What's the difference between NewDoc and InstantScripts?
The difference is how you pay. If you're Medicare eligible, NewDoc bulk-bills every consultation it offers at $0, with your eScript and any same-visit referral or certificate included. Opening hours are generally 8 am to midnight, 7 days a week, and availability varies day to day. InstantScripts charges privately, per item: prescription $19, single-day certificate $19, blood test referral $24, specialist referral $24, telehealth consult from $49, treatment plan from $49. Its stated exception is Medicare-funded mental health care plans for eligible patients.
Who treats you differs too. Both use AHPRA-registered doctors, but at NewDoc that doctor is always a fellowship-qualified, Australian-trained GP. InstantScripts describes its practitioners as AHPRA-registered doctors and doesn't spell out their training mix.
NewDoc vs InstantScripts at a glance
NewDoc and InstantScripts are both major Australian online doctor services. InstantScripts was one of the first in Australia to sell telehealth item by item, and it publishes a clear price list on its public help-centre page: online prescriptions $19, single-day medical certificates $19, multi-day certificates $49, blood test referrals $24, specialist referrals $24, telehealth consultations from $49, treatment plans from $49.
NewDoc works differently. It bulk-bills the consultation under Medicare, with your eScript and any same-visit document included. If you're an eligible cardholder, there's nothing out of pocket.
The table below shows how the two compare on what you pay and what you get. Comparison data verified as at 8 August 2026.
| Dimension | NewDoc | InstantScripts |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Bulk-billed Medicare consult | Per-product fee |
| Lowest listed price | $0 (Medicare) | $19 (prescription or 1-day medical certificate) |
| Bulk-billed? | Yes | No for consultations; their FAQ notes Medicare-funded mental health care plans for eligible patients |
| Doctor type | Fellowship-qualified specialist GPs only | AHPRA-registered doctors |
| Same-day availability | Yes | Yes |
| Mental health care plan | Yes (bulk-billed) | Mental health care plans $49 (price marked 'After Medicare rebate'; described as Medicare-funded for eligible patients) |
| Referrals | Yes (included in consult) | Specialist referral $24 (separate fee) |
Comparison data verified as at 8 August 2026. Values reflect each provider's lowest publicly listed pricing or stated feature on their own website. Prices and features change. Check InstantScripts directly for current information before booking. "Bulk-billed" = no out-of-pocket cost for eligible Medicare cardholders.
When NewDoc fits
If you're Medicare eligible, NewDoc is the cheaper of the two. The more documents or visits you need, the wider that gap grows.
NewDoc is the better fit if:
- You're Medicare eligible and want your consultation and any documents issued at $0 out of pocket.
- You want a fellowship-qualified, Australian-trained GP on the call, every time.
- You're managing an ongoing condition and want every review, pathology order, and script repeat bulk billed.
- You need a mental health care plan, which is included in the bulk-billed visit.
- You need a few things at once and don't want a separate fee for each one. One bulk-billed visit covers them together.
When InstantScripts might fit
InstantScripts is one of the most established names in pay-per-item telehealth in Australia, and there are situations where it's a sensible choice:
- You're not Medicare eligible and want a published price for each item so you can compare before you book.
- You need exactly one thing, say a single script and nothing else, and you'd rather pay the $19 product fee than go through a Medicare-billed consultation.
- You'd rather stay with a familiar name. InstantScripts is one of the longest-running Australian per-script services.
Worked example: a year of chronic-condition care
Say you're Medicare eligible and living with type 2 diabetes. You see the GP four times a year for review, with two scripts each visit, so eight scripts a year. On the publicly listed prices as at 8 August 2026:
- NewDoc: $0 for the year. Every review consultation is bulk-billed, with your scripts and pathology referrals included.
- InstantScripts: 8 scripts × $19 = $152 in product fees, plus 4 telehealth consultations × $49 = $196 in consult fees. That's about $348 for the year on the publicly listed per-product prices.
For a one-off need the gap is smaller: a single script visit is $0 with NewDoc versus $19 on InstantScripts' published price list. For ongoing care, the per-item fees keep adding up.
Verify both before booking
Prices and rules change, so don't just take our word for it. Every claim above was checked against each provider's own website as at 8 August 2026. Before you book, confirm current pricing on NewDoc's pricing page and check InstantScripts' own site directly. For a wider comparison across all major Australian online doctor services, see our hub comparison.
Last reviewed 8 August 2026. Editorial policy