Liraglutide vs semaglutide: daily vs weekly GLP-1

Semaglutide produced more than twice the weight loss of liraglutide when the two were tested against each other. In STEP 8, adults without diabetes lost 15.8% of their body weight on average on weekly semaglutide 2.4 mg, the dose in Wegovy, and 6.4% on daily liraglutide 3 mg, the dose in Saxenda, over 68 weeks. Liraglutide still has a place: it’s the older molecule, it’s now sold as an FDA-approved generic, and it clears the body within days rather than weeks.

Both are GLP-1 medicines from Novo Nordisk. Here is how they compare on results, side effects, routine and price as of October 2026.

Two molecules, six products

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Sources: the Saxenda, Victoza, Wegovy and Ozempic labels. Victoza and Ozempic have no weight-management indication; for weight loss, the products are Saxenda, its generics and Wegovy. Semaglutide also comes as daily Ozempic and Rybelsus tablets for type 2 diabetes.

All of these carry a boxed warning for thyroid C-cell tumors. The Saxenda and Wegovy labels say not to combine either one with other products containing the same drug or with any other GLP-1 medicine.

The head-to-head trial: STEP 8

STEP 8 randomly assigned 338 adults at 19 US sites, all with obesity or with overweight and a weight-related condition, and none with diabetes. They took weekly semaglutide 2.4 mg, daily liraglutide 3 mg or a matching placebo for 68 weeks, alongside diet and activity counseling.

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The comparison between the two drugs was open-label, so people knew which one they took, and Novo Nordisk, which makes both, funded the trial. Semaglutide’s dose rose over 16 weeks and liraglutide’s over 4. People who couldn’t tolerate 2.4 mg of semaglutide could stay at 1.7 mg; people who couldn’t tolerate 3 mg of liraglutide stopped and could restart the 4-week ramp.

Each drug’s own trials

Each label also reports placebo-controlled trials. They ran different lengths with different volunteers, so compare each drug with its own placebo.

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The Saxenda label adds a stopping rule: check weight after 16 weeks, and stop if an adult hasn’t lost at least 4%, because further loss is unlikely. Wegovy’s label has no such rule, and it allows 7.2 mg for adults who have tolerated 2.4 mg for 4 weeks and need more loss. For semaglutide against tirzepatide, see our semaglutide vs tirzepatide guide.

Side effects

Stomach side effects lead on both labels, mostly while the dose is rising.

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Sources: Saxenda label, Table 2, and Wegovy label, Table 3. Both labels also warn about pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, low blood sugar with insulin or sulfonylureas, a faster heart rate, kidney injury from dehydration and severe stomach problems. Our GLP-1 side effects guide covers what helps.

Daily or weekly

The routines are the biggest day-to-day difference. Liraglutide has a half-life of about 13 hours, so it’s injected every day, at any time and with or without food. Saxenda starts at 0.6 mg and steps up each week to 3 mg. If you miss more than 3 days, the label says to restart at 0.6 mg.

Semaglutide has a half-life of about a week. Wegovy is injected once a week and takes 16 weeks to reach 2.4 mg. Because it stays in the body longer, the Wegovy label says to stop it at least 2 months before a planned pregnancy. If you’d rather not inject at all, the Wegovy pill is daily oral semaglutide approved for weight loss.

Generic liraglutide in 2026

Liraglutide is the only one of the two with FDA-approved generics. Drugs@FDA rates three generics as therapeutically equivalent to Saxenda: Teva’s, approved August 27, 2025 and announced by Teva the next day as the first generic GLP-1 for weight loss, and two more approved in February 2026. A further eight are rated equivalent to Victoza, starting with the first one approved on December 23, 2024; those carry Victoza’s type 2 diabetes indication.

Semaglutide has no generic on the US market. Drugs@FDA lists one generic semaglutide injection with tentative approval only, which can’t be sold yet. Compounded semaglutide is something else: it is not Wegovy or Ozempic and not a generic of either, a compounding pharmacy prepares it, and it isn’t FDA-approved. See is compounded semaglutide legal and safe.

What each costs in October 2026

• Wegovy at NovoCare Pharmacy, read October 26, 2026: $199 for each of the first two fills for new patients through December 31, 2026, then $349 a month at every dose up to 2.4 mg and $399 at 7.2 mg. The Wegovy pill is $149 to $299 by dose.
• Saxenda has a list price of $1,349.02, and NovoCare doesn’t publish a self-pay price for it. NovoCare says eligible patients can pay as little as $25 or save up to $200 per prescription for up to 12 months.
• Generic liraglutide prices vary by pharmacy and program. As of October 2026, Noom Med lists it at $149 to get started, then $279 a month in recurring 3-month supplies, with medical support included.

On Medicare, the $50 GLP-1 Bridge covers Wegovy for weight loss but doesn’t list Saxenda or liraglutide. See our Wegovy cost guide, GLP-1s without insurance and semaglutide rankings.

Which one fits you

• For the larger average weight loss, semaglutide led liraglutide by 9.4 percentage points in STEP 8.
• For one shot a week instead of seven, semaglutide.
• If you’d rather not inject, the Wegovy pill is the oral option; liraglutide has no pill.
• If a generic matters to you or your plan, liraglutide is the one with FDA-approved generics.
• If you need a drug that clears quickly, liraglutide’s 13-hour half-life is far shorter.

A licensed clinician can weigh these against your history, other medicines and coverage. More options are in our Ozempic alternatives guide.

The bottom line

Weekly semaglutide produced 15.8% average weight loss against 6.4% for daily liraglutide in STEP 8, with fewer people stopping treatment. Liraglutide is a daily injection with less weight loss in trials, but it has FDA-approved generics, including three rated equivalent to Saxenda, while semaglutide has none on the market. As of October 2026, Wegovy costs $349 a month self-pay after the starter fills. Talk the options through with a licensed clinician, and see our weight-loss hub.