Victoza vs Ozempic comes down to daily vs weekly. Both are FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes and made by Novo Nordisk. Victoza (liraglutide) is a daily shot that's also approved for kids 10 and up. Ozempic (semaglutide) is a weekly shot that lowered A1C and weight more in a head-to-head trial, and it adds a kidney indication.
Price can flip the choice. Ozempic's list price is higher, but Ozempic has a $25 savings card for commercial plans and Victoza doesn't. Victoza has a cheaper generic. Below: the trial, the labels, and the real cost by path.
The RX Index is the independent GLP-1 decision resource that scores telehealth providers and treatment paths on clinical legitimacy, care quality, transparency, access, and cost, so readers can choose the path that fits their situation.
Victoza vs Ozempic at a glance
| Victoza (liraglutide) | Ozempic (semaglutide) | |
|---|---|---|
| How often | Once a day | Once a week |
| FDA-approved for blood sugar in type 2 diabetes | Adults and kids 10 and older | Adults only |
| Heart-risk reduction (adults with type 2 diabetes and heart disease) | Yes | Yes |
| Kidney-risk reduction (adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease) | No | Yes |
| Label dose range | 0.6 mg to 1.8 mg daily | 0.25 mg to 2 mg weekly |
| Head-to-head A1C drop (SUSTAIN 10, 30 weeks) | 1.0% (at 1.2 mg) | 1.7% (at 1.0 mg) |
| Head-to-head weight change (SUSTAIN 10) | About 4.2 lb lost | About 12.8 lb lost |
| List price | $543.51 (2 pens) or $815.27 (3 pens), about 30 days | $1,027.51 per pen, 28 days |
| FDA-approved generic | Yes, generic liraglutide | No |
| $25 savings card for commercial plans | We found none | Yes, for eligible patients |
| Supply (FDA, October 2026) | Brand in limited supply; generic available | Not on FDA's shortage list |
Sources for every row are linked in the sections below. Pounds are our conversion from the trial's kilograms.
Neither is a better medicine for everyone. The right pick depends on how often you're willing to inject, what your plan covers, your budget, and your health history. If you're weighing more than these two, including weekly shots from other makers or a daily pill, The RX Index's Find My GLP-1 Path tool is free, takes about 2 minutes and needs no signup.
See which GLP-1 path fits your plan and budget
Is Ozempic stronger than Victoza?
In the one head-to-head trial, yes. Ozempic lowered A1C and body weight more than Victoza. But that trial tested Victoza at 1.2 mg, not its highest 1.8 mg dose, so it doesn't settle every comparison.
The trial is called SUSTAIN 10. It enrolled 577 adults with type 2 diabetes who were already on one to three diabetes pills. Half added Ozempic 1.0 mg weekly and half added Victoza 1.2 mg daily for 30 weeks.
| SUSTAIN 10 result (30 weeks) | Ozempic 1.0 mg weekly | Victoza 1.2 mg daily |
|---|---|---|
| A1C drop (from an 8.2% average start) | 1.7% | 1.0% |
| Weight lost (from about 213 lb average start, our conversion) | 5.8 kg (about 12.8 lb) | 1.9 kg (about 4.2 lb) |
| Stomach and gut side effects | 43.9% | 38.3% |
| Stopped early because of side effects | 11.4% | 6.6% |
A few things to keep in mind:
- It was open-label, which means everyone knew which drug they were taking.
- Several of the trial's authors work for Novo Nordisk, which makes both drugs.
- Victoza's 1.8 mg dose wasn't tested here.
So the fair read is this: Ozempic did more for blood sugar and weight than Victoza 1.2 mg, and it caused somewhat more stomach trouble. Think of it like a stronger coffee. It does more, and some people feel it more.
How do Victoza and Ozempic work, and how are they different?
Both are GLP-1 receptor agonists, medicines that act like a gut hormone that helps your body release insulin after meals and slows how fast your stomach empties. They're different molecules. Victoza is liraglutide and Ozempic is semaglutide, so one isn't a generic or a stronger version of the other.
The biggest day-to-day difference is the schedule:
- Victoza is a shot once a day, at any time, with or without food. Its label starts at 0.6 mg a day for one week, then 1.2 mg, and allows 1.8 mg if blood sugar needs more help.
- Ozempic is a shot once a week, on the same day each week. Its label starts at 0.25 mg for 4 weeks, then 0.5 mg, and allows 1 mg and then 2 mg, each after at least 4 weeks.
That's 7 shots a week vs 1. For some people that's the whole decision. Your dose is your prescriber's call, and you shouldn't switch between these on your own.
Ozempic also comes as a daily pill, sold as Ozempic tablets. FDA's records say Ozempic tablets are replacing Rybelsus. This page compares the shots.
