What Will You Actually Pay? A Quick Look at 2026 Pricing
Here’s what the market looks like right now:
| Service Type | What Others Charge | ScribeRunner |
| Virtual Documentation Specialist | $1,499-$2,800/month | $1,499/month ✅ |
| Virtual Medical Assistant | $1,995-$3,500/month | $1,995/month ✅ |
| In-House Medical Scribe | $4,300-$6,750/month | Not offered |
| AI Scribe Software | $100-$400/month | Not offered |
The short version? You’ll save anywhere from $800 to $1,500 monthly compared to other virtual scribe companies. And if you’re currently using in-house staff, we’re talking $2,000-$5,000 in monthly savings.
What Makes Virtual Scribe Pricing Different?
1. What You’re Actually Buying
There are two main service levels, and understanding the difference can save you from overpaying for things you don’t need.
Virtual Documentation Specialist ($1,499-$2,800/month)
This service focuses exclusively on clinical documentation. You get a dedicated professional handling your chart notes and nothing else. It’s an ideal solution if you already have administrative staff managing phones and scheduling, but need help with the documentation burden.
ScribeRunner’s Documentation Specialist at $1,499/month includes:
- Unlimited patient encounters with no volume caps
- Real-time clinical documentation during patient visits
- Specialized support for: Internal Medicine, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R), Pain Management, Primary Care, Family Medicine, and Sports Medicine
- Seamless integration with your existing EHR system (Epic, Cerner, Athenahealth, eClinicalWorks, and more)
- Built-in quality assurance and regulatory compliance
- Transparent pricing with no hidden fees
Best suited for: Physicians in these core specialties who need comprehensive documentation support without additional administrative services.
Virtual Medical Assistant ($1,995-$3,500/month)
This is the comprehensive solution. Beyond documentation support, you receive complete administrative and revenue cycle management assistance. This service is particularly valuable for solo practitioners or small practices without a dedicated office manager.
ScribeRunner’s Virtual Medical Assistant at $1,995/month includes:
- All documentation services from the Documentation Specialist package
- Appointment scheduling and automated patient reminders
- Complete patient intake and registration processes
- Insurance verification and billing coordination for all medical specialties, including Cardiology, Orthopedics, Neurology, Gastroenterology, Dermatology, Oncology, Radiology/Imaging, and others
- Prior authorization processing and claim management
- Comprehensive eligibility and benefits verification
- Telehealth appointment coordination
- Patient communication and follow-up
- Workflow analysis and optimization support
Best suited for: Practices requiring end-to-end support across both clinical documentation and revenue cycle management, regardless of medical specialty.
Not sure which one fits your practice? You can compare the details on our services page or just schedule a quick 15-minute call and we’ll help you figure it out.
2. How Companies Structure Their Pricing (and Where It Gets Tricky)
Monthly Subscription (What Most Practices Choose)
This is usually your best bet if you see patients consistently. ScribeRunner’s monthly plans cover unlimited encounters, so whether you see 15 patients or 35 in a day, you pay the same amount.
- Best for: Physicians seeing 15+ patients daily
- ScribeRunner pricing: $1,499-$1,995/month
- What it costs per patient: Roughly $3-7 per encounter (depending on your volume)
Per-Encounter Pricing ($4-$8 per visit)
Some companies charge per patient visit. Sounds flexible, right? But watch how fast this adds up:
Let’s say you see 25 patients a day, they charge $6 per encounter, and you work 22 days a month. That’s $3,300/month—way more than ScribeRunner’s unlimited subscription.
Reality check: Per-encounter pricing only makes financial sense if you’re seeing fewer than 12-15 patients daily.
Hourly Rates ($20-$35/hour)
You’ll also see hourly pricing, typically running $20-$35 per hour. If you need coverage for 6 hours daily:
6 hours × $28/hour × 22 working days = $3,696/month
Again, you’re paying almost double what you’d pay with ScribeRunner’s flat monthly rate.
