GLP-1 vs zepbound
You are deciding between two options.
Reference and calculator, not medical advice. Dosing figures below are transcribed from FDA-approved prescribing information and link back to it. Last reviewed August 2026.
Zepbound is a GLP-1 medication, so there is no versus here. It is a brand name for tirzepatide, which activates the GLP-1 receptor and the GIP receptor together.
Zepbound titration schedule
Tirzepatide · once weekly · subcutaneous injection · as published in the prescribing information
| Step | Dose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1–4 | 2.5 mg | Starting dose — not intended for weight loss effect |
| Weeks 5–8 | 5 mg | — |
| Weeks 9–12 | 7.5 mg | — |
| Weeks 13–16 | 10 mg | — |
| Weeks 17–20 | 12.5 mg | — |
| Week 21+ | 15 mg | Maximum dose |
This is the labelled default. Holding at a step longer than shown is common practice and is a decision for your prescriber. Transcribed from the Zepbound prescribing information (label revised 6 May 2026); checked against that label on 7 August 2026.
The comparison worth making is between Zepbound and the other products labelled for weight management, which is a shorter list than the number of brand names in circulation suggests.
Side-by-side
Structural facts from each product’s prescribing information.
| Product | Active ingredient | Indication | Frequency | Start | Max labelled | Steps to max |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zepbound Eli Lilly | Tirzepatide | Weight management | Weekly | 2.5 mg | 15 mg | 6 |
| Wegovy Novo Nordisk | Semaglutide | Weight management | Weekly | 0.25 mg | 2.4 mg | 5 |
| Wegovy tablets Novo Nordisk | Semaglutide (oral) | Weight management | Daily | 1.5 mg | 25 mg | 4 |
| Saxenda Novo Nordisk | Liraglutide | Weight management | Daily | 0.6 mg | 3 mg | 5 |
Common questions
- Is Zepbound the same as Mounjaro?
- Same active ingredient, tirzepatide, under two brand names with different labelled indications — Zepbound for weight management, Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes.
- Is Zepbound stronger than "a GLP-1"?
- It is one of them. It does target a second receptor that semaglutide does not, but that is a difference in mechanism, not a ranking this site would make.
- Why does 15 mg of Zepbound sound so much more than 2.4 mg of Wegovy?
- Different molecules on different milligram scales. The numbers are not comparable and converting between them is meaningless.
Sources and last review
Every dosing figure on this page is transcribed from an FDA-approved label and links back to it. Conversions are arithmetic you can repeat by hand. Nothing here is reviewed by a clinician, and this site does not employ one — which is exactly why what I do publish stays traceable to its source.
- Zepbound (Tirzepatide) prescribing information — Eli Lilly, label revised 6 May 2026, checked 7 August 2026
- Wegovy (Semaglutide) prescribing information — Novo Nordisk, label revised 30 June 2026, checked 7 August 2026
- Saxenda (Liraglutide) prescribing information — Novo Nordisk, label revised 15 June 2026, checked 7 August 2026
Transcribed from the labels above and checked by me — Gavin, who builds this site, takes a GLP-1, and is not a clinician. Last reviewed August 2026. Found an error? [email protected] — I treat corrections as bugs. How this site is built and funded.
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