What is each one FDA-approved for?
Both are approved, alongside diet and exercise, to lower blood sugar in type 2 diabetes and to cut the risk of heart attack, stroke and heart-related death in adults with type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Only Victoza is approved for children, and only Ozempic is approved to protect the kidneys.
| FDA-approved use | Victoza | Ozempic |
|---|---|---|
| Blood sugar control, adults with type 2 diabetes | Yes | Yes |
| Blood sugar control, kids 10 and older with type 2 diabetes | Yes | No. Its label says safety and effectiveness in children haven't been established |
| Lower risk of major heart events, adults with type 2 diabetes and heart disease | Yes (LEADER trial) | Yes (SUSTAIN-6 trial) |
| Lower risk of kidney decline, kidney failure and heart-related death, adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease | No | Yes (FLOW trial) |
| Weight loss | Not approved | Not approved |
In their own heart trials, Victoza cut the risk of a first major heart event by 13% vs placebo and Ozempic by 26% vs placebo. Those were separate trials with different patients, so you can't line those two numbers up as a contest.
If your child has type 2 diabetes, Victoza is the one of these two with a pediatric label. If you have chronic kidney disease, Ozempic's kidney indication is worth asking your prescriber about.
Which has more side effects?
They share the same main side effects: nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and constipation. In the head-to-head trial, gut side effects were a bit more common with Ozempic, and more people quit Ozempic because of them.
Each label lists nausea from its own placebo-controlled trials:
| Nausea in each drug's own trials (not head to head) | Placebo | Lower dose | Higher dose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victoza | 5% | 18% (1.2 mg) | 20% (1.8 mg) |
| Ozempic | 6.1% | 15.8% (0.5 mg) | 20.3% (1 mg) |
Both carry the same boxed warning, the FDA's strongest: in rodents, both caused thyroid C-cell tumors, and it's unknown if that happens in people. Neither should be used by anyone with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2, a rare inherited condition. Both labels also warn about pancreatitis, gallbladder problems, low blood sugar when used with insulin or sulfonylureas, and severe stomach side effects.
Ozempic's label adds a warning about diabetic retinopathy complications, an eye problem, which were more common with Ozempic than placebo in a two-year trial. If you have diabetic eye disease, tell your prescriber.
If you have severe belly pain that won't go away, signs of an allergic reaction, or a lump or swelling in your neck, get medical help right away.
Victoza vs Ozempic cost: which is cheaper?
At list price, Victoza costs less per month than Ozempic. In real life it depends on your path: with commercial insurance, Ozempic's $25 card can make it cheaper; with no insurance, generic liraglutide is usually the lowest cash price. Medicare follows its own rules.
List price is what Novo Nordisk charges wholesalers before discounts. Novo says most people with insurance don't pay it. Here's the list price lined up to the same 28 days, because a Victoza pack lasts about 30 days and an Ozempic pen lasts 28:
| Medicine and dose | Pack | List price | Days it lasts (our math) | List price per 28 days (our math) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victoza 1.2 mg daily | 2 pens | $543.51 | 30 | $507.28 |
| Victoza 1.8 mg daily | 3 pens | $815.27 | 30 | $760.92 |
| Ozempic, any dose | 1 pen | $1,027.51 | 28 | $1,027.51 |
Every Victoza pen holds 18 mg. At 1.2 mg a day, two pens give 30 doses. At 1.8 mg a day, three pens give 30 doses. Each Ozempic 1 mg or 2 mg pen holds 4 weekly doses, and Novo counts one pen as one month.
What you'd pay, path by path
| Your situation | Victoza path | Ozempic path |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial insurance that covers it | Your plan's copay or coinsurance. We found no Victoza savings card in Novo's current savings card terms | As little as $25 a month with Novo's savings card, up to $100 off a month, for up to 48 months |
| No insurance, or your plan won't cover it | Generic liraglutide: $87.80 for 2 pens at Cost Plus Drugs, plus $55 refrigerated shipping | NovoCare self-pay: $349 a month (0.25, 0.5 or 1 mg) or $499 a month (2 mg). New patients pay $199 for their first 2 fills of 0.25 or 0.5 mg through December 31, 2026 |
| Medicare Part D | Your plan's price. Costs for covered Part D drugs cap at $2,100 in 2026 | Your plan's price, same $2,100 cap. Medicare patients can't use the $25 card |
| Medicaid | Your state plan's price. Novo says most major plans, including Medicaid, cover Victoza | Your state plan's price. Medicaid patients can't use the $25 card |
The Cost Plus generic was out of stock when we checked on October 30, 2026, and Cost Plus said it expects it back around November 13, 2026. That price is for a 2-pen box, about a month at 1.2 mg. Using Cost Plus's posted pricing formula, we estimate a 3-pen fill for the 1.8 mg dose at about $129.20 plus shipping. That's our estimate, not a quote. You still need a prescription.
