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Software · head to head

Epic Systems vs MDLive

Epic Systems logo

Epic Systems

Software

Leading electronic health records system for healthcare organizations

From
On request
Rated
-
MDLive logo

MDLive

Software

On-demand telehealth and virtual doctor visits

From
$59/visit
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Epic Systems no free version or trial; enterprise pricing only with custom negotiation required; 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: Epic Systems covers Electronic Health Records, MDLive covers Video Consultations.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Epic Systems and MDLive actually diverge.

Attributes where Epic Systems and MDLive differ
AttributeEpic SystemsMDLive
Starting priceOn request$59/visit
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, MobileWeb, Mobile
Founded19792002

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Epic Systems

  • Electronic Health Records
  • Revenue Cycle Management
  • Patient Portal
  • Clinical Decision Support
  • Population Health
  • Lab Systems
  • Imaging Systems
  • Pharmacy Systems

Only in MDLive

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

Both cover

  • HIPAA
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support
  • Mobile support

What people use each for

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

Epic Systems

  • Patient Carenot MDLive
  • Medical Recordsnot MDLive
  • Practice Managementnot MDLive
  • Telehealthnot MDLive

MDLive

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

Where each one falls short

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

Epic Systems

  • No free version or trial; enterprise pricing only with custom negotiation required
  • Lengthy implementation timeline: 12-24 months for single hospitals, 3-5 years for multi-system rollouts
  • Customization and workflow adaptation requires extensive consulting services
  • Very high licensing costs ranging from 100,000 to 30 million USD depending on organization size

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

Epic Systems

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Epic Systems review.

MDLive

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Epic Systems if

  • You need electronic health records.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want revenue cycle management.

Choose MDLive if

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

Questions people ask

Is Epic Systems or MDLive better?
Neither clearly leads. Epic Systems starts at On request and MDLive at $59/visit, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Epic Systems or MDLive?
Epic Systems starts at On request and MDLive at $59/visit.
Does Epic Systems or MDLive run on more platforms?
Epic Systems runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile. MDLive runs on Web, Mobile.
What is Epic Systems best used for?
Epic Systems is most often used for patient care, medical records, practice management, telehealth. Of those, patient care and medical records are not what MDLive is typically brought in for.
What can Epic Systems do that MDLive cannot?
Epic Systems covers Electronic Health Records, Revenue Cycle Management, Patient Portal, Clinical Decision Support. MDLive covers Video Consultations, Mental Health Services, Psychiatry, Prescription Services. Both handle HIPAA, Cloud deployment, Web support, Mobile support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Epic Systems: What is Epic's market position?

Epic holds 36 percent of the U.S. EHR market and manages over 280 million patient records across 1,200+ healthcare organizations. Among hospitals with over 300 beds, Epic has 52 percent market share, and 71 percent market share in major academic medical centers as of 2026.

Source
Epic Systems: Is there a free trial or demo available?

Epic does not offer a free version or trial. The software is enterprise-only with custom pricing negotiated directly with organizations. Typical implementation timelines for single hospitals range from 12 to 24 months, and multi-hospital systems can take 3 to 5 years for phased rollouts.

Source
Epic Systems: How does Epic integrate with third-party systems?

Epic provides multiple integration pathways: FHIR R4 APIs, HL7 v2 messaging, CCDA document exchange, and proprietary APIs through Epic Showroom (formerly App Orchard). Over 1,000 certified apps are available in the marketplace, enabling real-time data synchronization and interoperability.

Source
Epic Systems: What is included in Epic's unified platform?

Epic provides a truly unified system spanning inpatient, outpatient, emergency department, surgical, pharmacy, laboratory, radiology, billing, and population health on a single database. It includes appointment scheduling, medical billing, clinical decision support, patient portal (MyChart), telehealth capabilities, and analytics.

Source

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