Best Telehealth Services in 2026: 9 Services Compared

Teladoc is the largest telehealth service in the United States, and its breadth is the reason it leads this list. One app covers urgent care visits around the clock, primary care, mental health therapy and psychiatry, and dermatology, with many employer and insurance plans covering visits at a low copay or no copay. For insured users who want one place for most routine needs, that breadth is hard to match.

Cash prices without insurance are higher than on cash-pay services such as Sesame or GoodRx Care, and you will usually see whichever clinician is available rather than building a long-term relationship with one doctor. Those limits matter less for urgent issues, where speed matters most. For general, insured, on-demand care, Teladoc is our default pick.

Amwell matches Teladoc on general urgent care but goes deeper on mental health. It offers therapy and psychiatry visits, with psychiatrists able to prescribe in many states, including some controlled substances where allowed, which is rarer in telehealth. It also works with many insurers and health systems, so insured patients often pay only a copay.

Without insurance, urgent care and especially initial psychiatry visits can be expensive, reaching well into the hundreds of dollars for psychiatry in some cases. That makes Amwell a stronger pick for insured mental health care than for uninsured urgent care. If therapy or psychiatry is your main need, Amwell deserves the first look.

MDLIVE is a long-running telehealth service built around insurance and employer plans, covering urgent care, primary care, behavioral health, and dermatology. Many commercial plans include MDLIVE, so insured patients often pay a copay or nothing for a visit, and scheduling is straightforward through the app or website.

Cash prices without insurance vary by visit type and can be high for specialist or psychiatry visits, so uninsured users should compare Sesame or GoodRx Care first for a simple issue. For insured users, especially those whose plan already includes MDLIVE, it is a reliable, well-established option that covers most routine needs.

Doctor on Demand, now part of Included Health, offers video visits for primary care, urgent care, and mental health, with many major insurance plans accepted. Its visit structure is clear: you book a video appointment, see a licensed clinician, and get prescriptions or referrals where appropriate. That simplicity suits patients who prefer video over text-based care.

Cash pricing varies by visit type, and its specialist network is narrower than Teladoc's overall range. For insured patients who want straightforward video primary and urgent care, Doctor on Demand is a solid choice. For a very specific specialty, check whether the service covers it before booking.

PlushCare is built around continuity: you see the same doctor over time, who learns your history and manages ongoing needs, rather than seeing a different clinician each visit. That model suits patients with chronic conditions, regular prescriptions, or a preference for a doctor who knows them. It accepts many major insurance plans, and cash visits start at about $99.

The cash price is higher than Sesame or GoodRx Care, and some plans add a membership fee on top of visit costs. For a one-off cold or rash, a cheaper cash service makes more sense. For ongoing primary care by video, PlushCare's continuity is a genuine advantage that the on-demand giants do not match.

Sesame is a marketplace where clinicians list their prices upfront, so you know the cost before you book. Visits start at about $25 for some services, depending on provider and specialty, and the range covers primary care, urgent care, mental health, and many specialties. That transparency is refreshing in a market where prices are often hidden until after a visit.

Sesame does not bill insurance, so insured patients may pay more here than through an in-network service, though Sesame can provide a superbill for possible reimbursement in some cases. For uninsured patients, or for a simple visit where you want a fixed price with no surprises, Sesame is one of the best telehealth options available.

GoodRx Care offers low-cost cash visits for general medical care, preventive care, and chronic condition management, with prices around $49 per visit without a membership and around $19 per visit with a Gold membership. That makes it one of the cheapest ways to see a clinician without insurance, and GoodRx prescription discounts can lower medicine costs as well.

GoodRx Care does not bill insurance, and its range is narrower than Teladoc or Amwell for specialist and mental health care. For a straightforward issue such as a cold, rash, urinary symptoms, or a refill question, it is an excellent low-cost choice. For complex or specialist needs, a fuller service will serve you better.

K Health starts with an AI-assisted chat that asks about your symptoms, then connects you with a clinician for diagnosis, treatment, or prescriptions where appropriate. Visits cost about $29 to $35, with a monthly plan option around $49 for ongoing access. That text-first model suits users who prefer typing to video, or who want a quick triage before committing to a full visit.

Insurance acceptance is limited, with mainly employer partnerships, so most users pay cash. Text-based care also suits straightforward issues better than complex exams that need a physical check. For a fast, low-cost, text-first visit, K Health is a distinctive and useful option.

One Medical, part of Amazon, combines virtual care with in-person offices for ongoing primary care. Membership costs $199 per year, or $99 per year with Amazon Prime, and scheduled visits are billed to insurance where accepted, with on-demand visits from about $29 in some cases. Members can book same-day video or office visits and build a relationship with a primary care team.

The membership fee is an extra cost on top of insurance billing, and in-person offices are only available in certain cities, though virtual care is wider. For patients who want a real primary care home with both video and office access, One Medical is the strongest hybrid on this list. For a single urgent visit, a cheaper on-demand service makes more sense.