Mounjaro vs. Zepbound: Same Drug, Different Label

Both are tirzepatide at identical doses — here's what separates them.

✓ Medically reviewedUpdated 2026

The bottom line

Mounjaro and Zepbound are the same medication — tirzepatide — at the same 2.5–15 mg doses. Mounjaro is FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes; Zepbound for weight management and obstructive sleep apnea. If weight loss is the goal, Zepbound is the on-label version, but the underlying drug and dosing are identical.

At a glance

	Mounjaro	Zepbound
Active drug	Tirzepatide (the same molecule)
FDA approved for	Type 2 diabetes	Chronic weight management; obstructive sleep apnea
Max dose	15 mg weekly (identical titration)
Studied in	SURPASS program	SURMOUNT program
Weight loss	Substantial (secondary endpoint)	~20.9% at 15 mg (SURMOUNT-1)

Mounjaro and Zepbound are the same drug — tirzepatide — at the same doses. The difference is the FDA-approved use: Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes, Zepbound for weight management (and, more recently, obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity). The dual GIP + GLP-1 mechanism and the 2.5–15 mg titration are identical.

Weight loss

Average weight loss, tirzepatide 15 mg (SURMOUNT-1, 72 weeks)

Jastreboff AM et al., NEJM 2022.

Which applies to you?

Mounjaro

Approved for type 2 diabetes
Same tirzepatide, same doses
Weight loss is a secondary benefit

Zepbound

Approved for weight management & OSA
Same tirzepatide, same doses
Strongest on-label weight-loss evidence

Because both are tirzepatide, DripVitals offers compounded tirzepatide — the same active ingredient, clinician-reviewed, from $129/month.

Getting treatment online

DripVitals is an online clinic: complete a secure intake, a licensed clinician reviews it, and if a GLP-1 medication is appropriate it ships from a licensed pharmacy to your door, with follow-ups by message or video.

See if you qualify Explore GLP-1 treatments

Related comparisons

Ozempic vs. Wegovy Wegovy vs. Zepbound Ozempic vs. Mounjaro Compounded vs. brand-name

Frequently asked questions

Is Mounjaro or Zepbound better for weight loss?

Same drug, same doses. Zepbound is the version FDA-approved for weight management, so it carries the on-label weight-loss evidence.

Are the doses different?

No — both titrate 2.5 → 5 → 7.5 → 10 → 12.5 → 15 mg weekly.

Is compounded tirzepatide the same?

It contains the same active ingredient but is not FDA-approved; it’s prepared by a licensed pharmacy. See compounded vs brand.

Tirzepatide vs semaglutide?

See semaglutide vs tirzepatide.

Clinical references

Jastreboff AM, et al. SURMOUNT-1. N Engl J Med. 2022;387:205–216.
Frías JP, et al. SURPASS-2. N Engl J Med. 2021;385:503–515.
Malhotra A, et al. Tirzepatide for OSA with Obesity (SURMOUNT-OSA). N Engl J Med. 2024;391:1193–1205.
FDA prescribing information: Mounjaro; Zepbound.

Medically reviewed. For general education only — not medical advice, and not a substitute for a consultation with a licensed clinician. Trial figures are group averages; individual results vary. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved.

GLP-1 medications are prescription treatments with risks and contraindications, including a boxed warning for thyroid C-cell tumors; do not use with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN 2. This page is not medical advice; a licensed clinician determines whether treatment is appropriate for you.