2026 Comparison
Four services reviewed honestly: Bidwell Health, Runway Health, TeleDirectMD, and TravelMeds2Go. All four prescribe common travel medications online (motion sickness, altitude, traveler's diarrhea, malaria prevention), but they differ sharply in total cost, visit format (asynchronous online visit vs. live video), how the medication reaches you (your local pharmacy vs. mail-order), and what they will and won't prescribe. The "best" depends on your trip and budget, here is how to choose.
Short answer: Choose by your itinerary, physical location, visit format and complete price. Bidwell offers a $45 no-video visit with medication paid separately at your chosen pharmacy. Runway arranges shipment, TeleDirectMD offers live video, and TravelMeds2Go offers travel-specific prescription visits. A lower consultation fee does not prove the lowest total; compare the same drug, quantity and delivery needs.
Four dimensions matter for online travel medicine: total cost (visit fee plus what the medication actually costs you), visit format (asynchronous online visit vs. required video), fulfillment (does it send to your local pharmacy, or mail-order/ship), and prescribing scope (which travel meds, and how it handles vaccines and drug interactions). We compared published service information; this is not a clinical-quality score or a test of each service’s care. We compare on price, speed, format, and coverage, not on clinical superiority of one visit format over another.
| Service | Visit fee | Format / fulfillment | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bidwell Health | $45 | No-video review; chosen pharmacy | Adults physically in 11 supported states; medication separate. |
| Runway Health | $30 consultation + selected medication | Online review; arranged shipping | Medication quantity, delivery date and your eligibility. |
| TeleDirectMD | $79 self-pay | Live video; local pharmacy | Current state availability and pharmacy cost. |
| TravelMeds2Go | Visits start at $50; Prescription Trio $100 | Online intake; pharmacy prescription | Visit type, any required video, state availability and medication cost. |
Compare consultation plus the full prescribed course and any shipping. Pharmacy prices vary with drug, form, quantity, location and discounts. These examples show the published pricing models, not a claim that one drug or package is interchangeable with another:
| Service | Visit | Medication | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bidwell Health | $45 | Exact pharmacy quote | Visit + pharmacy quote + any delivery |
| Runway Health | $30 | Published atovaquone-proguanil option $129 | $159 before any checkout adjustments; verify quantity |
| TeleDirectMD | $79 | Exact pharmacy quote | Visit + pharmacy quote + any delivery |
For scopolamine, acetazolamide and azithromycin, compare the exact quantity and final cost too. A cheap consultation can cost more overall if the medication or delivery costs more, and a package can be convenient even when it is not cheapest.
Strengths: Flat $45 asynchronous visit, no video, no subscription, and no bundled medication cost, the prescription goes to your chosen pharmacy and you pay the generic cash price. Nurse-practitioner-led with the clinician's NPI on the provider page. Same flat-fee model spans travel medicine plus UTI, BV, yeast, ED, hair loss, and bridge refills. Publishes its drug-interaction rules openly (for example, spacing the oral typhoid vaccine apart from doxycycline and Malarone per CDC guidance).
Limitations: Licensed in 11 states only (AZ, CO, CT, FL, IA, MD, MT, NM, UT, VA, WA). Medication and delivery are provided by your chosen pharmacy, with separate charges. Does not administer injectable vaccines (refers to a travel clinic).
Who wins with Bidwell: Adults in the 11 states who want pharmacy choice, a flat fee with no subscription, and no video visit. See /travel-medicine
Pharmacy choice: If prescribed, medication can be sent to your chosen local, mail-order or compounding pharmacy, including Amazon Pharmacy or Cost Plus Drugs. The pharmacy must be able to fill the prescription. Medication and shipping costs are separate. Bidwell does not dispense or ship medication.
Strengths: Low $30 consult fee, asynchronous online visit, and free shipping of the medication directly to your home, convenient if you don't want a pharmacy trip. Also offers general telehealth (UTI, yeast) alongside travel meds, and includes unlimited chat support before and during travel.
Limitations: The medication price is bundled into the offer (malaria $129, motion sickness $99, altitude $99), so the medication must be included when comparing the total. Shipping timelines mean you must order well ahead of departure.
Who wins with Runway: Travelers who value door delivery and an all-in-one bundle over the lowest price, and who order with enough lead time for shipping.
Strengths: Operates in 40+ states, broader coverage than Bidwell’s 11 states, with physician-led live video visits and e-prescriptions to common pharmacies (CVS, Walgreens, Walmart). Publishes a clear travel protocol and documents key drug interactions (typhoid-doxycycline spacing, azithromycin QT cautions). Same-day appointments often available.
Limitations: The visit costs $79 before medication, and it requires a scheduled live video visit rather than an asynchronous online visit, better for some patients, less convenient for others.
Who wins with TeleDirectMD: Travelers outside the 11 Bidwell states, or anyone who specifically prefers a live video visit with a physician and is comfortable with a higher visit fee.
Strengths: Asynchronous online visit in most states, e-prescriptions to local pharmacies, and a broader menu that includes the oral typhoid vaccine (Vivotif) and an EpiPen option. Maintains a Florida-specific travel-medicine presence.
Limitations: Match the price to your visit type. Its public site says visits start at $50 and lists a $100 Prescription Trio for up to three travel prescriptions; medication is separate. Confirm state eligibility, whether video is needed and the final checkout price.
Who wins with TravelMeds2Go: Travelers who specifically want an oral typhoid prescription or EpiPen alongside their travel meds, particularly in Florida.
If you are physically in one of Bidwell’s 11 states and want a $45 no-video visit, Bidwell may fit. Compare your pharmacy quote and delivery date with Runway’s shipped option. TeleDirectMD may suit someone who wants live video. TravelMeds2Go lists an oral typhoid option; Bidwell does not prescribe vaccines. Your itinerary and medical history still determine appropriate care.
Bidwell Health charges $45 for a no-video visit with no subscription. Its clinician is a Member of the International Society of Travel Medicine. If appropriate, a prescription can go to your chosen local or mail-order pharmacy; compare medication, shipping and processing time separately.
Check TeleDirectMD, Runway or another clinician licensed where you are physically located. Shipping coverage alone does not establish clinical eligibility. Confirm the service’s current state coverage before paying.
An in-person clinic is needed for injections and examinations, and can coordinate complicated travel-health needs. A multi-stop trip is not automatically excluded from Bidwell’s malaria service: it may fit if doxycycline or atovaquone-proguanil is appropriate for every stop and the person meets the service criteria. Vaccines, pregnancy and needs outside that scope require another service.
Compare the complete visit, medication and shipping cost for the same drug and quantity. Bidwell’s visit costs $45, with medication paid separately. A chosen pharmacy can offer competitive generic pricing, but the cheapest option depends on the prescription and current quote.
Yes. Several services use an asynchronous online visit reviewed by a licensed clinician, with no video required. Bidwell Health, Runway Health, and TravelMeds2Go (in most states) are asynchronous; TeleDirectMD uses a live video visit.
Most do not administer injectable travel vaccines such as yellow fever, rabies, or typhoid shots, because those require an in-person clinic or a certified vaccination center. The oral typhoid vaccine (Vivotif) is a capsule that some services e-prescribe, but Bidwell Health does not prescribe any vaccines, including oral typhoid, and refers you to a travel clinic for all travel vaccines.
Plan a travel-health review at least a month before departure when possible, especially for vaccines or complex itineraries. If leaving sooner, seek advice as soon as possible. Prescription processing, pharmacy stock, shipping and drug-vaccine spacing can all affect timing. CDC advice for last-minute travelers.