Key takeaways
Saxenda costs an average of $1,899 without insurance, but there are various ways to make it more affordable.
Saxenda is not covered by Medicare prescription drug plans, but it may be covered by insurance or Medicaid, depending on your plan and state of residence.
If you find that your insurance does not cover Saxenda, your healthcare provider may recommend an alternative medication that could be effective as part of your weight-loss plan.
As part of a weight-loss program that includes a healthy diet and exercise, your healthcare provider may prescribe Saxenda (liraglutide), a brand-name prescription drug manufactured by Novo Nordisk. Saxenda is an injectable medicine for adults with obesity (a body mass index [BMI] of 30 or higher) or who have a BMI of 27 or higher with a weight-related medical condition. It is also used for children ages 12–17 diagnosed with obesity and have a body weight above 132 pounds and a starting BMI of 30 or higher to help them lose weight and keep it off.
Saxenda is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. GLP-1s work by enhancing insulin secretion, suppressing glucagon secretion, slowing gastric emptying, and reducing appetite.
RELATED: Saxenda for weight loss: What you need to know
How much does Saxenda cost without insurance?
The average retail price of Saxenda without insurance is $1,899 for five, 3 mL pens, which is a 30-day supply at the maintenance dose. Prices vary by pharmacy and location.
Does insurance cover Saxenda?
Insurance coverage varies by plan, and weight loss drugs aren’t always covered. Novo Nordisk offers a tool to check whether your health insurance covers Saxenda, but the best way to be sure is to review your drug formulary or contact your insurance company directly.
As of 2026, a generic version of Saxenda is also available, which significantly lowers the cost. On average, generic Saxenda costs $291 per pen without insurance.
If you have Type 2 diabetes in addition to obesity, insurance may be more likely to cover Victoza, a medication with the same active ingredient as Saxenda (liraglutide). Victoza is only a cheaper option if you have a diabetes diagnosis, because while Victoza may be prescribed off-label for weight loss, it’s likely to be covered by insurance for that use. A generic form of Victoza, liraglutide, is FDA-approved for Type 2 diabetes and costs $398 per pen without insurance.
Medicare does not cover Saxenda. If you have Medicaid, you can check with your state’s Medicaid office to see whether it covers weight loss medications.
Can I get Saxenda for free?
If your insurance covers Saxenda, and you have a $0 drug copay, you may get Saxenda for free with your plan.
You may qualify for free Saxenda through Novo Nordisk’s Patient Assistance Program. Saxenda isn’t currently covered; however, the drugs covered change periodically. You must meet strict requirements:
- You must be a U.S. citizen or legal resident.
- You must have a total household income that is equal to or less than 400% of the federal poverty level (FPL).
- You must have Medicare or no insurance (Note: If you have private or commercial insurance, you are not eligible for the PAP).
- You must not be enrolled in or qualify for any other federal, state, or government program such as Medicaid, Medicare Low-Income Subsidy (LIS, or Extra Help Program), or Veterans Affairs (VA) Benefits. If you are eligible for Medicaid or Medicare LIS, you must submit a copy of your denial letter with your application.
You can also check the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America’s Medicine Assistance Tool (MAT), a search engine for many of the biopharmaceutical industry’s patient assistance resources.
How to save money on Saxenda
There are ways to save on Saxenda if you don’t have insurance or if your insurance plan won’t cover it. Even if your health insurance covers Saxenda, you may get a lower price with a Saxenda coupon.
1. Free Saxenda coupons
You can save hundreds of dollars on Saxenda with a free SingleCare coupon. You can use SingleCare instead of insurance. Simply search for “Saxenda” on SingleCare’s website or app, adjust your prescription details (form, dose, quantity), and enter your zip code to find the pharmacy near you with the lowest SingleCare price. Show your pharmacist the SingleCare coupon when you go to pick up your prescription.
Save up to 80% on Saxenda with SingleCare
Different pharmacies offer different prices for the same medication. SingleCare helps find the best price for you.
2. Generic alternatives
Switching to generic liraglutide can significantly reduce costs for weight loss. Prices are expected to continue to fall as more generic manufacturers enter the marketplace. Plus, using a savings card, such as SingleCare, can help you save even more on the generic.
