Quick answer: Contrave cost in 2026 is $99 a month through the manufacturer’s CurAccess program, with free shipping from partner pharmacies.[1] At a retail pharmacy with the Contrave savings card, you pay as little as $0 with coverage or no more than $199 without it.[2] Medicare does not cover Contrave.[6]
Prices and program terms checked October 2026. They change often; confirm with the manufacturer or your plan.
Contrave combines naltrexone and bupropion in an extended-release tablet for chronic weight management. It is not a GLP-1 drug; it acts on appetite and reward pathways in the brain.[3] We compare it with Ozempic in detail in Contrave vs Ozempic. For the GLP-1 drugs, see our GLP-1 and weight-loss drugs hub.
Contrave price table
| How you pay | Monthly cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CurAccess program (home delivery) | $99, or as little as $0 if insurance covers it[1] | Partner pharmacies; free shipping |
| Savings coupon card (retail pharmacy), insurance covers Contrave | As little as $0[2] | Commercial insurance |
| Savings coupon card (retail pharmacy), no coverage | Up to $199 for 120 tablets[2] | Cash price with the card |
| Medicare Part D | Not covered[6] | CurAccess is available as cash[1] |
A month at the full dose is 120 tablets: two in the morning and two in the evening.[3]
The CurAccess program
The program is called CurAccess (some people search for it as “CurAction”). It is run by Currax Pharmaceuticals. Its terms, as of October 2026:[1]
- Price: $99 a month with free shipping through partner pharmacies.
- With insurance: if your plan covers Contrave, you may pay less, as little as $0.
- Government plans: people with Medicaid, Medicare Part D or TRICARE can join, but the prescription is processed as a cash purchase, not billed to the plan.
- Eligibility: subject to program terms shown at sign-up.
FDA records now list Azurity as the application holder for Contrave, while the Contrave website still names Currax.[5][2] If ownership changes, program names and prices may change, so check the website before each refill.
Savings coupon card at retail pharmacies
If you’d rather use a local pharmacy, the Contrave Savings Coupon Card applies:[2]
- With insurance that covers Contrave: as little as $0.
- Without coverage: a cash price of $199 for 120 tablets.
- Cannot be used if any part of the prescription is paid by Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, DOD or VA.
- Cannot be combined with other discount cards or the telehealth offers on the Contrave site.
Who Contrave is approved for
Contrave is approved, along with a reduced-calorie diet and more physical activity, for adults with obesity, or adults with overweight who have at least one weight-related health problem such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol.[3] Insurers that cover weight-management drugs usually ask your prescriber to document that you meet these criteria before they pay. Because it is a pill taken twice daily, it suits people who prefer to avoid injections, but it is not a good fit for everyone, which is why a prescriber has to review your other medicines first.
How many tablets you need, and what a year costs
Contrave starts low and builds up over four weeks. The label schedule is one tablet in the morning in week 1, one morning and one evening in week 2, two morning and one evening in week 3, then two tablets twice a day from week 4 on.[3] Your prescriber may adjust this.
That means the first month uses about 70 tablets, so your first 120-tablet bottle lasts longer than a month. After that, each bottle lasts 30 days at the full dose.[3]
At $99 a month through CurAccess, a year costs roughly $1,100 to $1,200.[1] Paying the $199 retail coupon price instead, a year comes to roughly $2,200 to $2,400.[2] The CurAccess route is cheaper if you don’t need a local pharmacy.
Contrave with insurance
Coverage of weight-management drugs varies. Many employer plans exclude them; those that cover them often require prior authorization.
To check your plan: search your insurer’s formulary for “Contrave” or “naltrexone/bupropion,” look for prior authorization notes, or call the number on your insurance card. If it’s covered, compare your copay with the $99 CurAccess price.
Medicare and Medicaid
Medicare Part D plans cannot cover drugs used for weight loss.[6] The Medicare GLP-1 Bridge, which charges $50 a month from July 2026, covers only Wegovy, Zepbound KwikPen and Foundayo.[7] People with Medicare can still pay cash through CurAccess.[1] Some state Medicaid programs cover weight-loss drugs; check with your state plan.
Is there a generic Contrave?
Not on the market. FDA’s Drugs@FDA database shows a single generic naltrexone-bupropion application with only tentative approval, which means it cannot yet be sold.[5] Taking the two ingredients as separate generic pills is not the same as Contrave’s extended-release tablet. Only a prescriber can decide whether any substitute is appropriate.
Contrave vs GLP-1 drugs on cost
Contrave is cheaper per month than any GLP-1 self-pay program. It also produced less weight loss in its trials.
| Drug | Cash price per month | Average weight change in main trial |
|---|---|---|
| Contrave | $99 (CurAccess)[1] | −6.1% vs −1.3% placebo, 56 weeks[4] |
| Wegovy injection | $349 (most doses)[8] | −14.9% vs −2.4% placebo, 68 weeks[11] |
| Zepbound | $299-$449 by dose[10] | −20.9% (15 mg) vs −3.1% placebo, 72 weeks[12] |
| Foundayo | From $149[9] | −12.4% vs −0.9% placebo, highest dose, on treatment[9] |
These trials enrolled different people over different lengths of time, so the numbers are a rough guide, not a head-to-head comparison.
Cost per % of weight lost (rough math): a year of Contrave at $99 a month is $1,188, or about $195 per percentage point of body weight lost in COR-I. A year of Wegovy at $349 is $4,188, or about $281 per point. A cheaper drug isn’t a better value if it doesn’t work for you.
Built-in check. Contrave’s label says to evaluate after 12 weeks at the full dose and stop if you have not lost at least 5% of your starting weight.[3] That limits spending on a drug that isn’t working.
For other lower-cost options, see Foundayo cost and Saxenda cost. For prices of every GLP-1, see GLP-1 cost without insurance.
