Best Telehealth for Hormone Replacement Therapy (2026)
A verified comparison of online menopause and perimenopause HRT providers — cost, insurance, lab rules, FDA-approved vs compounded options, and exactly who each one is right for.
The HRT Index is an independent comparison resource for HRT telehealth providers. Some links here may be affiliate links — where they are, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you, and it never changes our rankings. We include providers we don’t earn from when they’re the better answer. How we test and how we make money.
The short answer
The best telehealth for hormone replacement therapy depends on two things: whether you want to use insurance, and whether you want FDA-approved or compounded hormones. For most insured women in perimenopause or menopause, Midi Health is the strongest place to start — it bills insurance, uses menopause-trained clinicians on live video, and prescribes FDA-approved hormones (the kind major medical groups recommend first). Paying cash and want FDA-approved hormones at transparent, low prices? Look at Hers or Alloy. Want one flat fee with labs and a video visit included? Sesame. Set on a shipped, compounded “bioidentical” program with no bloodwork? Winona or Inner Balance— with one honest catch we’ll get to. Every option here needs a prescription from a licensed clinician, and none is right for everyone. We’ll tell you plainly when to walk away.
Two quick definitions so the rest is easy to follow. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) — also called menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) — is medicine that replaces the estrogen, and usually progesterone, your body makes less of around menopause. Perimenopause is the bumpy stretch of years before your periods stop; menopauseis the point where you’ve gone 12 months without one.
Starting prices, cash and before insurance: Midi runs about $50 a visit with insurance, or $250 first visit / $150 follow-up self-pay. Hers starts at $79/month (pill) or $134/month (patch) on a 12-month plan. Sesame’s menopause plan is about $59–$99/month, plus your medication. Alloy’s estradiol pill starts at $39.99/month (patch $74.99) plus a one-time $49 visit fee. Winona’s popular cream starts around $89/month. Oestra (Inner Balance) is $199/month for six months, then about $99.50.
Here’s the part most pages skip, and the reason this one exists: the rules around HRT changed in early 2026, and the line between “FDA-approved” and “compounded” hormones is where people get quietly misled. We’ll cover both. Let’s get you to the right provider.
Quick picker — start here
| If this is you | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| “I have PPO or commercial insurance” | Midi Health | Bills insurance, live video, menopause-trained clinicians, FDA-approved options. |
| “I’m paying cash and want FDA-approved hormones, low cost” | Hers or Alloy | Transparent prices; Alloy’s estradiol pill starts at $39.99/month. |
| “I want labs + a video visit + my own choice of clinician in one fee” | Sesame | Flat monthly plan; same-day video; labs ordered if needed. |
| “I want a shipped compounded/bioidentical program, no bloodwork” | Winona | Lowest entry price; also offers FDA-approved patches and tablets if you want them. |
| “I want a single once-a-day cream with a long money-back window” | Inner Balance (Oestra) | One compounded cream; about-six-month guarantee. |
| “I have Medicare or Medicaid, a complex history, or I’m not sure” | Don’t start with a cash subscription | See who should not start online and take the quiz. |
Not sure where you land? Take our free 60-second HRT match quiz — it asks about your insurance, your state, and your symptoms, then points you to the right fit.
Below is the full comparison, then clear answers to every question you’d otherwise go back and search.
The HRT Telehealth Comparison Matrix
We didn’t just rank these by price. We compared the things that decide whether a service is easy or maddening afteryou sign up: how care is delivered, whether the hormones are FDA-approved, whether insurance is in play, what you actually pay, and what to confirm before you click. We built this from each provider’s own pages and policies.
Prices are self-pay starting prices and change often. Last verified .
