Short answer: In liraglutide vs semaglutide, semaglutide wins on results and convenience. In the one trial that compared them directly, weekly semaglutide (Wegovy) produced 15.8% average weight loss over 68 weeks, against 6.4% for daily liraglutide (Saxenda). Semaglutide is injected once a week, liraglutide once a day. Novo Nordisk is also discontinuing Saxenda, with last shipments to wholesalers in late January 2027, though generic liraglutide for weight management is approved.
By Alexandru Vieru. Independently researched. Last reviewed October 18, 2026. Every price comes from the seller's own website, with the date we read it. Educational information only, not medical advice.
Liraglutide and semaglutide are both GLP-1 medicines made originally by Novo Nordisk, and both are approved for weight management under different brand names. Liraglutide came first. Semaglutide followed with a longer-acting design. This guide compares liraglutide vs semaglutide on how they are taken, what the head-to-head trial found, side effects, the brand names you will see, what they cost and where to get each one.
Liraglutide vs semaglutide at a glance
| Liraglutide | Semaglutide | |
|---|---|---|
| Weight-loss brand | Saxenda, plus approved generics | Wegovy |
| Diabetes brand | Victoza, plus approved generics | Ozempic, Rybelsus |
| How often | Injection once a day | Injection once a week, or a daily Wegovy tablet |
| Weight-loss maintenance dose | 3 mg a day | 2.4 mg a week (up to 7.2 mg), or 25 mg tablet a day |
| Head-to-head result, 68 weeks | 6.4% average loss | 15.8% average loss |
| Manufacturer self-pay price | None published for Saxenda | $349 a month for the injection |
| Status | Saxenda being discontinued by Novo Nordisk | Available |
The trial result comes from STEP 8, published in JAMA in January 2022. Label details come from the Saxenda prescribing information and the Wegovy prescribing information on DailyMed, read October 18, 2026.
Liraglutide vs semaglutide: what is the difference?
Both are GLP-1 receptor agonists: they copy a gut hormone that reduces appetite, slows stomach emptying and helps regulate blood sugar. The main difference is how long each lasts in the body. Liraglutide is cleared quickly enough that it has to be injected every day. Semaglutide was designed to last much longer, so a single weekly injection keeps it working.
That difference shows up in the routine and in results: in the direct comparison, semaglutide produced more than twice the average weight loss of liraglutide.
The brand names can be confusing because each molecule has a diabetes version and a weight-loss version. Victoza and Saxenda are both liraglutide. Ozempic and Wegovy are both semaglutide. The weight-loss brands use higher doses and carry labels written for weight management.
Liraglutide vs semaglutide: the head-to-head trial
STEP 8 randomized 338 adults with obesity, or overweight with a weight-related condition, and without diabetes. Some received weekly semaglutide 2.4 mg, others daily liraglutide 3.0 mg, and others placebo, all alongside counseling on diet and physical activity. After 68 weeks:
| STEP 8, 68 weeks | Semaglutide 2.4 mg weekly | Liraglutide 3.0 mg daily |
|---|---|---|
| Average weight change | 15.8% loss | 6.4% loss |
| Lost 10% or more | 70.9% | 25.6% |
| Lost 15% or more | 55.6% | 12.0% |
| Lost 20% or more | 38.5% | 6.0% |
| Stopped treatment for any reason | 13.5% | 27.6% |
The pooled placebo group lost 1.9% on average.
The result is strong for a single trial: the gap of 9.4 percentage points had a confidence interval of 6.8 to 12.0. The comparison between the two active drugs was open-label, meaning participants knew which medicine they were on, though each drug was blinded against its own placebo.
The FDA labels tell a consistent story from separate trials. In Saxenda's main trial in adults without diabetes, average weight loss was 7.4% over 56 weeks, against 3.0% on placebo. In Wegovy's, it was 14.9% over 68 weeks, against 2.4% on placebo.
Saxenda's label adds a rule that matters in practice: it says to check progress at 16 weeks and stop if weight has not fallen by at least 4% of the starting weight, because continued treatment is then unlikely to help.
Liraglutide vs semaglutide side effects
Stomach and bowel side effects were almost equally common in STEP 8: 84.1% of people on semaglutide and 82.7% on liraglutide reported them. Yet nearly twice as many people stopped liraglutide for any reason, 27.6% against 13.5%.
