September 2, 2026

A Year of Peptide Therapy in 2026 Costs $300 to $8,000+: GLP-1, Growth-Hormone, and Recovery Stacks Priced End to End

12-month totals for GLP-1, GLP-1 plus secretagogue, and BPC-157/TB-500/KLOW stacks, plus consults, labs, and supplies. Prices checked Sept 2, 2026.

A year of peptide therapy runs from $300 to more than $8,000, and the drug is often not the largest line. This guide adds up twelve months for three common stacks: a GLP-1 alone, a GLP-1 plus a growth-hormone secretagogue, and a recovery stack built on BPC-157 and TB-500 or the four-peptide KLOW blend. Every row shows a 12-month total, and the note shows the math. Then come the costs people leave out of the budget: consult and membership fees, lab work, and injection supplies.

A few terms first. WAC is the wholesale acquisition cost, the list price before any discount. A PBM (pharmacy benefit manager) runs your plan's drug benefit and decides which drugs sit on the formulary, the covered-drug list. Prior authorization means your prescriber needs plan approval before the pharmacy can fill. A savings card is a manufacturer coupon that lowers your copay when the plan already covers the drug. A 503A pharmacy compounds one prescription at a time for a named patient. A 503B outsourcing facility compounds in bulk, and the FDA proposed on April 30, 2026 to remove semaglutide and tirzepatide from the 503B list, so bulk compounded GLP-1s are ending. A secretagogue is a peptide that prompts your own pituitary to release growth hormone.

The cheapest and most expensive GLP-1 years can involve the same pen. Wegovy with employer coverage and a savings card costs $300 for the year. Wegovy through the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge costs $600. The same Wegovy pen paid in cash through NovoCare costs $3,888, and Zepbound vials through LillyDirect cost $5,188. Add a $249-a-month ipamorelin/CJC-1295 subscription and the Zepbound year passes $8,000 before labs and syringes.

Every price below was checked on September 2, 2026 against the live page. Several moved since our April guides. AgelessRx sermorelin now starts at $99 and steps up to $149 a month. Novo Nordisk's $249 twelve-month Wegovy subscription from March no longer appears on NovoCare's price page; the current offer is $199 for the first two months, then $349. Zepbound's savings card expires December 31, 2026. Research-vendor rows are labeled research use only. Nobody prescribes or monitors those vials, and the counts depend on the dosing assumptions spelled out in each note.

For the per-drug detail behind these totals, see Zepbound, Wegovy, Ipamorelin/CJC-1295, Sermorelin, BPC-157, TB-500, KLOW blend, and the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge. The lab schedule comes from Blood Work Before and After Peptides. For this month's GLP-1 prices, see GLP-1 Pricing: September 2026.

Stack A: GLP-1 only, 12-month totals by channel

Dose escalation drives the math. A Wegovy pen starts at 0.25 mg and reaches 2.4 mg by month five; the year therefore holds two intro months at $199 and ten at $349. Zepbound vials step from $299 to $399 to $449 over the first three months. TrumpRx.gov lists $149, $199, and $299 as its lowest GLP-1 prices, but those are starting doses routed to NovoCare and LillyDirect, so the year still lands at the totals below.

Channel	Price	Details	Source
Commercial insurance + manufacturer savings card (Zepbound or Wegovy)	$300/yr	$25 copay x 12. Zepbound card pays up to $100/mo and $1,300 per calendar year and expires Dec 31, 2026; Wegovy's card has the same $25 copay and $100/mo cap (see the Wegovy.com row). Your plan must already cover the drug	Zepbound.com savings terms
Medicare GLP-1 Bridge (Wegovy pen or pill, Zepbound, Foundayo)	$600/yr	$50 copay x 12; deductible does not apply. Runs July 1, 2026 to Dec 31, 2027. Prior authorization required; copay does not count toward Part D out-of-pocket totals	CMS
Wegovy pen, self-pay via NovoCare	$3,888/yr	2 months x $199 (0.25 and 0.5 mg intro offer, valid through Dec 31, 2026) + 10 months x $349 (1.0 to 2.4 mg). Wegovy HD 7.2 mg is $399/mo; a year ending on HD adds up to $500. List price $1,349.02 per box	NovoCare
Wegovy pill, self-pay via NovoCare	$3,338/yr	1 month x $149 (1.5 mg) + 1 month x $199 (4 mg, after the $149 offer ended Aug 31, 2026) + 10 months x $299 (9 and 25 mg). Same $149 starting price listed on TrumpRx.gov	Wegovy.com
Zepbound vials or KwikPen, self-pay via LillyDirect	$5,188/yr	1 month x $299 (2.5 mg) + 1 month x $399 (5 mg) + 10 months x $449 (7.5 to 15 mg). The $449 tier requires a refill within 45 days; otherwise 7.5 mg is $499 and 10 to 15 mg is $699	Zepbound.com (LillyDirect pricing)
Compounded semaglutide, 503A pharmacy via telehealth (not FDA-approved)	$2,148–5,988/yr	$179–499/mo x 12. FormBlends' own program is $179–279; competitors run $249–499 with visits and shipping included. Updated July 3, 2026. Patient-specific 503A compounding only; 503B bulk supply is ending	FormBlends
Compounded tirzepatide, 503A pharmacy via telehealth (not FDA-approved)	$2,400–5,400/yr	$200–450/mo x 12. Named programs ran $99–179/mo in the source's April 1, 2026 update; expect fewer suppliers after the FDA's April 30 proposed rule	HealthFactsJournal

