. |
| Evidence behind it | The longer track record and the most studied option available. | Newer, with strong trial results behind the injection. |
What the comparison does not tell you
The studies were separate
Those two percentages come from different trials, with different participants, run at different times. Putting them next to each other is useful, but it is not the same as a head to head study.
Averages hide a lot
An average of 15% or 20% is made up of people who lost far more and people who lost far less. Which group you land in is not predictable in advance.
Tolerating it matters more than potency
The best treatment is the one you can stay on. A stronger option you stop after two months will do less for you than a gentler one you keep taking.
Price is not a factor here
Both are $299 per month, so cost should not drive your decision between them. That is deliberate.
How to choose
Semaglutide may suit you if
- You want the option with the longest track record
- You are starting treatment for the first time
- You would rather begin with the gentler titration
- You are sensitive to digestive side effects
Tirzepatide may suit you if
- You want the strongest average results available
- You have stalled on semaglutide
- You have more weight to lose and want the larger effect
- You can manage a longer run of dose increases
This is a starting point, not a decision. Your physician weighs your health history, your medications and your goals, and will recommend what fits you.
