<section class="ondra-article-page"> <div class="ondra-article-hero"> <div class="ondra-article-container"> <div class="ondra-article-meta-row"> <span class="ondra-meta-pill">⏱ 9 min read</span> <span class="ondra-meta-pill">🏷 Medication Guides</span> </div> <h1 class="ondra-article-title">Semaglutide vs Tirzepatide at Ondra Health: Which Is Right for You?</h1> <p class="ondra-article-intro">Both are weekly injectables available through Ondra Health. They work through different mechanisms, carry different side effect profiles, and are priced differently. This is an educational overview to help you have a more informed conversation with your provider — not a promise of what either medication will do for you.</p> </div> </div> <div class="ondra-article-container ondra-article-body"> <div class="ondra-article-layout"> <div class="ondra-article-main"> <a href="/blog" class="ondra-back-link">← Back to all articles</a> <div class="ondra-takeaways-card"> <h2 class="ondra-card-heading">Key takeaways</h2> <div class="ondra-takeaway-item"> <span class="ondra-check"><svg width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="none"><circle cx="8" cy="8" r="7" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.4"/><path d="M4.5 8.5L6.5 10.5L11.5 5.5" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg></span> <p>Tirzepatide activates both GLP-1 and GIP receptors. Semaglutide activates GLP-1 only. These are different mechanisms — not interchangeable drugs.</p> </div> <div class="ondra-takeaway-item"> <span class="ondra-check"><svg width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="none"><circle cx="8" cy="8" r="7" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.4"/><path d="M4.5 8.5L6.5 10.5L11.5 5.5" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg></span> <p>Clinical trials of the FDA-approved brand-name versions showed different average outcomes. Those figures apply to Wegovy and Zepbound — not to compounded semaglutide or tirzepatide, which have not been studied in equivalent trials.</p> </div> <div class="ondra-takeaway-item"> <span class="ondra-check"><svg width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="none"><circle cx="8" cy="8" r="7" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.4"/><path d="M4.5 8.5L6.5 10.5L11.5 5.5" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg></span> <p>At Ondra Health, compounded semaglutide runs $113–$149/mo and compounded tirzepatide $183–$219/mo depending on plan, with Starter Pack pricing for new patients. Both are flat-priced across all dose levels.</p> </div> <div class="ondra-takeaway-item"> <span class="ondra-check"><svg width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="none"><circle cx="8" cy="8" r="7" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.4"/><path d="M4.5 8.5L6.5 10.5L11.5 5.5" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg></span> <p>The right choice depends on your individual clinical profile. Your provider at Wasef Health, PC makes the prescribing decision — not you, and not this article.</p> </div> </div> <div class="ondra-section"> <h2>How they work differently</h2> <p><strong>Semaglutide</strong> is a <a href="https://ondra.health/glp1-reference#glp1-receptor-agonist">GLP-1 receptor agonist</a>. It mimics glucagon-like peptide-1, a gut hormone that slows gastric emptying, reduces appetite, and stimulates insulin release. It is the active ingredient in the brand-name products Wegovy (for weight management) and Ozempic (for type 2 diabetes).</p> <p><strong>Tirzepatide</strong> is a dual <a href="https://ondra.health/glp1-reference#glp1-receptor-agonist">GLP-1</a> and <a href="https://ondra.health/glp1-reference#gip-receptor-agonist">GIP receptor agonist</a> — the only approved medication in its class that activates both pathways. The GIP component adds insulin sensitization through adipose tissue signaling. It is the active ingredient in Zepbound (for weight management) and Mounjaro (for type 2 diabetes).</p> <p>The compounded versions available through Ondra Health are prepared by state-licensed compounding pharmacies based on individual prescriptions. <strong>Compounded medications are not FDA-approved and are not therapeutically equivalent to brand-name products.</strong> No clinical trials have evaluated the specific compounded formulations dispensed through Ondra's pharmacy partners.