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Key takeaways
Victoza and Ozempic are both brand-name prescription GLP-1 receptor agonists approved to treat Type 2 diabetes and reduce cardiovascular risk.
Insurance coverage for these drugs varies depending on the policy, but Ozempic may be more frequently covered than Victoza.
Your out-of-pocket cost for Victoza vs Ozempic will vary depending on pharmacy location, insurance coverage, and whether you are using the generic or name-brand Victoza.
Victoza and Ozempic are both brand-name injectable medications FDA-approved to treat Type 2 diabetes and lower the risk of heart attack or stroke in adults with both Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Since they are both injectable GLP-1 agonists used to lower blood sugar levels, it’s common to wonder which brand-name drug is cheaper. The answer is complicated because even if one has a higher retail price, the actual out-of-pocket cost depends on several factors, including insurance coverage.
What’s the difference between Victoza and Ozempic?
Victoza and Ozempic have a lot in common. They both belong to a class of drugs known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs). They are both FDA-approved for blood sugar control in people with Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular risk reduction in specific populations. Ozempic is also FDA-approved for kidney disease risk reduction in people with chronic kidney disease and Type 2 diabetes. Because they also suppress appetite, leading to weight loss, both their active ingredients are available under different brand names, Saxenda and Wegovy, as FDA-approved weight loss medications.
However, these drugs have key differences in their active ingredients, dosage, generic availability, side effect profile, and, in some cases, insurance coverage.
RELATED: Does Kaiser cover Ozempic?
Active ingredient
The biggest difference between Victoza and Ozempic is that they have different active ingredients. Victoza contains liraglutide, whereas Ozempic contains semaglutide. Both liraglutide and semaglutide are classified as GLP-1s. That means they both stimulate insulin secretion and slow gastric emptying, which lowers blood sugar and reduces appetite.
Dosage and frequency
Dosage and frequency are the other key differences between Victoza and Ozempic. They are both administered as subcutaneous (under-the-skin) injections, but Victoza must be injected daily, whereas Ozempic is injected weekly. This means they have very different dosages. Victoza is started at 0.6 mg per day and gradually increased to 1.2 to 1.8 mg daily. Ozempic is started at 0.25 mg per week and then gradually increased to 0.5 mg to 2 mg weekly.
RELATED: When is the best time to inject Ozempic?
Generic availability
A generic version of Victoza became available in June 2024. In contrast, generic Ozempic will not be available until at least 2033. Generic liraglutide contains the same active ingredient, dosage, and injection method as Victoza. That means that essentially the same drug as Victoza (sold under a different name, liraglutide) is available at a much lower cost than brand-name Victoza.
Side effect management
The most common side effects of both Victoza and Ozempic are gastrointestinal issues such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. However, Barbara Sparacino, MD, a triple-board-certified physician and founder of The Aging Parent Coach, suggests that the daily versus weekly administration of Victoza might help patients manage side effects more easily compared to Ozempic. “I consider Victoza for patients who prefer a daily routine to help ease nausea, or if they need a slower titration to help with tolerability,” she explains.
Related: Victoza side effects | Ozempic side effects
Insurance coverage
Commercial insurance coverage, Medicare coverage, and Medicaid coverage of Victoza versus Ozempic vary by policy, but Dr. Sparacino says her patients often get better insurance coverage for Ozempic. “Ozempic tends to be the more affordable option for many of my patients,” agrees Amna Haq, MS, RD, LDN, owner of The Inclusive Dietitian in Chicago, Illinois. “It generally has broader insurance coverage for Type 2 diabetes.” This is especially true for people with both diabetes and kidney problems, since Ozempic is approved for kidney disease risk reduction and Victoza is not.
Related: Ozempic vs. Victoza: Key differences and side effects
How much does Victoza cost without insurance?
Without insurance or other discounts, the average retail price of Victoza is $1,440 for 3, 3 mL of 18 mg/3 mL prefilled pens. The drug manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, sets the list price of Victoza, but actual prices vary by pharmacy and location.
Your out-of-pocket cost can be reduced due to insurance coverage, patient assistance programs, prescription discount cards, or income-based prescription drug payment programs. You can also pay less by switching to a generic version of Victoza, liraglutide, which has an average retail cost of $343 per 1, 3 mL of 18 mg/3 mL prefilled pen.
How much does Ozempic cost without insurance?
The average retail price of Ozempic is $1,387 per 1, 3 mL of 2 mg/3 mL multi-dose prefilled pen. Ozempic’s list price is determined by Novo Nordisk, but retail prices vary by pharmacy and location.
Your final out-of-pocket cost can also be lowered because of insurance coverage, patient assistance programs, prescription discount cards, or income-based prescription drug payment programs.
Victoza vs. Ozempic insurance and cost comparison |
||
|---|---|---|
| Victoza | Ozempic | |
| Typically covered by insurance? | Varies | Varies |
| Typically covered by Medicare Part D? | Varies | Usually for diabetes |
| Quantity | 3 prefilled injection pens (3 mL of 18 mg/3 mL) | 1 prefilled injection pen (3 mL of 2 mg/3 mL) |
| Typical Medicare copay | Varies | Varies |
| Cost without insurance | $1,440 | $1,387 |
| SingleCare cost | $108 (for one 3 mL of 18 mg/3 mL pen) | $825 |
| Savings | See latest prices | See latest prices |
Does insurance cover Victoza?
Insurance coverage of GLP-1 medications like Victoza varies by policy. Some plans may cover brand-name Victoza for Type 2 diabetes, but it is more likely that the plan would cover the generic version of this drug. Even if your policy covers Victoza, the plan may require prior authorization (documentation between the insurance company and the prescriber) or step therapy (trying lower-cost drugs first and “failing” these) before approval and coverage of a more expensive medication takes effect.
Medicare and Medicaid coverage is also plan-specific. But again, insurance policies typically opt to cover generic drugs over their brand-name counterparts.
Does insurance cover Ozempic?
Insurance coverage of Ozempic varies by policy. Some health plans cover it for Type 2 diabetes, but rarely for weight loss. Because Ozempic is so expensive, you might also need prior authorization or step therapy before getting help paying for the drug.
Ozempic coverage from government-funded programs like Medicare and Medicaid also varies. Some Medicare Part D plans cover it for diabetes management. The only way to know if your insurance policy covers Ozempic is to contact the insurance company or review your plan’s current year’s drug formulary.
“There are occasional cases where a patient’s insurance does not cover Ozempic, [and] Victoza may become the more accessible and affordable option, but this has been relatively uncommon in my experience,” Haq says.
Bottom line
Insurance coverage has the biggest impact on which of these diabetes medications will be more affordable for you. “In my experience, patients tend to find Ozempic more affordable in practice because it often has better insurance coverage and manufacturer savings programs, even though the list price is higher,” Dr. Sparacino says.
In the end, these are prescription medications, and only a healthcare provider familiar with your health condition(s), medical history, other medications you’re taking, and financial limits can recommend whether Victoza or Ozempic is the better choice. If you are uninsured or underinsured, you can also use SingleCare coupons to help lower the cash price of your prescription.
- Highlights of prescribing information: VICTOZA® (liraglutide) injection, for subcutaneous use, U.S. Food and drug Administration (2025)
- Highlights of prescribing information: OZEMPIC (semaglutide) injection, for subcutaneous use, U.S. Food and drug Administration (2025)
- Medicare coverage of GLP-1 drugs, Library of Congress (2024)