The short answer
Doxy.me is our first choice for straightforward, browser-based patient appointments. VSee Clinic Free offers a generous feature set with screen sharing, while Upheal combines telehealth with free therapy documentation tools. Doximity Dialer suits eligible clinicians who want to contact patients directly by phone or video.
The best free telehealth platform depends on who you see, how patients join, and what you need beyond the call.
01
How did we rank these platforms?
We considered patient access, free-plan limits, Business Associate Agreement (BAA) availability, and features useful during routine appointments.
This is doxy.me’s editorial ranking for US practices, based on published vendor information rather than independent performance testing. We’ve included free Google Meet and Zoom accounts because providers commonly consider them, while distinguishing them from healthcare plans.
02
What are the best free telehealth platforms?
Plan information reviewed November 3, 2026. Features available only during a trial aren’t counted as ongoing free features.
Sources: published plan information from doxy.me, VSee, Upheal, Doximity, HIPAA LINK, Google, and Zoom.
03
Which free platform fits your practice?
1. Doxy.me’s Free plan: For straightforward patient appointments
Share your Room link, let patients check in, and start the appointment when you’re ready. Patients join through their browser without an account or app download.
Free includes unlimited one-to-one video visits, Default Waiting Room, email invitations, and a BAA at no extra cost. You keep your existing scheduling and record systems.
That straightforward route into care makes doxy.me our first choice for basic one-to-one appointments.
The trade-off: Screen sharing, group visits, Scribe, customization, and patient handoffs require the Premium plan. The Free plan covers the basic connection, with additional tools available when your appointments need them.
2. VSee Clinic Free: For video visits with screen sharing
VSee Clinic Free includes unlimited one-to-one video, chat, screen sharing, a personalized waiting room, and simple intake. A signed BAA is included.
The trade-off: Group visits, payments, a patient portal, and appointment reminders require a paid plan. Choose carefully when signing up: VSee Clinic Free and VSee Messenger Free are different products, and Messenger Free doesn’t include a BAA.
3. Upheal Free: For therapy visits with documentation support
Upheal combines free telehealth with individual-therapy notes generated from text, dictation, or recordings you upload. Calendar access is also included.
That’s useful if you want help turning a post-session summary into a structured note without another subscription.
The trade-off: Free doesn’t automatically create notes from calls held in Upheal. That requires a paid plan. Its free documentation formats support individual therapy, rather than couples or family therapy.
4. Doximity Dialer Free: For eligible clinicians making direct calls
Doximity Dialer Free includes unlimited one-to-one voice and video calls. It may suit you if you prefer to contact patients when you’re ready rather than have them check into a waiting room.
The trade-off: Free access depends on your profession and verified membership. Other verified healthcare professionals may receive a 20-call trial before needing Pro or Enterprise. Group video and patient transfers also require a paid plan.
Check your eligibility before building your workflow around free access.
5. HIPAA LINK Free: For occasional, shorter appointments
HIPAA LINK Free includes a waiting room, patient queue, chat, session notes, and a BAA.
The trade-off: Its 30-minute session limit won’t cover a standard 50-minute therapy appointment. The 200-minute monthly allowance also makes it better suited to occasional use. Broader tools are available through a paid plan or temporary trial.
6. Google Meet: Check your account type
Google Meet may already be familiar to you and your patients. But a personal Google account and an organization’s Workspace account have different healthcare arrangements.
Google supports covered Workspace services under an appropriate BAA and configuration. It states that Workspace customers who haven’t signed its BAA must not use protected health information in those services.
The trade-off: Personal free access doesn’t provide that Workspace healthcare arrangement. If your organization already has the appropriate subscription and agreement, however, its existing tools may meet your needs without another purchase.
7. Zoom Basic: Check the time limit and healthcare agreement
Zoom Basic offers familiar video meeting tools, but its 40-minute meeting limit can interrupt a longer appointment.
The trade-off: Zoom directs healthcare users to select a paid plan and establish a BAA. Basic shouldn’t be treated as equivalent to that healthcare arrangement.
As with Google, check what your organization already has before purchasing another platform.
04
How should you choose a free telehealth platform?
Walk through a typical appointment before deciding:
Join as a patient on a phone. Check what they need to open, enter, or download
Check the limits. Decide if there will be enough minutes included for a month
Include everyone who attends. Adding others may change the plan you need
Follow the note afterward. Confirm how documentation reaches a patient record
Check what stays free. Separate ongoing features from trial access
For practices covered by HIPAA, confirm the appropriate BAA and safeguards before seeing patients. Your own privacy procedures still matter, including staff access, protected devices, and private appointment spaces.
A free plan can be enough. Upgrade when there’s a specific gap to solve, such as screen sharing, documentation, or coordinating a team.
Compare Doxy.me Free and Premium
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Frequently asked questions
Is a free telehealth plan the same as a free trial?
No. A free plan remains available within its limits. A trial temporarily unlocks features that may require payment afterward.
Does Doxy.me Free include Scribe?
No. Scribe is a Premium feature. Free covers basic one-to-one telehealth.
Can I get clinical notes with a free platform?
Sort of. Upheal Free creates individual-therapy notes from text, dictation, and uploaded recordings. Automatic notes from calls held in Upheal require a paid plan.
Which free telehealth platform includes screen sharing?
VSee Clinic Free includes unlimited screen sharing alongside one-to-one video, chat, and a signed BAA.