DPC startup cost breakdown.
Three physician planning scenarios with every major assumption visible.
Inside the breakdown
The honest number
It costs less than physicians think, and more than the internet promises.
DPC startup cost is the total capital required to open the doors of a Direct Primary Care practice, lease deposits, equipment, legal formation, technology, insurance, and enough runway to reach the first paying members. Across 165+ launches we've supported, that number lands between $55,000 for a lean solo build and $180,000+ for a multi-provider urban clinic.
Traditional primary care runs $250K–$500K+ because it has to fund a billing department, coding infrastructure, and months of credentialing before a single claim is paid. DPC skips that entire layer, which is why the math below looks so different.
Three real shapes
Lean, standard, and multi-provider, side by side.
These aren't spreadsheet fantasies. They're composite portraits of physicians we've launched, a small-town solo doc, a suburban standard build, and a two-provider urban practice.
01
Solo Lean (Essentials)
Small town, 800 sq ft leased space
- Startup
- $55,000
- Monthly
- $14,000
- Membership
- $100/mo
- Breakeven
- 140 patients (Month 8)
02
Suburban Standard (Core)
Suburban market, 1,200 sq ft, moderate build-out
- Startup
- $110,000
- Monthly
- $20,700
- Membership
- $125/mo
- Breakeven
- 166 patients (Month 10)
03
Multi-Provider Urban (Pro)
Urban, 2,000 sq ft, 2 providers, full staff
- Startup
- $180,000
- Monthly
- $38,600
- Membership
- $135/mo
- Breakeven
- 286 patients (Month 12)
Monthly operating costs, compared
| Expense | Solo Lean | Suburban Standard | Multi-Provider Urban |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freedom Practice System | $2,800/mo | $4,800/mo | $9,000/mo |
| Lease | $800/mo | $1,800/mo | $4,000/mo |
| Malpractice insurance | $350/mo | $500/mo | $1,000/mo |
| EHR + technology | $500/mo | $600/mo | $900/mo |
| Supplies & labs | $1,200/mo | $3,200/mo | $7,500/mo |
| Phone/internet/utilities | $350/mo | $1,800/mo | $3,000/mo |
| Miscellaneous/contingency | $500/mo | $500/mo | $800/mo |
| Total monthly overhead | $14,000 | $20,700 | $38,600 |
Line items are normalized across scenarios for readability. Lease costs reflect market rates for the footprint on each card.
The revenue curve
What the first 24 months usually look like.
Averaged from 165+ launches. Early months are heavier on outreach than paperwork; by month six the panel starts compounding on its own.
Assumes ~3% monthly churn. A single employer contract can add 20–50 members in one signature.
| Month | New | Panel | Annualized Revenue Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | 12 | $18,000 |
| 2 | 14 | 26 | $39,000 |
| 3 | 15 | 41 | $61,500 |
| 4 | 16 | 57 | $85,500 |
| 5 | 18 | 75 | $112,500 |
| 6 | 18 | 93 | $139,500 |
| 9 | 16 | 145 | $217,500 |
| 12 | 15 | 190 | $285,000 |
| 18 | 12 | 260 | $390,000 |
| 24 | 10 | 340 | $510,000 |
How physicians fund it
You don't have to write the check yourself.
Most of the physicians we work with combine two of these four paths. We introduce you to lenders who already understand DPC economics, so the conversation starts at terms, not education.
SBA microloans
$10K–$50K
Government-backed, six-year terms, favorable rates. Best fit for a lean solo build.
Medical practice loans
$50K–$250K
Specialty lenders who already know the DPC model, so you skip the 'what is this?' meeting.
Equipment financing
$10K–$50K
Lease exam tables, lab gear, and IT separately to preserve working capital. Often no personal guarantee.
Savings + line of credit
Variable
The most common combo, some cash on hand plus a HELOC or personal line for flex month to month.
Full breakdown in the Practice Financing Guide.
Related DPC Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the least you can spend to open a DPC practice?
The lean planning scenario on this page uses $55,000 in startup capital for a small leased space, basic equipment, technology, legal formation, and runway. A home-visit or shared-space model may start lower; build-out, staffing, and equipment can move the requirement much higher.
Can I actually get a loan for this?
Yes, and it's more common than physicians expect. SBA loans, medical practice startup loans, and equipment financing all work for DPC. We introduce physicians to lenders who already understand the model, so you're not spending your first meeting explaining what DPC is.
How long until the practice breaks even?
The three scenarios below reach operating breakeven between 140 and 180 members based on their displayed monthly costs and fees. That is model output, not an industry average; actual timing depends on enrollment pace, collections, staffing, and local overhead.
What costs blindside people?
Tail malpractice coverage if you're leaving a group ($5,000–$15,000), build-out overruns, longer lease negotiations than planned, and marketing you have to fund before revenue shows up. A 4–6 month runway isn't padding, it's the difference between calm and panic.
Is this really cheaper than a traditional practice?
Meaningfully cheaper. A traditional primary care launch runs $250,000–$500,000+ because of billing infrastructure, coding staff, and credentialing timelines. DPC removes that entire layer, which is why the same physician can open for a third of the cost.
Know Your Numbers Before You Launch
Get a personalized financial model for your market, specialty, and goals.
Evidence standard
How to read this guidance.
The displayed scenarios are transparent planning models built from the line items shown on this page. They illustrate how startup capital, monthly overhead, membership price, and enrollment pace interact; they are not presented as a statistically representative industry average.
Reviewed August 3, 2026. Educational and operational guidance only. Not legal, tax, financial, or medical advice.
Working the numbers?
See what the three tiers cost