Stack B: GLP-1 plus a growth-hormone secretagogue (add-on cost)

Add these figures to a Stack A total; ipamorelin with CJC-1295 is injected about five nights a week at Evolved Medical, and sermorelin is a nightly shot. The cheapest pairing, Medicare Bridge Wegovy plus AgelessRx sermorelin, is $600 + $1,738 = $2,338 for the year. The most common self-pay pairing, Zepbound vials plus Evolved Medical's subscription, is $5,188 + $2,988 = $8,176 before supplies. None of these peptides was among the seven the FDA's compounding advisory committee reviewed on July 23–24, 2026, and insurance does not cover them.

Channel	Price	Details	Source
Evolved Medical, CJC-1295/ipamorelin subscription (telehealth or in clinic)	+$2,988/yr	$249/mo x 12. Includes medication, lab work, and follow-up visits; three vials shipped at a time. Site states most insurers do not cover peptide therapy	Evolved Medical
Defy Medical peptide program (clinic, labs included)	+$2,400–3,000/yr	$200–250/mo x 12 per ClinicLayer's comparison; labs included. Cash-pay practice; the same tracker lists Maximus at $199/mo with labs and Marek Health at $166+/mo with labs extra	ClinicLayer
AgelessRx sermorelin injection (telehealth)	+$1,738/yr	$99 first month on the 3-month plan + 11 months x $149. No separate consult fee; pause or cancel anytime. Up from a flat $99/mo in April 2026	AgelessRx
Ivy Rx sermorelin, 6-month plan (telehealth)	+$2,100/yr	$175/mo x 12 on the six-month plan; quarterly is $195/mo and monthly is $225/mo. Includes syringes, needles, and alcohol swabs, so skip those supply rows	Ivy Rx
Sermorelin from a compounding pharmacy, medication only (Rx required)	+$1,800–3,000/yr	$150–250/mo x 12 for the drug alone. Add the prescriber: $200–500 initial visit ($150–250 by telehealth) plus $100–200 per quarterly check, or $2,300–4,100 all-in	FormBlends

Stack C: recovery stack (BPC-157 + TB-500 or KLOW), two cycles vs. year-round

Recovery peptides are cycled, so the low end of each range is two 8-week cycles and the high end is twelve months of continuous use. BeyondMD prices its program monthly and describes cycles of 4 to 8 weeks or longer. Better Med Spa sells KLOW by the 4- or 8-week block with supplies and provider access included. Research-vendor rows are research use only; they come without a prescription or clinician, and the vial math rests on the dosing assumptions in our BPC-157 and KLOW guides.

Channel	Price	Details	Source
BeyondMD BPC-157/KPV/TB-500 injectable program (telehealth)	$796–2,388/yr	From $199/mo. Two 8-week cycles = 4 months x $199 = $796; year-round = 12 x $199 = $2,388. Provider evaluation included; programs run 4 to 8+ weeks	BeyondMD
Better Med Spa KLOW standard protocol (clinic; Illinois telehealth)	$1,380–5,200/yr	Two 8-week blocks x $690 = $1,380; year-round at $400 per 4 weeks x 13 = $5,200. Injury protocol is $600 per 4 weeks or $1,040 per 8 weeks. Includes evaluation, compounded blend, injection supplies, and provider access	Better Med Spa
BPC-157 alone from a compounding pharmacy, medication only (Rx required)	$720–3,000/yr	$180–250 per 30 days. Two 8-week cycles = 4 months = $720–1,000; year-round = $2,160–3,000. Add a prescriber visit from the consult section. Source dated May 31, 2026	FormBlends
BPC-157 + TB-500 stack from a compounding pharmacy (Rx required)	$1,400–8,400/yr	$350–700/mo. Two 8-week cycles = 4 months = $1,400–2,800; year-round = $4,200–8,400. Telehealth intake $99–250 or in-person $150–400 on top	Pure Peptide Clinic
Research vendor: BPC-157 5 mg + TB-500 5 mg blend (research use only, not for human use)	$1,440/yr (2 cycles)	$119.95/vial. At the 500 mcg/day BPC-157 dose in our BPC-157 guide, one vial lasts 10 days, so an 8-week cycle uses about 6 vials ($720) and two cycles about 12 ($1,440). No prescription, no clinician, no sterility guarantee; bacteriostatic water and syringes extra	SwissChems
Research vendor: KLOW 80 mg blend (research use only, not for human use)	$196/yr (2 vials)	$98/vial; 10% off at 5 to 9 vials. One 80 mg vial covers an 8-week cycle at the 200–500 mcg/day blend dose in our KLOW guide, so two cycles = 2 vials = $196 plus water and syringes	Ameano Peptides

