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Circle Medical vs Talkiatry: Which Is Better?

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

Our Verdict

Talkiatry scores higher overall in our independent evaluation (65.8/100 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 $20/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

Talkiatry

Good

Insurance-only virtual psychiatry practice with 800+ psychiatrists in 45 states, able to prescribe controlled substances including ADHD stimulants where state law allows.

Visit Talkiatry

Score Breakdown

Dimension	Circle Medical	Talkiatry
Overall Score	60.2/100	65.8/100 ✓
Trust & Safety30%	62/100	70/100 ✓
Value25%	55/100	72/100 ✓
Experience20%	55/100	58/100 ✓
Product Range15%	72/100 ✓	60/100
Reputation10%	60/100	62/100 ✓

At a Glance

Founded	2015	2019
Headquarters	San Francisco, CA	New York, NY
Publicly traded	No	No
Treatment categories	2	1
Treatments listed	2	3
Starting price	$0/mo	$20/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	Talkiatry
Mental Health	Free–$120 ADHD Diagnosis & Medication Management	$20–$50 Psychiatric Evaluation & Medication Management

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 →

Talkiatry

+Board-certified psychiatrists (not only NPs) with 60-minute adult and 75-minute child/teen intake visits

+Can prescribe controlled medications, including ADHD stimulants, in states where telehealth law permits

+In-network with major commercial plans and Medicare; typical copays are $20-50 per visit

−No self-pay option, and Medicaid and TRICARE are not accepted

−Weak independent ratings (Trustpilot about 2.7/5, BBB about 1.1/5) concentrated on billing and customer service

−$100 fee for cancelling or rescheduling within 48 hours

Read the full Talkiatry review →

Circle Medical vs Talkiatry — FAQ

Is Circle Medical better than Talkiatry?

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Is Circle Medical or Talkiatry cheaper?

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Circle Medical has the lower starting price (from $0/mo vs $20/mo for Talkiatry). 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 Talkiatry both offer?

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

Still deciding?

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