Let’s be real: Scheduling your next doctor’s appointment probably isn’t the most exciting item on your to-do list. But that doesn’t make it any less important. Seeing a doctor regularly can help you stay healthy and prevent lasting medical problems – don’t let a health issue slow you down!
That said, finding a doctor these days is easier said than done. Between finding a provider in your insurance network and navigating packed schedules, it’s not hard to see why people give up early in the game.
Thankfully, innovations in telemedicine have made it possible to see a doctor without even leaving home. With faster scheduling, affordable pricing, and unbeatable convenience, online doctor platforms are becoming all the rage.
In this article, we’ll directly compare two of the hottest online doctor platforms on the block: PlushCare and Teladoc. We’ll help you find the best platform for you by detailing their membership plans and conditions treated, along with other crucial details. Plus, we’ll talk about the benefits of choosing a telemedicine platform in the first place.
Don’t have time for an in-depth review? Here’s our cheat sheet for the best online doctor consultation:
Which is best, PlushCare or Teladoc?
Most comprehensive, ongoing care
- PlushCare offers a more holistic approach to telemedicine with urgent care services, same-day appointments, and convenient prescription refills. While you’ll need to commit to a membership, PlushCare is a smart choice for ongoing care.
Pros
- Membership allows for continuity in communication with doctors & care team
- Medication services for new prescriptions or refills
- Prescription refill appointments usually take just 15 minutes
- Discounts on prescriptions and lab tests
- Broad & transparent list of insurance plans accepted
Most specialty treatment options
- Teladoc allows for more geographic availability, providing access in the U.S., Canada, and France. Additionally, for those paying out-of-pocket, Teladoc’s per-appointment fee is can be more affordable than a membership (monthly fee) model.
Pros
- More affordable out-of-pocket per-session fee
- No membership fees
- Available in the U.S., Canada, and France
- Offers a greater range of specialty services, including expert medical opinion
PlushCare vs Teladoc: Who has the best online doctor membership?
Online Doctor Membership Comparison: PlushCare vs Teladoc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Membership: $14.99/mo With insurance: copay for each visit (usually >$30) Without insurance: First visit $149, repeat visits $99/ea | With insurance: as low as $0/visit Without insurance: $75/visit for general medical |
| Appointments without membership? | ❌ | ✅ |
| Free membership trial? | ✅ (first month free) | ❌ |
| What can they treat? | General health Preventative care Urgent care Sexual health Online therapy Mental health medications Medication prescriptions | General medical Mental health Dermatology Sexual health Wellness care |
| Video chats? | ✅ | ✅ |
| 24/7 appointments availability? | ✅ | ✅ |
| Same-day appointments? | ✅ | ✅ |
| Unlimited messaging with doctors? | ✅ | ❌ (only up to 7 days after your visit) |
| Unlimited messaging with care team? | ✅ | ✅ |
| Prescription and lab discounts? | ✅ (up to 80% discount) | ❌ |
| Works with insurers? | ✅ | ✅ |
| Areas available in? | all 50 states | all 50 states, Canada, France |
| Website |
Review of PlushCare’s virtual doctor visit
PlushCare provides virtual primary care and mental health treatment in all 50 states. You’ll talk to your doctor right on your computer, tablet, or smartphone, with same-day appointments available. But is PlushCare legit? We can say, with confidence, yes – PlushCare is one of today’s leading telehealth platforms.
To schedule your first appointment on PlushCare, you’ll first specify whether you’ll pay with or without insurance. PlushCare accepts many insurance plans, including United Healthcare, Aetna, and Humana.
Next, you’ll select your state, and PlushCare will present a list of highly experienced local physicians and their available appointment times. In most cases, you can choose a same-day time slot. You can also view the physicians’ patient reviews and profiles on this page.
Upon selecting your appointment, you’ll be prompted to create a PlushCare profile and become a member. PlushCare’s membership ($14.99/mo) includes online and mobile appointment booking, prescription renewal requests, and unlimited in-app messaging with your care team.
Overall, booking your first appointment with PlushCare takes mere minutes, and you can get on the phone with a clinician in as little as 15 minutes.
Review of Teladoc for primary care online
Teladoc has been in the telemedicine game for 20 years (and running), making it a longstanding choice for remote medical care. It’s available in all 50 U.S. states, Canada, and France, offering a significant range of specialty health services.
To get started with Teladoc, you’ll need to fill out a quick medical history, either online or through the app. You’ll also need to verify your health insurance plan or create an account to pay per visit if you don’t have insurance.
The process of creating a Teladoc account takes just a few minutes, and you’ll be able to request an appointment right away. Teladoc will provide a wait time if you need an appointment ASAP, but you can also schedule an appointment as soon as today or tomorrow.
Teladoc offers a program called Primary360, which lets you connect with a primary care provider for routine checkups, ongoing health needs, and referrals. As a bonus, Primary360 doesn’t require you to pay a membership or subscription fee.
