The Internet is full of random numbers.
Some claim the cost of telemedicine is as low as $20000, while others claim it costs as high as $100,000 and even further.
The reality is, they don’t bother with what this number means for someone really looking for a telemedicine platform.
But being a legit healthcare IT company, we care. Thus, let us share the detailed guide in the easiest way to let you know how much the telemedicine platform costs in your case only.
Cost of telemedicine platform: A brilliant way to know the exact cost
We are going to apply math. And when there is math, there are some assumptions. So, here they are.
- You want to know the cost of a telemedicine web app. So, we will share that only. (If you are here to know the cost of a telemedicine mobile app, it costs 30-70% more than the telehealth web app cost. Why? We have covered it in the blog.)
- You are looking forward to adding all the necessary and important features to your telemedicine web app. But not very advanced features such as IoT remote monitoring.
- You are planning to launch it in North America, UAE, UK or Australia.
- And last but not least, you either are a healthcare startup or a healthcare provider.
Case 1: Custom telemedicine platform cost
What is it?
A custom telemedicine platform is built dedicatedly to you only.
The IT company understands your requirements, prepares a team, and executes the project from zero.
The team includes designers, developers, business analysts, project managers, compliance specialists, and QA engineers.
When the app gets ready, the IT company shares the source code ownership along with other IP rights with you.
The process:
It is a very lengthy process as the entire Software Development Life Cycle is followed. And thus, it would require at least 3-5 months to build and deliver a custom telemedicine app.
Custom telemedicine platform cost:
It highly depends on the hours it would require to build the app. Because IT companies generally charge on an hourly basis.
Case 2: White-label telemedicine platform cost
What is it?
A white-label telemedicine software is a pre-built solution which you can acquire by skipping almost 80% of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
The company which owns the white-label solution customizes it – as per your branding and other operation requirements – and sells its usage rights (license) to you.
You can use it the way you want. However, you don’t own the source code and other IP rights.
If you really want source code ownership, you can acquire it by paying extra. But in the majority of cases, you don’t require it in any way.
The process:
The IT company gives you the demo of its white-label telemedicine platform as it has already been developed and is in the functional stage.
You need to pay an upfront licensing fee for just one time and you receive its usage rights.
In case the platform natively lacks any features, you can ask that company to customize the platform for you. But here, that company charges you customization cost (based on the development hours it would require to code your custom requirements).
However, major customization would not be required as the white-label platform is built after considering all common requirements and market trends.
White-label telemedicine app cost:
If the licensing fee is $20,000, required customization hours are 200 and the hourly development charge is $40, it in total costs just $28,000.
And in return, you receive a feature-rich telemedicine platform which meets your needs as you have already customized it as per your requirements.
And all this within just 2-4 weeks!
Case 3: SaaS telemedicine platform cost
What is it?
The concept of a SaaS telemedicine platform is similar to white-label.
However, unlike white-label, you here need to pay monthly fees rather than the one-time fee.
Plus, you can’t ask the company to customize the SaaS telemedicine platform as per your needs as that’s not feasible from that company’s side.
Meaning, you receive usage rights of the pre-built telehealth software by paying monthly fees. You can continue using it as long as you continue paying the monthly fees. It is like Netflix!
The moment you stop paying the monthly fee, you can’t use the platform anymore.
But in white-label, you just have to pay a one-time fee and you are allowed to use the platform for a lifetime.
The process:
It is pretty simple – just like buying a Netflix subscription.
The company providing SaaS telemedicine apps offers multiple packages (plans) as per different levels of needs.
You need to select the package and pay the subscription fee.
That’s it. You can now use it as per your plan.
How? Well, some plans allow you to use only basic features (such as 480p video calls) while to use all the features (such as 1080p group video calls), you need to purchase premium plans.
Their most common subscription plans include,
- A fixed monthly subscription fee
- Basic module monthly subscription fee
- Advanced module monthly subscription fee
- Pay-per-user subscription
- Pay-per-site subscription
SaaS telehealth platform cost:
Here, you need to bear a certain amount of cost every month as long as you keep using that platform. After that, you own nothing.
Not sure what to choose between custom, white-label or SaaS? This comparison will help you
Solving your extra doubts: Top FAQs around the cost of telemedicine
1. Why does telemedicine mobile app development cost more than telemedicine web app development?
Technologies (tech stack) to build telemedicine mobile apps are more complex than technologies used to build web applications. Thus, mobile app developers charge more than what web app developers charge. Time is also a major factor.
2. How to reduce the cost of custom telehealth mobile app development?
- You can consider building an MVP version of a telehealth app which only includes basic and useful features.
- You can consider building a cross-platform version of the telehealth app which runs on both Android and iOS devices with a single codebase.
3. Being a healthcare startup, what should we choose between custom, white-label and SaaS telehealth platform?
Healthcare startups and even providers must go for a white-label platform. As it costs less than custom development, can be customized as per needs and can reduce time-to-market very significantly.
But if you are a healthcare enterprise or startup with huge capital within reach, go for custom development. Nothing can beat it.
4. What is the future of telemedicine?
Telemedicine is here to stay. In fact, it will evolve further and become more specific to individual medical specialties. It will become the super app version of healthcare with a single app addressing pharmacy, labs, and healthcare needs of users and their family members including pets.
5. What to choose between a telemedicine web app and a mobile app?
As per our experience, a web app is a very practical solution for providers working in an intense environment. Why? Because it opens in the browser (the big screen of a laptop or computer) and thus it makes it easy for providers to navigate the app and provide quality care to patients.
But when it comes to the patients, a mobile app works best for them as it is faster and more accessible to open and use. But at the same time, it is not easier to use than a web app. So, we suggest a hybrid approach – a web app for providers & admin and a mobile app for patients.
We know the ins and outs of telemedicine technology!