A year of cash fills (our math)
If you're paying cash, the yearly gap is big. These use today's posted prices and assume they don't change. 2027 prices aren't posted yet.
| Cash path | Fills a year | Cost for about a year, before tax |
|---|---|---|
| Generic liraglutide 1.2 mg at Cost Plus (2-pen box plus $55 shipping each fill) | 12 | $1,713.60 |
| Ozempic self-pay, new patient, 2 intro fills then up to 1 mg | 13 | $4,237 |
| Ozempic self-pay, up to 1 mg, no intro | 13 | $4,537 |
| Ozempic self-pay, 2 mg | 13 | $6,487 |
Ozempic needs 13 fills a year, not 12, because each pen lasts 4 weeks and a year has 52. Self-pay purchases also don't count toward your insurance deductible or out-of-pocket limit, Novo says.
For more on the card rules, see our Ozempic savings card guide and Ozempic cost with insurance.
Medicare: a quick example
Say you're 70 and your Part D plan prices Ozempic near its $1,027.51 list price. That's a hypothetical, but after the deductible, 25% coinsurance would be about $257 a pen (our math). Under Medicare's 2026 rules, your out-of-pocket costs for covered Part D drugs stop at $2,100 for the year, and your deductible can't be more than $615. Novo says most Part D plans cover Ozempic and that most major plans, including Medicare, cover Victoza, but your plan's drug list decides.
Savings cards don't work with Medicare. Our guide on why Medicare patients can't use GLP-1 savings cards explains why.
Once you know which path you're on (plan, cash or Medicare), the cheapest option is usually clear. If you're still comparing options beyond these two, start from your situation.
Compare GLP-1 costs for your situation
Is there a generic Victoza or a generic Ozempic?
There's a generic Victoza but no generic Ozempic. Generic liraglutide, the FDA-approved generic of Victoza, has been sold in the US since June 2024. Ozempic (semaglutide) has no FDA-approved generic.
Teva launched an authorized generic of Victoza on June 24, 2024, which Teva called the first-ever generic GLP-1. Hikma got FDA approval and launched its own generic in December 2024. An authorized generic is the brand-name medicine sold without the brand name.
Generic liraglutide is easier to find right now. FDA's drug shortage list shows brand Victoza as "limited availability" because of a shipping delay, with no end date given. It shows generic liraglutide from Hikma, Meitheal and the Teva-distributed version as available. Ozempic isn't on FDA's shortage list. For package-by-package status, see our GLP-1 shortage tracker.
Our guide to whether there's a generic Ozempic covers why semaglutide generics aren't sold in the US yet.
Is Victoza being discontinued?
FDA's records don't show a US discontinuation for Victoza as of October 30, 2026. They list brand Victoza as in limited supply because of a shipping delay. The liraglutide brand being discontinued is Saxenda, the weight-loss version, which FDA's list says will be available until January 2027.
If your pharmacy can't get Victoza, ask your pharmacist or prescriber whether generic liraglutide can be filled instead. If Saxenda is your question, see our Saxenda insurance coverage guide.
Victoza or Ozempic for weight loss?
Neither is FDA-approved for weight loss. In the head-to-head trial in adults with type 2 diabetes, people on Ozempic 1.0 mg lost about 12.8 lb and people on Victoza 1.2 mg lost about 4.2 lb over 30 weeks.
The same medicines are sold at different doses for weight management under other brand names, Wegovy for semaglutide and Saxenda for liraglutide, with their own labels and coverage rules. If weight loss is your main goal, those are the products and pages to look at, not Victoza or Ozempic.
Which one fits you?
| If this sounds like you | The one to ask your prescriber about first |
|---|---|
| You want the fewest shots | Ozempic (weekly) |
| You want the biggest A1C drop from these two | Ozempic, based on SUSTAIN 10 |
| You have type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease | Ozempic (kidney indication) |
| Your child, 10 or older, has type 2 diabetes | Victoza or generic liraglutide (pediatric label) |
| You have no insurance and want the lowest cash price | Generic liraglutide |
| You have a commercial plan that covers Ozempic | Ozempic with the $25 card, if you qualify |
| You're on Victoza, it's working, and you're doing fine | Staying put is reasonable. Ask before changing anything |
| Stomach side effects are your biggest worry | Talk it through. Both cause them, and Ozempic caused a bit more in the head-to-head trial |
One honest limit: no web page, including this one, can tell you which medicine is safe for you. A licensed clinician decides that with your full history. What we can do is make sure you walk in knowing the price, the trial and the label.
