Best Online Therapy

Everything You Need to Know About The 15 Best Online Therapy Companies

Mental health is one of the most important definers of overall health. Close to one in five adults in the U.S. suffers from mental illness. It’s just as important to keep our minds healthy as it is our bodies, but it’s not always easy to get treatment.

Steep therapy costs, rising insurance premiums, scheduling conflicts, and mental health stigmas are some of the most common reasons people avoid therapy. Luckily, there are now plenty of online platforms that offer discreet therapy for a fraction of the cost of face-to-face therapy. This list of the best online companies will help you weed through thousands of online professional counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists.

Telehealth is one of the most rapidly-developing industries in the world, and online therapy is one of the sub-industries leading the charge. Online counseling and mental health services offer many benefits that are often sacrificed with in-person treatment and face-to-face therapy settings. If you’re searching for an in-person therapist, you’re limited by the number of therapy providers in your metro area. But with online therapy, location is no longer a factor, and you’ll have your pick of thousands of online therapists — all over the country.

This ultimate guide to telemental health in 2021 will provide you with comparisons, in-depth analysis, pricing, and reviews of the top online therapy providers. Basically, it’s everything you need to know before looking for the best online therapy program.

Breakdown of Mental Health Services Offered Online

Licensed Therapy/Counseling

Online therapy and counseling platforms connect individuals, couples, groups, and families with a licensed therapist to discuss problematic behavior, beliefs, and feelings. The therapist will then treat mental health conditions through counseling, medication, and/or therapy. The type of mental health services provided through online therapy platforms may include any of the following:

• Assessment/diagnosis
• Psychotherapy
• Treatment planning
• Therapeutic exercises/literature
• Solution therapy
• Prevention programs
• Mental and emotional support
• Coping strategies
• Messaging, live chat, live video chat therapy sessions, and phone calls

Many mental health professionals might also have the following training and certifications.

Clinical Social Worker (CSW)

• Trained to assess, diagnose, treat, and prevent mental health illness and behavioral disorders.
• Training and education include completion of a master’s degree, internship, supervised practice hours, and national testing completion.

Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) or Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

• Trained in clinical assessment, treatment, and psychotherapeutic practices.
• Specializes in mental illness, clinical intervention, and psychotherapy.
• Completed a master’s degree, supervised practice hours, and licensed in the state where they practice. 

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)

• Specializes in therapy related to relationships, marriage, and family
• Extensively trained in various types of therapy
• Trained under the supervision of an experienced LMFT
• Completed a master’s degree in mental health and has completed clinical hours and passed a clinical exam

Make sure your therapist or psychologist is trained and licensed in the state where he or she practices — before paying any fees.

Psychotherapy

The key difference between a licensed therapist and a psychologist is that a psychologist holds a medical degree. A psychologist is a doctor that has either a Ph.D. or Psy.D. While some states do allow psychologists to prescribe medication, psychiatrists are usually the only ones that can prescribe medication. 

While a psychotherapist evaluates, diagnoses, and provides treatment for individuals suffering from emotional and mental illnesses. This treatment comes in the form of professional talk therapy and emotional support. Psychotherapists often provide treatment relating to married couples, individuals, groups, and general counseling.  

Conditions often addressed by a counseling psychologist include:

• Clinical depression
• Schizophrenia
• Panic disorders
• Bipolar disorders
• Personality disorders
• Anxiety disorders
• PTSD

Check to make sure your psychologist is a licensed doctor in your state. Again, board certification through the American Psychological Association is also ideal. Online psychologists should also be HIPAA-compliant.

Psychiatric Treatment

Many of the providers included in this guide offer psychiatric treatment, which is a different approach to traditional therapy or counseling. 

While therapy and counseling typically offer some sort of emotional support or verbal treatment, a psychiatrist will also often provide treatment through medication.

These medications may include a combination of antidepressants (for depression) antipsychotics (for schizophrenia/bipolar disorder), sedatives/anxiolytics (for anxiety/insomnia), hypnotics (for sleep disorders), mood stabilizers (for bipolar disorder), stimulants (for ADHD). 

