Comparison

MDLIVE vs HDFR Protocols

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

Head to head
About

MDLIVE

Access virtual doctor visits with board-certified physicians, licensed therapists, and psychiatrists 24/7. Get on-demand or scheduled appointments for a wide range of non-emergency medical and behavioral health conditions from home.

Highlights
  • Virtual doctor visits 24/7
  • Behavioral health appointments
  • Dermatology services
  • On-demand or scheduled appointments
  • Treatment for 80+ non-emergency conditions
  • Prescription refills
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Have an MDLIVE virtual doctor visit with board-certified physicians from the comfort and convenience of your own home or from wherever you are, whenever you want – nights, after hours, weekends, and holidays. MDLIVE also offers behavioral health appointments with licensed therapists and board-certified psychiatrists as well as dermatology services. You can schedule an appointment at a time and day that's convenient for you or have an on-demand visit in around 15 minutes. All MDLIVE doctors are board-certified and state-licensed, with an average of 15+ years of experience. MDLIVE has two National Committee for Quality Assurance certifications and is accredited by the American Telemedicine Association. MDLIVE doctors are also friendly, caring, compassionate, and experts in conducting virtual medical consultations. And best of all, 9 out of 10 people would recommend us to their friends and family members in need of a doctor's visit. Great reasons to use MDLIVE virtual doctors: 1. You're not feeling up to leaving home 2. You want to avoid the high cost of Urgent Care or the ER 3. Your doctor isn't available 4. It's after hours, the weekend or a holiday 5. You need a short-term refill on a prescription 6. It's hard to get to the doctor's office 7. You don't want to take time off work or be away from home MDLIVE doctors treat more than 80 non-emergency medical conditions like these: • Allergies • Back Pain • Bronchitis • Common Cold • Constipation • Cough • COVID-19 Assessment • Diarrhea • Ear Infections • Flu • Headache • Nausea • Pink Eye • Rashes • Respiratory Problems • Sinus Infections • Sore Throat • Strep Throat • Urinary Tract Infections (Females 18+) • …and more We also offer treatment and support for a wide variety of behavioral health issues: • Addictions • Anxiety • Bipolar Disorder • Depression • Grief and Loss • LGBTQ+ Support • Life Changes • Men's Issues • Panic Disorders • Parenting Issues • Postpartum Depression • Relationship Issues • Stress Management • Trauma and PTSD • Women's Issues • And more MDLIVE provides the ability for Virtual Primary Care patients to connect with FDA-cleared medical devices and securely share their data with their MDLIVE Care Team and Primary Care Provider. Although the data is not actively monitored, it is carefully reviewed during subsequent follow-up visits. At these visits, healthcare providers utilize their clinical judgment to effectively manage the patient's condition and treatment plan in accordance with established clinical guidelines. It is important to note that MDLIVE does not support individual usage without the consent and support of a healthcare provider. Therefore, users must always consult with their healthcare provider before making any changes to their care plan, ensuring that their treatment aligns with the appropriate clinical guidance. We treat thousands of people a day with many different conditions, but you should not use MDLIVE if you are experiencing a medical emergency. In addition, we don't treat sexually transmitted diseases, urinary tract infections in males, or urinary tract infections in females under 18 years of age. MDLIVE also cannot treat children under 3 with a fever and children under 12 with ear pain. Copyright © 2023 MDLIVE, Inc. All Rights Reserved. MDLIVE may not be available in certain states and is subject to state regulations. MDLIVE does not replace the primary care physician, is not an insurance product, and may not be able to substitute for traditional in-person care in every case or for every condition. MDLIVE does not guarantee patients will receive a prescription, does not prescribe DEA controlled substances and may not prescribe non-therapeutic drugs and certain other drugs which may be harmful because of their potential for abuse. MDLIVE and the MDLIVE logo are registered trademarks of MDLIVE, Inc. and may not be used without written permission. For complete terms of use, visit www.mdlive.com/terms-of-use

About

HDFR Protocols

This clinical reference app provides Hampton EMS providers with offline access to all protocols, medications, and administrative policies. It features a dosage calculator, quick reference guides, and a comprehensive search function for immediate access to critical information in the field.

Highlights
  • Offline access to protocols
  • Medication dosage calculator
  • Quick reference strips
  • Full-text search
  • Direct calling of contacts
  • Pinch-to-zoom protocol viewing
Features
Read full description

HDFR Protocols is the official clinical reference app for Hampton Division of Fire and Rescue. Built for providers in the field, it puts every Hampton EMS protocol, medication, procedure, and administrative policy in your pocket. The app works completely offline. No internet connection required, no login, no data collected. FEATURES Protocols All Hampton EMS protocols rendered directly from the official Medical Director approved PDF. Tap any protocol to view it full screen with pinch to zoom. Swipe between pages and tap the star to save favorites. Medications The complete Hampton formulary with a built in dosage calculator. Enter patient weight once and get accurate weight based doses for every medication on the formulary. The calculator knows the clinical context so Epinephrine shows the correct dose for cardiac arrest, anaphylaxis, or vasopressor use automatically. Quick Reference Every protocol includes a Quick Reference strip at the bottom showing the medications and procedures relevant to that call. Tap any medication to open the drug card and calculate the dose without leaving the protocol. Search Search across all protocols, medications, and procedures at once. Contacts Verified phone numbers for medical control, air transport, and regional resources. Tap any number to call directly. Approved by Dr. Chris Baker, OMD. Protocols effective 03/17/2026. This app does not replace the judgment of a qualified medical provider. Always consult your medical director and follow current agency protocols before making clinical decisions.

Screenshots

MDLIVE4 screens
HDFR Protocols4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: MDLIVE at 4.7 against HDFR Protocols's 4.0. MDLIVE also leads on ratings volume (94K vs 2) and chart position (#109 vs unranked). HDFR Protocols's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). 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

MDLIVE holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MDLIVE has 94K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MDLIVE ships an update every 6 weeks, HDFR Protocols every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
MDLIVE versus HDFR Protocols: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMDLIVEHDFR Protocols
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (94K ratings) — better4.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews82.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings94K — better2
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#109 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better26.4
Further details — not scored
Size107 MB48 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperMDLIVE, Inc.City of Hampton

Customer experience

MDLIVE

All ratings93,543 ratings
Positive93.1%
Neutral1.9%
Negative5.0%
Written reviews771 reviews
Positive82.1%
Neutral1.7%
Negative16.2%

HDFR Protocols

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

MDLIVE

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Incorrect insurance information
  • Prescriptions not being sent to pharmacy
  • Appointments not being properly logged

Requested features

3 requests
  • Ability to contact providers directly
  • Option to rate/review individual providers
  • Improved billing transparency

HDFR Protocols

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

MDLIVE

No in-app purchases

None

HDFR Protocols

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MDLIVE free?
MDLIVE is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is HDFR Protocols free?
HDFR Protocols is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, MDLIVE or HDFR Protocols?
MDLIVE is rated higher. MDLIVE averages 4.7 out of 5 from 94K ratings, while HDFR Protocols averages 4.0 from 2 ratings.
Do MDLIVE or HDFR Protocols have ads?
Neither MDLIVE nor HDFR Protocols shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MDLIVE or HDFR Protocols?
MDLIVE ships an update every 6 weeks, and HDFR Protocols every 2 months. Most recently, MDLIVE was updated on October 2, 2026 and HDFR Protocols on September 20, 2026.

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