Key takeaways:
Telehealth apps let you access healthcare virtually, from any convenient location. The best telehealth apps are easy to use and free to download.
Affordable telehealth apps can offer visits with a healthcare professional, online prescriptions, and mental health services. Sometimes, insurance completely covers these services.
You don’t need insurance for most telehealth apps. In many cases, you can access services for a low, flat rate.
Thanks to telemedicine, checking in with a healthcare professional has never been easier. And the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the trend toward virtual visits. Almost 40% of adults now report using telemedicine services each year. And it’s no surprise. Telehealth apps are typically free to download, easy to use, and accessible from mobile devices.
If you’re looking for a telehealth app, you’re in luck. Apps, such as GoodRx Care, offer everything from a quick virtual visit and online prescriptions to mental health services. Some telehealth apps also offer symptom checkers.
To help you get started, here’s a list of 13 popular telemedicine apps and a few of their features. All of the apps on this list are free to download.
Search and compare options
1. GoodRx Care
GoodRx Care offers:
Low-cost visits
Visits without health insurance
Easy prescription refills by mail or at a local pharmacy
Same-day prescriptions for birth control, urinary tract infections (UTI), and erectile dysfunction (ED)
A 100% satisfaction guarantee
2. K Health
K Health offers:
Chats with a healthcare professional for less than the cost of a copay
Online prescriptions for medications or lab tests
A symptom checker
Saved medical history
3. Doctor on Demand
Doctor on Demand offers:
Availability 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Services with and without insurance
Prescriptions for medications and lab work
Visits with primary care providers, psychologists, and psychiatrists
Treatment for chronic and acute care issues (like high cholesterol and depression)
4. Teladoc
Teladoc offers:
Easy-to-access care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Access through your insurance plan, employer, or other organization
Prescriptions sent to your local pharmacy
Medical services, including acute care issues (like ear infections and sinus problems)
Visits without a time limit
5. MDLive
MDLive offers:
Virtual visits any time, day or night, including holidays
Short-term prescription refills
Treatment for over 50 non-emergency conditions (like ear pain and allergies)
Mental health support with licensed therapists and psychiatrists
Dermatology services
6. Amwell
Amwell offers:
24-hour availability
Easy sign-up
On-demand care (no appointment needed)
Extensive mental health services
Service coverage through several major insurance plans
Read more like this
Explore these related articles, suggested for readers like you.
7. Talkspace
Talkspace offers:
Counseling service costs that are billed monthly (you can cancel at any time)
Service coverage through insurance
A service to match you with therapists in your state
The ability to send therapists unlimited messages
Therapy for adults, teens, and couples
8. BetterHelp
BetterHelp offers:
Low-cost weekly counseling, billed every 4 weeks
Online access to licensed therapists and counselors
Scheduling of live sessions or chat using the messenger tool
Meetings in a secure, virtual room
Ability to schedule short, mini-sessions or long, thorough sessions
9. Zocdoc
With Zocdoc you can:
Search and access local healthcare professionals
Schedule in-person or video visits
Scan your insurance to find covered healthcare professionals
Access a variety of specialists based on your symptoms
10. Nurx
Nurx offers:
Low-cost consultation fees
Birth control prescribed online and delivered to your door
Prescription and delivery of valacyclovir to treat herpes
At-home tests for sexually transmitted infections
Emergency contraception (like Plan B or Ella) delivered by mail or filled at your local pharmacy
Weight management and skin care treatment
11. Midi
Midi offers:
Perimenopause and menopausal services
Online prescriptions of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) — also known as hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
Service coverage through insurance or cash-pay
Weight-loss medications prescribed online
12. One Medical
One Medical offers:
Online or in-person visits
On-demand video calls offered for urgent concerns
Low yearly membership fee (discount offered for Amazon Prime members)
Services for all ages, including newborns and children
13. PlushCare
PlushCare provides:
Medically supervised weight-loss prescriptions
Urgent care services
Online therapy
Preventative care and treatment of chronic medical conditions
Which telehealth apps are the cheapest?
Each telehealth app on this list is free to download. The cost for telehealth services will depend on the app and whether or not you have insurance. Some telehealth apps have membership services or flat-rate fees for visits.
GoodRx Care has online visits for less than $20. And some services offered by telehealth apps (like birth control pills) are free when covered by insurance.
Can you use a telehealth app if you don’t have insurance?
Yes, most telehealth apps can be used with or without insurance. There’s often a low-cost flat rate for telehealth services if you don’t have insurance. But be sure to check with the telehealth provider for its out-of-pocket fees. The cost will vary for each telemedicine provider.
Frequently asked questions
There isn’t a single telehealth platform that’s the most widely used for everyone. Different platforms tend to be popular for different needs. For example, some focus on mental health. Others specialize in women’s health, chronic condition management, or on-demand urgent care. The best option for you will depend on the type of care you’re looking for, whether you plan to use insurance, and how quickly you need to be seen.
Yes, online healthcare professionals can accurately diagnose many conditions — especially when symptoms are clear and don’t require a hands-on exam. Some types of care, like mental health visits, tend to work particularly well through telehealth. Meanwhile, others — such as ear, nose, and throat concerns — may be harder to evaluate without in-person tools. If a condition can’t be safely diagnosed online, a virtual healthcare professional should recommend an in-person visit.
Telehealth works by connecting you with licensed healthcare professionals through a phone, tablet, or computer — usually via a secure app or website. Through a telehealth app, you can often do the following:
Send messages
Share health information
Get prescriptions
Have virtual visits from home
There isn’t a single telehealth platform that’s the most widely used for everyone. Different platforms tend to be popular for different needs. For example, some focus on mental health. Others specialize in women’s health, chronic condition management, or on-demand urgent care. The best option for you will depend on the type of care you’re looking for, whether you plan to use insurance, and how quickly you need to be seen.
Yes, online healthcare professionals can accurately diagnose many conditions — especially when symptoms are clear and don’t require a hands-on exam. Some types of care, like mental health visits, tend to work particularly well through telehealth. Meanwhile, others — such as ear, nose, and throat concerns — may be harder to evaluate without in-person tools. If a condition can’t be safely diagnosed online, a virtual healthcare professional should recommend an in-person visit.
Telehealth works by connecting you with licensed healthcare professionals through a phone, tablet, or computer — usually via a secure app or website. Through a telehealth app, you can often do the following:
Send messages
Share health information
Get prescriptions
Have virtual visits from home
The bottom line
Telehealth apps now give you many new options to connect with a healthcare professional. Many of them are free to download. And, depending on the services you need, insurance can cover most fees. Even if you don’t have insurance, you can still use low-cost telehealth apps, like GoodRx Care. In the world of telemedicine apps, there’s something for everyone.
Why trust our experts?
References
Henry, T. A. (2022). Telehealth, in-person diagnoses match up nearly 90% of the time. American Medical Association.
Lucas, J. W., et al. (2022). Telemedicine use among adults: United States, 2021. NCHS Data Brief.
