How Much Does Tirzepatide Cost? Monthly Payment Calculator
Use our tirzepatide cost calculator to estimate monthly and annual spend for brand-name, compounded and self-pay options. Includes consultation and shipping fees.
The actual cost of tirzepatide depends on your provider, your dose, and whether consultation and shipping fees are included or billed separately. The calculator below estimates your monthly and annual spend across compounded providers, manufacturer self-pay programs, and retail pharmacy pricing. Enter your details and let the math do the work.
Tirzepatide Cost Calculator
This calculator estimates your monthly and annual tirzepatide cost based on three inputs: the provider or program you choose, the dose you are prescribed, and whether consultation and shipping fees apply. It pulls from the verified pricing data listed on this page and projects costs over 12 months, including dose escalation if you enter a titration schedule. All calculations run in your browser. No data is stored or transmitted.
How This Calculator Works
Medication Cost by Provider and Dose
The base medication price varies widely by source. BiltRx compounded tirzepatide costs $129 per month at any dose (biltrx.com, verified 22 Oct 2026). Arc-1 compounded tirzepatide costs $199.99 at 2.5 mg, $249.99 at 5 mg, and $399.99 at 7.5 mg (arc-1.co, verified 22 Oct 2026). Zepbound self-pay vials through LillyDirect run $299 at 2.5 mg, $399 at 5 mg, and $449 at 7.5 through 15 mg with the 45-day refill window (LillyDirect, October 2026). Mounjaro self-pay is a flat $499 per month at all doses. Retail cash pricing for either brand sits between $1,000 and $1,100 per month.
Consultation and Provider Fees
Every tirzepatide prescription requires a provider consultation. Arc-1 includes this in the listed price. BiltRx charges a separate consultation fee that is not published on their website. LillyDirect routes patients through a telehealth partner whose fees are built into the program pricing. Retail pharmacy fills require an office visit with your own prescriber, which typically runs $50 to $250 depending on the provider and whether you have insurance. The calculator lets you add a custom consultation fee to account for these differences.
Shipping Costs
Cold-chain shipping is required for injectable tirzepatide. Arc-1 includes free expedited shipping. BiltRx charges separately for shipping at a rate not published on their site. LillyDirect ships at no additional cost or offers Walmart pickup. Retail fills have no shipping cost. If your provider charges for shipping, enter that amount in the calculator for a more accurate total.
Dose Escalation Timeline
Most patients start at 2.5 mg and increase every four weeks. A standard titration goes 2.5 mg, then 5 mg, then 7.5 mg, potentially continuing to 10 mg and 15 mg. With flat-rate providers like BiltRx, escalation does not change cost. With dose-tiered providers like Arc-1 or Zepbound self-pay, your bill increases at each step. The calculator models this progression so your annual estimate reflects realistic dose changes rather than a static monthly number. For a more detailed look at how dose affects cost across all providers, see our tirzepatide cost overview.
Sample Calculations
The table below shows five common scenarios with monthly and projected annual costs. All medication prices are from provider websites verified in October 2026. BiltRx figures are medication-only and do not include consultation or shipping.
| Scenario | Provider | Dose | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest compounded cost | BiltRx | Any dose | $129 + fees | $1,548 + fees |
| Compounded starter, all-inclusive | Arc-1 | 2.5 mg | $199.99 | $2,399.88 |
| Compounded mid-dose, all-inclusive | Arc-1 | 5 mg | $249.99 | $2,999.88 |
| FDA-approved self-pay starter | Zepbound (LillyDirect) | 2.5 mg | $299 | $3,588 |
| FDA-approved self-pay, all doses | Mounjaro (LillyDirect) | Any dose | $499 | $5,988 |
The gap between compounded and retail is staggering. A patient paying retail cash for Mounjaro at roughly $1,050 per month spends over $12,000 annually. The same patient on BiltRx compounded tirzepatide pays $1,548 in medication costs plus consultation and shipping. That is a potential savings of over $10,000 per year, with the trade-off that compounded tirzepatide is not FDA-approved. For the head-to-head between the two compounded providers, read our BiltRx vs Arc-1 comparison.
What the Calculator Does Not Include
Lab Work and Blood Test Costs
Most prescribers order baseline labs before starting tirzepatide and follow-up blood work every three to six months. Common panels include HbA1c, fasting glucose, lipid panel, thyroid function, and kidney markers. Without insurance, a basic metabolic panel runs $50 to $200 at a commercial lab. These costs are not included in the calculator because they vary by provider, lab, and insurance status. Budget an additional $100 to $400 per year for monitoring.
Insurance Copays and Deductibles
The calculator focuses on self-pay and compounded pricing. If you have commercial insurance that covers Mounjaro or Zepbound, your cost could be as low as $25 per month with the Eli Lilly savings card (zepbound.lilly.com, October 2026). Medicare Part D enrollees may qualify for the GLP-1 Bridge at $50 per month through LillyDirect. These insurance-based pathways are covered on our Zepbound cost without insurance page and in the cheapest tirzepatide ranking.
Future Price Changes
All prices in the calculator reflect October 2026 data. Eli Lilly has adjusted Zepbound pricing multiple times since launch, and compounded providers may revise rates as market conditions shift. The calculator does not predict future pricing. We update the underlying data monthly and note the verification date on each figure. For a look at how prices might change when generics eventually reach market, see our generic tirzepatide price outlook.
- Included
- Medication cost by provider and dose
- Included
- Dose escalation over time
- Included
- Custom consultation and shipping fee inputs
- Not included
- Lab work and blood tests ($100-$400/yr estimated)
- Not included
- Insurance copays, deductibles, or savings card discounts
- Not included
- Future price changes or generic entry
FAQ - Tirzepatide Cost Calculator
How accurate are the calculator results?
The medication prices are pulled from verified provider websites as of October 2026. The calculator uses those exact figures. Where accuracy can vary is in consultation fees, shipping charges, and dose escalation timing, all of which depend on your specific provider and prescriber. Enter your actual fees for the best estimate. The output is a planning tool, not a guarantee of what you will pay.
Does the calculator work for brand-name tirzepatide with insurance?
Not directly. The calculator is built for self-pay and compounded pricing. If you have commercial insurance, your out-of-pocket cost depends on your plan's formulary, copay tier, and deductible. The Lilly savings card can bring copays as low as $25 per month. For insured patients, our tirzepatide cost guide covers insurance pathways in detail.
Why does BiltRx show as cheapest but with a footnote about extra fees?
BiltRx's $129 monthly price covers the compounded medication only. Consultation and shipping are billed separately, and those amounts are not published on their website (biltrx.com, verified 22 Oct 2026). Arc-1's higher sticker price includes both consultation and shipping. Until BiltRx publicly discloses those fees, we cannot calculate an exact all-in total. The calculator lets you add estimated fees to get a more complete picture.
Can I use this calculator to compare tirzepatide against semaglutide?
The calculator is designed for tirzepatide providers specifically. Wegovy (semaglutide) self-pay pricing starts at $349 per month through NovoCare (NovoCare, October 2026). You can enter that figure manually into the calculator as a custom provider to generate a rough comparison, but the dose tiers and escalation schedules differ between tirzepatide and semaglutide. For a clinical and cost comparison between the two drugs, see our tirzepatide vs Wegovy page.
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