PlushCare vs Teladoc: What to look for when choosing a telemedicine platform?
In choosing a telemedicine platform, a few key factors will ensure that you get the most out of the experience.
Convenience
With same-day appointments you can book and attend from an app on your phone, telemedicine platforms make medical care seamlessly fit into any schedule. PlushCare and Teladoc both offer 24/7 virtual doctor services and same-day appointments. This makes them both excellent options for convenient at-home medical care.
Your telehealth platform should allow you to access a complete range of tools and features on the same interface. This includes appointment scheduling, your patient profile, health records, prescriptions, video appointments, and a network of providers. Accessing these features from the same platform gives you complete efficiency and convenience as a telemedicine patient.
PlushCare and Teladoc both offer iPhone and Android mobile apps.
You can use the PlushCare app to:
- Talk to your doctor
- Message your care team
- Upload your insurance information
- Schedule appointments
- View in-network providers
- Select a pharmacy for your prescriptions
You can use the Teladoc app to:
- Talk to your doctor
- Access your medical information
- Schedule appointments
- Choose a provider
- Select a pharmacy for your prescriptions
Winner: PlushCare, which provides all-access care through its membership model. On both platforms, you have 24/7 access to your care team, but Teladoc only allows you one week of interface with your doctor after an appointment due to their by-appointment payment basis.
Access to specialty care
While general health and primary care are both important, most patients need specialty care at some point. In fact, every year, one in three patients is sent to a specialist. So, if you’re choosing a telehealth platform, it makes sense to choose one with specialty care offerings.
Access to specialty care providers is often hard to come by for low-income patients and those living in rural areas. Telemedicine can close this gap by providing affordable, instantly accessible care from a specialist, and PlushCare and Teladoc both offer this. See below for an entire list of offerings from both platforms.
PlushCare includes specialty care in its membership plan, including sexual health and therapy while all Teladoc treatments, including specialty care, are offered a la carte at different prices depending on the treatment.
Winner: Teladoc, because of their specific dermatology, back & joint care, and nutrition services. Both provide a long list of treatment options, but Teladoc singles them out more, indicating more specific treatments for each.
Accepts most insurance plans
We’ve all been there: You’re searching for a doctor, only to find that many of the providers in your area don’t accept your insurance plan. To avoid this headache, it’s best to choose a telemedicine platform that’s in-network with most major insurers.
PlushCare accepts most health plans, including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Sheild of California, Humana, Medi-Cal, and United Healthcare PPO plans. Unfortunately, PlushCare doesn’t currently accept Medicare or Medicaid.
Teladoc accepts most major insurers, including Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Sheild, Aetna, Cigna, and United Healthcare. They also work with many employers to include Teladoc as a benefit. Teladoc accepts many Medicare Advantage and Medicaid managed care plans. But, it doesn’t work as a provider for Medicare or Medicaid fee for service.
Prices without insurance:
- PlushCare: $149 for the first visit, $99 for each visit thereafter (+ the $14.99/mo membership fee for any member)
- Teladoc: $75 for each visit
Winner: PlushCare offers more transparency on insurance plans accepted and more variance.
PlushCare vs Teladoc: What are the benefits of seeing your doctor online?
Easy Rx Refills: Virtual doctor appointments can streamline the process of filling existing or new prescriptions. PlushCare and Teladoc both offer prescription refills and referrals to specialists, urgent care & the emergency room when necessary.
Winner: PlushCare, which offers dedicated medication services and a dedicated team of Referral Specialists to help you with outside referrals if they can’t help you themselves. Teladoc doesn’t guarantee prescriptions, and they can only renew a 30-day supply of most prescriptions up to twice per calendar year.
Ongoing Care: Both platforms offer unlimited messaging with your care team, but Teladoc only lets you message your doctor for up to seven days after your visit because their services are by appointment only.
Winner: PlushCare, because of the membership model with a monthly fee. This offers more comprehensive ongoing care when compared to Teladoc, which charges patients on a visit-to-visit basis. You’ll also get unlimited online messaging with your doctor and care team to address any questions or concerns between visits.
Affordability: Online doctor visits can be more affordable and more convenient. PlushCare offers its telemedicine services with a membership model. PlushCare notes that most patients with an in-network health plan pay $30 or less for their visits.
PlushCare pricing – with insurance, each visit will only cost your copay amount.
- Monthly membership fee: $14.99/mo (free for first month)
- First doctor visit cost: Copay only with insurance, $129 without insurance
- Repeat doctor visit cost: Copay only with insurance, $99 each visit without insurance
Teladoc pricing – with insurance, each visit will only cost your copay amount.
- General Medical: $75/visit
- Mental Health: $99+ per visit
- Dermatology: $95 per review
- Back and Joint Care: $49 per month
- Nutrition: $95 per visit
Winner: Teladoc, which requires no membership fee, only payments per appointment. PlushCare is $14.99/mo + payments for each appointment (copays only if you pay with insurance).