3. The Hidden Fees Nobody Mentions Upfront
Here’s where things get frustrating. A lot of virtual scribe companies advertise one price, then hit you with extras that can inflate your actual cost by 30-50%. Watch for these:
Common Hidden Charges:
- Setup and integration: $200-$500
- EHR-specific training: $300-$800
- “Specialty support” premium: +15-20% on top of base price
- Backup scribe coverage: +10-15%
- After-hours support: +20-30%
- Early termination penalties: $1,000-$3,000 if you leave
With ScribeRunner, Here’s What You Won’t See:
- No setup fees
- No integration charges
- All core documentation specialties included at the same price
- Backup coverage is standard
- Month-to-month flexibility (no long-term contracts)
Why ScribeRunner Costs 30-50% Less (and Why That’s Not a Red Flag)
I know what you’re thinking: “If ScribeRunner charges $1,499-$1,995 while everyone else charges $2,800-$3,500, what’s wrong with it?”
Fair question. Here’s the honest answer: nothing’s wrong. We just run things differently:
1. We Don’t Waste Money on Flashy Marketing
Our resources go into delivering excellent service, not expensive ad campaigns or corporate overhead.
2. We’re Not Trying to Please Investors
We’re not backed by venture capital demanding premium pricing. We price fairly because we’re building a business for the long haul, not trying to flip it.
3. We Use Technology Smartly
Our platform and processes are efficient, which means we can operate with lower costs and pass those savings to you.
4. No Tricks, No Upsells
Everything’s transparent. No hidden fees, no contract games, no surprise charges.
5. Happy Clients Bring More Clients
With a 95%+ retention rate and tons of word-of-mouth referrals, we don’t spend much on customer acquisition. That savings goes back to you.
In-House vs. Virtual: The Real Numbers
Still thinking about hiring someone in-house? Let me show you the complete cost breakdown, because it’s more than just salary.
What an In-House Medical Scribe Actually Costs You Annually:
- Base salary: $36,000-$50,000
- Benefits (typically 30%): $10,800-$15,000
- Initial training: $3,000-$5,000
- Turnover and replacement costs: $8,000-$12,000
- Office space and equipment: $2,000-$3,000
- Coverage for sick days/vacation: $2,000-$4,000
Total Annual Cost: $61,800-$89,000
What ScribeRunner Costs You Annually:
- Documentation Specialist: $17,988/year ($1,499 × 12 months)
- Virtual Medical Assistant: $23,940/year ($1,995 × 12 months)
- Everything else: $0
Your Annual Savings: $37,860-$71,012
That’s enough to hire another mid-level provider, upgrade equipment, or just improve your practice’s bottom line significantly.
Does It Actually Pay for Itself? Let’s Do the Math
Let’s use real numbers with ScribeRunner’s $1,499/month Documentation Specialist:
What You’re Investing:
$17,988 annually
What Your Time Is Worth:
- You save 2 hours daily × 22 working days = 44 hours/month
- 44 hours × $150/hour (conservative physician time value) = $6,600/month
- Annual time value: $79,200
What You Can Earn Instead:
- See 2 additional patients daily × $150 reimbursement = $300/day
- $300 × 22 days = $6,600/month
- Annual additional revenue: $79,200
Total Annual Benefits: $158,400
Your Investment: -$17,988
Net Benefit: $140,412
Return on Investment: 781%
In plain English: for every dollar you invest in ScribeRunner, you get $7.81 back in value and revenue.
Now compare that to competitors charging $3,200/month:
- Annual cost: $38,400
- Net benefit: $120,000
- ROI: 312%
You’re pocketing an extra $20,412 annually with ScribeRunner.
Real Doctors, Real Numbers
Dr. Martinez – Solo Family Medicine
- Sees 22 patients daily
- Uses: Virtual Documentation Specialist
- Monthly cost: $1,499
- Time saved: 2-3 hours every single day
- Additional monthly revenue: $6,000+
“At $1,499 a month, this was honestly a no-brainer. Other companies wanted over $3,000. Now I’m seeing more patients, finishing charts in real-time, and I actually leave at 5 PM instead of taking my laptop home.”
