Mounjaro is Eli Lilly's tirzepatide for type 2 diabetes. It is the same molecule as Zepbound, but it isn't approved for weight loss. You can get it online with a prescription, and paying cash through LillyDirect costs $499 a month at every dose. Below: what the label says, what Lilly charges with and without insurance, and which online clinics we review prescribe it.
By Alexandru Vieru | Independently researched | Every price comes from the seller's own website, with the date we read it. This is general information, not medical advice.
⚠️ Mounjaro is approved for type 2 diabetes, not for weight loss. A clinician may prescribe it off-label for weight, but Lilly's savings card and most insurers only apply to an approved use. For weight management, the approved tirzepatide is Zepbound: see Zepbound insurance coverage.
What Mounjaro is
Mounjaro is tirzepatide, a dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist, made by Eli Lilly. A once-weekly injection: single-dose pens and vials, and a multi-dose KwikPen.
Who it’s approved for
- Adults and children aged 10 and older with type 2 diabetes, to improve blood sugar control alongside diet and exercise.
- Adults with type 2 diabetes at high cardiovascular risk, to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular death.
Not approved for weight loss. Zepbound, the same molecule, is the tirzepatide approved for weight management and sleep apnea.
How it’s taken
- Once a week at any time of day, with or without food, under the skin of the belly or thigh, or the back of the upper arm if someone else injects it. Injection sites are rotated with each dose.
Doses
- Starts at 2.5 mg a week; if more blood sugar control is needed, the dose rises in 2.5 mg steps at least 4 weeks apart. The maximum is 15 mg a week for adults and 10 mg for children 10 and older.
Side effects
The most common, in 5% or more of people in its trials: nausea, diarrhea, decreased appetite, vomiting, constipation, indigestion and abdominal pain.
The label also warns of pancreatitis, low blood sugar with insulin or sulfonylureas, allergic reactions, kidney injury from dehydration, severe stomach and bowel side effects, diabetic eye complications, gallbladder disease and inhaling stomach contents under anesthesia.
Boxed warning. Risk of thyroid C-cell tumors: tirzepatide causes these tumors in rats, and it is unknown whether it does in humans. Mounjaro must not be used by anyone with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2).
From the FDA prescribing information for Mounjaro (revised August 2026), read on DailyMed on 16 October 2026. A summary, not medical advice: a clinician decides whether it suits you.
What Mounjaro costs from Eli Lilly
Mounjaro (tirzepatide)
Without insurance (self-pay; a month is 28 days and up to 4 single-dose pens):
| 2.5 mg to 15 mg | $499/month |
|---|
- Eligible patients with commercial insurance that covers it: as little as $25 with the savings card (for up to a 3-month prescription (total), commercial insurance that covers Mounjaro; as low as $499 a month if commercial insurance does not cover it). Government plans are excluded from the card.
- List price: $1,112.16 per fill. Your pharmacy's cash quote can differ. Manufacturer list-price source.
Read on lilly.com, mounjaro.lilly.com on 12 October 2026.
Mounjaro or Zepbound?
Both are tirzepatide, made by Eli Lilly, injected once a week in the same dose steps. The difference is the approval, and that drives the price you pay:
- Mounjaro is approved for type 2 diabetes. With commercial insurance that covers it, Lilly's savings card can bring it down to as little as $25. Self-pay is $499 a month at any dose.
- Zepbound is approved for weight management and obstructive sleep apnea. Self-pay through LillyDirect starts at $299 a month for the 2.5 mg starting dose, and every Zepbound dose costs less than Mounjaro's $499 when you refill within 45 days.
If weight loss is the goal and you're paying cash, Zepbound is usually the cheaper way to get the same molecule from Lilly.
Brand Mounjaro or compounded tirzepatide?
Compounded tirzepatide is made by a pharmacy for an individual prescription. It shares the active ingredient but isn't Mounjaro, isn't a generic version of it, and isn't FDA-approved. Many clinics in our ranking sell it for less than either brand, often on a prepaid plan. Each clinic's review shows exactly what its compounded plans cost and cover.
Online clinics that prescribe Mounjaro
10 of the clinics we review list Mounjaro, in the order of our ranking. Prices are each clinic’s own, read on its pages; where a clinic doesn’t publish one, we say so. Partner buttons are affiliate links: we may earn a commission, which never changes a score, a rank or this order.
| Clinic | Mounjaro price at the clinic | |
|---|---|---|
 #1 · 7.9/10 · Read the review | $1,399/moMounjaro®, read 9 October 2026Minimum plan length not stated.Clinic price source | Visit → |
 #2 · 7.9/10 · Read the review | Not published on its pages | |
 Pallas Health#4 · 7.8/10 · Read the review | $1,349/mo (28-day supply)Mounjaro, read 9 October 2026Minimum plan length not stated.Clinic price source | |
 Mochi Health#16 · 7.5/10 · Read the review | $499/moMounjaro® (medication only), read 9 October 2026Minimum plan length not stated.Medication quote. Clinic care or membership fees are billed separately.Clinic price source | |
 Noom Med#21 · 7.3/10 · Read the review | Not published on its pages | |
 Calibrate#32 · 7.0/10 · Read the review | Not published on its pages | |
 #44 · 6.4/10 · Read the review | Not published on its pages | |
 Ivím Health#46 · 6.2/10 · Read the review | Not published on its pages | |
 Hims & Hers#47 · 6.2/10 · Read the review | $1,899/moMounjaro® (medication only), read 11 October 2026Minimum plan length not stated.Medication quote. Clinic care or membership fees are billed separately.Clinic price source | |
 Zealthy#51 · 6.0/10 · Read the review | Not published on its pages |
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy Mounjaro online without insurance? Yes, with a prescription. LillyDirect sells it self-pay for $499 a month (a month is 28 days), and an online clinic can write the prescription.
Will an online clinic prescribe Mounjaro for weight loss? Some will, off-label. Because weight loss isn't an approved use, the savings card and most insurance won't apply to that prescription. Zepbound is the tirzepatide approved for weight.
What is Mounjaro's list price? Lilly gives it as $1,112.16 per fill. That's the price before insurance discounts; most insured patients pay less, and self-pay through LillyDirect is $499.
Is Mounjaro covered by Medicare? Part D plans can cover Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes. Coverage for weight loss alone is excluded by law. Check your plan's formulary.
Disclosure: Some clinics in the table 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 the 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 or changing any medication.
Sources: the Mounjaro prescribing information on DailyMed, read 16 October 2026; Lilly's Mounjaro self-pay, savings card and list prices, read 12 October 2026; clinic prices from each clinic's own pages, with the date on each row.