Most psychiatrists suggest taking these medications in unison with some form of talk therapy — either through a licensed therapist, licensed mental health counselor, or psychologist. Most psychiatry patients show some degree of symptoms related to anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or ADD/ADHD. 

If you are seeking treatment from a psychiatrist, make sure that they have the following credentials:

• Medical degree: doctor of medicine (M.D.) or doctor of osteopathic medicine (D.O.) degree
• State license: any legitimate medical doctor must be licensed by the state in which they practice
• Board certification (optional): most states do not require board certification through the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN), but such certification does demonstrate an added level of competence to any practice

Support Groups

One of the benefits of online therapy is access to free online support groups. Many online therapy platforms will either directly provide or offer direction toward private and anonymous support groups. Here you can openly discuss your concerns with others who may be suffering from similar symptoms, learn best practices, or even just share mental health successes.  

These individuals are not usually licensed or certified, and any advice offered in this manner must not be considered ‘professional’ therapy.

Mental Health Conditions & Disorders Treated Online

• Abuse
• ADHD
• Alzheimer’s
• Anger
• Anxiety
• Asperger’s
• Autism
• Bipolar
• Body dysmorphia
• Dementia
• Depression
• Domestic violence
• Eating disorders
• Grief
• Guilt
• Huntington’s disease
• Impulse control disorder
• Loneliness
• Marriage
• Menopause
• Mid-life crisis
• Neuroticism
• Panic attacks
• Paranoia
• Personality disorders
• Pessimism
• Phobias
• Psychopathy
• PTSD
• Self-esteem
• Sleep
• Sociopathy
• Stress
• Trauma

Related Areas of Specialized Treatment by Online Therapists

• Adolescence
• Ambition
• Attachment
• Attraction
• Behavior
• Body language
• Bullying
• Career
• Childhood

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

• Dating
• Defense mechanisms
• Family
• Friendship
• General
• Intimacy
• Love
• Medication
• Memory
• Monogamy
• Morality
• Motivation
• Parenting
• Personality
• Pornography
• Psychiatry
• Psychology
• Psychotherapy
• Rejection
• Relationships/couples counseling
• Time management
• Willpower

QUICK COMPARISON OF THE TOP 11 BEST ONLINE THERAPY SITES IN 2021

• Headquarters: Sunnyvale, California
• Founded in 2013
• Service Provided: Online Therapy

Online Therapy Company Overview

With over 7,500 licensed mental health counselors and therapists, BetterHelp is home to the most expansive network of licensed professional counselors on online therapy platforms in the telehealth industry. It is considered one of the best online therapy providers.

BetterHelp requires all professional counselors to be accredited, trained, and experienced. It hires some of the best online therapists in the business. All professional counselors must have a minimum of 2,000 hours of hands-on experience, three years of general experience, a degree, and board-certification (where applicable). 

BetterHelp accepts only about 15% of applicants through a four-to-five-week vetting process. This high level of credibility offers peace of mind to potential patients that may question the authenticity of online therapy.

BetterHelp Offers Personalized Online Therapy

BetterHelp aims to provide clients with affordable and convenient counseling for individuals, couples, and teens. Once you’ve finished answering the onboard screening questions, BetterHelp will match you with an experienced, specialized licensed professional counselor (usually within 24 hours). 

Whether you’re suffering from anxiety, depression, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, addiction, or any other mental health issue, BetterHelp will find the right therapist for you. You may also request a new therapist at any time.

Communicating with Your BetterHelp Therapist

Once matched with your therapist, you’ll be able to communicate via text message (non-immediate response), live chat, phone calls, and live video therapy. You’ll ‘meet’ with your therapist in a private chat room and exchange as many messages as you’d like. Typically, your therapist will respond once or twice a day through chat. Weekly live chat sessions are also provided as part of your subscription, and additional sessions may cost more.

BetterHelp Online Therapy Cost & Pricing Options

BetterHelp generally doesn’t take insurance, but you can always check with your insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid provider. While a minimum price of $35/week is frequently touted in advertisements, this is only available when purchasing an annual subscription. Pricing will increase based on the duration of your subscription.

