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Software · head to head

MDLive vs SimplePractice

MDLive logo

MDLive

Software

On-demand telehealth and virtual doctor visits

From
$59/visit
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
S

SimplePractice

Software

Practice management and EHR for mental health and therapy

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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; SimplePractice no API or webhook support for integrations, preventing connections to Zapier or custom automation tools
  • They diverge on capability: MDLive covers Video Consultations, SimplePractice covers Scheduling.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MDLive and SimplePractice actually diverge.

Attributes where MDLive and SimplePractice differ
AttributeMDLiveSimplePractice
Starting price$59/visit$49/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWeb, MobileWeb, iOS, Android
Founded20022011

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 MDLive

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

Only in SimplePractice

  • Scheduling
  • Client Portal
  • Notes
  • Billing
  • Telehealth
  • Documents
  • Stripe
  • PayPal

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.

MDLive

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

SimplePractice

  • 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

  • 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

SimplePractice

  • No API or webhook support for integrations, preventing connections to Zapier or custom automation tools
  • Lacks AI clinical documentation in base plan, requiring manual note typing which takes 15-30 minutes per session
  • Reporting and customization features are limited compared to competitors, with weak insurance workflow support
  • Hidden costs beyond base pricing, with real cost often 3x higher after add-ons and annual increases
  • Telehealth component reported as unstable and frequently unreliable by some users

Pricing, plan by plan

MDLive

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

SimplePractice

$49/month
  • Starter$49/month
    • Scheduling
    • Documentation
    • Client portal
  • Essential$79/month
    • Billing and payments
    • Insurance claim filing
    • Telehealth
  • Plus$99/month
    • Website builder
    • Advanced reporting
    • ePrescribe integration

Which should you pick?

Choose MDLive if

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

Choose SimplePractice if

  • You need scheduling.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want client portal.
SimplePractice review

Questions people ask

Is MDLive or SimplePractice better?
Neither clearly leads. MDLive starts at $59/visit and SimplePractice at $49/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, MDLive or SimplePractice?
MDLive starts at $59/visit and SimplePractice at $49/month.
Does MDLive or SimplePractice run on more platforms?
MDLive runs on Web, Mobile. SimplePractice runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is MDLive best used for?
MDLive is most often used for insured patients wanting upfront-priced telehealth visits across urgent care, primary care, mental health and dermatology. Of those, insured patients wanting upfront-priced telehealth visits across urgent care, primary care, mental health and dermatology is not what SimplePractice is typically brought in for.
What can MDLive do that SimplePractice cannot?
MDLive covers Video Consultations, Mental Health Services, Psychiatry, Prescription Services. SimplePractice covers Scheduling, Client Portal, Notes, Billing. Both handle HIPAA, Cloud deployment, Web support, Mobile support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

SimplePractice: What does SimplePractice pricing include?

SimplePractice tiers start at $49 (Starter), $79 (Essential), and $99 (Plus) per clinician per month. Add-ons cost extra, including AI Note Taker at $35/month and ePrescribe at $49/month plus $89 setup.

Source
SimplePractice: Does SimplePractice include telehealth?

Yes, all SimplePractice tiers include HIPAA-compliant integrated telehealth, allowing therapists to conduct secure video sessions directly from the platform.

Source
SimplePractice: Is AI documentation included in SimplePractice?

No, AI clinical notes are not included in base pricing. SimplePractice offers an optional AI Note Taker add-on for $35/month that provides basic transcription, though it lacks advanced note generation features of competitors.

Source
SimplePractice: Does SimplePractice support international or non-US workflows?

No, SimplePractice is designed for US practices only and does not support non-US workflows, insurance structures, or currencies, limiting its use for international practitioners.

Source
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