Health, fitness and wellness apps
How much does it cost to build an app like Teladoc?
By Nick McCandless, founder of EltherionUpdated
Short answer
Eltherion prices an MVP of an app like Teladoc, a telehealth app for video doctor visits, at $46k to $130k. A full platform with the features listed below runs $76k to $217k. These are Eltherion's own estimate ranges for building a comparable product, not what Teladoc spent; your fixed price comes after a free scoping call, and small, tightly scoped work starts as low as $1,000.
An app like Teladoc lets patients request a visit, complete intake, see a clinician over secure video and get follow-up notes. Because it handles health information, privacy and security requirements are part of the core build, not an add-on to bolt on later.
What an MVP of an app like Teladoc costs, feature by feature
The first version below is the smallest product people could actually use. Core features are covered by the base price for an iPhone and Android app; each outside service the app connects to, and each add-on, adds its own line.
| Line item | What it covers | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Core iPhone and Android app (MVP) | Patient app, Clinician app or portal, Admin dashboard | $30k to $90k |
| Health data privacy and security | Access controls, audit logs and vendor agreements for health data | $10k to $25k |
| Secure video | Visits through a video provider that supports health data requirements | $2k to $5k |
| Payments | Visit fees or copays | $2k to $5k |
| Email and SMS reminders | Appointment reminders | $2k to $5k |
| Total | $46k to $130k |
- Patient app: Account, intake forms, book or request a visit.
- Clinician app or portal: Queue, visit notes and follow-ups.
- Admin dashboard: Clinicians, schedules and visit records.
What drives the cost of an app like Teladoc
- Privacy and security work for health data is required from the first version.
- E-prescribing, EHR and insurance integrations are each significant projects.
- A cash-pay service for one specialty is far smaller than an insurance-billed network.
Full platform: $76k to $217k
The full-platform tier prices the same app at full-platform scope ($54k to $162k for the core) plus these additions:
- E-prescribing: Send prescriptions through an e-prescribing network ($2k to $5k).
- EHR integration: Sync with an electronic health record system ($2k to $5k).
- Insurance eligibility checks: Verify coverage through a clearinghouse ($2k to $5k).
Most products should not build this tier up front. Ship the MVP, see what users actually do, and add the pieces that earn their place. Open the full-platform estimate in the calculator.
Running costs after launch
- Maintenance and small improvements: $8k to $23k a year for the MVP (18% of the build, a planning assumption).
- Hosting: about $4k a year (a planning estimate; heavy usage costs more).
- Three-year total for the MVP, build included: $82k to $211k.
- App store accounts: the Apple Developer Program is $99 a year and Google Play has a $25 one-time registration fee (checked October 30, 2026).
- Card payments: Stripe's standard US rate is 2.9% + 30¢ per successful domestic card transaction (checked October 30, 2026); other providers price differently.
Each integration also has its provider's own usage fees (maps, messaging, video, AI models), which depend on how much the app is used.
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Frequently asked questions
- How much does it cost to build an app like Teladoc?
- Eltherion prices an MVP of an app like Teladoc, a telehealth app for video doctor visits, at $46k to $130k, and a full platform at $76k to $217k. These are Eltherion's estimate ranges from its published pricing model; your fixed price comes after a free scoping call. Small, tightly scoped work starts as low as $1,000.
- Does a telehealth app need to be HIPAA compliant?
- If it handles protected health information for a covered healthcare provider or plan, generally yes, and every vendor touching that data needs the right agreements. Confirm your situation with a healthcare lawyer; the estimate includes the security and compliance build work.
- Can a single practice build its own telehealth app?
- Yes, though many practices start with an existing telehealth platform. Custom makes sense when visits are part of a bigger branded experience, such as memberships, programs or a specialty workflow.
- Is this what Teladoc spent to build its app?
- No. It is Eltherion's estimate for building a comparable first version today. It says nothing about what Teladoc spent, and Eltherion is not affiliated with Teladoc. A product at that company's scale has years of work and teams behind it that no MVP includes.
- How can I lower the cost?
- Launch with fewer integrations, one market and one platform, and leave the full-platform features until users ask for them. The adjustable calculator shows how each choice moves the range.
How we priced this
Every number on this page comes from Eltherion's software development cost calculator: a base range for the product type, multiplied by scope, plus a fixed range for each integration and add-on. The method is published on the cost methodology page. The feature list describes a typical comparable product; Eltherion is not affiliated with Teladoc.