| Provider | Best for | How care works | FDA-approved or compounded? | Insurance | Starting self-pay price | Labs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midi Health | Most insured women | Live video; menopause-trained clinicians | FDA-approved hormones + non-hormonal options | Yes (many PPO/commercial; no Medicare/Medicaid) | ~$50/visit insured; ~$250 first / ~$150 follow-up cash | Sometimes |
| Hers | Cash-pay, FDA-approved, big brand | Online intake + provider messaging | FDA-approved estradiol + progesterone | No (cash) | Pills from $79/mo; patch from $134/mo (12-mo plan) | Usually no |
| Sesame | Flat fee with labs + video + your clinician | Same-day video; you pick the clinician | FDA-approved or compounded (clinician decides) | No (cash; HSA/FSA) | ~$59–$99/mo plan + medication (see note) | Included if ordered |
| Winona | Shipped compounded program, no bloodwork | Text-based; board-certified physicians | Both: FDA-approved patches/tablets and compounded creams | No (cash; HSA/FSA) | Cream from ~$89/mo; FDA patch ~$149/mo; progesterone from ~$39/mo | No |
| Inner Balance (Oestra) | One daily cream + long guarantee | Text-based; physician-founded | Compounded vaginal cream | No (cash; HSA/FSA) | $199/mo for 6 months, then ~$99.50/mo | No |
| Alloy (not an affiliate) | Transparent FDA-approved cash pricing | Online; menopause-specialist doctors | FDA-approved, plant-based | No (cash; HSA/FSA) | Pill $39.99/mo; patch $74.99/mo; one-time $49 visit fee | Usually no |
| Evernow (not an affiliate) | Lowest membership; messaging-based | Messaging + optional video | FDA-approved options | Video visits insurance-eligible | Membership $35–$49/mo (medication separate) | Sometimes |
| Gennev (not an affiliate) | Insurance + higher-touch visits | Scheduled doctor + dietitian visits | FDA-approved options | Yes (Aetna, Anthem, UnitedHealthcare + more) | ~$250 first / ~$199 follow-up cash | Sometimes |
We included Alloy, Evernow, and Genneveven though we don’t earn a commission from them, because leaving out good options would make this comparison useless to you — and that’s the opposite of why we built it.
Is online HRT safe and legit in 2026?
Online HRT is legitimate when a licensed clinician reviews your history and prescribes the medicine, and a real pharmacy fills it — the same chain of events as an in-person visit.What changed in 2026 is the fear factor: in February 2026 the FDA began removing the decades-old “boxed warning” about heart disease, breast cancer, and dementia from menopausal hormone therapy products, starting with the first six. It’s not “risk-free now.” It’s “the blanket scare label is on its way out.”
If you’ve felt nervous about HRT for years, that nervousness has a specific source — and it’s now being corrected at the federal level. Here’s the real story.
What the FDA actually changed
For 22 years, hormone therapy carried a boxed warning— the strongest warning the FDA can require — linking it to strokes, heart attacks, blood clots, breast cancer, and dementia. That warning grew out of a large early-2000s study (the Women’s Health Initiative) whose participants averaged about 63 years old — more than a decade past the typical age women start HRT for symptoms.
Then it shifted. On November 10, 2025, the FDA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced they would remove those boxed warnings and update the labels. On February 12, 2026, the FDA approved the first batch of label changes — six products — removing the language about cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, and probable dementia from the boxed warning, with more products to follow. According to the FDA and HHS, the evidence shows that for most women who start within 10 years of menopause (or before age 60), the benefits can outweigh the risks. The FDA also approved a generic version of Premarin (a long-used estrogen) for the first time in over 30 years.
What a legitimate online HRT service looks like
Before you trust any platform, it should clearly show all of these:
- A licensed clinician reviews your case before anything is prescribed.
- A real medical intake that asks about your history and risk factors.
- A prescription requirement (no “no prescription needed” claims).
- A licensed pharmacy — either a standard pharmacy for FDA-approved drugs, or a licensed compounding pharmacy for custom prescriptions.
- Upfront pricing, clear cancellation terms, and a plan for follow-up.
All eight providers here use licensed clinicians and require a prescription — that’s the baseline we screened for. The rest of this page is about which one fits you.
Who should NOT start with online HRT
Online HRT is a good fit for most women with typical menopause symptoms — but not for everyone. If any of the following is true for you, start with an in-person clinician or specialist who can see your full picture, not a quick online subscription:
- A personal history of breast, uterine, or ovarian cancer, blood clots (DVT or PE), stroke, heart disease, or liver disease.
- A known clotting disorder, or unexplained vaginal bleeding.
- You’re pregnant or think you might be.
- A complex medical history, or you take medications that could interact.
If hormones aren’t safe for you, you still have options. Midi is worth a look here, because it can offer non-hormonal treatments (more on that below) instead of turning you away. And if Medicare or Medicaidis how you’d pay, don’t start with a cash subscription — begin with your plan’s provider directory or an in-network local clinician, since these platforms generally don’t bill those programs.
Compounded vs FDA-approved hormones: which is right for you?
“Bioidentical” is a marketing word, not a safety rating. FDA-approved estradiol and micronized progesterone are themselves bioidentical, and they’re what major medical groups recommend first. “Compounded” hormones are custom-mixed by a pharmacy and are notreviewed by the FDA for safety, dosing accuracy, or purity before they’re sold — which is why groups like ACOG and The Menopause Society say to reserve them for specific cases, such as an allergy to an ingredient in an approved product, or a dose form that isn’t manufactured.
Now the honest part, up front — because everything we recommend after this should be more trustworthy for it.
