Updated May 2026
Ozempic vs Qsymia
Side-by-side comparison of Ozempic (semaglutide (T2D injection)) and Qsymia (phentermine + topiramate ER) across efficacy, food restrictions, monthly cost, and Medicare Bridge coverage.
Our pick for most patients
Qsymia
Based on the data below, Qsymia wins on lower cash price ($230/mo vs $998/mo). 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.
Qsymia
phentermine + topiramate ER · Vivus LLC
Take in the morning (avoid evening)
Full Qsymia guide → | Field | Ozempic | Qsymia |
|---|---|---|
| Route | injection · weekly | tablet · daily |
| Avg weight loss | 5–8% | 7–11% |
| Food restriction | No food restriction | Take in the morning (avoid evening) |
| Cash from | $998/mo | $230/mo |
| Savings card | — | — |
| Medicare Bridge | Tier 4 | Tier 3 |
| A1c reduction | −1.8% | — |
| FDA approved | 2017-12 | 2012-07 |
- RouteOzempicinjection · weeklyQsymiatablet · daily
- Avg weight lossOzempic5–8%Qsymia7–11%
- Food restrictionOzempicNo food restrictionQsymiaTake in the morning (avoid evening)
- Cash fromOzempic$998/moQsymia$230/mo
- Savings cardOzempic—Qsymia—
- Medicare BridgeOzempicTier 4QsymiaTier 3
- A1c reductionOzempic−1.8%Qsymia—
- FDA approvedOzempic2017-12Qsymia2012-07
Pick Ozempic if…
- You can't reliably do a fasting window before meds
Pick Qsymia if…
- You can't reliably do a fasting window before meds
- Cash pay matters more than peak weight loss ($230/mo cheaper)
- You're needle-averse
- You want the higher peak efficacy (11% vs 8%)
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.