Comparison
Semaglutide vs liraglutide: how do Wegovy and Ozempic compare with Saxenda and Victoza?
Both are FDA-approved GLP-1 prescriptions. Semaglutide (Wegovy, Ozempic) is a weekly injection or a pill; liraglutide (Saxenda, Victoza) is an older daily injection that now has FDA-approved generics. In STEP 8, the head-to-head weight trial of the two, average weight loss at 68 weeks was about 16% with semaglutide and about 6% with liraglutide.
How do Semaglutide and Liraglutide compare?
| Attribute | Semaglutide | Liraglutide |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory status | FDA-approved · Prescription | FDA-approved · Prescription |
| Human evidence | Strong human evidence | Strong human evidence |
| Comes as | Weekly injection, Daily oral tablet | Daily injection |
| How you get it | A prescription from a licensed clinician, filled by a licensed pharmacy. 24 providers are listed on DiscoverMedica. | A prescription from a licensed clinician, filled by a licensed pharmacy. 12 providers are listed on DiscoverMedica. |
| Brand namesWegovy labelOzempic labelSaxenda labelFDA (Dec 2024) | Wegovy (injection and pill) for weight; Ozempic and Rybelsus for type 2 diabetes | Saxenda for weight; Victoza for type 2 diabetes; generics of both |
| Head-to-head for weight (Wegovy vs Saxenda)STEP 8 | STEP 8: 15.8% average weight loss at 68 weeks | STEP 8: 6.4% average weight loss at 68 weeks |
| Head-to-head in type 2 diabetes (Ozempic vs Victoza)SUSTAIN 10 | SUSTAIN 10: HbA1c fell 1.7 points and weight 5.8 kg at 30 weeks | SUSTAIN 10: HbA1c fell 1.0 point and weight 1.9 kg at 30 weeks |
| Placebo-controlled trialSTEP 1SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes | STEP 1: about 15% average loss at 68 weeks, versus about 2% on placebo | SCALE: about 8 kg average loss at 56 weeks, versus about 3 kg on placebo |
| Key risksWegovy labelSaxenda label | Boxed warning for thyroid C-cell tumors in rodents. GI side effects are common. Label warnings include pancreatitis, gallbladder disease and diabetic eye complications. | The same boxed warning. GI side effects are common. Label warnings include pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, kidney injury, a faster heart rate, and suicidal thoughts. |
| Listed prices | Listed starting prices run from $60 to $791 across 17 providers, checked October 7, 2026. | Listed starting prices run from $149 to $179 across 3 providers, checked October 7, 2026. |
Status, evidence, formats, routes and prices come from each compound’s page. Prices are the providers’ own listed starting prices, which may exclude a membership fee and change often; they are not DiscoverMedica’s prices.
Does semaglutide lead to more weight loss than liraglutide?
On average, yes, by a wide margin. In STEP 8, which compared weekly semaglutide with daily liraglutide in adults with overweight or obesity, average weight loss at 68 weeks was about 16% with semaglutide and about 6% with liraglutide. These are trial averages, and individual results varied. STEP 8
In its own placebo-controlled trial, SCALE, liraglutide participants lost about 8 kg on average over 56 weeks, versus about 3 kg on placebo. SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes
How is taking semaglutide different from taking liraglutide?
Semaglutide for weight is a once-weekly injection, or a pill. Liraglutide is an injection taken every day. Natural GLP-1 breaks down within minutes; both drugs are modified to last longer, and semaglutide lasts long enough for weekly use. Saxenda label
Is liraglutide cheaper than semaglutide?
It can be, because liraglutide has FDA-approved generics. FDA approved the first generic of Victoza in December 2024, and a generic of Saxenda followed in 2025. Your cost still depends on insurance and pharmacy. FDA (Dec 2024)
Do semaglutide and liraglutide have the same side effects?