Here’s our one big caveat. Two of the most heavily advertised services in this space — Winona and Inner Balance (Oestra) — are built around compounded hormones, which are not FDA-approved. If having FDA-reviewed medicine is your priority, they’re not your default; Midi, Hers, Sesame, or Alloy fit better, and we’ll route you there. But compounded services exist for real reasons. Winona and Inner Balance skip the lab-and-clinic friction, ship to your door, and offer custom forms — a single all-in-one cream, no bloodwork to start — that some women genuinely prefer. And here’s the nuance almost no one mentions: Winona also offers FDA-approved patches, tablets, and progesterone capsules, so it can serve you either way. This isn’t “avoid them.” It’s “know what you’re choosing.”
Let’s make the difference concrete. A bioidentical hormone is one with the same chemical structure as the hormone your body makes — and that can be true of an FDA-approved product or a compounded one. The Mayo Clinic puts it plainly: calling a hormone “bioidentical” or “natural” doesn’t make it safer or more effective, and many FDA-approved hormone therapies are already bioidentical.
| FDA-approved hormone therapy | Compounded “bioidentical” (cBHT) | |
|---|---|---|
| Reviewed by the FDA for safety, dosing, and purity before sale? | Yes | No |
| What major medical groups say | First choice for most people | Reserve for specific cases (e.g., allergy to an approved ingredient, or a form that isn’t made) |
| Standard label listing risks and dose | Yes | Often not |
| Usually covered by insurance? | Often (with a diagnosis) | Rarely |
| Where you’ll find it here | Midi, Hers, Sesame, Alloy, Gennev, Evernow, Winona (patches/tablets) | Winona (creams), Inner Balance (Oestra), Sesame (if your clinician chooses it) |
The federal position isn’t a gray area. The FDA doesn’t verify compounded drugs before they’re marketed. A 2020 report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine — which the FDA itself commissioned — recommended limiting compounded bioidentical hormones to patients who can’t use an FDA-approved product. ACOG and The Menopause Society take the same line.
Bottom line for your decision: if you don’t have a specific reason to go compounded, FDA-approved is the default most clinicians start with — it’s reviewed for safety, dosing, and purity, and it’s usually cheaper. If you dowant compounded, or you simply like the convenience of a shipped custom cream, that’s a real choice — just make it with eyes open and a clinician’s input.
What is the best telehealth for hormone replacement therapy for your situation?
There’s no single “best” provider — there’s a best one for your situation. Insured and want FDA-approved care from a real clinician? Midi. Paying cash and want FDA-approved hormones cheap? Hers or Alloy. Want labs, video, and your pick of clinician in one fee? Sesame. Want a shipped compounded program with no bloodwork? Winona or Inner Balance. Below: each provider’s punchline first, then who it’s not for, then the facts — so you can find yourself fast.
Midi Health — best for most insured women (insurance + FDA-approved + a real clinician)
Verdict:If you have PPO or commercial insurance, start here. Midi is the strongest insurance-first pick in this comparison — it bills many plans, runs live video visits with menopause-trained clinicians, prescribes FDA-approved hormones, and, unusually, offers non-hormonal options for women who can’t take hormones.
Best for: insured women; anyone who wants FDA-approved care; women with a medical reason to avoid estrogen who still want help.
Not best for: people on Medicare or Medicaid (Midi doesn’t take them); anyone hunting the absolute lowest cash price.
The facts: Midi accepts many PPO and commercial plans and is available in all 50 states through insurance and employers. With insurance, you pay your plan’s normal copay or coinsurance — Midi says insured patients pay about $50 per visit on average. Cash-pay is about $250 for the first visit and $150 for follow-ups, with medications filled at your pharmacy. Midi covers the full menopause picture: estrogen and progesterone, plus non-hormonal treatments like fezolinetant (Veozah, a non-hormone hot-flash medicine) and certain antidepressants used for hot flashes. In 2026 the company passed a $1 billion valuation and says its insurance network reaches more than 45 million women. (Gennev also bills insurance and offers video visits — Midi’s edge is its insurance-first, menopause-specialized model.)
What patients say: In testimonials published on Midi’s website, patients describe being taken seriously after years of being brushed off — one writes, “My doctor kept dismissing my symptoms. Midi understood within one visit.” (These are individual experiences shared by the company; they aren’t typical-results guarantees and don’t establish safety or effectiveness.)
That non-hormonal piece is the quiet differentiator. If you have a history of breast cancer or clots and most platforms would just turn you away, Midi can still help with real, evidence-based alternatives.
Best if you have PPO or commercial coverage and want menopause-specialized care.
Hers — best cash-pay value on FDA-approved hormones
Verdict:If you’re paying cash, want FDA-approved estradiol and progesterone, and like dealing with a big, established brand, Hers is an easy on-ramp.
