PlushCare vs. Lemonaid Health (2026): Online Doctor Visits or a Monthly Medication Plan?

PlushCare and Lemonaid Health can both prescribe common medications for depression and anxiety online. PlushCare is a full online medical practice that takes insurance and also offers therapy. Lemonaid is a focused, flat-price medication service.

The short answer

• PlushCare if you have insurance, want therapy too, or want one doctor for your wider health.
• Lemonaid if you’re paying yourself and just want medication, delivered, at a predictable price.

Cost

Prescribing and eligibility

Both prescribe non-controlled medications such as SSRIs and neither prescribes controlled substances. Lemonaid advises in-person care for people under 25 or 64 and older and for several higher-risk situations; PlushCare treats adults of all ages and can also manage other medical conditions alongside your mental health.

What each service is really built for

The two services sit at different points on the spectrum from “medical practice” to “single-purpose subscription.” PlushCare is a full telehealth practice: you can see a doctor for primary care or urgent care, book a therapist separately and, when a physician thinks it’s appropriate, receive a prescription for a non-controlled mental health medicine. Lemonaid Health is built around one job — an online assessment, a video visit and, where clinically appropriate, a prescription for depression or anxiety — priced as a monthly subscription that includes check-ins and delivery. See our reviews of PlushCare and Lemonaid Health for full detail.

Cost scenarios

Prices below come from each service’s published pricing as summarized in our reviews. Confirm current prices before you book.

• You want a prescription and have no insurance. On PlushCare, a doctor visit is $129 plus a membership of $19.99 a month or $149 a year, so a first month is about $149 before medication. On Lemonaid, the first month is $25 and later months are $95, so the first three months come to about $215, with delivery included.
• You have in-network insurance. PlushCare says most patients with in-network insurance pay $30 or less per doctor visit, which can make it the cheaper route. Lemonaid is direct-pay and does not require insurance.
• You also want therapy. PlushCare’s therapy is $169 per session, so four sessions a month would be $676 without insurance. Lemonaid offers no therapy, so you would need a separate service.

Who each service fits

PlushCare may suit you if you want one place for therapy and medical care, you have insurance, you are over 64 or under 25, or you want a doctor who can also look at your wider health. Its physicians treat adults of all ages, whereas Lemonaid advises people under 25 or aged 64 and older to see a doctor in person.

Lemonaid may suit you if you are 25 to 64, have mild to moderate depression or anxiety, and mainly want medication from an easy, predictable subscription with check-ins by message, phone or video. Medication is delivered to your door.

What neither service can do

Neither prescribes controlled substances such as benzodiazepines or ADHD stimulants. Neither is designed for emergencies, active suicidal thoughts, psychosis or suspected bipolar disorder; Lemonaid specifically lists these among the situations where it advises in-person care. If you have a complicated history or take several medicines, an in-person psychiatrist or primary care clinician who knows you may be safer. See our guide to online psychiatry for how services differ.

Medication follow-up matters more than the first visit

Antidepressants typically take several weeks to work, and side effects can appear early. Whichever service you choose, ask how often you’ll be reviewed, how dose changes are handled and how to stop safely. Lemonaid includes unlimited check-ins in its monthly price; at PlushCare, follow-ups are additional visits subject to its pricing and your insurance. Learn what to expect in our page on antidepressants.

Questions to ask before you choose

1. Does my age and health history fit what this service treats online?
2. What will the first three months cost me in total, including medication?
3. Do I also want therapy, and if so, how will I get it?
4. How are refills, side effects and dose changes handled?
5. What happens if my symptoms get worse?

If you decide you want therapy as well, compare BetterHelp or Sesame, or read our online depression treatment and online anxiety treatment guides.

Our verdict

With insurance, or if you want therapy and a regular online doctor, PlushCare is the better fit. Without insurance, for medication alone, Lemonaid is simpler and usually cheaper.

If you’re in crisis, call or text 988 in the US or call 911. See Get Help Now.