Skip to main content
HomeDrug Comparisons
Drug bottle and Pill

Compare Lantus vs. Novolog

Head-to-head comparisons of medication uses, side effects, warnings, and more.

Lantus (insulin glargine)
Novolog (insulin aspart)
Lantus (insulin glargine)
Novolog (insulin aspart)

Summary of Lantus vs. Novolog

Summary for Insulin
Prescription only

Lantus (insulin glargine) is a long-acting insulin. It's used to manage blood sugar levels in adults and children with Type 1 diabetes or Type 2 diabetes. Lantus (insulin glargine) is injected under the skin, typically once daily or as directed by your healthcare team. Your care team will determine your dose of Lantus (insulin glargine) based on different factors, such as your diet and blood sugar levels. Lantus (insulin glargine) comes as a vial and a prefilled insulin pen (Lantus Solostar). Some side effects of this medication include redness and swelling at the injection site, and upper respiratory tract infections.

Summary for Insulin
Prescription only

NovoLog (insulin aspart) is a fast-acting insulin for adults and children with diabetes. It lowers your blood sugar levels by moving the sugar into your body so it can be used for energy. NovoLog (insulin aspart) is available as vials and ready-to-use prefilled pens. It's typically injected under the skin at mealtimes, but it can also be given as an infusion into the veins by a healthcare provider for people in the hospital. Side effects include headache and low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).

Indications of Lantus vs. Novolog

Indications for
•Type 1 diabetes (T1D)
•Type 2 diabetes (T2D)
Indications for
•Type 1 diabetes in adults and children
•Type 2 diabetes in adults

Pros and Cons of Lantus vs. Novolog

Pros and Const for Insulin
Pros
•Can control your blood sugar levels for about 24 hours
•Typically injected once daily
•Approved for children and adults
•Available as a vial and pre-filled pen
Cons
•Given as an injection
•Raises risk of dangerously low blood sugar levels
•Might cause weight gain
•Can't be mixed with other insulins within the same syringe
Pros and Const for Insulin
Pros
•Starts to work within 10 minutes to lower blood sugar levels
•Dose can be easily adjusted to make treatment tailored to your specific needs
•Can use if you have liver or kidney problems
•Available as a prefilled pen for easier and convenient use
Cons
•Given multiple times per day (before each meal)
•Must give as an injection
•Might be hard for some people to inject properly
•Risk of low blood sugar and weight gain

Common Side Effects of Lantus vs. Novolog

Common Side Effects for

Type 2 diabetes (T2D)

•Upper respiratory tract infection (up to 29%)
•Swelling in the hands or feet (20%)
•High blood pressure (20%)
•Flu, sinus infections, or bronchitis (up to 19%)
•Cataract (15%)
•Joint pain (14%)
•Pain in the hands and feet (13%)
•Back pain (13%)
•Cough (12%)
•Urinary tract infection (11%)
•Diarrhea (11%)
•Depression (11%)
•Headache (10%)

Note: People with T1D typically experienced less side effects than people with T2D, but are at higher risk for hypoglycemia.

Common Side Effects for

Type 1 diabetes:

•Severely low blood sugar (17%)
•Headache (12%)
•Accidental injury (11%)
•Nausea (7%)
•Diarrhea (5%)

Type 2 diabetes:

•Muscles slow to react (11%)
•Severely low blood sugar (10%)
•Fungal nail infection (10%)
•Impairment of your senses (9%)
•Urinary tract infection (8%)
•Sinus infection (5%)
•Chest pain (5%)
•Stomach pain (5%)
•Headache (5%)
•Skin problems (5%)

Warnings of Lantus vs. Novolog

Common Side Effects for
•Risk of serious infections
•Risk of high and low blood sugar levels
•Dangerously low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia)
•Low blood potassium levels
•Swelling and heart failure
•Severe allergic reactions
Common Side Effects for
•Spread of infections from sharing injection supplies
•Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
•Low blood potassium levels
•Swelling from fluid buildup and risk of heart failure when taken with certain blood sugar medications
•Dangerously high blood sugar levels or buildup of ketones (for people who use insulin pump)

Prices with our coupons for Lantus vs. Novolog

Learn more about Lantus
Learn more about Novolog

Compare other Diabetes Type 2 and Diabetes Type 1 drugs

Glucovance vs LantusHumulin R vs LantusInvokana vs LantusLantus vs ActosLantus vs Apidra
View More

Browse medications

View All

Research prescriptions and over-the-counter medications from A to Z, compare drug prices, and start saving.