Best Teledermatology Apps: Online Dermatologist Visits Compared

The best teledermatology apps are Miiskin, DermatologistOnCall and Teladoc Health. Miiskin is best overall because you choose a board-certified dermatologist licensed in your state, see the same doctor each time and pay from $59 for a first visit with no subscription. DermatologistOnCall covers the widest range of skin, hair and nail problems for $95 a visit, and Teladoc is the pick if your insurance or employer covers it.

If your question is about a product rather than a rash, you can scan its barcode or label with the ingredient scanner in Pori to check it against your skin type. We make Pori; it tracks everyday skin and reads ingredient lists, and it does not diagnose or prescribe.

Teledermatology means a dermatologist looks at your skin remotely, from photos you upload or over a video call, and can diagnose and prescribe just as in an office visit. Below are our picks, a comparison table and a short review of each service. We checked each company's own pages and each app's US App Store listing in November 2026. We did not book visits for this article, and nothing here is medical advice.

Quick picks

• Best overall: Miiskin (first visit from $59, renewals $39, App Store) - pick a board-certified dermatologist in your state and keep the same one.
• Best for almost any skin problem: DermatologistOnCall ($95 per visit, web) - board-certified dermatologists in all 50 states, with a 30-day follow-up window.
• Best with insurance: Teladoc Health ($95 without coverage, as low as $0 with it, App Store) - photo consult with a plan usually within 24 hours.
• Best for a quick, anonymous opinion: First Derm ($19.99 to $59.99 per case, App Store) - no account needed; a board-certified dermatologist answers in 8 to 48 hours.
• Best for a live video visit: Sesame (video consults from $33, App Store) - cash prices posted up front, no insurance or referral needed.
• Best for acne medication by mail: Nurx ($40 consult, App Store) - standard acne prescriptions, with medication billed to private insurance.

How do the teledermatology apps compare?

The two columns that matter most are who reviews your case and what you pay. Prices are from each company's site or US App Store listing as of November 2026 and change often.

How does a teledermatology visit work?

Most services use "store-and-forward" visits. You answer questions about your history, upload photos, and a dermatologist reviews them later and replies with a diagnosis, a plan and, if needed, a prescription sent to your pharmacy. Miiskin, DermatologistOnCall, Teladoc and First Derm all work this way. Sesame books live video visits instead, which suits problems that are easier to explain in conversation.

Your photos decide how useful the visit is. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) advises you to remove makeup, use bright window light and a plain background, turn off filters, and send three kinds of shots: one showing where the problem is on your body, a comparison with nearby normal skin, and a close-up with a coin or ruler beside the spot for scale. Our guide to lighting for skin photos goes further.

The teledermatology apps, one by one

Miiskin: best overall

Miiskin lets you choose a board-certified dermatologist licensed in your state, then send a consultation and message them in the app. Its listing says replies come in 1 to 2 business days, first consultations start at $59, medication renewals cost $39, and there's no subscription. The dermatologists run their own private practices and can prescribe for acne, rosacea, melasma, eczema, hair loss and more. It has a 4.5 rating from about 1,800 ratings.

Who it suits: anyone who wants a dermatologist specifically and the same doctor at every visit. Who should skip it: people who need an answer today. The catch: medication costs are extra, and the optional mole-photo Premium is a separate in-app purchase. Our Miiskin review covers the photo-tracking side.

DermatologistOnCall: best for almost any skin problem

DermatologistOnCall works through its website. You upload photos and answer questions, and an American Board of Dermatology-certified dermatologist sends a diagnosis and plan, with prescriptions going to your pharmacy. It says it treats more than 3,000 skin, hair and nail conditions, serves all 50 states, usually replies within 24 hours, and gives you 30 days to ask follow-up questions. A visit costs $95.

Who it suits: people with a rash, hair loss or nail problem they can't name. Who should skip it: anyone with several separate problems, since each visit covers one condition. The catch: it doesn't take insurance, though you can pay with an HSA, FSA or HRA card or submit the visit for out-of-network reimbursement. Biopsies and full-body skin exams still need an office.