• Annual subscription (unlimited messaging with weekly live session): $35/week
• Quarterly subscription (unlimited messaging with weekly live session): $45/week 
• Monthly subscription (unlimited messaging with weekly live session): $65/week 
• Weekly subscription (unlimited messaging with weekly live session): $80/week  

Talkspace

• Headquarters: New York, New York
• Founded in 2012
• Service Provided: Online Therapy/Psychiatry

Online Therapy Company Overview

With over 3,000 licensed mental health counselors and therapists, Talkspace is one of the leaders in the professional online therapy industry. Talkspace is another one of the best online therapy apps.

Talkspace is easy to use and partners with dozens of employers, health insurance plans, employee assistance programs, and educational organizations, keeping them at the forefront of group-provided online therapy services. In 2018, Talkspace rolled out Talkspace Psychiatry, allowing psychiatrists on the platform to write prescriptions.

This online mental health care company has an easy-to-use app interface that’s also visually pleasing. In fact, it’s possibly one of the most streamlined apps on this list. You can access chat rooms and the helpdesk from your laptop, smartphone, or tablet. It’s available for both iPhones and Android.

Talkspace Offers Personalized Online Therapy

Similar to other online therapy programs in the telemental health industry, Talkspace matches personalized therapists to individuals, couples, and teens. 

Talkspace also offers mental health matchmakers to help you choose a specialized therapist or psychiatrist from a large pool of online licensed professional counselors on the platform. It's known for hiring some of the best online therapists.

Communicating With Your Talkspace Therapist

Talkspace primarily encourages therapists to message patients on the platform. Subscribers can message their therapist as often as they’d like. These messages can be text-based therapy, audio, or even video therapy; therapists are required to respond (at minimum) one-to-two times per day. Depending on your subscription, your online therapy package may also include one live session per week or one live session per month.

Talkspace Online Therapy Cost & Pricing Options

Talkspace generally doesn’t take all insurance, but you can always check with your insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid provider to see if they cover this mental health app. 

The company offers multiple subscription packages, which offer varying levels of communication with an online therapist. All subscriptions are billed monthly with pricing based on the number of live sessions per month.

• Unlimited text-based therapy, audio messaging, and video messaging (no live sessions): $196/month  
• Unlimited text-based therapy, audio messaging, video messaging, and one live session per month: $236/month 
• Unlimited text-based therapy, audio messaging, video messaging, and four live sessions per month: $316/month  

7 Cups of Tea

• Headquarters: Virginia Beach, Virginia
• Founded in 2013
• Service Provided: Online Therapy/Group Support

Online Therapy Company Overview

If you’re looking for the best online therapy company at a budget-friendly cost, 7 Cups of Tea offers both paid and free counseling services. Dozens of anonymous condition-specific resources, forums, and live chatrooms are also available to users — all at no cost. 

This platform provides the telehealth community with a much-needed space for anyone who wants to try online therapy before buying. It’s also a great resource for anyone who would rather stick to group therapy and support groups (instead of investing in a certified professional therapist). 

If you decide that you’d like to explore a more professional approach to online therapy, licensed mental health counselors are also available via subscription service, similar to other platforms within the industry. Individuals can also apply to become a registered ‘listener’ with whom users can live chat to discuss their mental health and problems.

7 Cups of Tea Offers Personalized Online Therapy

Right now, 7 Cups has a relatively small group of listeners (116), who do not hold a therapy license, medical degree, or certification. This online therapy company’s value comes from its incredibly welcoming community of listeners and users — as well as its small pool of accredited therapists and counselors.

Once users create a free account, they are granted access to countless threads of information within dozens of communities. They can share their thoughts and concerns anonymously with other users based on different topics. A few of the roughly 30 communities include: 

• Depression
• Disability
• Relationship
• Trauma support
• General support

On 7 Cups of Tea, users are free to grow at their own pace and use the cost-free support platform as needed. Users may also select a licensed therapist from the directory of listeners.

Communicating with Your 7 Cups of Tea Therapist

Private live chatrooms, public forums, Q&A topics, and scheduled community discussions are hosted directly on the 7 Cups website. Users, listeners, and licensed therapists can communicate through the website’s online messaging platform. 