What conditions do PlushCare and Teladoc treat?
Conditions treated: PlushCare vs Teladoc | ||
|---|---|---|
| General health & preventative care | Annual wellness check-ups Vaccinations Hypertension Diabetes Allergies Heart disease management | Primary360 (primary care) Cold & flu Allergies |
| Urgent care | Ear, tooth, sinus, etc. infections Pink eye Gout Rashes Vertigo Bronchitis Stomach issues X-ray & lab referrals | Cold & flu Sinus infections Pink eye Stomachaches |
| Sexual health | Yeast infections UTIs Vaginitis ED Birth control STD & STI testing & treatment | STD testing |
| Specialty care | Quitting smoking Back pain Obesity treatment | Tobacco cesation Back & joint care Dermatology Nutrition Expert medical opinion |
| Mental health | Medication prescriptions | Medication prescriptions Adolescent mental health |
| Online therapy available? | ✅ | ✅ |
| Cost of therapy? | $169/appointment | Depending on insurance: $0-99 |
| Doorstep delivery or pharmacy pickup of prescriptions? | Pharmacy Pickup | Pharmacy Pickup |
| Same-day prescriptions available? | ✅ | 🟡 |
| Prescription discount card | ✅ | ❌ |
| Able to prescribe medications for? | Adults Kids aged 3+ | All ages, from newborns to elderly patients |
| Prescriptions refilled for upto? | Up to 90 days for all non-controlled substances | 30 day supply |
| Free consultations for therapy? | ✅ 15 minutes | ❌ |
| Prescribes controlled substances? | ❌ | ❌ |
The Verdict – Which is the best platform to find a doctor online?
Now that we’ve covered all the details, let’s get down to it: Which is the best online doctor consultation site, PlushCare or Teladoc?
PlushCare Most comprehensive, ongoing care
PlushCare reviews rave about speed and convenience – after all, many consultations can be completed within just 15 minutes.
Beyond this platform’s efficiency, it’s the best solution for ongoing medical care. Because of their membership model rather than by appointment, you have access to unlimited messaging with your doctor, simple prescription refills, and discount cards for prescriptions and lab tests, bringing PlushCare a tad ahead of Teladoc in our eyes.
Teladoc Most specialty treatment options
Teladoc offers the benefit of geographic availability (in the U.S., Canada, and France), as well as a super-competitive out-of-pocket cost for appointments.
We also like that this platform offers a significant range of specialty services, including expert medical opinion. However, Teladoc reviews show that the lack of ability to follow up on general medical visits, exacerbated by limited doctor messaging capabilities, diminishes the quality of care on this platform.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which is better for prescription meds, Teladoc or PlushCare?
If you’re seeking an online doctor for prescriptions, we’d recommend choosing PlushCare over Teladoc. Teladoc doesn’t guarantee prescriptions, and they can only renew a 30-day supply of most prescriptions up to twice per calendar year. Additionally, certain medications are banned from Teladoc, including controlled substances, hair loss medications, erectile dysfunction medications, and Plan B.
PlushCare offers medication services, so you can book an appointment specifically to refill an existing medication or get a new prescription. Most medication appointments take just 15 minutes, and same-day prescriptions are available. Unlike Teladoc, PlushCare can renew non-controlled medications for up to 90 days, and it provides a prescription discount card to save you money.
Also, while PlushCare doesn’t offer controlled substances, it can provide ongoing prescriptions for hair loss and erectile dysfunction.
Navigate the world of virtual health care
We’ve tried hundreds of online telehealth providers for a wide range of conditions, everything from anxiety to fertility to hair loss. Join our newsletter to learn which our medical advisory team likes best!
Methodology
We conduct extensive research to evaluate the pricing, effectiveness, accessibility, overall quality, and user experience of every telehealth service we review. This also includes examining and comparing each provider to comparable telemedicine alternatives. We also evaluate usability, treatments, prescription delivery time, and more to determine the best value for those seeking fast and reliable telehealth services.
| Review Process | Key Metrics | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Sign up online | - ease to complete intake form - affordability - upfront commitment or subscription required? - money back guarantee or refund policy? | 0.5 |
| Vitual consult with provider / determine eligibility | - ease to get appointment to determine eligibility - need to leave house for labs or other in-person care? | 1 |
| Shipping + unboxing | - shipping cost - time from order to treatment delivery - discreet packaging to maintain privacy | 0.5 |
| Test + journal for 1-3 months | - ease of application - transition into habitual use - taste / smell / feel / pain | 1.5 |
| Results after 3 months of use | - efficacy / results - lack of side effects - ease of refill / reordering - quality of ongoing clinical support - responsive customer support - willingness to recommend to a friend | 1.5 |
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