8 Online Therapy Services That Could Actually Work For You
So you can compare them, find the right one, and get started.
Finding a therapist can be difficult — whether in-person or online. There are a lot of things to consider. Luckily, online therapy services can help streamline the process.
Most let you pick from their networks or match you to someone after you fill out a questionnaire. Plus, if you feel like you don't click with your therapist, you're encouraged to ask for another one.
But that still means you need to find an online therapy service that's right for you.
Obviously, a big thing is cost. Online therapy services are, unfortunately, not usually covered by insurance. When figuring out payment options, make sure you check your own insurance plan and the online therapy service to understand what costs you're responsible for. That being said, the cost of online therapy is usually cheaper than in-person therapy — so, sometimes, the cost is comparable to what your co-pay would be, anyway.
Plus, there are different mediums of online therapy. There's text, phone, and video therapy to name a few. Then some online therapy services offer live sessions, while others offer messaging — that means you can send a message (via text, e-mail, audio, or video) to your counselor whenever you'd like, and then they will respond at a later time. Of course, text therapy can be live, so your counselor will reply immediately and you can have a conversation, and that's called chat therapy.
And if you want to know more about online therapy services in general (or to read up on no-cost or low-cost therapy options — although most of those aren't through a specific service like these), check out Everything You Need To Know About Online Therapy.
So here is a rundown of eight of the best online therapy services based on reviews, security and privacy policies, and ease of use (and don't worry, they're all HIPAA-compliant and available via website or app):
1. BetterHelp
Who It's For: Individuals, Couples, Teens
Mediums: Text Message, Chat, Phone, and Video Therapy
Who Will Help You: All BetterHelp counselors are licensed and possess at least three years of experience. These counselors are either psychologists, marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, or licensed professional counselors. They all hold a master's degree or doctorate in their field.
How It Works: BetterHelp will match you to a counselor based on your therapy objectives, personal preferences, and the nature of the issues you are seeking help for. Once matched, you'll be put in a virtual room to communicate with your therapist via your preferred medium. All live sessions must be pre-scheduled.
Cost: BetterHelp is a subscription-based service, and your subscription period begins once you are matched with a counselor. You can pay via credit card or PayPal, and you can cancel your subscription for any reason. You will be billed monthly at a rate of $60 to $100 per week.
For more info, see their FAQ page.
Who It's For: LGBTQ Individuals
Mediums: Text Messaging, Chat, Phone, and Video Therapy
Who Will Help You: All Pride Counseling counselors are licensed, have at least three years of experience, and have a master's degree or doctorate. Pride Counseling counselors specialize in the LGBTQ community.
How It Works: You will be matched with a counselor after filling out a questionnaire about your objectives, preferences, and types of issues you are facing. To message your counselor, you will be placed in a virtual room. For chat, phone, and video sessions, you will schedule a time with your counselor.
Cost: Pride Counseling bills you monthly and costs between $60 to $100 per week.
For more info, see their FAQ page.
3. Amwell
Who It's For: Individuals, Children/Teens
Medium: Video Therapy
Who Will Help You: All Amwell counselors are either licensed psychologists (with a doctorate) or a licensed therapist (with a master's degree).
How It Works: Once you enroll, you will be able to choose from Amwell's network of counselors based on their experience, ratings, education, and approach to treatment. Then, you can schedule a session and begin seeing your counselor. Sessions typically last 45 minutes.
Cost: Each session costs $99 (if your counselor holds a master's degree) or $110 (if your counselor holds a doctorate).
For more info, see their FAQ page.
4. Talkspace
Who It's For: Individuals, Couples, Teens (13-17)
Mediums: Text, Audio, Picture, and Video Messaging, and Video Therapy
Who Will Help You: All Talkspace counselors are licensed therapists with over 3,000 hours of clinical experience.
How It Works: When you sign up, you'll be asked some questions about yourself and your preferences for therapy. Talkspace will then match you with three potential therapists. Once you choose which you like best, you'll be given a virtual room to communicate with your therapist however you'd prefer. Your can send a message at any time, and your therapist will respond daily five times a week. You can also schedule video therapy sessions.
Cost: Talkspace is a subscription-based service and offers different plans, which range from $65 to $100 per week. You can choose to be billed monthly, quarterly, or biannually. Plus, you can change your plan or cancel it at will.
For more info, see their FAQ page.
Who It's For: Teens (13-19), Parents
Mediums: Text Messaging, Chat, Phone, and Video Therapy
Who Will Help You: Teen Counseling counselors are all licensed and have a master's degree or doctorate. Counselors include psychologists, marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, and professional counselors.
How It Works: If you are a parent and sign up with your teen, you will be matched with a counselor, be placed in a virtual room, and given an invite code for your teen. You will both message your counselor through the room and see what the other shares. If you are a teen, you will be placed directly into a virtual room to message your assigned counselor, and your parent(s) will not have access to your room. All live sessions must also be scheduled in advance.
Cost: Teen Counseling costs between $60 and $100 per week and bills you monthly.
For more info, see their Teen FAQ page and their Parent FAQ page.
6. Doctor On Demand
Who It's For: Individuals, Children/Teens
Medium: Video Therapy
Who Will Help You: Doctor on Demand provides licensed psychologists (who they call therapists) or licensed psychiatrists. BTW, psychologists are for psychotherapy, while psychiatrists help with medication management.
How It Works: Once you create an account, you can browse for a counselor based on their backgrounds, qualifications, and specialities. When you find one you like, you can schedule a 25- or 50-minute session.
Cost: The cost of each session varies depending on length and session and who you see. If you see a psychologist, a 25-minute session costs $129 and a 50-minute session costs $179. If you see a psychiatrist, the initial 45-minute consultation costs $299 and any 15-minute follow-ups cost $129.
For more info, see their FAQ page.
7. MDLive
Who It's For: Individuals
Mediums: Phone and Video Therapy
Who Will Help You: All MDLive counselors are licensed and either doctoral-level psychologists or master's-level mental health professionals, including clinical counselors, clinical social workers, and marriage and family therapists. MDLive also has licensed and board-certified psychiatrists.
How It Works: MDLive allows you to choose your counselor based on their profiles and credentials. Then, you can message them or schedule a session through an online calendar, so your therapist can accept or counteroffer. On average, counseling sessions are 45 minutes.
Cost: MDLive charges per session. For counseling, each session is $99. For psychiatry, the initial 60-minute session costs $259, while 15-minute follow-up visits cost $99.
For more info, see their FAQ page.
8. ReGain
Who It's For: Couples, Individuals
Mediums: Text Messaging, Phone, and Video Therapy
Who Will Help You: All Regain counselors are licensed, have either a master's degree or doctorate, and have at least three years of experience. Regain counselors also have specific interest and expertise in relationship counseling.
How It Works: When you sign up, you'll be asked to fill out a questionnaire about counselor preferences. Then, you'll be assigned a counselor and put in a virtual room. You can invite your partner into the room, where you, your partner, and your counselor will see everything shared there. You can also opt for phone or video sessions, however, Regain does not support three-way live sessions, so you and your partner must be physically together to do so.
Cost: ReGain costs $60 to $100 per week, for which you will be billed monthly.
For more info, see their FAQ page.
Taking the first step can be challenging, but it will also be rewarding. At the end of the day, it's important to pick an online therapy service that you feel safe and comfortable using — and one that works best for you.
And in case you're wondering about therapy overall, here are some things you may want to know.