Key takeaways
- CareValidate publishes its pricing and holds SOC 2 Type II. Both are genuine advantages.
- The common objection is 3.9% payment processing through CareValidate's own Stripe account.
- Bring-your-own Stripe is available only on the $5,000 Enterprise plan.
- Per-order support fees, per-category fees and storefront build fees are billed separately.
- At 1,000 patients the processing difference alone is roughly $57,000 a year against a 2% fee.
What CareValidate does well
It publishes its pricing, which roughly half this category does not, and that alone makes it easier to evaluate than most of its competitors.
It holds SOC 2 Type II attestation, which PharmaBro does not, and for an enterprise procurement process that can be decisive. It also includes white-glove chargeback support inside its processing rate, which on a GLP-1 book is genuinely painful work to do yourself.
The 3.9%
CareValidate prices payment processing at 3.9% through its own Stripe account. Stripe's published direct rate is 2.9% plus 30 cents, so the platform sits roughly a full percentage point above what the processor charges.
On $2,988,000 of annual billings that is about $26,000 a year over Stripe direct, and about $57,000 a year against a 2% platform transaction fee.
Whether that is worth it depends on how you value the chargeback support included in the rate. The point is to make it a conscious decision rather than an unnoticed one.
| Annual billings | CareValidate 3.9% | Stripe direct | 2% platform fee | Difference vs 2% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $896,400 | $34,960 | $27,076 | $26,892 | $8,068 |
| $2,988,000 | $116,532 | $90,252 | $59,760 | $56,772 |
| $8,964,000 | $349,596 | $270,756 | $134,460 | $215,136 |
The Pro plan merchant account
Bring-your-own Stripe is available on the $5,000 Enterprise plan. On the $2,500 Pro plan, payments run through CareValidate's merchant account.
That means on the entry plan the stored card tokens, the payout timing and the statement descriptor sit with the platform. A brand effectively pays its way up to owning its own payments, which is worth pricing into the comparison between tiers.
The alternatives
Compared on the specific things that tend to prompt the search.
| Platform | Processing | Own Stripe | Per-order fees | Launch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PharmaBro | 3% to 1.5% by tier | Every tier | None | 5 days |
| Rimo | Flat fee model | Yes | Not published | About 5 days |
| Cuvo | Flat fee model | Cuvo is MoR | Not published | Fast |
| Bask Health | Fee plus percentage | Bask is MoR | Not published | 30 to 40 days |
Do not forget the add-ons
When comparing, price CareValidate's full stack rather than the monthly headline, and do the same for any alternative.
- Per-order patient support fee above the included threshold, at $2 to $5 per order per month.
- Storefront build, $5,000 basic to $10,000+ custom, one-time.
- Data migration, around $2,500 one-time.
- Additional product categories beyond the included three on Pro, at $500 each.
- LegitScript at $205 a month or $2,450 a year.
Below processing cost, into your own account, on every tier
PharmaBro's transaction fee is 3% on Launch, 2% on Grow and 1.5% on Scale, so from Grow onward you pay less than Stripe's own published rate, and it settles into a Stripe account your brand owns on every plan including the $1,500 Launch tier.
No per-order support surcharge, no per-category fee, no separate storefront build fee, LegitScript at $0, and no contract term.
Conclusion
CareValidate is a well-built platform that publishes its terms, which is more than most of this category manages.
The reasons to look elsewhere are specific: a processing rate a point above the network, bring-your-own-Stripe gated to the top tier, and a stack of per-order and per-category add-ons. If SOC 2 attestation is what you are buying, none of the alternatives above except Bask will match it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to CareValidate?
For lower processing and your own Stripe on every tier, PharmaBro. For a flat-fee model with brand-owned payments, PharmaBro or Rimo. If you need SOC 2 Type II, Bask Health is the alternative that holds it.
Is 3.9% a high processing rate?
It is roughly a full percentage point above Stripe's published 2.9% plus 30 cents. CareValidate includes white-glove chargeback support in that rate, which has real value; whether it is worth a point is a judgment worth making consciously.
Can I use my own Stripe with CareValidate?
On the $5,000 Enterprise plan, yes. On the $2,500 Pro plan, payments run through CareValidate's own Stripe account, which means the card tokens and statement descriptor sit with the platform.
References
- 1.CareValidate, Telehealth Platform Pricing Deck 2026
- 2.Stripe published processing rates
- 3.Rimo published pricing
Every figure above is sourced and dated. If you represent one of the platforms named here and something is out of date or wrong, write to support@pharmabro.co and we will correct it and note the change on the page.
Marcus ElleryHead of Payments and Billing
Works on the rebill engine, merchant routing and recovery logic. Spends most of his time on the unglamorous half of subscription telehealth: why a card failed, and whether it had to.