Quick answer: in October 2026, Ozempic cost without insurance is $349 a month for the 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg and 1 mg pens and $499 a month for the 2 mg pen when you pay cash through Novo Nordisk’s NovoCare Pharmacy, with a $199 introductory price for new patients’ first two fills.[1] The list price, which uninsured people may be charged at a regular pharmacy without a discount, is about $1,000 a month.[2]
Prices and program terms checked October 2026. They change often; confirm with the manufacturer or your plan.
Ozempic is the brand of semaglutide approved for type 2 diabetes. It comes as a once-weekly pen and, since May 2026, as a daily pill.[5][6] This page covers what you pay with no insurance. If you have coverage, see Ozempic cost with insurance.
Ozempic price comparison table
| How you pay | Monthly cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| List price (retail, no discount) | About $1,000 | Falls to $675 on January 1, 2027[4] |
| NovoCare self-pay, 0.25 mg or 0.5 mg, new patient | $199 | First 2 monthly fills, through December 31, 2026 |
| NovoCare self-pay, 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg or 1 mg | $349 | Standard self-pay price |
| NovoCare self-pay, 2 mg | $499 | Highest dose |
| Ozempic pill, 1.5 mg / 4 mg / 9 mg | $149 / $199 / $299 | One bottle of 30 tablets |
| Patient Assistance Program | $0 | Uninsured, income at or below 200% FPL |
Sources: NovoCare,[1] the White House,[2] Novo Nordisk,[4][5] and the Novo Nordisk PAP.[7] A “month” for the pen is one box of one pen.[1]
The list price: about $1,000 a month
The list price (the wholesale acquisition cost the manufacturer sets) is what a pharmacy starts from before any discount. The White House put Ozempic’s list price at about $1,000 a month when it announced its pricing agreement with Novo Nordisk in November 2025.[2]
In February 2026, Novo Nordisk announced it will lower the list price of Ozempic 0.5 mg, 1 mg and 2 mg to $675 a month, effective January 1, 2027. The company described this as about a 35% cut.[4] The cut matters most for people whose costs track the list price, such as those in high-deductible plans or paying coinsurance. Novo said it does not change self-pay prices.[4]
The self-pay price through NovoCare Pharmacy
Most people without insurance pay far less than list price by using Novo Nordisk’s own self-pay program.
How the price has changed:
- November 17, 2025: the standard self-pay price dropped from $499 to $349 for every dose except 2 mg, which stayed at $499. Novo also added a $199 introductory price for the two lowest doses.[3]
- October 2026: NovoCare still lists $349 for 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg and 1 mg, and $499 for 2 mg. The $199 intro offer now runs through December 31, 2026.[1]
Self-pay rules to know:
- You need a prescription. Your prescriber sends it to NovoCare Pharmacy, which ships to your home or arranges local pickup.[1]
- You can pay by credit card or an FSA or HSA card.
- A 90-day supply is available if your prescriber writes for it.[1]
- Self-pay spending does not count toward an insurance deductible or out-of-pocket maximum.[1]
- People with Medicare or Medicaid can pay cash this way, but only outside their insurance. Medicare Part D enrollees should not submit the purchase toward their drug spending totals.[1]
What a year of Ozempic costs without insurance
Ozempic doses go up step by step. The label starts at 0.25 mg weekly for 4 weeks, then 0.5 mg, with increases to 1 mg or 2 mg if more blood sugar control is needed.[6] Your clinician sets the dose.
Here is a rough first-year self-pay estimate at current NovoCare prices, assuming a new patient who reaches 1 mg:
- Months 1 and 2 (intro price): 2 × $199 = $398
- Months 3 to 12 at $349: 10 × $349 = $3,490
- Total: about $3,888 for the year
Someone who needs 2 mg would pay $499 for those months instead, or about $5,388 a year. At list price, a year would cost roughly $12,000.[2]
The Ozempic pill without insurance
The Ozempic pill is oral semaglutide for type 2 diabetes. It replaced the U.S. version of Rybelsus, using new 1.5 mg, 4 mg and 9 mg tablet strengths. A 25 mg tablet is under FDA review.[5]
Self-pay prices for the pill are $149 a month for 1.5 mg, $199 for 4 mg and $299 for 9 mg.[5] The pill must be taken daily on an empty stomach, so it is not a simple swap. Pill and pen doses are not interchangeable milligram for milligram. Ask your clinician before switching.
Cheaper or free options if you have no insurance
Patient Assistance Program. Uninsured U.S. citizens or legal residents with household income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level may get Ozempic at no cost through the Novo Nordisk Patient Assistance Program. You may need to show a Medicaid denial letter first.[7] See our Ozempic patient assistance program guide.
Medicaid. If your income is low enough to qualify, state Medicaid programs must cover GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic for type 2 diabetes, usually with a small copay and often prior authorization.[8] More on this in how to get Ozempic for free.
Insurance you are not using. If you have commercial insurance but have not tried it, the Ozempic savings card can bring a covered prescription down to as little as $25.
What about compounded or generic semaglutide?
There is no generic Ozempic sold in the U.S. as of October 2026. Compounded semaglutide is not approved by the FDA, and the FDA ended the shortage-era leeway for copying approved semaglutide in 2025. Our semaglutide cost guide explains the current legal status without recommending any seller.
The bottom line
Without insurance, most people will pay $349 a month for Ozempic through NovoCare, or $499 for the 2 mg dose, after a possible two months at $199. The list price falls to $675 in January 2027, but that does not lower the cash price. If your income is low, check the Patient Assistance Program and Medicaid before paying cash. For a wider look at prices across brands, see our GLP-1 cost hub and semaglutide vs tirzepatide.