</p> </div> <div class="ondra-section"> <h2>What the clinical trial data shows — brand-name products only</h2> <p>The following trial data applies exclusively to FDA-approved brand-name semaglutide (Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Zepbound). It does not describe expected outcomes from compounded versions. It is presented here as background on the clinical science behind each drug class.</p> <div class="ondra-info-card"> <p class="ondra-info-title">STEP 1 trial — FDA-approved semaglutide (Wegovy), NEJM 2021</p> <p>1,961 adults with obesity or overweight · 68 weeks · 2.4mg weekly semaglutide<br> Mean weight loss: −14.9% vs −2.4% placebo<br> 86.4% achieved ≥5% weight loss · 69.1% achieved ≥10%<br> <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2032183" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Wilding et al., NEJM 2021 — DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2032183</a></p> </div> <div class="ondra-info-card"> <p class="ondra-info-title">SURMOUNT-1 trial — FDA-approved tirzepatide (Zepbound), NEJM 2022</p> <p>2,539 adults with obesity or overweight · 72 weeks · Up to 15mg weekly tirzepatide<br> Mean weight loss: −20.9% at 15mg · −19.5% at 10mg · −15.0% at 5mg · vs −3.1% placebo<br> <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2206038" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jastreboff et al., NEJM 2022 — DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2206038</a></p> </div> <div class="ondra-info-card"> <p class="ondra-info-title">SURMOUNT-5 head-to-head trial — FDA-approved products only, 2024</p> <p>The first direct comparison trial studied FDA-approved tirzepatide against FDA-approved semaglutide over 72 weeks. Tirzepatide showed approximately 20% mean weight loss versus approximately 14% for semaglutide in that trial. <strong>This data does not apply to compounded versions of either medication.</strong> Individual results vary significantly even within FDA-approved trials.</p> </div> <div class="ondra-info-card"> <p class="ondra-info-title">Important — what this data does not tell you</p> <p>These figures are group averages from controlled trials of FDA-approved products. Compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide have not been studied in equivalent trials. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved and are not therapeutically equivalent to brand-name products. Your individual outcome — on any version of these medications — depends on your dose, adherence, lifestyle, and biology. These numbers should not be treated as predictions of what will happen to you.</p> </div> </div> <div class="ondra-section"> <h2>Side effect profiles — what is similar and what differs</h2> <p>Both semaglutide and tirzepatide work through GLP-1 receptors in the gut, so the majority of side effects overlap. Nausea, constipation, diarrhea, fatigue, and injection site reactions are the most commonly reported and typically improve over weeks as the body adjusts to the medication.</p> <div class="ondra-info-card"> <p class="ondra-info-title">Shared across both medications</p> <p>Same general GI side effect class. Same serious contraindications — personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN2 syndrome rules out both. Both should be stopped at least 2 months before attempting conception. Both are once-weekly subcutaneous injections. Provider supervision recommended throughout dose titration.</p> </div> <div class="ondra-info-card"> <p class="ondra-info-title">Possible differences</p> <p>In head-to-head trial data, nausea appeared somewhat more common with semaglutide. Tirzepatide's added GIP receptor activity may produce slightly different side effect timing for some patients. Individual tolerance varies considerably — some patients do better on one than the other for reasons that are not always predictable at the outset.</p> </div> </div> <div class="ondra-section"> <h2>Pricing and pharmacy availability at Ondra Health</h2> <p>Both medications are flat-priced across all dose levels — your monthly cost does not increase as you titrate up. Every plan includes your provider consultation, medication, supplies, and free shipping, with no membership fee.</p> <div class="ondra-info-card"> <p class="ondra-info-title">Compounded semaglutide</p> <p><strong>Monthly plan:</strong> $149/month<br/><strong>Quarterly plan:</strong> $339 every 3 months (as low as $113/month)<br/><strong>New GLP-1 patient Starter Pack:</strong> $249 for the first 3 months (as low as $83/month, first quarter only), then $339 every 3 months<br/><br/>Dispensed by Hallandale, Boudreaux's, and Vials RX. Some state restrictions apply depending on pharmacy.