Published cash / self-pay rates as of September 5, 2026
- • Visits from $34 (homepage)
- • Plus visits from $37; $10 off
- • Plus: $10.99/mo or $99/yr
- • Cash marketplace; no insurance
- • Urgent care $0–$89
- • Dermatology $0–$95
- • Therapy $0–$179; psych $0–$299
- • Cash ceiling shown before booking
- • Urgent care $89/visit
- • Dermatology $89/review
- • Nutrition $89; mental health $119
- • Primary care not self-pay
Book a posted cash visit
Plain brand URLs and VitalityScout profiles. Confirm the live ZIP-level or account price — marketplace and insured rates move.
Sesame
Cash-pay marketplace. Homepage lists visits from $34; Plus ($10.99/mo or $99/yr) takes $10 off and advertises visits from $37. No insurance billed. Verify the live listing.
MDLIVE
Official cash range $0–$89 for urgent care; $0 when a participating plan covers the visit. Price is shown before you book. Meds extra.
Teladoc Health
Official no-insurance menu: urgent care $89, dermatology $89, nutrition $89, mental health $119. Primary care is not on the self-pay path.
Cash rates only
MDLive and Teladoc are insurance-first for many members. If your plan already covers a $0 virtual visit, that beats any cash marketplace. This page prices the self-pay / uninsured path published on official pages. Verify with the provider before you book.
What this guide covers
"See a doctor online" is not one price. Sesame is a marketplace where each clinician posts a cash number. MDLive and Teladoc are national networks that publish a self-pay ceiling — and often a $0 insured copay. This guide keeps those paths separate.
What Sesame publishes
sesamecare.com as of September 5, 2026 lists visits starting at $34. It is a cash-pay marketplace: providers set posted rates, Sesame does not bill insurance, and you see the price before you book. Marketplace listings move by clinician and ZIP.
sesamecare.com/join/membership as of September 5, 2026:
- Sesame Plus — $10.99/month or $99/year.
- $10 off telehealth and primary-care visits; $10 off in-person specialty and dental.
- Plus marketing copy: quality doctor visits as low as $37. Example: prescription-refill visit $47 → $37.
- Annual members get one free lab per year (Sesame values it at $65+). Free lab not available in Washington State.
- Membership is not insurance and cannot be combined with insurance or Medicare.
What MDLive publishes
mdlive.com as of September 5, 2026 posts these ranges (insured visits can be $0; the top of the range is the cash/self-pay number you should budget):
- Urgent care — $0–$89. 24/7 for 80+ non-emergency conditions.
- Primary care — listed at $0 for participating plans; MDLive says pricing is shown upfront if there is a charge. Treat primary care as insurance-first unless your account shows a cash number.
- Mental health — talk therapy $0–$179 initial (follow-up $140 before insurance); psychiatry $0–$299 initial (follow-up $159 before insurance).
- Dermatology — $0–$95.
- Account creation is free. You are charged after the appointment is confirmed. Cancellation fees can apply (wellness $25 within 24 hours; routine care $25 within 2 hours; mental health $50 within 24 hours).
What Teladoc publishes
teladochealth.com/start/no-insurance as of September 5, 2026 is the official self-pay menu:
- 24/7 urgent care — $89/visit.
- Nutrition — $89/visit.
- Dermatology — $89/review.
- Mental health — $119/visit.
- Teladoc states primary care and condition-management programs are not available for self-pay (insured/employer only).
- Cost is shown before you confirm. Pricing is subject to change.
Side-by-side cash table
| Service | Sesame | MDLIVE | Teladoc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acute / urgent video | From $34; Plus from $37 | Up to $89 cash | $89 self-pay |
| Primary care | Posted cash by provider | Insurance-first; $0 on participating plans | Not offered self-pay |
| Dermatology | Posted cash by provider | $0–$95 | $89/review |
| Mental health | Example therapy $75 → $65 with Plus | Therapy to $179; psych to $299 | $119/visit |
| Membership | Optional $10.99/mo or $99/yr | None required for cash UC | None required for self-pay UC |
| Insurance billed? | No — cash only | Yes, when you have a participating plan | Yes, when covered; else self-pay menu |
| Profile | Sesame | MDLIVE | Teladoc |
What a cash visit includes
- Usually included: the clinician encounter and a decision to treat, refer, or send you in-person.
- Often included: a prescription sent to a retail pharmacy if the clinician decides it is appropriate. Controlled substances are commonly excluded.
- Almost never included: the medication itself, blood work, imaging, or a procedure.
- Sesame Plus extras: $10 off visits and one free lab on the annual plan — not the visit itself.
