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Healthcare · head to head

Athenahealth vs Teladoc Health

Athenahealth logo

Athenahealth

Healthcare

Cloud-based medical practice management

From
$140/month
Rated
-
Teladoc Health logo

Teladoc Health

Healthcare

Virtual healthcare platform for telehealth and telemedicine

From
$89/visit
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Athenahealth high implementation costs ranging up to $50,000+ for enterprise deployments; Teladoc Health does not accept traditional Medicare or Medicaid, only Medicare Advantage and managed care plans
  • They diverge on capability: Athenahealth covers Electronic Health Records, Teladoc Health covers Video Consultations.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Athenahealth and Teladoc Health actually diverge.

Attributes where Athenahealth and Teladoc Health differ
AttributeAthenahealthTeladoc Health
Starting price$140/month$89/visit
Founded19972002

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), free tier (No), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Healthcare).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Athenahealth

  • Electronic Health Records
  • Medical Billing
  • Patient Engagement
  • Telehealth
  • Analytics
  • Labs
  • Pharmacies
  • Clearinghouses

Only in Teladoc Health

  • Video Consultations
  • Phone Consultations
  • Messaging
  • Prescription Services
  • Mental Health
  • Chronic Care
  • EHR Systems
  • Health Plans

Both cover

  • HIPAA
  • SOC2
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support
  • Mobile support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Athenahealth

  • Patient Care
  • Medical Records
  • Practice Management
  • Telehealth

Teladoc Health

  • Patient Care
  • Medical Records
  • Practice Management
  • Telehealth

Both are used for patient care, medical records, practice management, telehealth, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Athenahealth

  • High implementation costs ranging up to $50,000+ for enterprise deployments
  • Pricing tiers not transparently listed, requiring custom quotes

Teladoc Health

  • Does not accept traditional Medicare or Medicaid, only Medicare Advantage and managed care plans
  • Providers cannot prescribe DEA-controlled substances or certain medications including erectile dysfunction drugs
  • Cannot handle medical emergencies; users must call 911 for emergency care

Pricing, plan by plan

Athenahealth

$140/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Athenahealth review.

Teladoc Health

$89/visit

No published plan breakdown. See the Teladoc Health review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Athenahealth if

  • You need electronic health records.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want medical billing.

Choose Teladoc Health if

  • You need video consultations.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want phone consultations.

Questions people ask

Is Athenahealth or Teladoc Health better?
Neither clearly leads. Athenahealth starts at $140/month and Teladoc Health at $89/visit, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Athenahealth or Teladoc Health?
Athenahealth starts at $140/month and Teladoc Health at $89/visit.
Does Athenahealth or Teladoc Health run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Athenahealth best used for?
Athenahealth is most often used for patient care, medical records, practice management, telehealth.
What can Athenahealth do that Teladoc Health cannot?
Athenahealth covers Electronic Health Records, Medical Billing, Patient Engagement, Telehealth. Teladoc Health covers Video Consultations, Phone Consultations, Messaging, Prescription Services. Both handle HIPAA, SOC2, Cloud deployment, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Athenahealth: What platforms does Athenahealth serve?

Athenahealth's athenaOne serves small to medium-sized physician practices and hospitals with integrated clinical, financial, and operational workflows.

Source
Teladoc Health: Does Teladoc work with traditional Medicare or Medicaid?

No. Teladoc only works with Medicare Advantage and Medicaid managed care plans, not traditional fee-for-service Medicare or Medicaid programs.

Source
Athenahealth: What is the pricing model for athenaOne?

Athenahealth uses customized pricing with percent-based or encounter-based models. Starting price reported at $140/month with implementation costs ranging from $5,000-$20,000 for small businesses.

Source
Teladoc Health: How quickly can I get an appointment with Teladoc?

For ASAP visits, wait times are typically just a few minutes. For General Medical, most issues are resolved in 15 minutes or less.

Source
Athenahealth: Does Athenahealth include revenue cycle management?

Yes, athenaOne includes network-driven claims scrubbing with 95%+ first-pass rates, denial management, and A/R optimization.

Source
Teladoc Health: What medications can Teladoc providers prescribe?

Providers do not prescribe DEA-controlled substances, erectile dysfunction medications, or certain other drugs. GLP-1 medications are only available through Primary Care or Condition Management programs.

Source
Athenahealth: What patient engagement features does Athenahealth offer?

Athenahealth provides athenaCommunicator for patient portals, automated appointment reminders, online scheduling, telehealth integration, digital intake, and broadcast messaging.

Source
Teladoc Health: What is the cost of Teladoc visits without insurance?

General Medical visits cost 89 USD per visit without insurance. Other services like dermatology and mental health vary by service type.

Source
Athenahealth: How many pre-built integrations does Athenahealth have?

Athenahealth's marketplace includes over 250 pre-integrated third-party apps, allowing practices to extend functionality without custom development.

Source
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