Best for: cash-pay women who want FDA-approved hormones and a familiar, simple experience.
Not best for: people who need insurance billed for them; women in states where Hers menopause care isn’t yet available.
The facts: Hers (part of Hims & Hers, a publicly traded company) launched menopause and perimenopause care in late 2025. Eligible patients can get FDA-approved estradiol and progesterone as a pill, patch, or cream. Oral plans start around $79/month and patch plans around $134/month on a 12-month plan — so the headline price assumes you commit for the year; check shorter-term pricing if you don’t want to. Care is directed by independent providers trained in menopause, and it’s not available in all 50 states yet. One thing worth knowing: estradiol and progesterone are FDA-approved medications, but hormone therapy isn’t FDA-approved specifically for perimenopause, so for perimenopausal symptoms it’s prescribed off-label at a clinician’s discretion — common and appropriate, just worth understanding.
Straight talk: Hers does notbill your insurance. If direct insurance billing is your priority, Midi or Gennev are better. But because Hers skips insurance, the pricing is simple and predictable, with no “is this covered?” guessing.
Sesame — best flat fee with labs, video, and your choice of clinician
Verdict:Sesame is the strongest pick if you want one predictable monthly fee that bundles a same-day video visit, lab work when it’s needed, and the freedom to choose your own clinician.
Best for: cash-pay women who want a video visit, included labs when ordered, and control over who they see.
Not best for: anyone who needs insurance billed directly; anyone seeking a controlled substance online (Sesame can’t prescribe those).
The facts: Sesame’s menopause subscription (listed at $59–$99/month depending on the current offer — verify the live price) includes a same-day video visit with a clinician of your choice, unlimited messaging, ongoing adjustments, and lab work (things like a thyroid panel, cholesterol, blood sugar, and a complete blood count) if your provider orders it. Medication is not includedin the fee — your prescriptions, hormonal or non-hormonal, FDA-approved or compounded depending on your clinician, are sent to your local pharmacy, where you pay for them. In a few states you may also pay the lab directly. It’s cash-pay only, though you can submit receipts to an HSA or FSA, and you get a full refund if you cancel at least 3 hours before your first visit.
One thing we like: Sesame lets you see each clinician’s price and pick the personbefore you book. That’s rare.
Winona — best shipped compounded program, with FDA-approved options too
Verdict:Winona is the right fit if you specifically want a shipped, bioidentical-focused program with no bloodwork to get started — and the lowest entry price in our table. It’s also more flexible than its reputation suggests, because it offers FDA-approved forms alongside its compounded creams.
Best for: women set on a compounded/bioidentical approach, comfortable with text-based care, who want low cost and no labs.
Not best for: anyone who needs insurance billed; anyone who wants only FDA-approved finished products and a live video visit; women seeking testosterone (Winona doesn’t prescribe it).
The facts: Winona is a menopause-focused telehealth service founded in 2020, with board-certified physicians (many are OB/GYNs) reviewing your intake through a text-based portal — no video visits. It prescribes bioidentical estradiol, estriol (a second form of estrogen), progesterone, and DHEA, in pills, patches, and creams, and fills prescriptions through its own compounding pharmacy. No lab tests are requiredto start. There’s no membership fee — you pay for medication only — with free shipping and HSA/FSA accepted.
The compounded distinction, stated plainly (this is straight from Winona’s own site): Winona’s estrogen patches, estrogen tablets, and progesterone capsules are FDA-approved; its popular compounded estrogen/progesterone body creams are not — they’re custom-made for you, though Winona says they use FDA-approved ingredients. We won’t call the creams “clinically proven” or treat them as interchangeable with FDA-approved finished products, because they aren’t. The most popular cream combo starts around $89/month, the FDA-approved patch runs about $149/month, and progesterone starts around $39/month— prices vary by the exact prescription, so confirm yours at checkout. Winona often runs a new-customer discount (recently 20% off); check whether it’s live when you sign up. It’s available in roughly three dozen states — about a dozen are excluded — so confirm yours in the signup flow. Independent reviews are largely positive (one review aggregator lists Winona around 4.7/5 on Trustpilot; confirm the live score).
So if you came for compounded, Winona is a transparent, physician-involved way to get it — and if you decide partway through that you’d rather have an FDA-approved patch, you don’t have to leave.
Best if you want a shipped, bioidentical-focused program with no bloodwork.
Inner Balance (Oestra) — best single daily cream with a long guarantee
Verdict: Inner Balance wins for one specific person: someone who wants a single, once-a-day cream instead of juggling a pill and a patch and an insert — and who values a long money-back window. Just know this is a compounded model, not an FDA-approved-first one.