If you're on Victoza now and thinking about Ozempic, or the other way around, ask your prescriber how a switch would work. Don't change doses or products on your own.
If neither of these fits cleanly, or you want to see other weekly shots and daily pills side by side, start from your insurance and budget instead of a drug name. Our Trulicity vs Ozempic comparison and best GLP-1 for diabetes guide cover the rest of the field.
Find the GLP-1 option that fits you
What we actually verified
- Read the Victoza prescribing information (revised October 2025) and the Ozempic prescribing information (revised May 2026) for uses, doses, pen sizes, warnings and side-effect rates.
- Read the SUSTAIN 10 head-to-head trial abstract on PubMed.
- Opened Novo Nordisk's Victoza and Ozempic list price pages.
- Opened Ozempic's savings page and Novo's diabetes savings card terms, and found no Victoza offer in those terms.
- Read Victoza.com's coverage FAQ.
- Opened Cost Plus Drugs' generic liraglutide page for its price breakdown, shipping and stock status.
- Checked FDA's drug shortage data for liraglutide and semaglutide.
- Read Teva's and Hikma's generic launch announcements.
- Read Medicare.gov's 2026 Part D cost rules.
- Did the per-28-day, yearly, pound conversion and 3-pen estimate math ourselves.
All checks were done on October 30, 2026. What we did not do: get a quote from any insurer or local pharmacy, check discount-app coupons, or confirm any plan's drug list. Prices and stock change, so confirm them before you fill.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Victoza being discontinued?
As of October 30, 2026, FDA's records don't show a US discontinuation for Victoza. They list brand Victoza as in limited supply because of a shipping delay. Saxenda, a different liraglutide brand for weight loss, is the one FDA lists as being discontinued in January 2027.
Is Ozempic better than Victoza?
In the SUSTAIN 10 head-to-head trial, Ozempic 1.0 mg weekly lowered A1C by 1.7% vs 1.0% for Victoza 1.2 mg daily, and led to more weight loss. It also caused somewhat more stomach side effects. "Better" for you depends on your health history, coverage and whether you'd rather inject daily or weekly.
Are Victoza and Ozempic the same drug?
No. Victoza is liraglutide and Ozempic is semaglutide. Both are GLP-1 medicines from Novo Nordisk, but they're different molecules with different doses and schedules, and one can't be swapped for the other milligram for milligram.
Which is cheaper, Victoza or Ozempic?
At list price, Victoza: $543.51 or $815.27 for about 30 days vs $1,027.51 for Ozempic's 28-day pen. With no insurance, generic liraglutide was $87.80 for 2 pens at Cost Plus Drugs, plus $55 shipping. With a commercial plan that covers it, Ozempic's savings card can bring it to as little as $25 a month.
Which causes more weight loss, Victoza or Ozempic?
In SUSTAIN 10, adults with type 2 diabetes lost about 12.8 lb on Ozempic 1.0 mg and about 4.2 lb on Victoza 1.2 mg over 30 weeks. Neither is FDA-approved for weight loss.
Can kids take Victoza or Ozempic?
Victoza is FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes in children 10 and older. Ozempic's label says its safety and effectiveness haven't been established in children.
Does Medicare cover Victoza and Ozempic?
Novo says most Part D plans cover Ozempic and most major plans, including Medicare, cover Victoza, but your plan's drug list decides. In 2026, your out-of-pocket costs for covered Part D drugs cap at $2,100. Savings cards can't be used with Medicare.
Still not sure which GLP-1 path fits you? Take The RX Index's free Find My GLP-1 Path quiz — about 2 minutes, no signup.
Sources
- Victoza prescribing information (Novo Nordisk, revised October 2025; checked October 30, 2026)
- Ozempic prescribing information (Novo Nordisk, revised May 2026; checked October 30, 2026)
- SUSTAIN 10: semaglutide 1.0 mg vs liraglutide 1.2 mg, Diabetes & Metabolism, 2020 (PubMed) (checked October 30, 2026)
- Novo Nordisk: Victoza pricing (list price) and Ozempic pricing (list price) (checked October 30, 2026)
- Ozempic: savings and self-pay offers (checked October 30, 2026)
- NovoCare: Diabetes Savings Card terms (checked October 30, 2026)
- Victoza.com: Coverage FAQ (checked October 30, 2026)
- Cost Plus Drugs: Liraglutide (generic for Victoza) (checked October 30, 2026)
- FDA drug shortage data: liraglutide and semaglutide (FDA records updated May–October 2026; checked October 30, 2026)
- Teva: authorized generic of Victoza launch (June 24, 2024; checked October 30, 2026)
- Hikma: generic Victoza approval and launch (December 26, 2024; checked October 30, 2026)
- Medicare.gov: How much does Medicare drug coverage cost? (checked October 30, 2026)