2nd.MD vs Lantern Care
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Expert medical consultations
- Connect with board-certified doctors
- Video consultations
- Medical record consolidation
- Specialist recommendations
- Third-person consultation joining
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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.
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.
- Find specialty care providers
- Track appointments and consultations
- Manage medical history
- Access care advocates
- View member card and profile
- Receive treatment information and support
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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
Verdict
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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
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.
2nd.MD ships an update every 6 weeks, Lantern Care monthly. Both last shipped on October 16, 2026.
| Parameter | 2nd.MD | Lantern Care |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (4K ratings) — better | 4.2 (17 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 94.4% of reviews — better | 20.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 4K — better | 17 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 132 MB | 44 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Accolade, Inc. | Employer Direct |
Customer experience
2nd.MD
Lantern Care
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
2nd.MD
No in-app purchases
Lantern Care
No in-app purchases