Largely. Both carry the same boxed warning about thyroid C-cell tumors in rodents, and GI side effects are the most common with both. The Saxenda label also warns about a faster heart rate and about suicidal thoughts, so mood changes should be reported promptly. Saxenda label
Which might suit whom: Semaglutide or Liraglutide?
The right choice depends on your goals, coverage, history and how you feel about daily versus weekly treatment. Questions worth asking:
- Would generic liraglutide cost me meaningfully less than semaglutide with my coverage?
- Does the difference in average weight loss in STEP 8 matter for my health goals?
- Would a daily injection or a weekly injection fit my routine better, and is a pill an option?
- Do I have heart disease that would make Wegovy’s heart-risk approval relevant to me?
- Given my mood or mental health history, is either one a poor fit?
DiscoverMedica does not recommend one over the other. Only a licensed clinician who knows your history can decide.
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Where to get each
Licensed providers that list each one on DiscoverMedica, by name. The full list is on each compound’s page.
Prices as listed by the provider when we checked; they change.
Semaglutide vs Liraglutide: questions, answered
Is liraglutide the same as Victoza and Saxenda?
Yes. Victoza and Saxenda both contain liraglutide. Victoza is approved for type 2 diabetes and Saxenda for weight management, and FDA-approved generics of both now exist.
Wegovy vs Saxenda: which leads to more weight loss?
Wegovy, on average. In STEP 8, which compared them directly in adults with overweight or obesity, average weight loss at 68 weeks was about 16% with Wegovy (weekly semaglutide) and about 6% with Saxenda (daily liraglutide). Saxenda now has FDA-approved generics, which can lower the cost. GI side effects are the most common with both.
Ozempic vs Victoza: what is the difference?
Both are FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes. Ozempic (semaglutide) is a weekly injection; Victoza (liraglutide) is a daily injection with FDA-approved generics. In SUSTAIN 10, adults with type 2 diabetes lowered HbA1c by about 1.7 points over 30 weeks on semaglutide versus 1.0 on liraglutide, and lost more weight, though GI side effects were more common with semaglutide.
Which works better for weight loss, semaglutide or liraglutide?
In the STEP 8 head-to-head trial, semaglutide led to more weight loss on average: about 16% of body weight at 68 weeks, versus about 6% with liraglutide. Those are averages. Cost, coverage, side effects and your history also matter, and a clinician can weigh them with you.
What do semaglutide and liraglutide cost?
Semaglutide: Listed starting prices run from $60 to $791 across 17 providers, checked October 7, 2026. Liraglutide: Listed starting prices run from $149 to $179 across 3 providers, checked October 7, 2026. Insurance, generics and program fees change the real cost, and listed prices change often.
How do I know if liraglutide is working?
The Saxenda label builds in a check at 16 weeks: if you have lost less than 4% of your starting weight by then, it says to stop, because meaningful long-term loss is unlikely. Your clinician will review this with you.
Sources
- STEP 8: Semaglutide vs liraglutide in adults with overweight or obesity (JAMA 2022)
- SUSTAIN 10: Once-weekly semaglutide vs once-daily liraglutide in type 2 diabetes (Diabetes Metab 2020)
- STEP 1: Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity (NEJM 2021)
- SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes: liraglutide in weight management (NEJM 2015)
- DailyMed: Saxenda (liraglutide) prescribing information
- DailyMed: Wegovy (semaglutide) prescribing information, revised June 2026
- DailyMed: Ozempic (semaglutide) injection prescribing information, revised May 2026
- FDA (Dec 2024): First generic of once-daily GLP-1 injection approved
- AGA clinical practice guideline on pharmacological interventions for obesity (2022)
- DailyMed: Wegovy prescribing information
- FDA: Concerns with unapproved GLP-1 drugs used for weight loss
- FDA (Apr 30, 2026): Proposal to exclude semaglutide, tirzepatide and liraglutide from the 503B bulks list
Last reviewed October 7, 2026. Every source above was checked on or before that date. Educational information only, not medical advice; it does not replace a conversation with a licensed clinician. DiscoverMedica does not employ clinicians.