Liraglutide (Saxenda): the label's common side effects are nausea, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, injection site reactions, headache, low blood sugar, indigestion, fatigue, dizziness, abdominal pain, raised lipase, upper abdominal pain, fever and stomach flu. In its adult trials, 9.8% stopped because of side effects, against 4.3% on placebo.
Semaglutide (Wegovy): the label's common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, headache, fatigue, indigestion, dizziness, bloating, belching and hair loss. With the 2.4 mg injection, 6.8% stopped because of side effects, against 3.2% on placebo.
Both labels carry the boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumors seen in rodents, and both warn of pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, kidney injury from dehydration, low blood sugar, a faster heart rate and inhaling stomach contents under anesthesia. Saxenda's label also says it should not be combined with any other liraglutide product or another GLP-1 medicine.
Liraglutide vs semaglutide dosing
Liraglutide (Saxenda) is injected once a day at any time, with or without meals. It starts at 0.6 mg a day for one week and rises by 0.6 mg each week to the 3 mg maintenance dose. If more than three days pass without a dose, the label says to restart at 0.6 mg and step up again.
Semaglutide (Wegovy injection) is injected once a week. It starts at 0.25 mg and rises every four weeks, usually to 2.4 mg a week, and for adults who tolerate 2.4 mg for at least four weeks, up to 7.2 mg. Semaglutide is also available as the daily Wegovy tablet, which must be taken on an empty stomach.
A clinician sets the schedule. The weekly rhythm is the reason many people find semaglutide easier to stay on: 52 injections a year against 365.
Saxenda is being discontinued
Novo Nordisk has announced that it is discontinuing Saxenda, with last shipments to wholesalers in late January 2027. On its NovoCare Saxenda page (novocare.com), read October 18, 2026, the company says the decision follows declining use as other medicines became available, and that it is not the result of any safety or quality concern.
If you take Saxenda now, the practical step is to talk to your prescriber before your supply runs out about what comes next. Two routes exist. One is generic liraglutide for weight management: several manufacturers, including Teva and Biocon, have FDA-approved generic labels for it listed on DailyMed. The other is switching to a different approved medicine, which your prescriber would start at its own label's first dose.
Liraglutide vs semaglutide cost
What Saxenda costs from Novo Nordisk
Saxenda (liraglutide injection 3 mg)
Novo Nordisk is discontinuing Saxenda, with last shipments to wholesalers in late January 2027. It says this is a portfolio decision, not a safety or quality concern. Manufacturer notice (novocare.com).
Novo Nordisk doesn't publish a self-pay price for Saxenda. Its NovoCare pages disagree on savings: the list-price page describes a savings offer for eligible patients, while the Saxenda page says the Saxenda Savings Offer closed to new enrollees on June 30, 2023. Confirm with NovoCare before counting on any savings.
- List price: $1,349.02 per package (NovoCare does not state how many pens or days it covers). Your pharmacy's cash quote can differ. Manufacturer list-price source (novocare.com).
Read on novocare.com on 26 October 2026.
What Wegovy costs from Novo Nordisk
Wegovy pen (semaglutide injection)
Without insurance (self-pay; a month is 1 box of 4 pens):
| 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 1.7 mg, 2.4 mg | $349/month |
|---|---|
| Wegovy HD 7.2 mg | $399/month |
New-patient offer: $199/month for 0.25 mg and 0.5 mg, through 31 December 2026.
- Eligible patients with commercial insurance that covers it: as little as $25 with the savings card, which saves up to $100 a month. Government plans are excluded from the card.
- Eligible Medicare patients: $50 a month through the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge. Program eligibility and terms (novocare.com).
Read on novocare.com on 26 October 2026.
Wegovy pill (semaglutide tablets)
Without insurance (self-pay; a month is 1 bottle of 30 tablets):
| 1.5 mg | $149/month |
|---|---|
| 4 mg | $199/month |
| 9 mg, 25 mg | $299/month |
- Eligible patients with commercial insurance that covers it: as little as $25 with the savings card, which saves up to $100 a month. Government plans are excluded from the card.