Best for: women who want one simple product, like a strong guarantee, and are comfortable with compounded medicine.
Not best for: anyone whose priority is FDA-approved hormones or insurance billing; anyone who wants separate local-pharmacy prescriptions.
The facts: Inner Balance was founded by Dr. Sarah Daccarett, MD, a board-certified physician licensed in all 50 states. Its flagship product, Oestra, is a compounded bioidentical estradiol-and-progesterone vaginal cream taken once a day. It’s not FDA-approved. Pricing is $199/month for the first 6 months, then about $99.50/month, with free shipping, HSA/FSA eligibility, no labs required, and a money-back guarantee of about six months (180 days). The company reports a 4.9/5 rating from 5,695 reviews and 35,000+ women served — these are the company’s own figures, not independently audited.
One note for you, the reader:Inner Balance makes claims about its cream’s absorption and benefits. Those are the company’s claims, not findings we’ve verified or that the FDA has confirmed for a compounded product — so weigh them as marketing, not settled science. The genuinely useful, verifiable parts are the simplicity (one cream), the long guarantee, and the transparent price.
The trust anchors: Alloy, Evernow, and Gennev
We don’t earn anything from these three. We’re including them because they’re some of the clearest options out there, and a comparison that hides good choices isn’t worth your time.
Alloy is the cleanest example of transparent FDA-approved pricing. Its FDA-approved, plant-based estradiol starts at $39.99/month for the pill or $74.99/month for the patch, with a one-time $49 doctor consultation fee, free shipping, and menopause-specialist physicians (its chief medical advisor is Dr. Sharon Malone, MD). When you need it, progesterone is prescribed alongside estradiol at an added cost. It’s cash-pay (HSA/FSA), and it doesn’t prescribe testosterone. If your priority is FDA-approved hormones at a clear price and you don’t need insurance billing, Alloy belongs on your shortlist.
Evernow has the lowest entry cost: a membership of $35–$49/month(the $35 rate is the 12-month plan; month-to-month is $49) for messaging-based care with menopause-certified clinicians, plus optional video visits that can be insurance-eligible. Just remember the membership isn’t the whole cost — medication is usually separate.
Gennev is the higher-touch, insurance-friendly option: scheduled visits with doctors and registered dietitians, covered by Aetna, Anthem, and UnitedHealthcare (among others), and available nationwide. Self-pay visits run about $250 for the first appointment and $199 for follow-ups. If you want more hands-on visits and your insurer is on the list, it’s worth a look.
We don’t have affiliate CTAs for these — just visit their sites directly if one fits.
How much does online HRT really cost in 2026?
Cash-pay telehealth HRT generally runs about $35 to $199 a month depending on the provider, the hormone, and the form — and FDA-approved generics are often the cheapest route of all, especially with insurance or a pharmacy discount card. With insurance through a service like Midi or Gennev, visit costs can drop to your normal copay. The single biggest mistake is comparing only the monthly headline price.
Here’s why the headline number lies, and how to think about your real cost.
Don’t compare monthly prices. Compare your first 90 days.
A “$35/month” membership can cost more than a “$99/month” plan once you add it all up. Your true cost can include the visit or membership fee, the medication, lab work, shipping, pharmacy copays, follow-up visits, and any minimum commitment. So we map the first 90 days with simple math:
| Provider | First-90-day math (self-pay, before shipping/tax) |
|---|---|
| Alloy (pill) | $39.99 × 3 + one-time $49 visit = about $169 |
| Alloy (patch + progesterone) | $74.99 × 3 + $49, plus progesterone when prescribed = roughly $275+ |
| Winona (cream combo) | ~$89 × 3 = about $267, no membership fee |
| Hers (oral) | ~$79 × 3 = about $237 (lowest rate assumes a 12-month plan) |
| Sesame | plan (~$59–$99) × 3 + medication at your pharmacy |
| Inner Balance (Oestra) | $199 × 3 = $597 for the first quarter (drops to ~$99.50/mo after 6 months) |
| Midi | first visit + a follow-up if cash-pay; with insurance, your copays (≈$50/visit). Medication separate. |
| Gennev | first visit + follow-up + medication, unless insurance covers visits |
| Evernow | membership + medication (“membership” isn’t the all-in cost) |
The “membership included” trap
When a price looks too good, ask one question: does it include the medicine? A low membership with the drug billed separately, unknown pharmacy copays, and a 12-month lock-in can easily beat a higher all-in plan — in the wrong direction. The honest cheapest path for many women is an FDA-approved generic like estradiol — through a cash-pay service such as Alloy or Hers, or filled at a pharmacy with a discount card, where a generic estradiol patch can run as little as $20–$60/month.
