Comparison

2nd.MD vs Lantern Care

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

2nd.MD

Get expert medical consultations from top-tier doctors for serious diagnoses, surgical recommendations, or chronic health issues. Connect with specialists via video call within days and receive a comprehensive summary of their advice.

Highlights
  • Expert medical consultations
  • Connect with board-certified doctors
  • Video consultations
  • Medical record consolidation
  • Specialist recommendations
  • Third-person consultation joining
Read full description

2nd.MD provides medical certainty and helps guide people through challenging healthcare journeys. This concierge service connects you with board-certified, leading doctors across the country for an expert consultation on your iPhone within 3 to 5 days. Our latest version of the 2nd.MD app allows a 3rd person to join video consultations and permits account activation with a code. When to Use 2nd.MD: You have a new or serious diagnosis You’ve been recommended to have surgery You have a chronic health problem you can’t resolve You’ve been advised to start a new prescription or medication How it Works: Contact 2nd.MD’s Care Team nurses via: - App - Email - Website - Phone Your Care Team nurse will: - Recommend specialists - Retrieve and consolidate all your medical records - Schedule an appointment with the doctor you choose Within 3 days you will speak directly with a top specialist who has all your medical records. Your doctor will provide you with expert advice and send you a summary in 24 hours. You also can request a list of local, in-network physicians. From our Members “My family and I are extremely grateful to my employer for offering 2nd.MD as a benefit and to 2nd.MD for providing a life-saving consult.” - Oscar “2nd.MD is the way to go! I've already been telling my coworkers about it. This is the future of where medicine has to go.” - Adric “I would most definitely recommend this service to anyone who is in the same situation as us and is looking for some answers.” - Debbie “I am fully convinced that 2nd.MD DOES have the world’s best doctors, and the confidence and advice we gained from using this service is invaluable.” - Andy How to Access 2nd.MD To access 2nd.MD, you can use the app, visit our website (www.2nd.MD), call us at 1.866.841.2575 or email us at CareTeam@2nd.MD. About 2nd.MD 2nd.MD is a complementary health benefit offered by the world’s leading employers. It allows their employees and their employees’ dependents to get second opinions about difficult medical challenges from medical experts from elite medical institutions. Not sure if you’re covered? Contact your human resources department. If your employer doesn’t offer 2nd.MD, contact your human resources representatives and ask them to add 2nd.MD as a benefit. You may also pay out-of-pocket ($3,000) for the 2nd.MD service.

About

Lantern Care

This app connects individuals facing surgery, cancer diagnoses, or infusion therapy with specialized care. It facilitates appointment tracking, provider selection, medical history updates, and direct communication with care advocates for guidance and support throughout the treatment journey.

Highlights
  • Find specialty care providers
  • Track appointments and consultations
  • Manage medical history
  • Access care advocates
  • View member card and profile
  • Receive treatment information and support
Features
Read full description

Meet Lantern, formerly known as SurgeryPlus and Cancer Care Direct. You know that friend who always has inside information and great connections? That's Lantern, but for specialty care. If you're facing surgery or a cancer diagnosis or need infusion therapy, we find you the right care at the right time--so you can get back to living your life. The Lantern app enables surgery members to complete your medical history requirements, view or find your provider options, track and view your consultations and surgery appointments. You can also pay your invoices, view your member card, and update your member profile. You will have direct access to your Care Advocates to guide you at every step in your journey—call or message them, or live chat to receive timely updates and guidance. For cancer members, we connect you with Oncology Nurse Navigators for appointment details, treatment information, and emotional support—wherever you are in your care journey.

Screenshots

2nd.MD4 screens
Lantern Care4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: 2nd.MD at 94% against Lantern Care's 20%. 2nd.MD also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.2) and ratings volume (4K vs 17). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

2nd.MD holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 2nd.MD has 4K ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 94% of 2nd.MD's written reviews are positive against 20% of Lantern Care's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

2nd.MD ships an update every 6 weeks, Lantern Care monthly. Both last shipped on October 16, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
2nd.MD versus Lantern Care: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter2nd.MDLantern Care
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (4K ratings) — better4.2 (17 ratings)
Positive reviews94.4% of reviews — better20.0% of reviews
Number of ratings4K — better17
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size132 MB44 MB
Age rating17+12+
DeveloperAccolade, Inc.Employer Direct

Customer experience

2nd.MD

All ratings3,954 ratings
Positive98.5%
Neutral0.9%
Negative0.7%
Written reviews142 reviews
Positive94.4%
Neutral1.4%
Negative4.2%

Lantern Care

All ratings17 ratings
Positive76.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative23.5%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive20.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative80.0%

Bugs and requests

2nd.MD

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Login screen freezes
  • Incompatible with older devices
  • Inability to open messages

Requested features

4 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Improved notification system
  • Ability to schedule appointments directly through the app
  • Integration with electronic medical records

Lantern Care

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

2nd.MD

No in-app purchases

None

Lantern Care

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is 2nd.MD free?
2nd.MD is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Lantern Care free?
Lantern Care is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, 2nd.MD or Lantern Care?
2nd.MD is rated higher. 2nd.MD averages 4.9 out of 5 from 4K ratings, while Lantern Care averages 4.2 from 17 ratings.
Do 2nd.MD or Lantern Care have ads?
Neither 2nd.MD nor Lantern Care shows ads.
Which is updated more often, 2nd.MD or Lantern Care?
2nd.MD ships an update every 6 weeks, and Lantern Care monthly. Most recently, 2nd.MD was updated on October 16, 2026 and Lantern Care on October 16, 2026.

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