Riverside Internal Medicine (3-Physician Practice)
- Service: 3 Virtual Medical Assistants
- Monthly cost: $5,985 ($1,995 × 3)
- Annual cost: $71,820
- Previous in-house cost: $186,000/year
- Annual savings: $114,180 (that’s a 61% reduction)
“We cut our scribe costs by over $100,000 a year while actually getting better, more consistent service. No more dealing with turnover, training new people every few months, or scrambling to cover sick days.” – Practice Administrator
Dr. Chen – Emergency Medicine
- Sees 30-40 patients per shift
- Service: Virtual Documentation Specialist
- Cost: $1,499/month (breaks down to roughly $50 per shift)
- Value: Eliminated 4-5 hours of post-shift charting
“For less than $50 a shift, I get my life back. I leave when my shift ends—no laptop at home, no staying up until midnight catching up on charts. It’s the best $1,499 I spend every month.”
Questions Doctors Usually Ask
Q: Why is ScribeRunner’s pricing so much lower than everyone else’s?
A: We keep our operations efficient and focus on building long-term relationships with our clients instead of trying to maximize short-term profits. You get the same quality (or better) at a fair price.
Q: Are there really no setup fees or hidden costs?
A: Really. The price you see—$1,499 or $1,995/month—is exactly what you pay. No setup fees, no integration charges, no surprises on your invoice.
Q: When you say “unlimited encounters,” is there a catch?
A: Nope. See 15 patients in a day or 40, your monthly cost stays the same. No caps, no overage charges.
Q: What’s the minimum commitment?
A: Month-to-month. You can cancel anytime with 30 day’s notice. No long-term contracts, no cancellation penalties.
Q: Which specialties get documentation support vs. billing support?
A: Our Virtual Documentation Specialist ($1,499/month) provides real-time clinical documentation for: Internal Medicine, PM&R, Pain Management, Primary Care, Family Medicine, and Sports Medicine.
Our Virtual Medical Assistant ($1,995/month) includes documentation support PLUS comprehensive billing/revenue cycle management that serves all medical specialties—Cardiology, Orthopedics, Neurology, Gastroenterology, Dermatology, Oncology, Radiology/Imaging, and more.
Q: What about EHR systems? Do you support mine?
A: We work with all the major systems: Epic, Cerner, Athenahealth, eClinicalWorks, Allscripts, and dozens more. EHR integration is included in your monthly rate—no extra fees.
Q: Can I switch between service levels if my needs change?
A: Absolutely. You can upgrade from Documentation Specialist to Virtual Medical Assistant (or downgrade) with 30 day’s notice.
Q: How does this compare to those AI scribe solutions I keep hearing about?
A: AI scribes run $100-$400/month, which sounds great until you realize you’ll spend 30-60 minutes daily editing their output. ScribeRunner’s experienced medical professionals (many are physicians themselves) deliver complete, accurate notes that need minimal review. The time savings more than justify the cost difference—you actually save money by not spending hours fixing AI mistakes.
What’s Next? Understanding Your ROI
Now that you know what virtual medical scribes’ cost, the next logical question is: what’s the actual return on investment for your specific practice?
We’ve written a detailed companion article that covers:
✅ Real practice case studies with exact dollar amounts
✅ Month-by-month ROI breakdown
✅ Virtual vs. in-house comparison for different practice sizes
✅ Which service level maximizes your ROI
✅ Hidden benefits beyond just cost savings
Ready to See What ScribeRunner Can Do for You?
ScribeRunner offers the most competitive pricing in the industry without cutting corners on quality:
Documentation Specialist: $1,499/month
- Unlimited patient encounters
- Core specialties: Internal Medicine, PM&R, Pain Management, Primary Care, Family Medicine, Sports Medicine
- Zero hidden fees
Virtual Medical Assistant: $1,995/month
- Everything above plus comprehensive administrative and billing support
- All specialties supported for revenue cycle management
- Month-to-month flexibility
- 95%+ client retention rate
Three Ways to Get Started:
- View Detailed Pricing → See complete service breakdowns and add-on options
- Book Free 15-Min Consultation → Get personalized recommendations for your practice
- Call Direct: (786) 866-7849 → Monday-Friday, 8 AM-6 PM EST
Here’s the thing: every day without ScribeRunner costs you:
- 2-3 hours of personal time
- 300-$450 in potential revenue
- Continued burnout and stress
Your Investment: Just $1,499/month
Your Return: Time, revenue, and quality of life
The question isn’t whether you can afford it. It’s whether you can afford not to.