Teladoc Health: best with insurance

Teladoc Health's dermatology service runs inside the main Teladoc app. You upload at least three photos, and a US board-certified dermatologist sends a diagnosis and treatment plan within 24 hours, with follow-up questions allowed for 7 days through the message center. Without benefits a consult costs $95; through an insurer or employer it can cost as little as $0.

Who it suits: people whose health plan or employer already includes Teladoc. Who should skip it: anyone who wants to choose their dermatologist. The catch: the price depends on your plan, so check your welcome letter or call before you start.

First Derm: best for a quick, anonymous opinion

First Derm lets you send photos and a short form without creating an account. You pick a reply time of 8, 24 or 48 hours, and a board-certified dermatologist answers. Its listing says it isn't an AI app and serves users in more than 160 countries. Cases cost $19.99 to $59.99 as in-app purchases.

Who it suits: people who want to know whether something needs a doctor at all, or who live outside the US. Who should skip it: anyone who needs a prescription, which the listing doesn't mention. The catch: the app was last updated in January 2025 and has a 4.2 rating from about 430 ratings.

Sesame: best for a live video visit

Sesame is a marketplace where clinics post cash prices for visits. It says dermatology video consults start at $33, new-patient video visits are available 24/7 in all 50 states, and you don't need insurance or a referral. You can message the provider before and after.

Who it suits: people who want to talk a problem through face to face at a known price. Who should skip it: anyone who wants a guaranteed dermatologist, since the page describes its doctors as licensed without saying board-certified. The catch: prices vary by clinic, so compare listings before booking.

Nurx: best for acne medication by mail

Nurx charges a $40 consultation for acne, then prescribes medications such as tretinoin, clindamycin, azelaic acid, minocycline and spironolactone, shipped to you. Private insurance can cover the medication, and without it topicals start at $25 a month. It doesn't prescribe isotretinoin and isn't offered in every state. Our Nurx review covers the details, and our guide to acne treatment subscriptions compares it with Curology and Musely.

Pori: for tracking between visits

Pori, our iPhone app, isn't a teledermatology service. A selfie gives a 0 to 100 skin score with sub-scores for hydration, pores and texture, pigmentation and tone, and aging, plus a skin diary and before-and-after comparisons. That helps you show a dermatologist how your skin has changed since the last visit. It doesn't identify rashes or check moles. If something worries you, book one of the services above.

What can't an online dermatologist do?

A dermatologist working from photos can diagnose and treat a lot, but not everything. DermatologistOnCall notes that biopsies, surgery and full-body skin exams need in-person care. Nurx and Curology don't prescribe isotretinoin, which needs monitoring with blood tests. A single photo can also miss what a doctor would feel or see from different angles.

The AAD suggests choosing an online clinic that lets you see a board-certified dermatologist licensed in your state, accepts photos, gives you a record of the visit, and can arrange an in-person visit with a local dermatologist if you need one. Ask for the provider's credentials; if a service won't share them, the AAD suggests going elsewhere.

Go to an office, or urgent care, for a mole that is new, changing or bleeding, a rash that spreads fast or comes with fever, or blistering skin. Our mole checker app guide explains why apps alone aren't enough for spots, and AI skin analysis vs a dermatologist covers where software stops and a doctor starts.

Is teledermatology cheaper than an in-person visit?

Usually, if you pay cash. DermatologistOnCall puts a typical in-person visit at $150 to $400 or more, against $95 for its online visit. Miiskin starts at $59, Sesame lists video consults from $33 and First Derm starts at $19.99, though First Derm doesn't prescribe. If you have insurance, your in-network dermatologist's copay may be lower than any of these, and Teladoc may be free through your plan. Medication is extra on every service, so ask for a generic where one exists.

How we chose

We looked for services where a licensed clinician, ideally a board-certified dermatologist, reviews your case and can act on it. For each, we read the company's own pages and the US App Store listing in November 2026 for who reviews cases, reply times, prices, insurance and limits. We ranked services that name a board-certified dermatologist and show prices before you start above those that don't, and we left out brand-new apps with no ratings. We did not book visits or test the services on real conditions. Pori is our app, so weigh our view of it accordingly. Nothing here is medical advice.