A quick reassurance on payment: the cash-pay providers here generally accept HSA/FSA funds (Winona, Sesame, Inner Balance, and Alloy all do) — confirm it for your plan. Insurance usually covers FDA-approved hormones with a menopause diagnosis, and rarely covers compounded ones.
The quiz factors in your insurance and which hormones you want, then shows your best fit and a rough cost range.
Which online HRT providers take insurance? (Plus Medicare, Medicaid, and your state)
Insurance generally covers FDA-approved hormone therapy with a menopause diagnosis but rarely covers compounded hormones — and among these providers, Midi and Gennev are the ones that bill insurance directly. State availability varies, so always confirm yours before signing up.
These are the details that send people back to the search bar. Let’s close them.
Insurance. Midi (many PPO and commercial plans) and Gennev (Aetna, Anthem, UnitedHealthcare, and more) bill insurance directly. The rest are cash-pay — but you can submit receipts to an HSA or FSA. Medicare and Medicaid are the catch: Midi does nottake them, and most cash-pay menopause platforms don’t either. If covered care is your deciding factor, don’t start with a subscription — start with your plan’s directory or an in-network local clinician.
Your state.Telehealth prescribing rules differ by state. Midi reaches all 50 through insurance and employers. Winona is available in roughly three dozen states. Hers isn’t in every state yet. Check yours on the provider’s site or in the signup flow before you pay.
Here’s the logistics side by side — the stuff that decides whether the first 90 days go smoothly:
| Provider | Medication included in the fee? | State availability | Cancellation / refund | Confirm before you sign up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midi | No (filled at your pharmacy) | All 50 (via insurance/employers) | Visit-based; no medication subscription | That your plan is in-network |
| Hers | Yes (in the plan price) | Not all 50 states | Subscription; check terms | Your state is covered; plan length |
| Sesame | No (pay at pharmacy) | Broad | Full refund if you cancel 3+ hrs before first visit | Live plan price; lab rules in your state |
| Winona | Yes (you pay per medication) | ~36 states (~12 excluded) | No membership fee; cancel anytime | Your state; current price; any intro offer |
| Inner Balance | Yes (in the plan price) | Confirm in signup | ~6-month money-back guarantee | Current price; guarantee terms |
| Alloy | Yes (medication + $49 one-time visit) | Confirm in signup | Cancel anytime; check terms | Whether progesterone is added |
| Evernow | No (medication separate) | Confirm in signup | Membership; cancel anytime | What the membership does and doesn’t cover |
| Gennev | No (filled at your pharmacy) | Nationwide | Visit-based | Whether your insurer is accepted |
Do online HRT providers require blood tests?
Not always. Many menopause and perimenopause decisions are made on symptoms, age, and medical history rather than a single blood test — which is why providers like Winona, Inner Balance, and Alloy can prescribe without one. Your clinician may still order labs if your symptoms overlap with other conditions, or to set a safety baseline.
Why menopause labs are different from, say, testosterone labs: estrogen and progesterone swing a lot during perimenopause, so a one-time number often tells a clinician less than your symptoms and history do. That’s why no-lab care can be appropriate here.
Labs may still matter if your symptoms could be thyroid-related, you have abnormal bleeding, you’re younger than expected for menopause, or your clinician wants a baseline before prescribing. Among these providers, Sesame includes lab work when your provider orders it (you may pay the lab directly in a few states), Midi and Gennev order labs based on your visit, and Winona, Inner Balance, and Alloytypically prescribe without requiring them. None of this is a hurdle — it’s your clinician matching the workup to your situation.
What about testosterone, or HRT for men?
This page is about menopause hormone therapy — estrogen, progesterone, and sometimes DHEA. Testosterone is a different conversation. In the U.S., testosterone is a Schedule III controlled substance (a drug with accepted medical use but potential for misuse, carrying extra prescribing rules), there’s no FDA-approved testosterone product for women (so any use in women is off-label), and men’s testosterone replacement (TRT) runs through different providers with stricter requirements. The services compared here are not TRT clinics.
A bit more, since people ask. The strongest evidence for testosterone in women is for hypoactive sexual desire disorder(ongoing low sexual desire that distresses you) after menopause; even then, clinicians use men’s products at roughly a tenth of the dose, because no women’s product exists. Some platforms here can’t prescribe controlled substances online at all (Sesame says so directly), and Winona doesn’t prescribe testosterone. If you’re a man looking for TRT, this isn’t your comparison — find a dedicated, properly supervised TRT provider, and don’t trust any service that treats a controlled substance like a quick checkout.
What if your main problem is vaginal dryness or painful sex?
