Sesame Care vs GoodRx Care: two cash-pay telehealth marketplaces compared
Last updated September 3, 2026.
Sesame and GoodRx Care both exist for the same person: the one paying cash for care. Both skip insurance entirely, publish prices up front, and connect you with clinicians online. The difference is in who sets the price and what else comes with it.
What does each one cost?
Sesame is a marketplace where providers set their own prices, with online doctor visits starting at $34, per its own site. GoodRx Care lists online visits starting at $19 with a Companion membership, or $39 to $70 without one, per its own site, and it says members save up to 67% on online visits. On a single visit, GoodRx Care can undercut Sesame; on selection and provider choice, Sesame's open marketplace, with over 10,000 board-certified providers, gives you more options to shop.
What is the experience like?
Sesame is a true marketplace: you browse individual providers, see their prices and ratings, and book same-day video or even in-person visits in some areas, covering urgent care, ongoing care, medications, labs, and imaging. GoodRx Care is an extension of the GoodRx discount engine: simpler visit categories at flat prices, with visits by text, call, or video, and the natural add-on of GoodRx's prescription price discounts and its Companion membership's free-medication list. Sesame sells choice. GoodRx sells price.
Which one should you pick?
If you want to pick your exact provider and maybe see them in person, Sesame. If you want the cheapest possible online visit and already use GoodRx for prescriptions, GoodRx Care, especially with the Companion membership if you will use it twice or more a year. And if you want to know whether you need a paid visit at all before spending $19 or $34, Pymander's free AI doctor consult answers that first. Emergencies bypass both: call 911. Pymander routes emergency red flags to 911, and its escalation logic is documented in its safety architecture working paper.
What a Pymander AI doctor consult looks like
Illustrative example, not a real member's messages.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Sesame or GoodRx Care?
GoodRx Care lists online visits from $19 with a Companion membership, or $39 to $70 without. Sesame's visits start at $34, with provider-set prices that vary. For a single cheap visit, GoodRx Care usually wins; Sesame's marketplace lets you comparison-shop across more than 10,000 providers.
Do either take insurance?
Neither is built around insurance. Both are cash-pay services with prices shown up front, which is the point: no deductibles and no surprise bills.
Can I see a doctor in person through either?
Sesame offers in-person visits with some providers in some areas, plus labs and imaging. GoodRx Care is an online visit service: text, call, or video.
What is the GoodRx Companion membership?
A paid GoodRx membership tier that discounts online visits, starting them at $19, and includes a list of 250+ free medications, per its own site. It starts at $9.99 per month when paid yearly.
Can both prescribe?
Yes. Both connect you with licensed clinicians who can prescribe when appropriate. GoodRx additionally layers its pharmacy price-comparison discounts on top.
What if it is an emergency?
Skip both and call 911. Pymander is built to recognize emergency red flags in your text and direct you to call rather than continue.