Best Online Pediatricians

Amwell was selected as our best overall because it provides round-the-clock access to board-certified pediatricians across the United States on an app or computer-based platform.

Since kids get sick at any time of day, it's important to have a pediatrician that you can rely on around the clock. Amwell for Pediatrics offers 24/7 care from board-certified pediatricians in all 50 states. The platform makes it easy to schedule an appointment and connect with your provider in minutes—a big plus when your child isn't feeling well.

When you log on to the platform (available by either app or desktop), you enter in your child’s concerns. From there, you can view a list of providers and schedule an appointment with a particular provider (such as one in your state) or see the next-available provider. This way, you do not have to have an appointment to see a pediatric provider quickly. The site does offer some specialty pediatricians, such as neurology, urology, and gastroenterology; availability varies by state. 

Seeing an Amwell physician is $79 which is about $90 cheaper than a traditional office visit (according to the website). The cost is the same, even if you use the service on the weekends or late at night. The typical timeframe for an Amwell doctor’s visit is about 10 minutes, the amount of time needed to handle most medical issues, according to their site.

The site does accept insurance, and you can check to see if your insurance policy covers an Amwell visit. Notable participating insurance companies included Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield of varying states, and United Healthcare. However, you don’t have to have insurance to see a doctor—you can opt to pay using a debit or credit card, flexible spending, or health savings account.

With unlimited 24/7 care for a low monthly fee, Blueberry Pediatrics is the best value for parents who want quality online pediatric care.

For comprehensive pediatric care at a low monthly cost, Blueberry Pediatrics offers the best value. The membership includes unlimited 24/7 care with a board certified pediatrician through virtual appointments , phone or text chat, as well as an at-home medical kit for checking vitals and ear, nose, and throat exams. You are guaranteed to hear back from the doctor within one hour of when you reach out too.

One membership covers every child in your household under the age of 21, as long as you're legally allowed to seek care for the child (i.e. you're their legal guardian, or a grandparents or nanny with parental consent). This makes it a great option for parents with multiple children. 

You'll never be asked to pay a co-pay or visit fee—charges that can quickly add up at the doctor's office. Using the app, it's easy to answer common questions about your child's health, schedule appointments, send questions to your medical team, and contact your providers directly.

The board-certified pediatricians at Blueberry Pediatrics can write and send prescriptions to your pharmacy of choice and provide school notes when needed. Membership runs $18 per month for your family, or you can opt for the annual plan that comes to $12 per month. If you sign up for a monthly membership, you'll be charged automatically each month.

You can cancel your membership at any time by contacting customer service. Unfortunately, they don't accept health insurance, but you can submit receipts for out-of-pocket expenses to your FSA. Note that Blueberry Pediatrics is not currently available in all 50 states, but they are expanding their service area.

Sesame was selected as our best for a budget because it puts the power of choice in your hands, allowing you to select your own provider at a listed cost that’s usually lower than $60.

Sesame is a telemedicine platform that allows you to select a provider for a specific, upfront price before starting your pediatrics consultation. While Sesame does not accept health insurance, you can use funds from a health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA). If your insurance allows for out-of-network coverage, you can submit this receipt for reimbursement. 

Sesame’s platform allows you to choose from both doctor and nurse practitioner providers for pediatric care. Each provider lists conditions they will (and sometimes won’t) treat and if they will write or refill prescriptions. Provider costs vary by type and service (usually more if you need a prescription). We saw visit prices as low as $29 for a 15-minute visit up to $64. 

We like that each potential provider has their own page where you can read about their training and services provided. You can also read previous patient reviews to make sure the provider is a good fit for you and your family.

Sesame is available in all 50 states, with thousands of providers to choose from. You can book a same-day or future appointment and in-person care is available in some locations. Note that many of the pediatric providers we saw listed can’t order diagnostic testing, however, they can refer your child to a specialist for care.

CallOnDoc was selected as our best for user-friendliness because it offers 24-hour care at a cost of $40 per visit. You can choose to utilize a free follow-up visit two weeks after your initial appointment.

CallOnDoc is a user-friendly platform that offers pediatric services to those ages two and up. You can access their platform via desktop or mobile. After you complete a brief questionnaire describing your child’s concern, you can chat with a medical provider either over the phone or via a videoconference. Once you submit a visit request, you’ll usually hear back within two hours. 

CallOnDoc treats pediatric concerns such as asthma, sinusitis, and respiratory illnesses, but they won’t treat emergency conditions. Their fee is $40 per visit, and they don’t accept insurance. 

In addition to the ease of accessing their services, we chose them as the most user-friendly because they allow for free follow-up appointments up to two weeks after the initial appointment if your little one isn’t feeling better. You can also request a summary of the visit be sent to your child’s pediatrician for continuity of care. 

