What is the difference between Zoloft and Lexapro?

Same class. Both Zoloft and Lexapro are SSRIs & SNRIs, so they work through the same broad mechanism. Differences between them tend to be about dosing, route, how selective they are, and side effects rather than what they target.

Are Zoloft and Lexapro the same drug?

No. Zoloft is the brand name for Sertraline and Lexapro is the brand name for Escitalopram. They are different active ingredients.

Is Zoloft a tablet or an injection?

Zoloft is given by the oral route; Lexapro by the oral route.

Who makes Zoloft and Lexapro?

Zoloft is marketed by Viatris; Lexapro by AbbVie. (FDA application holder, per Drugs@FDA.)

Zoloft vs Lexapro: How Sertraline and Escitalopram Compare

Reviewed by the Priya Life Science Editorial Team, led by Sreepriya Prasannan

MSc Digital Transformation of Life Sciences (Innopharma Education / Griffith College); MSc & BSc Botany HSE Spark Ignite 2026 — Top 14 finalist

Compiled from official FDA data · Last verified 7 Aug 2026 · Editorial standards

At a glance

ZoloftSertraline

LexaproEscitalopram

Brand names

Zoloft / Lustral

Lexapro / Cipralex

Drug class

SSRI antidepressant

SSRI

Route

Oral

Marketed by

Viatris

AbbVie

First FDA approval

30 Dec 1991

14 Aug 2002

US shortage

Not listed

Key differences

Same class. Both Zoloft and Lexapro are SSRIs & SNRIs, so they work through the same broad mechanism. Differences between them tend to be about dosing, route, how selective they are, and side effects rather than what they target.
How they are taken. Both are given by the oral route.
Time on the market. Zoloft was first approved by the FDA in 1991, Lexapro in 2002. That gives Zoloft roughly 11 more years of real-world use and long-term safety data.
Who markets them. Zoloft is marketed by Viatris; Lexapro by AbbVie.
Same drug, more than one brand. Sertraline is sold as Zoloft / Lustral — the same active ingredient marketed under different brand names, typically for different approved uses or doses.
Same drug, more than one brand. Escitalopram is sold as Lexapro / Cipralex — the same active ingredient marketed under different brand names, typically for different approved uses or doses.

What each one treats

ZoloftSertraline

ZOLOFT is indicated for the treatment of the following [See Clinical Studies (14) ] : • Major depressive disorder (MDD) • Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) • Panic disorder (PD) • Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) • Social anxiety disorder (SAD) • Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) ZOLOFT is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) indicated for the treatment of ( 1 ): • Major depressive disorder (MDD) • Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) • Panic disorder (PD) • Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) • Social anxiety disorder (SAD) • Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)

LexaproEscitalopram

Lexapro is indicated for the treatment of: • major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older. • generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in adults and pediatric patients 7 years of age and older. Lexapro is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) indicated for the: treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older ( 1 ) treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in adults and pediatric patients 7 years and older ( 1 )

How each one works

ZoloftSSRI antidepressant

12.1 Mechanism of Action Sertraline potentiates serotonergic activity in the central nervous system through inhibition of neuronal reuptake of serotonin (5-HT).

LexaproSSRI

12.1 Mechanism of Action The mechanism of antidepressant action of escitalopram, the S-enantiomer of racemic citalopram, is presumed to be linked to potentiation of serotonergic activity in the central nervous system (CNS) resulting from its inhibition of CNS neuronal reuptake of serotonin (5-HT).

Related comparisons

Zoloft VS Cymbalta Zoloft VS Effexor XR Lexapro VS Cymbalta Lexapro VS Effexor XR

Zoloft profile Lexapro profile SSRIs & SNRIs All comparisons

This is not a recommendation of one drug over the other.

Which medicine is right for a given person depends on their diagnosis, other conditions, other medicines, kidney and liver function, pregnancy, and cost or reimbursement — none of which this page knows. Two drugs in the same class are not automatically interchangeable. Never start, stop or switch a prescription medicine on the basis of a web page; that decision belongs to you and your clinician or pharmacist.

How this page is built

The facts on this page are pulled directly from official U.S. FDA datasets — they are not written from memory. Each field below names the dataset it came from, so you can check it yourself.

FDA Drug Label (openFDA) ↗ Indications, mechanism of action and pharmacologic class
Drugs@FDA ↗ First FDA approval date and the company holding the application
FDA Drug Shortage Database ↗ Current US supply / shortage status

Plain-English summaries and drug-class explainers are written and reviewed by the Priya Life Science editorial team, led by Sreepriya Prasannan (MSc Digital Transformation of Life Sciences (Innopharma Education / Griffith College); MSc & BSc Botany). Data is retrieved automatically from the sources above and cross-checked with AI-assisted verification (Anthropic's Claude) — brand and generic names are matched against the exact FDA product record so that a combination product or a different formulation cannot be mistaken for the drug on this page. An editor reviews the result before publication. We describe this in full in our editorial standards and corrections policy. The FDA data on this page was last retrieved on 7 Aug 2026.

Please verify before you rely on this. This page is general information for life-science and pharmaceutical professionals. It is not medical advice, and it has not been reviewed by a clinician — our editorial team holds life-science qualifications, not clinical ones. It is not exhaustive and may not reflect the most recent label change. Always check the official prescribing information (US Prescribing Information or EU SmPC) and speak to your doctor or pharmacist before acting on anything here. Drugs in the same class are not automatically interchangeable, and approvals, brand names and indications differ between the US, the EU/Ireland (EMA/HPRA) and other regions. Spotted an error? Tell us — we correct promptly and log it.

Zoloft vs Lexapro