Consult and membership fees for the year

Telehealth GLP-1 platforms now split the bill into a membership and a medication charge. Hims and Ro both charge $39 for the first month and $149 a month after that: $1,678 a year in membership before any drug. Peptide clinics bill an intake visit and then follow-ups about every three months. Programs like Evolved Medical fold the consult, labs, and follow-ups into the monthly price, which is why its $249 a month can beat a $99 medication-only plan once fees are added.

Channel	Price	Details	Source
Hims & Hers Weight Loss Membership (medication billed separately)	$1,678/yr	$39 first month + 11 x $149. Branded Wegovy pill, Wegovy pen, and Ozempic from $149/mo on top. Membership is billed apart from the drug so it can be submitted to HSA or FSA. Announced March 26, 2026	Hims & Hers newsroom
Ro Body membership (medication billed separately)	$888–1,678/yr	Monthly plan: $39 first month + 11 x $149 = $1,678. Annual prepay: $74/mo x 12 = $888. Medication adds $149 (Wegovy pill 1.5 mg) to $449 (Zepbound 7.5 mg and up) per month	Ro
Amazon One Medical GLP-1 program (no membership required)	$0/yr in fees	One Medical membership is optional for the program, launched April 21, 2026. Cash prices are $299/mo for Wegovy and Zepbound injectables and $149/mo for the pills, or from $25/mo with insurance. Visits can be billed to insurance, so copays may apply	Amazon
Specialist peptide clinic: intake + 3 follow-ups	$375–1,000/yr	$150–400 initial consult (physician or PA review) + 3 x $75–200 follow-up visits. Baseline labs of $100–250 billed on top; see the lab section	PeakedLabs
Hormone or peptide telehealth: intake + quarterly monitoring	$450–1,100/yr	Telehealth intake $150–250 + 3 x $100–200 quarterly visits = $450–850; in-clinic intake of $200–500 pushes the year to $500–1,100. Many subscriptions bundle these	FormBlends
Team Wellcore initial consult (BPC-157/TB-500 capsules)	$34 one-time	Lowest intake fee found. $34 charged at consult; $274 for the capsule medication charged only on approval	Team Wellcore

Lab work: baseline and follow-up panels, cash prices

The schedule comes from our lab-testing guide: a baseline panel, a recheck at 12 weeks, one at 6 months, and one at 12 months. Growth-hormone peptides add IGF-1 at 6 weeks and then quarterly, about six IGF-1 draws in year one. A DEXA scan at baseline and 6 months shows whether weight lost on a GLP-1 was fat or muscle. Direct-to-consumer labs take HSA and FSA cards but do not bill insurance; a primary care doctor can order most of the same panel under a diagnosis code.

Channel	Price	Details	Source
Labcorp OnDemand GLP-1 year: baseline + 3 tracking draws	$416/yr	Weight Management Baseline Test $149 + 3 x Weight Management Tracking Test $89. Order online, draw at a Labcorp site; HSA/FSA accepted	Labcorp OnDemand
Labcorp OnDemand core panel a la carte, 4 draws	$588–864/yr	Per draw at regular prices: CMP $49 + HbA1c $39 + lipid panel $59 = $147; x 4 = $588. Adding hs-CRP ($69) each time brings it to $864. Lipid and hs-CRP were 25% off on Sept 2, 2026; standard thyroid test is $89	Labcorp OnDemand
Quest Elite Health Profile (full baseline, cash)	$405–810/yr	$399 + $6 physician service fee per draw; x 2 for baseline and 6 months. Includes CBC, CMP, lipids, ApoB, HbA1c, insulin, hs-CRP, TSH/free T4/free T3, testosterone, vitamin D, ferritin, B12. Quest states it does not bill insurance	Quest Health
IGF-1 (Quest test 16293 via direct-pay lab sites), 6 draws	$407–774/yr	$67.78–129 per draw including the requisition fee; x 6 for baseline, 6 weeks, 12 weeks, then quarterly. Needed for sermorelin, ipamorelin, and CJC-1295	FindLabTest (Quest)
Function Health annual membership	$365/yr	$365 first-year membership prepays 160+ lab tests with clinician review and an action plan. Covers most of the universal baseline; confirm IGF-1 is on your panel before relying on it for a secretagogue	Function Health
DEXA body-composition scan (BodySpec), baseline + 6 months	$90/yr	$45 per scan x 2; $40 per scan with a membership. Hospital DEXA runs $150–300+. Tracks lean mass on a GLP-1 or a secretagogue	BodySpec

