Lexapro vs Wellbutrin: escitalopram and bupropion compared
Lexapro (escitalopram) and Wellbutrin (bupropion) are both widely prescribed for depression, but they work in different ways and have different side effects. Escitalopram also treats anxiety; bupropion is less likely to cause sexual side effects or weight gain and helps people stop smoking. Both are inexpensive generics.
Updated October 4, 2026
At a glance
- How it works
- Lexapro
- SSRI: increases serotonin
- Wellbutrin
- Increases norepinephrine and dopamine
- Approved uses
- Lexapro
- Depression and generalized anxiety disorder
- Wellbutrin
- Depression, seasonal affective disorder (XL), and quitting smoking (as Zyban)
- Sexual side effects and weight gain
- Lexapro
- More common
- Wellbutrin
- Less common
- Main cautions
- Lexapro
- Dose-related heart rhythm effect at higher doses
- Wellbutrin
- Seizure risk; avoided with seizure disorders and eating disorders
- Generic available
- Lexapro
- Yes
- Wellbutrin
- Yes, in all forms
Lexapro escitalopram | Wellbutrin bupropion; SR and XL forms; also sold as Zyban for smoking | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | SSRI: increases serotonin | Increases norepinephrine and dopamine |
| Approved uses | Depression and generalized anxiety disorder | Depression, seasonal affective disorder (XL), and quitting smoking (as Zyban) |
| Sexual side effects and weight gain | More common | Less common |
| Main cautions | Dose-related heart rhythm effect at higher doses | Seizure risk; avoided with seizure disorders and eating disorders |
| Generic available | Yes | Yes, in all forms |
Who might get one rather than the other
Escitalopram is often the choice when anxiety comes with depression, since bupropion’s stimulating effect can worsen anxiety or sleep for some people. Bupropion is often chosen when tiredness and low energy dominate, when sexual side effects or weight gain would be a problem, or when someone also wants to stop smoking. Some people take both, under supervision, for example to offset an SSRI’s sexual side effects.
Safety
Both carry the boxed warning about suicidal thoughts in people under 25. Bupropion lowers the seizure threshold, so it is avoided in people with epilepsy, eating disorders, or who are stopping alcohol or sedatives abruptly, and doses are capped. It also blocks the liver enzyme CYP2D6, affecting some other medicines.
Cost
Both are generic. Bupropion XL usually costs pharmacies more than the SR form, and prices for each strength vary between pharmacies, so comparing quotes helps; escitalopram is a commodity generic priced mostly by dispensing fee.
Starting and stopping
Escitalopram usually starts at a low dose for a week or two, and early side effects such as nausea or restlessness often fade in that time. Bupropion is taken in the morning, with any second dose of the SR form no later than mid-afternoon, to limit insomnia. Neither should be stopped suddenly without a plan; escitalopram in particular can cause discontinuation symptoms.
Questions for your prescriber
- Which suits my symptoms, including any anxiety or poor sleep?
- Is bupropion safe given my medical history?
- Would the SR or XL form of bupropion suit me better?
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Sources
- DailyMed, FDA-approved prescribing information
- MedlinePlus drug information (National Library of Medicine)
- FDA Orange Book (approved generics and therapeutic equivalence)
Written by the Script Unlock editorial team from the sources above. It is general information, not advice for you or your pet; your prescriber decides which medicine is right.
Script Unlock is a marketplace that lets licensed pharmacies quote a cash price on your prescription. It does not prescribe, dispense or sell medication, does not process patient payments, and does not give medical advice. Always follow the instructions of your prescriber and pharmacist and read the medication guide supplied with your medicine.