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Healthcare & Medical · head to head

Calm vs MDLive

Calm logo

Calm

Healthcare & Medical

Sleep, meditation and relaxation

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
MDLive logo

MDLive

Healthcare & Medical

On-demand telehealth and virtual doctor visits

From
$59/visit
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Calm has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Calm free tier is severely limited, with almost all content requiring payment; MDLive visit prices vary widely by service and insurance, from $0 up to $89 for urgent care, $179 for an initial therapy appointment and $299 for an initial psychiatry appointment
  • They diverge on capability: Calm covers Sleep Stories, MDLive covers Video Consultations.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Calm and MDLive actually diverge.

Attributes where Calm and MDLive differ
AttributeCalmMDLive
Starting priceFree$59/visit
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebWeb, Mobile
Founded20122002

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Healthcare & Medical).

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 Calm

  • Sleep Stories
  • Guided meditations
  • Daily Calm
  • Breathing exercises
  • Calm Body stretching
  • Apple Health
  • Apple Watch
  • Samsung Health

Only in MDLive

  • Video Consultations
  • Mental Health Services
  • Psychiatry
  • Prescription Services
  • Urgent Care
  • Insurance
  • EHR Systems
  • HIPAA

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Calm

  • Workout trackingnot MDLive
  • Nutrition managementnot MDLive
  • Health monitoringnot MDLive
  • Fitness coachingnot MDLive
  • Wellness improvementnot MDLive

MDLive

  • Insured patients wanting upfront-priced telehealth visits across urgent care, primary care, mental health and dermatologynot Calm

Where each one falls short

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

Calm

  • Free tier is severely limited, with almost all content requiring payment
  • Only one meditation per day included in free tier (Daily Calm)
  • Annual pricing is among the highest in the meditation app category
  • Less extensive free content library compared to Insight Timer (which has 100,000+ free meditations)
  • Limited customization of meditation sessions; mostly follows Calm's curated content

MDLive

  • Visit prices vary widely by service and insurance, from $0 up to $89 for urgent care, $179 for an initial therapy appointment and $299 for an initial psychiatry appointment
  • Follow-up mental health visits are billed at a flat rate before insurance: $140 for therapy and $159 for psychiatry
  • Not all insurance plans cover all MDLIVE services, so out-of-pocket cost depends on the specific plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Calm

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Daily Calm
    • Select Sleep Stories
    • 1 breathing exercise
  • Premium Monthly$12.99/month
    • All content unlocked
    • Sleep Stories
    • Masterclasses
  • Premium Annual$69.99/year
    • All content unlocked
    • Sleep Stories
    • Masterclasses
  • Family Plan$99.99/year
    • Up to 6 accounts
    • All Premium content
    • Separate customization per member

MDLive

$59/visit
  • Primary Care Visit$59/visit
    • Board-certified doctors
    • 24/7 availability
    • Prescriptions

Which should you pick?

Choose Calm if

  • You need sleep stories.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want guided meditations.
Calm review

Choose MDLive if

  • You need video consultations.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want mental health services.
MDLive review

Questions people ask

Is Calm or MDLive better?
Neither clearly leads. Calm starts at Free and MDLive at $59/visit, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Calm or MDLive?
Calm has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Calm and $59/visit for MDLive.
Does Calm or MDLive run on more platforms?
Calm runs on iOS, Android, Web. MDLive runs on Web, Mobile.
Can I use Calm for free?
Yes. Calm has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. MDLive starts at $59/visit.
What is Calm best used for?
Calm is most often used for workout tracking, nutrition management, health monitoring, fitness coaching. Of those, workout tracking and nutrition management are not what MDLive is typically brought in for.
What can Calm do that MDLive cannot?
Calm covers Sleep Stories, Guided meditations, Daily Calm, Breathing exercises. MDLive covers Video Consultations, Mental Health Services, Psychiatry, Prescription Services. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Calm: What does Calm's free tier include?

The free plan includes 1 breathing exercise, Day 1 of programs, select Sleep Stories, and Scenes, plus the famous Daily Calm feature and bedtime stories. Most content is locked behind the paid tier.

Source
Calm: What is included in Calm Premium?

Calm Premium (all paid tiers are identical) includes The Daily Calm, Sleep Stories narrated by celebrities, exclusive music playlists, masterclasses taught by experts, Daily Move video lessons for stretching and mindful movement, and the entire content library.

Source
Calm: How much does Calm Premium cost?

Monthly subscription is $12.99/month, annual is $69.99-$79.99/year, Family Plan is $99.99/year (includes 1 Admin + 5 Members), and lifetime membership is available as a one-time payment.

Source
Calm: Does Calm offer pricing for organizations or teams?

Yes. Calm offers organizational plans for groups of 5-300 people with per-seat pricing based on total 'covered lives.' Larger groups receive deeper discounts. Pricing is significantly reduced compared to individual subscriptions.

Source
Calm: Does Calm work offline?

Calm's app functions offline for already-downloaded content. Downloaded Sleep Stories, meditations, and Music programs can be accessed without an internet connection.

Source
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