Injection supplies: syringes, bacteriostatic water, swabs, sharps

Pens include their needles; Wegovy and Zepbound pen users can skip this section. Zepbound vials and every compounded peptide need insulin syringes, and lyophilized peptides also need bacteriostatic water to reconstitute. Counts below assume one syringe and one swab per injection: 52 a year for a weekly GLP-1, about 260 for a five-night secretagogue, and 730 for twice-daily BPC-157 taken year-round. Opened bacteriostatic water is discarded after 28 days, which means one vial per month of active use.

Channel	Price	Details	Source
Insulin syringes, BD Ultra-Fine 31G 3/10 mL, 90-count box	$33–293/yr	$32.50 per box of 90 (Amazon, Sept 2, 2026). Weekly GLP-1 vial: 1 box. Five-night secretagogue: 3 boxes = $97.50. Twice-daily BPC-157 year-round: 9 boxes = $292.50	Amazon
Bacteriostatic water, Hospira 30 mL	$76–246/yr	$18.96 per vial. Two 8-week peptide cycles = 4 vials = $76; year-round reconstitution = 13 vials = $246. Not needed for pens or pre-mixed compounded vials	Medex Supply
Alcohol swabs, BD 100-count box	$9–72/yr	$8.95 per 100. Weekly: 1 box. Five-night secretagogue: 3 boxes = $26.85. Twice-daily BPC-157 year-round: 8 boxes = $71.60	Medex Supply
Sharps container, Kendall 1-quart	$10–40/yr	$9.95 each. One container covers a year of weekly shots; daily injectors go through two to four	Medex Supply
Sharps disposal, FDA household alternative	$0	FDA says used needles belong in an FDA-cleared sharps container, sold at pharmacies and online. When one is not available, a heavy-duty plastic household container with a tight, puncture-resistant lid (a laundry detergent bottle) is acceptable	FDA

What insurance covers and what it never covers

Coverage decides whether a GLP-1 year costs $300 or $5,000, and it is not expanding. Large employers cover GLP-1s for obesity at a 67% rate, but across all employer plans the figure is 36%, unchanged from 2025. Medicare pays only through the Bridge, which ends December 31, 2027, and Stack B and Stack C peptides are almost never covered; FormBlends puts the rate under 5%. The only relief is paying with pre-tax HSA or FSA dollars, which the IRS allows for prescribed drugs and lab fees.

Channel	Price	Details	Source
Large employers (Business Group on Health survey, 100+ members)	67% cover GLP-1s for obesity	Of those, 72% expect to keep coverage in 2027 and 10% expect to drop it. With coverage plus a savings card the year is $300; without it, $3,338–5,188	Healthcare Dive
All employer plans (IFEBP survey of ~300 plans, June 2026)	36% cover for weight loss	Same 36% as 2025, up from 34% in 2024. 60% cover GLP-1s for diabetes only, up from 55%. Reported by CNBC July 8, 2026	CNBC
Medicare Part D outside the Bridge	Not covered for weight loss alone	The 2003 Medicare Modernization Act excludes drugs used for weight loss from Part D. The Bridge is a temporary exception that ends Dec 31, 2027; after that, coverage reverts unless Congress or CMS acts	HHS ASPE
Compounded GLP-1s (semaglutide, tirzepatide)	Not covered; 503B supply ending	FDA proposed April 30, 2026 to exclude semaglutide, tirzepatide, and liraglutide from the 503B bulks list; the comment period closed July 30. Bridge and savings cards apply to branded products only	FDA
Compounded peptides (BPC-157, TB-500, KLOW, ipamorelin, CJC-1295, sermorelin)	Under 5% of plans cover	Not FDA-approved for these uses and compounded, so plans exclude them. Evolved Medical's own page says most insurers do not cover peptide therapy. Budget the full Stack B or C figure	FormBlends
Direct-to-consumer lab orders (Quest, Labcorp OnDemand, Function)	Not billable to insurance	Quest states purchases cannot be submitted for insurance reimbursement; HSA/FSA may be used. Labs ordered by your own doctor under a diagnosis code are usually covered	Quest Health
HSA and FSA (pre-tax) eligibility	Rx drugs, labs, and obesity treatment qualify	IRS Publication 502 counts prescribed drugs, laboratory fees, and weight-loss treatment for a physician-diagnosed disease such as obesity as medical expenses. Keep the prescription and receipts; research-vendor purchases do not qualify	IRS Publication 502