Side-by-Side Comparison
| The Doctor Directory | WebMD Care | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | Verified physician directory + direct consultation requests | Doctor finder bundled into a larger health-content publication |
| Cost to patients | Free | Free |
| Provider scope | Licensed MDs and DOs; 74,000+ profiles | Broader: MDs, DOs, nurses, PAs, dentists, chiropractors |
| Data source | US NPI Registry + claimed-listing updates | NPI + third-party aggregators |
| Verification | 5-step: claim, email code, license upload, admin review, badge | Algorithmic credentialing match; no documented license-doc admin review |
| Review moderation | Every review human-moderated | Algorithmic screening + user flagging |
| Sponsored placement | Transparent plan-weighted ranking | Sponsored "Featured" doctors above organic results |
| Patient contact | Consultation request to practice email + dashboard | Phone or third-party scheduler |
| Coverage | All 50 states + DC, 30,000+ ZIPs | All 50 states |
| Doctor pricing | $0 / $49 / $99 / $499 per month | Not publicly listed; sales-quoted |
| Operator | WETYR Corp | Internet Brands (KKR portfolio) |
Bottom line
The Doctor Directory wins on verification rigor, reviewer moderation, and direct-to-practice contact. WebMD wins on breadth of health content beyond the doctor lookup itself. Use The Doctor Directory to find and contact a doctor; use WebMD for background reading on a condition.
When WebMD Care is the better choice
WebMD Care is the better fit if you want to read up on a condition before searching for a doctor and prefer to stay on one site for both tasks, if you need a broader provider pool including dentists or chiropractors, or if you prefer to book through a third-party scheduler widget integrated into the doctor profile.
When The Doctor Directory is the better choice
Choose The Doctor Directory if you want a Verified badge issued after human admin review of the license document, if you want to send a consultation request directly to the practice without going through a third-party scheduler, if you are searching by a specific condition (rotator cuff, bunion, sleep apnea, ADHD, fibromyalgia, endometriosis, etc.), or if you prefer fewer sponsored placements cluttering the results.
FAQ
Is WebMD a doctor directory?
WebMD Care is the doctor-finder portion of WebMD. The core WebMD site is a health content and symptom-checker publication.
Which has more doctors, The Doctor Directory or WebMD Care?
WebMD Care covers a broader provider pool (nurses, PAs, dentists, chiropractors). The Doctor Directory focuses specifically on licensed MDs and DOs - 74,000+ physician profiles across all 50 states. For finding a specific MD specialist, the narrower focus makes filtering easier.
Does WebMD verify doctors?
WebMD Care matches listings against credentialing databases but does not document a multi-step manual review of state license documents.