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Healthcare · head to head

Medscape vs SilverCloud by Amwell

Medscape logo

Medscape

Healthcare

Medical information, education, and news for healthcare professionals

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SilverCloud by Amwell logo

SilverCloud by Amwell

Healthcare

Guided digital cognitive behavioural therapy with a published randomised trial evidence base

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Medscape has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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).; SilverCloud by Amwell the evidence base is for the guided model, and organisations that deploy SilverCloud as unstaffed self service get the completion rates of unguided self help, which is not what the trials measured.
  • They diverge on capability: Medscape covers Medical News, SilverCloud by Amwell covers Guided programmes.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Medscape and SilverCloud by Amwell actually diverge.

Attributes where Medscape and SilverCloud by Amwell differ
AttributeMedscapeSilverCloud by Amwell
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, MobileWeb, iOS, Android
Founded1996Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Medscape

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

Only in SilverCloud by Amwell

  • Guided programmes
  • Supporter review
  • Symptom measurement
  • Clinician dashboard
  • Risk detection
  • NHS talking therapies alignment
  • Multiple deployment models

What people use each for

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

Medscape

  • Patient Carenot SilverCloud by Amwell
  • Medical Recordsnot SilverCloud by Amwell
  • Practice Managementnot SilverCloud by Amwell
  • Telehealthnot SilverCloud by Amwell

SilverCloud by Amwell

  • An NHS talking therapies service needing a digital option that fits national reporting requirements and reduces waiting list pressure for step two interventionsnot Medscape
  • A health plan wanting a digital mental health offering it can defend to a clinical governance committee with peer reviewed trial evidencenot Medscape
  • A university counselling service facing demand it cannot staff, using guided digital cognitive behavioural therapy as a first stepnot Medscape
  • An employer that wants an evidence based clinical intervention rather than a wellbeing content librarynot Medscape

Where each one falls short

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

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).

SilverCloud by Amwell

  • The evidence base is for the guided model, and organisations that deploy SilverCloud as unstaffed self service get the completion rates of unguided self help, which is not what the trials measured.
  • Supporter capacity is normally the buyer responsibility rather than part of the licence, so the real cost includes trained staff time that does not appear on the software quote.
  • Digital cognitive behavioural therapy has substantial dropout across all vendors, so a service planning capacity from enrolment numbers rather than completion numbers will overstate the throughput gained.
  • It is now sold as part of the Amwell portfolio, and Amwell has restructured its product lines since acquiring SilverCloud, so buyers should ask how SilverCloud is positioned within the Amwell Converge platform and whether it can still be bought standalone.
  • Guided digital cognitive behavioural therapy is a step two intervention and does not serve moderate to severe presentations, so a service that buys it without a funded escalation pathway simply relocates the queue.

Pricing, plan by plan

Medscape

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Medical news
    • Drug database
    • CME

SilverCloud by Amwell

On request
  • SilverCloud by Amwell$undefined/year
    • Priced per member per month or per completed course depending on the buyer type
    • Supporter capacity is usually provided by the buyer, not included in the licence
    • Programme library scope affects the rate

Which should you pick?

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

Choose SilverCloud by Amwell if

  • You need guided programmes.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want supporter review.
SilverCloud by Amwell review

Questions people ask

Is Medscape or SilverCloud by Amwell better?
Neither clearly leads. Medscape starts at Free and SilverCloud by Amwell at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Medscape or SilverCloud by Amwell?
Medscape has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Medscape and On request for SilverCloud by Amwell.
Does Medscape or SilverCloud by Amwell run on more platforms?
Medscape runs on Web, Mobile. SilverCloud by Amwell runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Medscape for free?
Yes. Medscape has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SilverCloud by Amwell starts at On request.
What is Medscape best used for?
Medscape is most often used for patient care, medical records, practice management, telehealth. Of those, patient care and medical records are not what SilverCloud by Amwell is typically brought in for.
What can Medscape do that SilverCloud by Amwell cannot?
Medscape covers Medical News, Drug Database, Medical Calculators, CME Courses. SilverCloud by Amwell covers Guided programmes, Supporter review, Symptom measurement, Clinician dashboard.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

SilverCloud by Amwell: Is SilverCloud still available under its own name?

Yes. It is marketed as SilverCloud by Amwell and has its own product pages and NHS partnership, though contracting runs through Amwell.

SilverCloud by Amwell: What evidence supports it?

It has been evaluated in independently led randomised controlled trials, including a National Institute of Mental Health funded study published in Nature Human Behaviour in 2026 examining prevalence of mental disorders over two years at scale.

SilverCloud by Amwell: Do we need to provide the supporters?

In most deployments, yes. The guided model requires trained supporter time, and that staffing is usually the buyer responsibility rather than included in the licence.

SilverCloud by Amwell: Is it suitable for severe presentations?

No. It is a step two style intervention for mild to moderate presentations, and it needs a funded escalation pathway for anything more severe.

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