As a drawback, CallOnDoc doesn’t offer services in all states. Exclusions include Idaho, Indiana, Arkansas, Hawaii, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, and Vermont.

PM Pediatrics was selected as our best for last-minute appointments because it offers visits within 30 minutes or less, and is open every day until midnight.

PM Pediatrics offers desktop and app-based access to pediatricians from 8 am to midnight EST 365 days a year. The company accepts many major insurance plans, including BlueCross BlueShield (plans vary by state), Anthem, Aetna, Cigna, and UnitedHealthcare. You will pay a $25 co-payment for most commercially accepted insurance plans. If you do not have insurance or your insurance isn’t on their accepted list, the flat fee is $65.

Pediatricians with PM Pediatrics will see babies and older children for health concerns such as flu, pink eye, stomachache, rashes, and more. According to the company’s website, once you request a visit with a practice, most appointments are conducted within 30 minutes. E-prescriptions are available as well. You can also view current wait times and the number of patients in line based on your location before scheduling an appointment.

PM Pediatrics is not available in all states, although they are working on expanding their telemedicine offerings. Pediatric care is available to those in Alaska, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Delaware, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. The company has brick-and-mortar locations throughout the United States, so you can easily get a referral or testing appointment through the online platform. For example, pediatricians can refer your child for an X-ray at their locations.

MDLive offers a wide range of behavioral health services for kids 10 years and up, with providers available anywhere in the U.S.

MDLive is a telemedicine platform that provides general pediatric care and behavioral health for those older than age 10. You can sign up for their platform (available via desktop and app) for free and enter information about your child and their needs. The platform will give you a list of doctors who are immediately available or you can select one to make an appointment with. 

MDLive does accept some insurance policies. If you don't have or would prefer not to use insurance, the cost may be up to $284 for an initial visit and $108 for a follow-up for psychiatry-specific visits. General health visits to MDLive are usually about $82 before insurance. 

Providers treat conditions such as grief, anxiety, depression, trauma, panic disorders, stress management, and more. Having access to a behavioral health provider from the comfort of own home can be very helpful, especially in areas where local providers are limited. MDLive is available 24/7, so you can get support when it’s most convenient for you and your family.

We also liked that MDLive is upfront about behavioral health conditions they don’t address (so you won’t waste your time or funds). Their behavioral health experts don’t treat emergency situations (such as threats of self-harm), active hallucinations, or moderate to severe autism spectrum disorders. They can prescribe some medications for ADHD treatment, with the exception of controlled substances (stimulants). 

Teladoc was selected as our best for insured because it accepts most major insurance policies, including many Medicare and Medicaid plans.

For those who have health insurance for their family, we recommend Teladoc. This telemedicine platform offers a range of pediatric services for kids and adolescents, including general pediatric care, primary care, mental health for ages 13 and up, and more. You can use Teladoc for both acute (sudden onset) and chronic (long-term) care needs.

To get started, you’ll use the app or desktop-based service to set up an account. We also liked that you can call 1-800-Teladoc if you don’t have immediate access to these or prefer to use the phone. You’re then prompted to fill out a brief medical history for the pediatrician to review prior to the appointment. If you choose to see a doctor right away, you’ll be placed in a “waiting room” until the next available pediatrician can see you. 

With insurance, most general medical appointments have no cost. If you don’t have insurance, the fee is $75. Teladoc accepts most major insurance policies (Aetna, Cigna, BlueCross BlueShield, and UnitedHealthcare) and many Medicare Advantage and Medicaid-managed plans. However, they do not participate in Medicare or Medicaid fee-for-service plans. 

Teladoc pediatricians care for those ages two and up. Teladoc physicians are licensed in all 50 states, board-certified in their fields and the service is available around-the-clock. The service also has a “Global Care” program so you can get care while traveling. 

K Health Pediatrics offers on-demand, 24/7 care for most childhood conditions through its iOS and Android smartphone app.

K Health Pediatrics is a low-cost app-based service that offers unlimited 24/7 access to a pediatrician for a one-time fee of $35 or $29 per month through their membership. The membership allows you to add all your children for the same low price—a perk for larger families. You can chat with a doctor anytime, day or night, and get answers to your questions about your child's health. 

After using the app to answer a few questions about your child's symptoms, the algorithm goes to work and provides you with a list of possible diagnoses based on real clinical data. Once you review the list, you can chat with a board-certified pediatrician to discuss your child's symptoms and get expert advice on how to treat them. The doctor can also prescribe medication, order labs or imaging, and provide school notes when needed.

Unfortunately, K Health doesn't treat children under age 3 or those with certain conditions that may require an in-person visit—such as an ear infection or strep throat. The app isn’t available in Alaska or Hawaii, but if you live in one of the states they do serve and are looking for an affordable, app-based option for pediatric care, K Health is worth considering