Read on novocare.com on 26 October 2026.
Saxenda has no self-pay price from Novo Nordisk. Its NovoCare list price is $1,349.02, a figure before insurance discounts, and NovoCare does not state on that page how many pens it covers. The company's own Saxenda pages also disagree on savings: one describes a savings offer for eligible patients, while the other says the Saxenda Savings Offer closed to new enrollees in June 2023. Confirm with NovoCare before counting on any savings.
Wegovy's self-pay prices are published: $349 a month for the injection at the standard doses, and from $149 a month for the tablet. A pharmacy's cash price for generic liraglutide depends on the pharmacy and the manufacturer, so ask for a written quote for the exact product and supply.
Some online clinics also sell compounded liraglutide. A compounded drug is prepared by a pharmacy and is not FDA approved; the FDA explains the difference in its page on the risks of compounded drugs. Our compounded vs brand guide explains what to check before choosing one.
Liraglutide vs semaglutide: which clinics prescribe each?
The tables below list the clinics we review that prescribe brand Saxenda and brand Wegovy, in the order of our ranking, with each clinic's own price where it publishes one. Clinics that offer only compounded liraglutide are not in the Saxenda table, because their product is different.
Online clinics that prescribe Saxenda
3 of the clinics we review list Saxenda. Our partner clinics come first, in order of our score; the others are named below, each linked to our review. Where a clinic doesn’t publish a price for it, we say so.
Other clinics that list Saxenda: Weight Watchers Med+, Calibrate, LifeMD.
Online clinics that prescribe Wegovy
17 of the clinics we review list Wegovy. Our partner clinics come first, in order of our score; the others are named below, each linked to our review. Where a clinic doesn’t publish a price for it, we say so.
Other clinics that list Wegovy: Lavender Sky Health, AgelessRx, Ro (Body by Ro), Weight Watchers Med+, Mochi Health, Noom Med, Pomegranate Health, Eden Health, Calibrate, LifeMD, MEDVi, Synergy RX, GobyMeds, Maximus, Ivím Health, Hims & Hers, Zealthy.
Three of the clinics that list Saxenda, Weight Watchers Med+, Calibrate and LifeMD, also prescribe Wegovy, which matters if you are planning a switch before Saxenda's supply ends. Our semaglutide hub lists every clinic we review that prescribes semaglutide.
Liraglutide vs semaglutide FAQ
Is semaglutide stronger than liraglutide? For weight loss, yes, in the trial that compared them: 15.8% average loss with weekly semaglutide against 6.4% with daily liraglutide over 68 weeks.
Is Saxenda being discontinued? Yes. Novo Nordisk says last shipments to wholesalers will be in late January 2027, and that the decision is not because of a safety or quality concern.
Is there a generic version of Saxenda? Yes. Several manufacturers have FDA-approved generic liraglutide labeled for weight management, listed on DailyMed.
Can I switch from liraglutide to semaglutide? Yes, under a prescriber's direction. Semaglutide is started at its own label's first dose rather than by converting the liraglutide dose.
Is Victoza the same as Saxenda? Both contain liraglutide, but Victoza's label approves it for type 2 diabetes in adults and children aged 10 and older, at doses up to 1.8 mg a day, while Saxenda is approved for weight management at 3 mg a day.
Related reading
- Semaglutide clinic hub
- Get Wegovy online in 2026
- Semaglutide vs tirzepatide
- Compounded vs brand semaglutide
- GLP-1 without insurance in 2026
Disclosure: Some clinics in the tables above are affiliate partners; we may be paid a commission when you join through our link. Commission never changes a score, a rank or the order of a table. See our affiliate disclosure and editorial policy.
Medical disclaimer: This page is for information only and is not medical advice. Talk to a licensed clinician before starting, stopping or changing any medication.
Sources: STEP 8, JAMA, January 11, 2022; the Saxenda and Wegovy prescribing information on DailyMed, read October 18, 2026; generic liraglutide labels on DailyMed, read October 18, 2026; NovoCare's Saxenda pages, including the discontinuation notice and list price, read October 18, 2026; Novo Nordisk's Wegovy self-pay prices, read October 12, 2026; clinic prices from each clinic's own pages, with the date on each row.
