How much does an online dermatologist cost?

What an online dermatologist costs depends less on the clinician than on how the provider bills. Of the 12 online skin care providers we compared on October 18, 2026, five fold the clinician into the price of the cream, one charges a consult fee per request, one charges per video visit, and two sell a membership with the medication billed separately. The other three don’t say. Here is what each model costs and what it buys.

Three ways online dermatology charges you

Built into the treatment. You pay one price for the cream, and the clinician review, messaging and changes to your prescription come with it. Alloy, Musely, Curology and Winona work this way. In our 3-month tretinoin comparison below, it is one of the cheapest routes.

A consult or visit fee. You pay for the clinician separately from the medication. Nurx charges $40 per request. Midi Health charges per video visit, and Evernow charges per visit if you don’t take its membership.

A membership. A monthly fee covers the clinician, and the medication is billed on top, often by your own pharmacy. Twentyeight Health and Evernow work this way.

What each provider charges for the clinician

These are the prices on each provider’s own site, read on October 18, 2026.

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For our full ranking, see the best online prescription skin care list.

What the clinician cost buys

The price tells you how often you can reach someone and how.

Messaging-based care. Most built-in models are asynchronous: you send a questionnaire and photos, and a clinician replies in writing. Musely’s board-certified doctors review within 24 hours, and Alloy connects you with a doctor in under 12 hours. Curology lets you message your provider anytime, and the provider can change your ingredients or prescribe a new formula as your skin changes. Winona works only by portal messaging, with no phone or video visits.

Live visits. Paying per visit usually buys face-to-face time. Midi Health’s first video visit lasts about 30 minutes and returning visits about 15. Evernow offers text or video with a provider licensed in your state, and its membership includes unlimited text messaging. Twentyeight Health requires a short video visit, about 10 minutes, on some plans. Wisp arranges a phone call or video chat when its physician thinks it’s necessary.

Who the clinicians are. Curology’s providers are board-certified physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners with dermatology training. Alloy, Winona and Musely use board-certified physicians, and Twentyeight Health board-certified providers. Midi doesn’t state credentials on the pages we read.

What 3 months of tretinoin costs in total

Fees change the real cost. Here is the arithmetic for 3 months of tretinoin at the providers that publish a tretinoin price, as of October 2026:

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At the membership providers, the clinician alone costs more over 3 months: Twentyeight Health’s Complete Care is $59.97 for 3 months ($19.99 × 3) and Evernow’s 3-month membership $129, both before the medication. A self-pay first visit at Midi Health is $250 before any cream. The tretinoin cost guide has every tretinoin price we track.

When insurance pays

Insurance changes the picture for four providers.

• Midi Health is in network with most major plans and most PPOs, including BCBS, UnitedHealthcare, Cigna and Aetna, so a visit can cost only your copay. Medicare is out of network, and it doesn’t take Medicaid or Medi-Cal.
• Evernow accepts UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Anthem and Blue Cross Blue Shield for video visits. Its membership isn’t covered by insurance but is HSA/FSA eligible.
• Twentyeight Health takes many commercial and Medicaid plans, and in-network provider care can be $0. It is the one provider in our comparison that says it accepts Medicaid for skin care.
• Nurx bills insurance for skin prescriptions, which can bring them to $0, but its $40 consult isn’t billed to insurance.

The rest are cash-pay, though several accept HSA or FSA cards: Alloy marks its products HSA/FSA eligible, Wisp accepts the cards but says dermatology treatments often need a letter of medical necessity, Winona provides receipts for reimbursement, and Curology says you may be able to use one after the trial box.

Questions to ask before you sign up

• Is the clinician included in the price, or billed as a consult, visit or membership?
• What does the first order cost in total, including shipping and any support fee?
• Can I message the clinician after I start, and will they change my prescription?
• Is there a video or phone option if I need one?
• How often does it bill, and how do I cancel?

Which model fits you

• You need one cream and want the lowest total: a built-in model such as Alloy, Musely or Curology, or Wisp’s generic tretinoin.
• You want generic prescriptions and have insurance: Nurx, where insurance can cover the medication and you pay the $40 consult.
• You have Medicaid or a commercial plan that covers telehealth: Twentyeight Health, or Midi Health for video visits.
• You want a live visit: Midi Health or Evernow, or Twentyeight Health on plans with a video visit.

The bottom line

Online dermatology rarely costs much for the clinician alone. Five providers include the clinician in the price of the cream, and three months of tretinoin runs $84 to $133 at the providers that publish a price, as of October 2026. Per-visit and membership models cost more without insurance but buy live visits or insurance billing. Compare the total for your first three months, and see our skin care hub for every provider.