Your guide to GLP-1 pills

In this article:

• GLP-1 pills
• Pills vs. injections
• Cost
• OTC alternatives
• How to get GLP-1 pills

In this article

• GLP-1 pills
• Pills vs. injections
• Cost
• OTC alternatives
• How to get GLP-1 pills

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made big news when it approved an oral formulation of the popular weight-loss drug Wegovy (semaglutide). Now, people who wish to lose weight with a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, also known as GLP-1 RAs or GLP-1 medications, have a new, needle-free option. Are these pills right for you, and can your budget handle them? Here’s what you need to know.

Are there GLP-1 pills?

There are two GLP-1 pills: 

1. Wegovy (semaglutide) was the first GLP-1 pill approved for weight loss in December 2025. The medication hit pharmacy shelves in early January. 
2. Rybelsus (semaglutide) pills have been available to treat Type 2 diabetes since September 2019. The approval was expanded in October 2025 to include cardiovascular risk reduction in people with Type 2 diabetes.

However, these options may not be alone on the market for long. Orforglipron is under regulatory review for weight loss and Type 2 diabetes. Reports predict the FDA will decide on the status of orforglipron in the second quarter of 2026. 

RELATED: Rybelsus vs. Wegovy

GLP-1 pills vs. injections

If you’re considering starting a GLP-1 pill, or switching to a pill from your injectable medication, there are several factors to consider: ease of administration, efficacy, and availability.

Administration

Wegovy and Rybelsus pills are taken once daily. Wegovy and Ozempic injections are dosed once weekly. You should consider your comfort with needles versus your ability to remember a daily pill. Less frequent dosing may outweigh the discomfort of a little jab.

Shady Macaron, MD, a bariatric surgeon with Trinity Health of New England, says that his patients admit they don’t like needles but use an injectable GLP-1 anyway because they like the results. Plus, the needle on the injectable device is very small, he adds. “By the time they hear the click, it’s already in there,” Dr. Macaron notes.

Efficacy

The Wegovy pill has about the same efficacy as the 2.4 mg injectable formulation (the highest dose of Wegovy injection), according to the manufacturer: 14%-15% of starting body weight. 

“Current data suggest that the oral formulation leads to clinically meaningful weight loss, but on average, it appears less effective than higher doses of high-efficacy injectable GLP-1 therapies,” says Jaime Almandoz, MD, medical director of UT Southwestern Medical Center’s weight wellness program. “Effectiveness also depends on effective absorption of the medication, and the pill must be taken in a specific way to make sure it is absorbed properly.”

The Rybelsus pill reduced A1C slightly less than the Ozempic injection, by about 1.0 % to 1.3 % from baseline over 26 weeks. Ozempic reduced A1C by 1.5 % to 1.8 % from baseline over approximately 30 weeks.

Availability

Both forms of Wegovy and Rybelsus are currently widely available. However, previously, widespread shortages of injectable GLP-1s such as Ozempic and Wegovy disrupted care.

How much do GLP-1 pills cost?

A major barrier to many people using popular injectable GLP-1s is cost. A major benefit of GLP-1 pills is their lower prices. For example, the average list price for a month’s supply of Wegovy pens is $1,800, while the cost for a month’s supply of tablets is about $1,350. Prices vary by location and dosage.

Although generic medications often offer cost savings, there are not yet generics available for many GLP-1s, including Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Zepbound. Also, insurance coverage for these medications varies. Medicare prescription plans do not cover weight-loss medications, although they often cover Wegovy and Zepbound for other FDA-approved purposes, such as treating obstructive sleep apnea (Zepbound) or lowering the risk of major cardiovascular events (Wegovy). 

In fact, some users have turned to compounding pharmacies to save money, prompting the FDA to issue alerts discouraging the use of unapproved versions of GLP-1s. The FDA’s latest warning, issued earlier this month, also addressed recent reports that a company planned to sell a knockoff version of the Wegovy pill. Meanwhile, the manufacturer of Wegovy, Novo Nordisk, filed a lawsuit against the telehealth company Hims & Hers for marketing an unauthorized version of the pill. 

RELATED: Is compounded semaglutide safe?

How to reduce the cost

The list price is intimidating, but there are many ways to reduce the cost.

SingleCare prescription card

A free SingleCare prescription discount card can help you save hundreds of dollars on a month’s supply of GLP-1 pills and injections. What’s more, you can use the discount every month to save on your refills.

Manufacturer savings

Novo Nordisk offers a NovoCare Pharmacy program for patients with a Wegovy prescription who are either uninsured or plan to self-pay, even if they have insurance. However, patients are ineligible if they’re enrolled in a federal or state health care program with prescription drug coverage, such as Medicaid, Medicare, Medigap, VA, DOD, or TRICARE. Savings limits apply, and the costs of medication purchased through NovoCare do not apply to out-of-pocket limits and deductibles. 

Are there over-the-counter alternatives?

There are many prescription alternatives with efficacy similar to that of GLP-1 pills. There is no over-the-counter alternative to Rybelsus for diabetes treatment. There is one FDA-approved over-the-counter alternative to Wegovy: Alli, but it is less effective

Alli is a lower-strength version of the weight-loss medication orlistat, which is also available in prescription-strength form as Xenical. Alli was approved for people 18 and older with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher. The recommended dose is one 60 mg tablet up to three times a day. Alli can help people lose weight, but the weight loss “will likely be modest,” according to the Mayo Clinic.

“There are no over-the-counter products that offer weight loss results and health improvements comparable to prescription GLP-1 medications,” Dr. Almandoz says. “Some options, such as fiber supplements or structured meal replacements, may support appetite control for some individuals, but the effects are modest. I generally advise caution with supplements marketed for weight loss, as many lack strong evidence and some pose safety concerns.”

How to get GLP-1 pills

GLP-1 pills are only available with a prescription from a healthcare provider. Schedule a visit to discuss managing your weight or diabetes.

It’s also important to discuss both the benefits of using a medication like Wegovy and its potential risks. Experts note that many patients discontinue the use of weight-loss medications due to side effects. Common side effects include nausea and vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, and stomach pain. Some research suggests that side effects tend to decrease after about six months. However, more serious side effects are possible and can include an increased risk of low blood sugar, inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), and gallbladder problems.