3. Manufacturer discounts
If you are underinsured or uninsured and meet certain income requirements, you may be eligible to use the manufacturer’s assistance program to pay less for Saxenda. You can apply through NovoCare or the Saxenda Hotline (1-844-845-6913).
Novo Nordisk offered a Saxenda Savings card that allowed patients to save up to $200 per month on Saxenda, but it expired in 2023.
4. Compare prices
Medication prices can vary by pharmacy and location. In fact, some pharmacies may charge more than others even within the same city. Shop around and compare prices before filling your Saxenda prescription to ensure you’re paying the lowest possible price. SingleCare’s website and app let you do this right from your phone or computer.
5. Switch insurance plans
Not all insurance plans cover Saxenda, but some do. During the next Open Enrollment Period (usually November to January), explore which options have coverage or list Saxenda as a low-tier drug on their formulary. This can help to reduce your out-of-pocket costs.
6. International programs
Saxenda may be significantly cheaper in other countries. You may be able to order your prescription from Canada and pay a lower price. Be sure to check with your provider and local laws first.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Saxenda?
There are some alternatives to Saxenda that your healthcare provider may consider, including other injectable GLP-1 medications or GIP/GLP-1 medications. “Saxenda works by helping increase insulin release when there are high glucose levels in the blood,” explains Gianna R. D’Angelo, Pharm. D., clinical assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice at D’Youville School of Pharmacy in Buffalo, New York. “It also delays gastric emptying, which helps suppress appetite and decreases caloric intake. This promotes weight loss.” Other GLP-1s work the same way, but they may not be much more affordable.
RELATED: The expanding use of GLP-1s
Another GLP-1 medication approved for weight loss is Wegovy (semaglutide). While they have different active ingredients, both Wegovy and Saxenda are approved for weight loss for people ages 12 and older. Wegovy has the same active ingredient as Ozempic, which is semaglutide, but Ozempic is approved for people with Type 2 diabetes, not weight loss. Wegovy is also approved to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in adults with cardiovascular disease and obesity or who are overweight. Ozempic is approved to reduce the risk of MACE in adults with Type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease and to reduce the risk of end-stage kidney disease and cardiovascular death in adults with Type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease.
“There are also a number of oral medications that are FDA approved for weight management,” says Jessica Cutler, MD, of The Maryland Bariatric Center at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland. These include oral Wegovy (semaglutide), Qsymia (phentermine and topiramate), and Contrave (naltrexone and bupropion). “These cost less per month than [brand-name] Saxenda if a patient has to pay out of pocket,” Dr. Cutler says.
Talk to your healthcare provider about whether Saxenda or an alternative is right for you. Dr. Cutler cautions that people who take Saxenda or another weight-loss medication but don’t follow a healthy diet are unlikely to lose meaningful weight. “Eating less might mean eating smaller portions, eating less frequently, or eating fewer calories by changing the composition of the food that they eat,” she says. “Any or all of those will be helpful in yielding weight loss. The job of the medication is to make those changes easier to sustain.”
The SingleCare prices in this article are the most accurate at the time of publishing in ZIP code 23666 as of Oct. 10, 2026. Prices vary by pharmacy. Visit our coupon page for updated drug prices at pharmacies near you.
- Find out if your insurance covers Saxenda, Novo Nordisk (2026)
- I know my insurance does not cover Saxenda, but I still want to save on it, Novo Nordisk (2024)
- Medicine assistance tool, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America
Featured experts:
- Gianna R. D’Angelo, Pharm. D., clinical assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice at D’Youville School of Pharmacy in Buffalo, New York
- Jessica Cutler, MD, of The Maryland Bariatric Center at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland
- Medically accurate: SingleCare’s Medical Review Board analyzes all of our content to confirm it’s in line with current medical advice.
- Evidence-based: Our content is sourced from reputable U.S.-based healthcare professionals and peer-reviewed research.
- Trustworthy: All of SingleCare’s content goes through a multi-phase review process by our writers, editors, and Medical Board in order to provide clear and credible information.