If your main issues are vaginal dryness, painful sex, or urinary discomfort — rather than hot flashes and night sweats — a local vaginal estrogen treatment may be all you need, and it can cost far less than a full-body HRT program. Doctors call this cluster GSM (genitourinary syndrome of menopause), and it often responds to low-dose vaginal estrogen used right where the problem is.
Match your symptoms to the right path:
- Vaginal dryness or painful sex only → a local vaginal estrogen path. Wisp focuses here with online consults and vaginal estrogen cream at low published prices; Alloy, Sesame, and Hers can also handle local symptoms. You may not need a full systemic program.
- Hot flashes and night sweats (the medical term is vasomotor symptoms) → a systemic HRT provider from our main list.
- Both → a systemic provider can usually cover local symptoms too.
- Complex or recurring urinary symptoms→ see a clinician; don’t self-select.
Spending less because you matched the treatment to the actual problem is a win. Don’t buy a whole-body program for a local issue. See our guide to vaginal estrogen for menopause symptoms.
How we tested and what we verified
We compared these providers on the things that actually affect you after you click: price, insurance, FDA-approved vs compounded status, lab rules, state availability, and cancellation terms — checking commercial facts against each provider’s own pages and grounding every medical claim in primary sources. Our rankings are based on fit and verified facts, not on which companies pay us.
Here’s how we work, because in health content you deserve to see the seams.
✓ What we actually verified
- Published or starting prices for all eight providers
- Insurance and HSA/FSA language
- Medication type, and whether it’s FDA-approved or compounded
- Lab requirements
- State availability where it’s posted
- Cancellation, refund, and guarantee terms
- Each provider’s own stated limitations
Commercial facts checked against provider pages on , and re-checked regularly. Medical and regulatory facts are sourced to the FDA, the National Academies (NASEM), ACOG, the Endocrine Society, The Menopause Society, and the Mayo Clinic.
⚠ What we could not verify without going through checkout
- Your final price after the intake (it can change with the plan you pick)
- The exact medication a clinician will prescribe for you
- Whether you personally will qualify
- Your specific insurance coverage and pharmacy copay
- State-specific rules on the day you sign up
Treat these as “confirm at signup,” not as promises.
How we weigh providers.We rank on clinical legitimacy and clear scope, medication transparency (including the FDA-approved vs compounded distinction), cost transparency, insurance and logistics clarity, follow-up and cancellation terms, and how clearly each provider fits a specific kind of patient. We deliberately don’t slap a fake-precise “9.2/10” on anyone — scores like that look authoritative and mean nothing without the reasoning, and we’d rather show you the reasoning.
How we make money, in plain English. The HRT Index is an independent comparison resource for HRT telehealth providers. Some links here may be affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you sign up through them — at no extra cost to you. That neverchanges our rankings, and we include providers we don’t earn from (Alloy, Evernow, Gennev) whenever they’re the better answer. We don’t run paid reviews, and we don’t publish star ratings we can’t stand behind.
Frequently asked questions
Can you get hormone replacement therapy through telehealth?
Yes. Licensed clinicians can evaluate your symptoms and history online and prescribe HRT when it's appropriate, with the medication shipped to you or sent to your pharmacy. All eight providers on this page do exactly that. Some, like Midi and Sesame, use live video visits; others, like Winona, work through a secure text-based portal.
What is the best telehealth for hormone replacement therapy?
There's no single best for everyone. For insured women who want FDA-approved care with a real clinician, Midi Health is the strongest starting point. For cash-pay FDA-approved hormones, Hers and Alloy are the value picks. For a flat fee with labs and video included, Sesame. For a shipped compounded program with no bloodwork, Winona or Inner Balance.
How much does online HRT cost?
Cash-pay telehealth HRT generally runs about $35 to $199 per month depending on the provider and medication, plus any medication billed separately. With insurance through Midi or Gennev, you pay your plan's copay. FDA-approved generics like estradiol are often cheapest, sometimes $20–$60/month with a pharmacy discount card.
Does online HRT require blood work?
Not always. Many menopause decisions are based on symptoms, age, and medical history rather than a single lab value, so providers like Winona, Inner Balance, and Alloy can prescribe without bloodwork. A clinician may still order labs if your symptoms overlap with other conditions or they want a safety baseline.
Which online HRT providers take insurance?
Among the providers here, Midi Health (many PPO and commercial plans) and Gennev (Aetna, Anthem, UnitedHealthcare, and others) bill insurance directly. The rest are cash-pay but accept HSA and FSA funds. Insurance typically covers FDA-approved hormones with a menopause diagnosis and rarely covers compounded ones.
Does Medicare or Medicaid cover online HRT?
