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Healthcare · head to head

MDLive vs UpToDate

MDLive logo

MDLive

Healthcare

On-demand telehealth and virtual doctor visits

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
UpToDate logo

UpToDate

Healthcare

Evidence-based clinical decision support for healthcare providers

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only MDLive has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: MDLive wide price ranges ($0-89, $0-179, $0-299) indicate insurance-dependent costs with minimal baseline transparency; UpToDate upToDate does not publish subscription prices; the vendor (Wolters Kluwer) sorts buyers into separate individual, clinic-wide, and institutional subscription tracks and requires contacting the organization through its subscription-payment-options page rather than showing a rate for any of them.
  • They diverge on capability: MDLive covers Video Consultations, UpToDate covers Clinical Evidence.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MDLive and UpToDate actually diverge.

Attributes where MDLive and UpToDate differ
AttributeMDLiveUpToDate
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelusage-basedsubscription
Free tierYesNo
Founded20021992

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 MDLive

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

Only in UpToDate

  • Clinical Evidence
  • Drug Information
  • Calculators
  • Medical Images
  • Videos
  • CME Credits
  • Mobile

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 UpToDate
  • Mental health counseling and psychiatrynot UpToDate
  • Dermatology consultationsnot UpToDate
  • Primary care wellness screeningsnot UpToDate

UpToDate

  • 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

UpToDate

  • UpToDate does not publish subscription prices; the vendor (Wolters Kluwer) sorts buyers into separate individual, clinic-wide, and institutional subscription tracks and requires contacting the organization through its subscription-payment-options page rather than showing a rate for any of them.

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

UpToDate

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the UpToDate review.

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 UpToDate if

  • You need clinical evidence.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want drug information.
UpToDate review

Questions people ask

Is MDLive or UpToDate better?
Neither clearly leads. MDLive starts at Free and UpToDate at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, MDLive or UpToDate?
MDLive has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for MDLive and On request for UpToDate.
Does MDLive or UpToDate 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. UpToDate starts at On request.
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 UpToDate is typically brought in for.
What can MDLive do that UpToDate cannot?
MDLive covers Video Consultations, Mental Health Services, Psychiatry, Prescription Services. UpToDate covers Clinical Evidence, Drug Information, Calculators, Medical Images. 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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