</p> </div> <div class="ondra-info-card"> <p class="ondra-info-title">Compounded tirzepatide</p> <p><strong>Monthly plan:</strong> $219/month<br/><strong>Quarterly plan:</strong> $549 every 3 months (as low as $183/month)<br/><strong>New GLP-1 patient Starter Pack:</strong> $399 for the first 3 months (as low as $133/month, first quarter only), then $549 every 3 months<br/><br/>Availability varies by state.</p> </div> <p>The Starter Pack is an introductory rate for first-time GLP-1 patients and applies to the first quarterly order only. See the full breakdown at <a href="https://ondra.health/compounded-semaglutide">semaglutide options</a> and <a href="https://ondra.health/compounded-tirzepatide">tirzepatide options</a>, or check your state at <a href="https://ondra.health/service-areas">ondra.health/service-areas</a>.</p> </div> <div class="ondra-section"> <h2>How to decide</h2> <p>This article is not the right place to make that decision — and neither is a comparison chart. The right medication depends on your medical history, current medications, relevant comorbidities, cost sensitivity, state availability, and clinical goals. Neither medication is universally better for everyone.</p> <p>Your provider at Wasef Health, PC reviews your individual intake and determines which medication — if either — is clinically appropriate for you. If you have questions about which to choose, bring them up during your intake or via secure message after approval. That conversation is exactly what your provider is there for.</p> <p>You can also use our <a href="https://ondra.health/service-areas">state availability finder</a> to confirm which medications and pharmacies are available in your state before starting your intake.</p> </div> <p class="ondra-disclaimer">† This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. All clinical trial data (STEP 1, SURMOUNT-1, SURMOUNT-5) reflects studies of FDA-approved brand-name products — Wegovy® and Ozempic® (semaglutide, Novo Nordisk) and Zepbound® and Mounjaro® (tirzepatide, Eli Lilly) — and does not apply to the compounded versions available through Ondra Health. Compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide are not FDA-approved, have not been studied in equivalent clinical trials, are not reviewed by the FDA for safety, effectiveness, or manufacturing quality, and are not therapeutically equivalent to brand-name products. Individual results vary. All prescribing decisions are made solely by licensed providers at Wasef Health, PC based on individual clinical evaluation. Ondra Health is not affiliated with Novo Nordisk or Eli Lilly.</p> </div> <aside class="ondra-article-sidebar"> <div class="ondra-sidebar-track"> <div class="ondra-sidebar-card-wrap"> <div class="ondra-sidebar-card"> <div class="ondra-sidebar-top"> <p class="ondra-sidebar-eyebrow">ONDRA HEALTH</p> <h3>Both semaglutide and tirzepatide available</h3> </div> <div class="ondra-sidebar-bottom"> <div class="ondra-sidebar-item"><span><svg width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="none"><circle cx="8" cy="8" r="7" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.4"/><path d="M4.5 8.5L6.5 10.5L11.5 5.5" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg></span><p>Compounded semaglutide from $113/mo</p></div> <div class="ondra-sidebar-item"><span><svg width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="none"><circle cx="8" cy="8" r="7" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.4"/><path d="M4.5 8.5L6.5 10.5L11.5 5.5" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg></span><p>Compounded tirzepatide from $183/mo</p></div> <div class="ondra-sidebar-item"><span><svg width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="none"><circle cx="8" cy="8" r="7" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.4"/><path d="M4.5 8.5L6.5 10.5L11.5 5.5" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg></span><p>Provider determines which is right for you</p></div> <div class="ondra-sidebar-item"><span><svg width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="none"><circle cx="8" cy="8" r="7" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.4"/><path d="M4.5 8.5L6.5 10.5L11.5 5.5" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"/></svg></span><p>Available in most states — check yours</p></div> <a href="https://intake.ondra.health/start-online-visit/glp1" class="ondra-sidebar-button">Start your intake <span aria-hidden="true">→</span></a> <p class="ondra-sidebar-note">Only charged if a provider approves your treatment.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </aside> </div> </div> </section>