Home›Compare›Circle Medical vs Joyous

Circle Medical vs Joyous: Which Is Better?

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

Our Verdict

Joyous scores higher overall in our independent evaluation (64/100 vs 60.2/100), leading on value, experience. Circle Medical comes out ahead on trust & safety, product range, reputation. Circle Medical has the lower entry price (from $0/mo vs $129/mo), so the better value depends on which treatment you need.

Circle Medical

Fair

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

Joyous

Fair

The most affordable at-home ketamine provider, offering very-low-dose (microdose) sublingual ketamine for depression, anxiety, and PTSD at $129/month.

Visit Joyous

Score Breakdown

Dimension	Circle Medical	Joyous
Overall Score	60.2/100	64/100 ✓
Trust & Safety30%	62/100 ✓	60/100
Value25%	55/100	85/100 ✓
Experience20%	55/100	60/100 ✓
Product Range15%	72/100 ✓	55/100
Reputation10%	60/100 ✓	55/100

At a Glance

Founded	2015	2021
Headquarters	San Francisco, CA	Foster City, CA
Publicly traded	No	No
Treatment categories	2	1
Treatments listed	2	2
Starting price	$0/mo	$129/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.

Category	Circle Medical	Joyous
Mental Health	Free–$120 ADHD Diagnosis & Medication Management	$129 Commitment Plan (3-month minimum)

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 →

Joyous

+Most affordable at-home ketamine option at $129/mo — fraction of competitors' pricing

+Microdose approach: patients stay fully functional, no sitter required, compatible with SSRIs

+All-inclusive flat pricing: consultation, medication, provider access, portal, and check-ins bundled

−$400K privacy class action settlement (2025) for disclosing confidential customer data

−BBB C+ rating with 112 complaints — billing after cancellation is the top issue

−High provider turnover — patients rarely see the same clinician twice

Read the full Joyous review →

Circle Medical vs Joyous — FAQ

Is Circle Medical better than Joyous?

▾

Is Circle Medical or Joyous cheaper?

▾

Circle Medical has the lower starting price (from $0/mo vs $129/mo for Joyous). Starting prices are for the cheapest treatment each offers — compare the specific treatment you need, and check what each price includes.

What do Circle Medical and Joyous both offer?

▾

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

Still deciding?

Circle Medical alternatives Joyous alternatives Take the Match Quiz