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Circle Medical vs Headspace: Which Is Better?

Head-to-head comparison of Circle Medical and Headspace based on our independent scoring across trust, value, experience, product range, and reputation — plus real pricing for the treatments they both offer.

Our Verdict

Headspace scores higher overall in our independent evaluation (64.3/100 vs 60.2/100), leading on trust & safety, value, experience, reputation. Circle Medical comes out ahead on product range.

60

Circle Medical is a UCSF Health-affiliated video primary care practice with a large ADHD, anxiety, and depression practice, offering same-day visits and medication management including stimulants where permitted.

Visit Circle Medical
64

Meditation app turned mental-health provider offering coaching, therapy and non-controlled psychiatry, largely insurance-billed, and pending acquisition by Sword Health.

Visit Headspace

Score Breakdown

DimensionCircle MedicalHeadspace
Overall Score60.2/10064.3/100 ✓
Trust & Safety30%62/10068/100 ✓
Value25%55/10064/100 ✓
Experience20%55/10062/100 ✓
Product Range15%72/100 ✓62/100
Reputation10%60/10062/100 ✓

At a Glance

Founded20152010
HeadquartersSan Francisco, CASanta Monica, CA
Publicly tradedNoNo
Treatment categories21
Treatments listed24
Starting price$0/mo$0/mo

Pricing Where They Compete

Prices shown are based on our most recent research and may not reflect current pricing. Telehealth providers update their pricing frequently. Always verify pricing directly with the provider before purchasing.

CategoryCircle MedicalHeadspace
Mental HealthFree–$120
ADHD Diagnosis & Medication Management
Free–$149
Therapy (self-pay or insurance)

Circle Medical

+UCSF Health affiliation lends institutional credibility to its primary care and mental health practice
+Same-day video visits with flat $120 self-pay pricing when insurance isn't used
+Handles complex ongoing care (ADHD stimulant management, hormone therapy, weight care) that many async competitors avoid
−Prescribes Schedule II-V controlled substances via telehealth, which depends on DEA telemedicine flexibilities currently extended only through 2026-12-31 — a future rule change could disrupt care continuity
−Trustpilot rating (3.6 stars) is weak for the category, with roughly 30% one-star reviews concentrated on billing: incorrect insurance charges, no-show fees, and refund difficulty
−Support access is largely limited to chat/bot channels, which reviewers say makes billing disputes slow to resolve
Read the full Circle Medical review →

Headspace

+Therapy in all 50 states, in-network with 45+ plans; most insured members pay $0-35 per session and see an estimate before booking
+Meditation, sleep and coaching content bundled alongside clinical care in one app (4.8/5 on iOS)
+Self-pay therapy is priced per session ($149) with no membership required
−Psychiatry is generally unavailable to cash-pay members, and prescribers cannot issue controlled substances
−Consumer billing sentiment is poor (Trustpilot about 1.4/5), citing auto-renewal and web-only cancellation
−$125 fee for cancellations inside 48 hours or no-shows
Read the full Headspace review →

Circle Medical vs Headspace — FAQ

Is Circle Medical better than Headspace?

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Headspace scores higher overall in our independent evaluation (64.3/100 vs 60.2/100), leading on trust & safety, value, experience, reputation. Circle Medical comes out ahead on product range.

Is Circle Medical or Headspace cheaper?

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Their entry prices are similar — both start around $0/mo. Real cost depends on the specific treatment: compare the pricing tables on each review, since inclusions like consults, labs, and shipping differ.

What do Circle Medical and Headspace both offer?

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Both platforms treat Mental Health. Circle Medical covers 2 treatment categories total and Headspace covers 1.

Still deciding?

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