HomeCompareCircle Medical vs Sesame Care

Circle Medical vs Sesame Care: Which Is Better?

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

Our Verdict

Sesame Care scores higher overall in our independent evaluation (74/100 vs 60.2/100), leading on trust & safety, value, experience, reputation. Circle Medical comes out ahead on product range. Circle Medical has the lower entry price (from $0/mo vs $34/mo), so the better value depends on which treatment you need.

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

Pay-per-visit marketplace connecting patients with licensed providers — no subscriptions, transparent per-visit pricing.

Visit Sesame Care

Score Breakdown

DimensionCircle MedicalSesame Care
Overall Score60.2/10074/100
Trust & Safety30%62/10075/100
Value25%55/10080/100
Experience20%55/10070/100
Product Range15%72/10070/100
Reputation10%60/10070/100

At a Glance

Founded20152019
HeadquartersSan Francisco, CANew York, NY
Publicly tradedNoNo
Treatment categories26
Treatments listed25
Starting price$0/mo$34/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 MedicalSesame Care
Mental HealthFree–$120
ADHD Diagnosis & Medication Management
$45–$99
Mental Health Visit
Primary CareFree–$120
Primary Care Video Visit
$34–$75
Primary Care Visit

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 →

Sesame Care

+No subscription required — pay-per-visit model
+Transparent pricing shown before booking
+Wide range of specialties available
No integrated pharmacy
Less continuity of care than subscriptions
Provider quality varies in marketplace model
Read the full Sesame Care review →

Circle Medical vs Sesame Care — FAQ

Is Circle Medical better than Sesame Care?

Sesame Care scores higher overall in our independent evaluation (74/100 vs 60.2/100), leading on trust & safety, value, experience, reputation. Circle Medical comes out ahead on product range. Circle Medical has the lower entry price (from $0/mo vs $34/mo), so the better value depends on which treatment you need.

Is Circle Medical or Sesame Care cheaper?

Circle Medical has the lower starting price (from $0/mo vs $34/mo for Sesame Care). 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 Sesame Care both offer?

Both platforms treat Mental Health, Primary Care. Circle Medical covers 2 treatment categories total and Sesame Care covers 6.

Still deciding?