Usually not through these platforms. Midi explicitly does not accept Medicare or Medicaid, and most cash-pay menopause services don't either. If covered care is your priority, start with your plan's provider directory or an in-network local clinician.
Is bioidentical HRT the same as compounded HRT?
No. 'Bioidentical' means a hormone has the same chemical structure as the one your body makes, which can be true of an FDA-approved product or a compounded one. Many FDA-approved hormones like estradiol and micronized progesterone are bioidentical. 'Compounded' specifically means custom-mixed by a pharmacy and not FDA-reviewed before sale.
Is compounded HRT FDA-approved?
No. Compounded hormones are custom-prepared by a pharmacy and are not reviewed by the FDA for safety, dosing accuracy, or purity before sale. The National Academies (in a 2020 FDA-commissioned report), ACOG, and The Menopause Society recommend FDA-approved hormone therapy first and reserve compounded versions for specific cases, like an allergy to an ingredient in an approved product.
Is online HRT safe?
It can be when a licensed clinician screens your history, prescribes appropriately, and you follow up as advised. Hormone therapy has benefits and risks that depend on your age, history, and when you start. In February 2026 the FDA began removing its boxed warning about heart disease, breast cancer, and dementia from menopausal hormone products, starting with the first six, citing newer evidence — though the uterine-cancer warning for estrogen-alone systemic therapy remains.
Can telehealth providers prescribe estrogen and progesterone?
Yes. Online clinicians commonly prescribe estradiol (as a patch, pill, gel, spray, or cream) and progesterone when it's clinically appropriate. People who still have a uterus and use systemic estrogen are generally prescribed progesterone too, to protect the uterine lining — but your clinician decides the plan.
Can telehealth prescribe testosterone?
It's restricted. Testosterone is a Schedule III controlled substance in the U.S., there's no FDA-approved testosterone product for women, and some telehealth services can't prescribe controlled substances online at all. Men seeking testosterone replacement should use a dedicated, properly supervised TRT provider — not a general menopause platform.
Still deciding? Start here
If you’ve read this far, you already know hormone therapy might help — you just needed someone to lay it out straight. So here’s the recap: Midi for insurance and FDA-approved care, Hers or Alloy for cash-pay FDA-approved value, Sesame for a flat fee with labs and video, Winona or Inner Balance for a shipped compounded program. FDA-approved is the default most clinicians start with; compounded is a real choice if you have a reason for it. And that scary old warning that kept a lot of women away? The FDA started pulling it in 2026.
Still not sure which HRT program is right for you? Take our free 60-second matching quiz.
It asks about your symptoms, insurance, state, and what you want — then shows the provider most likely to fit, and the ones to skip.
Already know FDA-approved care with insurance is your path? Check your eligibility with Midi.
More from The HRT Index
This article is educational and is not medical advice. Consult your clinician before starting, stopping, or changing hormone therapy. Individual responses to HRT vary; the right hormones, doses, and delivery methods for you depend on your medical history and clinical context.
Sources
- FDA — HHS Advances Women’s Health, Removes Misleading FDA Warnings on Hormone Replacement Therapy (Nov 10, 2025). fda.gov
- FDA — FDA Approves Labeling Changes to Menopausal Hormone Therapy Products (Feb 12, 2026). fda.gov
- HHS — Fact Sheet: FDA Initiates Removal of “Black Box” Warnings from Menopausal Hormone Replacement Therapy Products. hhs.gov
- National Academies (NASEM) — Prescribers Should Restrict the Use of Non-FDA-Approved Compounded Bioidentical Hormones, Except for Specific Medical Circumstances (2020). nationalacademies.org
- Mayo Clinic — Bioidentical hormones: Are they safer? mayoclinic.org
- FDA — FDA issues class-wide labeling changes for testosterone products. fda.gov
- DEA Diversion Control Division — Controlled Substance Schedules. dea.gov
- Midi Health — Pricing & Insurance. joinmidi.com
- Hims & Hers / Hers — Menopause & perimenopause care. forhers.com
- Sesame — Online menopause subscription details. sesamecare.com
- Winona — Hormone therapy options. bywinona.com
- Inner Balance — Oestra product page. innerbalance.com
- Alloy — HRT pricing and FDA-approved options. myalloy.com
- Evernow — Membership pricing and care model. evernow.com
- Gennev — Insurance and pricing. gennev.com
- FTC — Endorsements, Influencers, and Reviews. ftc.gov
The HRT Index is an independent comparison resource for HRT telehealth providers. This article is for general information and is not medical advice; hormone therapy decisions should be made with a licensed clinician who knows your history. Prices and policies were checked against provider pages on and are re-checked regularly. We may earn a commission from some links, which never affects our rankings.
