Updated May 2026
Contrave vs Zepbound
Side-by-side comparison of Contrave (naltrexone HCl + bupropion HCl ER) and Zepbound (tirzepatide (injection)) across efficacy, food restrictions, monthly cost, and Medicare Bridge coverage.
Our pick for most patients
Zepbound
Based on the data below, Zepbound wins on covered under the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge ($50/mo from Jul 1, 2026). Your situation may differ — try the personalized matcher on the homepage or compute your real out-of-pocket with the cost calculator on each medication's detail page.
Contrave
naltrexone HCl + bupropion HCl ER · Nalpropion Pharmaceuticals (Currax Pharmaceuticals)
Avoid high-fat meals
Full Contrave guide → | Field | Contrave | Zepbound |
|---|---|---|
| Route | tablet · daily | injection · weekly |
| Avg weight loss | 5–9% | 18–22% |
| Food restriction | Avoid high-fat meals | No food restriction |
| Cash from | $650/mo | $299/mo |
| Savings card | — | — |
| Medicare Bridge | Tier 3 | $50/mo ✓ |
| A1c reduction | — | — |
| FDA approved | 2014-09 | 2023-11 |
- RouteContravetablet · dailyZepboundinjection · weekly
- Avg weight lossContrave5–9%Zepbound18–22%
- Food restrictionContraveAvoid high-fat mealsZepboundNo food restriction
- Cash fromContrave$650/moZepbound$299/mo
- Savings cardContrave—Zepbound—
- Medicare BridgeContraveTier 3Zepbound$50/mo ✓
- A1c reductionContrave—Zepbound—
- FDA approvedContrave2014-09Zepbound2023-11
Pick Contrave if…
- You're needle-averse
Pick Zepbound if…
- You can't reliably do a fasting window before meds
- You're on Medicare and want the $50/mo Bridge price
- Cash pay matters more than peak weight loss ($299/mo cheaper)
- You want the higher peak efficacy (22% vs 9%)
Not sure which fits?
The 30-second matcher on the homepage scores every 2026 GLP-1 against your goals + preferences and recommends the best fit.