For the wider cash-telehealth ladder (Amazon On-Demand, PlushCare, Lemonaid, GoodRx Care) and when to drive to urgent care, use cash-pay telehealth visits.
Which to choose
Best for: lowest published cash visit
Sesame if you are paying your own money. Start with the $34+ marketplace listing; add Plus only if you will visit more than once or want the annual lab.
Best for: 24/7 brand-name video at a flat cash rate
Teladoc at $89 or MDLIVE up to $89. Same band. Teladoc is explicit that primary care is off the self-pay menu. MDLive will show the number before you book.
Best for: you already have a plan that includes virtual care
Use the insured MDLive or Teladoc benefit first. A $0 copay beats a $34 cash visit. Come back to Sesame when you are out of network or uninsured.
Compare the three cash visit brands
Open the official site for the live price, or the VitalityScout profile for services and our take.
Sesame
Cash-pay marketplace. Homepage lists visits from $34; Plus ($10.99/mo or $99/yr) takes $10 off and advertises visits from $37. No insurance billed. Verify the live listing.
MDLIVE
Official cash range $0–$89 for urgent care; $0 when a participating plan covers the visit. Price is shown before you book. Meds extra.
Teladoc Health
Official no-insurance menu: urgent care $89, dermatology $89, nutrition $89, mental health $119. Primary care is not on the self-pay path.
Confirm today's cash visit price
Marketplace listings and insured copays move. Open the official page, then compare the rest of the telehealth directory.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a cash-pay visit cost at Sesame vs MDLive vs Teladoc in 2026?▼
As of September 5, 2026, Sesame’s homepage lists visits starting at $34; Sesame Plus advertises video visits as low as $37 with membership ($10.99/month or $99/year, $10 off visits). MDLive publishes urgent-care visits at $0–$89 (the cash/self-pay ceiling is $89; insured visits can be $0). Teladoc’s official no-insurance page lists 24/7 urgent care at $89/visit, dermatology $89/review, nutrition $89/visit, and mental health $119/visit. These are published cash/self-pay rates — confirm the live checkout price for your ZIP and visit type.
Is Sesame cheaper than Teladoc or MDLive without insurance?▼
Usually, for a one-off acute or primary-care video visit. Sesame is a cash-pay marketplace: you pick a provider and pay the posted price, often in the mid-$30s on the pages we checked. Teladoc self-pay urgent care is a flat $89. MDLive cash urgent care is listed up to $89. If your employer or health plan already includes MDLive or Teladoc at $0, that insured visit beats any cash marketplace. This guide prices the self-pay / cash path only.
Do I need a membership to use Sesame, MDLive, or Teladoc?▼
No. All three sell pay-per-visit care. Sesame Plus ($10.99/month or $99/year) is optional: $10 off telehealth and primary-care visits, $10 off in-person specialty/dental, and one free lab per year on the annual plan (not available in Washington State per Sesame). MDLive and Teladoc do not require a consumer membership for a cash urgent-care visit. Price the first visit as a one-off, then do the membership math.
What is included in a cash telehealth visit?▼
A typical cash visit includes the clinician encounter (video, phone, or on some platforms a message/e-visit) and, if appropriate, a prescription sent to a pharmacy. The medication, labs, and imaging are almost always extra. Sesame providers set their own posted cash prices and Sesame does not bill insurance. Teladoc primary care and condition-management programs are not available on the self-pay path. Confirm what your specific booking includes before you pay.
When should I use cash telehealth instead of urgent care?▼
Use cash telehealth for straightforward, non-emergency problems a video visit can handle: sinus infection, UTI, pink eye, a refill, or a primary-care question. Use in-person urgent care when you need hands, an x-ray, stitches, or a rapid in-house test. Use the ER for chest pain, trouble breathing, stroke signs, or any true emergency. Cost is never a reason to skip the ER. For the broader cash-visit ladder, see our cash-pay telehealth visits guide.
Can I use HSA or FSA for these visits?▼
Often yes for a clinician visit that is medical care. Sesame, MDLive, and Teladoc generally let you pay with a card; HSA/FSA eligibility depends on your plan. Confirm with your administrator before you assume a visit qualifies. Memberships and wellness add-ons are less consistently eligible than a one-off medical visit.
Medical & Pricing Disclaimer
This guide is for general informational purposes only and is not medical advice. We are not affiliated with Sesame, MDLIVE, or Teladoc Health. Prices were read from official pages on September 5, 2026 and are not a quote or a guarantee. Marketplace rates vary by clinician and ZIP; insured copays can be $0. Verify current pricing before you book. A licensed clinician decides whether treatment or a prescription is appropriate.