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Healthcare · head to head

MDLive vs Medscape

MDLive logo

MDLive

Healthcare

On-demand telehealth and virtual doctor visits

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Medscape logo

Medscape

Healthcare

Medical information, education, and news for healthcare professionals

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: MDLive wide price ranges ($0-89, $0-179, $0-299) indicate insurance-dependent costs with minimal baseline transparency; Medscape medscape is free to use but requires mandatory account registration through profreg.medscape.com and login before content can be viewed; the site describes itself as 'a free resource for physicians', restricting the intended audience to registered healthcare professionals rather than the general public (31 Dec 2020 archive capture).
  • They diverge on capability: MDLive covers Video Consultations, Medscape covers Medical News.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MDLive and Medscape actually diverge.

Attributes where MDLive and Medscape differ
AttributeMDLiveMedscape
Pricing modelusage-basedfreemium
Founded20021996

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 MDLive

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

Only in Medscape

  • Medical News
  • Drug Database
  • Medical Calculators
  • CME Courses
  • Disease Information
  • Specialty Content

Both cover

  • EHR Systems
  • HIPAA
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support
  • Mobile support

What people use each for

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

MDLive

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

Medscape

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

Where each one falls short

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

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

Medscape

  • Medscape is free to use but requires mandatory account registration through profreg.medscape.com and login before content can be viewed; the site describes itself as 'a free resource for physicians', restricting the intended audience to registered healthcare professionals rather than the general public (31 Dec 2020 archive capture).

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Medscape

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Medical news
    • Drug database
    • CME

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Medscape if

  • You need medical news.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want drug database.
Medscape review

Questions people ask

Is MDLive or Medscape better?
Neither clearly leads. MDLive starts at Free and Medscape at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, MDLive or Medscape?
MDLive starts at Free and Medscape at Free.
Does MDLive or Medscape 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?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is MDLive best used for?
MDLive is most often used for telemedicine urgent care visits, mental health counseling and psychiatry, dermatology consultations, primary care wellness screenings. Of those, telemedicine urgent care visits and mental health counseling and psychiatry are not what Medscape is typically brought in for.
What can MDLive do that Medscape cannot?
MDLive covers Video Consultations, Mental Health Services, Psychiatry, Prescription Services. Medscape covers Medical News, Drug Database, Medical Calculators, CME Courses. Both handle EHR Systems, HIPAA, Cloud deployment, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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
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