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Healthcare · head to head

Kareo vs MDLive

Kareo logo

Kareo

Healthcare

Cloud-based EHR and billing for small practices

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
MDLive logo

MDLive

Healthcare

On-demand telehealth and virtual doctor visits

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only MDLive has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Kareo kareo is now part of Tebra and sold under the Tebra brand rather than as a standalone product; MDLive wide price ranges ($0-89, $0-179, $0-299) indicate insurance-dependent costs with minimal baseline transparency
  • They diverge on capability: Kareo covers Electronic Health Records, MDLive covers Video Consultations.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kareo and MDLive actually diverge.

Attributes where Kareo and MDLive differ
AttributeKareoMDLive
Starting price$99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionusage-based
Free tierNoYes
Founded20102002

Identical on both: platforms (Web, Mobile), 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 Kareo

  • Electronic Health Records
  • Scheduling
  • Patient Portal
  • Medical Billing
  • Payment Processing
  • Labs
  • Pharmacies
  • Clearinghouses

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.

Kareo

  • Practice management, scheduling and billing for independent medical practicesnot MDLive
  • Electronic health records and e-prescribing for small clinicsnot MDLive
  • Insurance claim submission and patient payment collectionnot MDLive

MDLive

  • Telemedicine urgent care visitsnot Kareo
  • Mental health counseling and psychiatrynot Kareo
  • Dermatology consultationsnot Kareo
  • Primary care wellness screeningsnot Kareo

Where each one falls short

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

Kareo

  • Kareo is now part of Tebra and sold under the Tebra brand rather than as a standalone product
  • Tebra publishes no rate: pricing varies with provider count, features and implementation requirements and is quoted during a demo
  • Billing counts clinical providers such as MDs, DOs, NPs and PAs, so adding a prescriber raises the bill even though non clinical staff are free
  • Electronic prescribing of controlled substances setup costs about $75 per provider as a one time fee
  • PDMP integration costs $500 one time per facility plus about $50 per user per year

MDLive

  • Wide price ranges ($0-89, $0-179, $0-299) indicate insurance-dependent costs with minimal baseline transparency
  • Cancellation fees up to $50 for mental health appointments apply within 24 hours
  • Pricing varies substantially based on insurance coverage with no guaranteed maximum out-of-pocket

Pricing, plan by plan

Kareo

$99/month
  • Starter$99/month
    • EHR
    • Scheduling
    • Patient Portal
  • Professional$199/month
    • Everything in Starter
    • Billing
    • Reporting

MDLive

Free
  • Urgent Care$null/visit
    • $0-89 per visit with insurance
    • Immediate care access
  • Primary CareFree
    • $0 wellness screenings for eligible insurance plans
    • Upfront pricing shown before appointment
  • Mental Health Talk Therapy$null/visit
    • $0-179 initial appointments
    • $140 follow-up sessions before insurance
  • Mental Health Psychiatry$null/visit
    • $0-299 initial appointments
    • $159 follow-up sessions before insurance

Which should you pick?

Choose Kareo if

  • You need electronic health records.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want scheduling.
Kareo review

Choose MDLive if

  • You need video consultations.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want mental health services.
MDLive review

Questions people ask

Is Kareo or MDLive better?
Neither clearly leads. Kareo starts at $99/month and MDLive at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kareo or MDLive?
MDLive has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $99/month for Kareo and Free for MDLive.
Does Kareo or MDLive run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Mobile, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use MDLive for free?
Yes. MDLive has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Kareo starts at $99/month.
What is Kareo best used for?
Kareo is most often used for practice management, scheduling and billing for independent medical practices, electronic health records and e-prescribing for small clinics, insurance claim submission and patient payment collection. Of those, practice management, scheduling and billing for independent medical practices and electronic health records and e-prescribing for small clinics are not what MDLive is typically brought in for.
What can Kareo do that MDLive cannot?
Kareo covers Electronic Health Records, Scheduling, Patient Portal, Medical Billing. 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

Kareo: Does Kareo publish its pricing?

No. Kareo (now rebranded as Tebra) uses custom per-practice pricing that varies based on the number of providers, features needed, and implementation requirements. Pricing is determined during a demo with the sales team.

Source
MDLive: What is the cost of an urgent care visit through MD Live?

Urgent care visits cost $0-89 per visit depending on insurance coverage. Pricing is shown upfront before confirming appointment. Most major credit and debit cards accepted for uninsured patients.

Source
Kareo: Are there discounts for adding multiple modules?

Yes. Tebra states that many practices qualify for bundled pricing or volume incentives when adopting multiple modules like EHR, billing, and patient experience tools together.

Source
MDLive: What cancellation fees apply if I need to reschedule?

Wellness visits incur $25 cancellation fee if cancelled within 24 hours. Routine care $25 if cancelled within 2 hours. Mental health $50 if cancelled within 24 hours. Medicaid and Medicare members exempt from fees.

Source
Kareo: What are the additional costs for controlled substance prescribing?

For providers who prescribe controlled substances, EPCS setup costs approximately $75 per provider as a one-time fee, and PDMP integration costs $500 one-time per facility plus around $50 per user per year.

Source
MDLive: Are follow-up mental health sessions cheaper than initial appointments?

Talk therapy follow-ups are $140 before insurance (versus $0-179 for initial). Psychiatry follow-ups are $159 before insurance (versus $0-299 for initial). Insurance copays may apply on top of these base rates.

Source
Kareo: Does Kareo offer a free trial?

Kareo's website does not mention a free trial option. Access to pricing and trial arrangements requires contacting the sales team to request a demo.

Source
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