Sesame and Teladoc represent two fundamentally different approaches to telehealth. Sesame is a cash-pay marketplace where patients book individual visits with independent clinicians at advertised flat rates. Teladoc is the largest insurance-billing telehealth platform in the US, serving 80+ million members through employer plans and major commercial insurance. The right choice between them depends almost entirely on insurance status — Sesame for uninsured patients, Teladoc for insured patients with covered plans. This sesame vs teladoc comparison breaks down 2026 pricing, the structural differences, and which platform fits which use cases. The summary: Sesame is dramatically cheaper for cash-pay patients; Teladoc is cheaper for insured patients with in-network coverage.
The structural difference
Sesame Care is a marketplace platform. Each visit is an independent booking with whichever clinician you choose at their advertised price. There’s no membership, no continuity assignment, and no insurance billing. Patients book a $25 video visit with one clinician for a UTI today, then book a different $80 dermatology consultation with another clinician next week — both as independent transactions.
Teladoc operates a network of contracted clinicians providing on-demand urgent care, scheduled mental health, and limited specialty services. The platform bills most major commercial insurance for visits, with patients paying their plan copay or cash-pay rates if uninsured. The model is closer to a virtual urgent care clinic. See our individual Sesame Care review and Teladoc review.
Sesame vs Teladoc — pricing in 2026
Sesame Care pricing (cash-pay only):
- General medical video visit: $25-45
- Mental health visit: $50-150
- Specialty visits: $80-200
- Therapy sessions: $50-100
- Sesame Plus membership (optional): $10.99/month for 15-20% off visits
Teladoc pricing:
- In-network insurance: typically $0-50 per general medical visit
- In-network mental health: $0-90 therapy, $0-200 psychiatry
- Cash-pay general medical: $89
- Cash-pay therapy: $99
- Cash-pay psychiatry: $229 initial, $109 follow-up
- Cash-pay dermatology: $85
For cash-pay patients, Sesame is dramatically cheaper across the board. A $25-45 Sesame visit beats a $89 Teladoc cash-pay visit by 2-3x. For insured patients with Teladoc coverage, Teladoc’s in-network copays beat Sesame’s cash rates significantly.
Insurance — the central decision factor
Teladoc accepts most major commercial insurance: Aetna, Anthem, Blue Cross Blue Shield (most plans), Cigna, Humana, UnitedHealthcare. Many employer-sponsored plans include Teladoc as a $0 copay benefit, making it essentially free for covered patients.
Sesame doesn’t bill insurance at all. Every visit is cash-pay regardless of insurance status. Some patients submit Sesame invoices for partial reimbursement under out-of-network benefits with mixed results, but the standard model is fully cash-pay.
For insured patients, this is decisive. If your plan covers Teladoc with a low copay or $0 employer-sponsored benefit, Teladoc is dramatically cheaper than Sesame. For uninsured patients or those whose plans don’t cover Teladoc, Sesame is dramatically cheaper.
Conditions covered — both broad
Sesame’s marketplace covers a broad range of conditions through individual clinicians: general medicine, mental health (therapy and psychiatry), dermatology, endocrinology, cardiology, gastroenterology, nutrition, dental, and many other specialties. The breadth depends on which clinicians are listed in the marketplace.
Teladoc covers general medicine, mental health (therapy and psychiatry), dermatology, nutrition, and limited specialty consultations. The chronic disease management programs (diabetes, hypertension, weight management) inherited from Livongo are typically employer-sponsored.
Both platforms can handle most common telehealth use cases. Sesame’s marketplace produces broader specialty access in many markets; Teladoc’s network is more standardized.
Continuity of care
Neither platform offers true primary care continuity. Sesame’s marketplace is transactional — each visit is independent. Teladoc connects patients to whichever clinician is available for urgent care, with appointment-scheduled mental health and specialty visits but no PCP assignment.
For ongoing primary care with continuity, neither Sesame nor Teladoc is the right choice. PlushCare offers true primary care with assigned PCPs and ongoing relationships. See our Sesame vs PlushCare and PlushCare vs Teladoc for those comparisons.
Speed and convenience
Teladoc’s general medical urgent care typically connects patients to a clinician within 10-30 minutes during business hours. The on-demand model is fast for acute issues.
Sesame’s model is appointment-based — patients book a specific clinician at a specific time, with same-day appointments often available. The model is fast but doesn’t have the same instant-connect availability as Teladoc’s on-demand urgent care for unscheduled needs.
For unscheduled urgent care, Teladoc is faster. For scheduled visits, both are similar. For uninsured patients accepting the small wait, Sesame’s lower cost typically outweighs the convenience advantage of instant connection.
Specific use cases — when each platform wins
Choose Sesame if: You’re uninsured or your insurance doesn’t cover Teladoc. You want the cheapest possible cash-pay telehealth. You can wait for a scheduled appointment rather than needing instant on-demand access. You want broad specialty marketplace access.
Choose Teladoc if: You’re insured through a plan covering Teladoc with a low copay. Your employer includes Teladoc as a $0 copay benefit. You need instant on-demand urgent care during business hours. You want consolidated services across multiple needs on one platform.
Use both if: You have Teladoc through insurance for primary urgent care needs but want Sesame for occasional specialty consultations or therapy at lower cost than Teladoc’s cash-pay rates.
How both compare to PlushCare and LemonAID
For ongoing primary care, neither Sesame nor Teladoc offers continuity — PlushCare is the better choice with assigned PCPs and insurance acceptance. For uninsured patients seeking specific one-off prescriptions, LemonAID‘s flat-fee model is similarly priced to Sesame for the conditions it covers. See our Sesame vs PlushCare, Teladoc vs LemonAID, and LemonAID vs PlushCare comparisons for the broader landscape.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sesame cheaper than Teladoc?
For uninsured patients, yes — dramatically. Sesame’s $25-45 visits beat Teladoc’s $89 cash-pay rate. For insured patients with Teladoc coverage, Teladoc’s in-network copays are dramatically cheaper than Sesame’s cash rates.
Does Sesame take insurance?
No. Sesame is cash-pay only. Some patients submit invoices for partial out-of-network reimbursement with mixed results.
Are Sesame doctors as qualified as Teladoc doctors?
Both use licensed clinicians (physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants) with full credentials. The credential floor is similar at both platforms.
Which is faster?
Teladoc’s on-demand urgent care typically connects within 10-30 minutes. Sesame’s appointment-based model often offers same-day appointments but doesn’t have the instant-connect availability for unscheduled needs.
Can I use both Sesame and Teladoc?
Yes. Some patients use Teladoc through insurance for urgent care and Sesame for specialty consultations or therapy at lower cash-pay cost than Teladoc’s cash rates.
The bottom line on Sesame vs Teladoc
The right choice between Sesame and Teladoc comes down almost entirely to insurance status. For insured patients with Teladoc coverage at a low copay or $0 employer benefit, Teladoc is dramatically cheaper and offers instant on-demand urgent care. For uninsured patients or those whose plans don’t cover Teladoc, Sesame is dramatically cheaper across the board. The two platforms aren’t really competitors for the same patients — they serve different populations based on insurance status. Verify your insurance coverage before choosing, since the cost difference between platforms varies by 5-10x depending on coverage.