A telehealth visit without insurance typically costs between $29 and $129, with most general consultations falling in the $40 to $90 range. The exact price depends on whether you choose a text-based or video visit, the type of provider you see, and which platform you use.
What Major Platforms Charge
Prices vary significantly across telehealth platforms, and the cheapest option depends on what kind of care you need. Here’s what the major services charge for a single visit without insurance:
- Amazon One Medical: From $29 for a direct message consultation, $49 for a video visit
- Sesame: From $39 for a one-time visit
- Virtuwell: Around $79 per visit
- Doctor on Demand: $89 for a 15-minute consultation
- PlushCare: $129 per visit for uninsured patients
Some platforms, like Maven Clinic, offer shorter consultations starting at $20 for a 10-minute visit, which can work well if you have a straightforward question or need a quick follow-up. The tradeoff is obvious: less time with a provider means less room for complex issues.
Message-Based vs. Video Visits
One of the easiest ways to lower your cost is choosing a message-based visit instead of a video call. Amazon One Medical, for example, charges $29 for a direct message consultation compared to $49 for video. Several health systems have adopted similar models. Ballad Health’s online quick care service charges a flat $40 for text-based urgent care, covering everything from new symptoms to prescription refills under the same fee.
Message-based visits work best for conditions that are easy to describe: urinary tract infections, skin rashes (with a photo), birth control refills, or sinus symptoms. If your situation requires a provider to watch you breathe, check your range of motion, or have a longer conversation, video is the better choice even at a higher price point.
Specialty Visits Cost More
The $40 to $90 average applies mostly to general or urgent care. Specialty telehealth visits tend to run higher, though there are exceptions. An acne-focused dermatology visit, for instance, ranges from about $43 to $86, which is surprisingly close to the general care average. That’s partly because many dermatology platforms use an asynchronous model where you upload photos and a provider reviews them without a live appointment.
Mental health visits, particularly with a psychiatrist rather than a therapist, often land at the higher end of the spectrum or above it. Therapy sessions through telehealth platforms commonly cost $100 to $200 per session without insurance, though this varies widely by provider credentials and session length. If you’re primarily looking for medication management for an existing mental health condition, some platforms offer shorter, less expensive check-ins.
Subscriptions vs. Pay-Per-Visit
Some telehealth companies use a subscription model instead of (or alongside) per-visit pricing. A typical monthly subscription runs around $79 and may include a set number of visits, follow-up messages, or bundled lab work. This can save money if you need ongoing care, since follow-up visits are often included rather than billed separately.
For a one-time problem like a sinus infection or a UTI, pay-per-visit is almost always cheaper. You pay your $40 to $90, get your diagnosis and prescription if needed, and you’re done. But if you’re managing a chronic condition that requires regular check-ins, medication adjustments, or lab monitoring, a subscription can bring the per-visit cost down substantially. Some programs bundle diagnosis, treatment, and follow-ups into a single price, so you’re not paying again every time you have a question about your care plan.
How Telehealth Compares to In-Person Care
For context, an in-person urgent care visit without insurance typically costs $100 to $250, and a primary care office visit runs $150 to $300. An emergency room visit for a non-emergency issue can easily exceed $1,000. Telehealth’s $40 to $90 range represents a real savings, especially for straightforward conditions that don’t require a physical exam or imaging.
Keep in mind that the visit fee doesn’t include prescriptions. If your provider writes you a prescription, you’ll pay for the medication separately at a pharmacy. Using a discount tool like GoodRx can help bring those costs down, since uninsured prescription prices vary enormously between pharmacies.
Lower-Cost Options if You’re Uninsured
If even $40 per visit feels steep, there are alternatives worth exploring. Community health centers and free clinics across the country operate on a sliding scale, meaning they set your fee based on your income. Many of these clinics now offer telehealth appointments alongside in-person visits. NeedyMeds maintains a searchable database of free and low-cost clinics organized by location, including details on eligibility requirements and what services each clinic provides.
Federally Qualified Health Centers are required by law to see patients regardless of ability to pay, and their telehealth programs have expanded significantly in recent years. If you’re uninsured and need regular care rather than a one-off visit, these clinics often provide a more affordable path than commercial telehealth platforms, especially when lab work or ongoing prescriptions are part of the picture.