7 Cups of Tea Online Therapy Cost & Pricing Options

This online therapy company generally doesn’t take health insurance, but you can always check with your insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid provider. 7 Cups also offers a few free resources for in-person therapy on its site (and let’s be honest: the prices on this site are very competitive; most people would be hard-pressed to find and online therapy site with lower prices). 

The fees for this platform are:

• Non-licensed Listeners, forums, communities, resources, live chatrooms, and private chats: free 
• Unlimited messaging with a licensed therapist: $150/month

Regain

• Headquarters: Santa Clara, California
• Founded in 2016
• Service Provided: Online Therapy

Online Therapy Company Overview

ReGain specializes in online counseling for couples and is one of the best online therapy apps for relationship counseling. While other e-counseling platforms cast a wider net to address a wide variety of mental health needs, ReGain is solely focused on offering intimacy and relationship counseling.

ReGain Offers Personalized Online Therapy

With over 1,500 licensed therapists, ReGain has one of the largest networks of online couples therapists. This online therapy site uses a screening process similar to its competitors; users can filter licensed therapists depending on their needs.  

Partners and spouses are matched with couples therapists based on objectives, preferences, and mental health issues. Each therapist has a minimum of three years of experience, 2,000 hours, and a focus in relationship therapy. ReGain hires some of the best online therapists for relationships.

Communicating with Your ReGain Therapist

ReGain connects couples and therapists through text, voice, and video messaging as well as live video therapy. 

You and your partner will meet your couples counselor in a private live chat room. Fees include counseling for one couple (not per person).

ReGain Online Therapy Cost & Pricing Options

ReGain generally doesn’t take insurance, but you can always check with your insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid provider. ReGain’s pricing model is similar to others in the industry, with tiered packages offering varying levels of communication with a licensed therapist.

• Annual subscription (unlimited messaging with a weekly live session): $35/week
• Quarterly subscription (unlimited messaging with a weekly live session): $45/week
• Monthly subscription - (unlimited messaging with a weekly live session): $65/week 
• Weekly subscription (unlimited messaging; no weekly live session): $80/week

MDLive

• Headquarters: Miramar, Florida
• Founded in 2006
• Service Provided: Telemedicine/Online Therapy/Psychiatry

Online Therapy Company Overview

MDLive is a comprehensive telemental health company that offers one-off live sessions to meet with both licensed therapists and psychiatrists. 

While other platforms may offer subscription online therapy, strictly one-off psychiatric treatment, or a combination of the two, MDLive offers the freedom to visit a licensed therapist and/or psychiatrist without an ongoing commitment. Clients benefit from both ongoing therapeutic treatment as well as prescription medication.

MD Live Offers Personalized Online Therapy and Psychiatry

MDLive offers users total autonomy by allowing patients to select their own licensed therapist or psychiatrist (rather than completing a screening questionnaire and matching service.)

Patients list their behavioral health conditions (anxiety, depression, stress, grief, loss, etc.) to see a list of over 400 licensed therapists and psychiatrists. 

Communicating with Your MD Live Therapist or Psychiatrist

Unlike most of the other online therapy sites on this list, MDLive requires all patients to schedule live video therapy or phone call sessions in advance. These sessions can be held via smartphone, tablet, or computer. 

This online therapy company is perfect for anyone looking for old-school live counseling sessions — without commuting to an office across town. It offers all the benefits of face-to-face counseling while still gaining access to hundreds of therapists and psychiatrists all over the country. 

MD Live Online Therapy Cost & Pricing Options

Since there is no subscription service provided through MDLive, all sessions are paid for individually. Check with your health insurance company to see if your plan covers MD Live. 

• Live video therapy or phone call session with a licensed therapist: $99 
• The initial appointment with a psychiatrist: $259
• Follow-up appointments with a psychiatrist: $99 

Amwell

• Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts
• Founded in 2006
• Service Provided: All Telemedicine/Psychiatry

Online Therapy Company Overview

Amwell is a complete telemedicine company that specializes in psychiatry. Rather than strictly offering emotional support and counseling through therapy, your relationship with your Amwell psychiatrist will be more akin to your relationship with your primary care physician. Your Psychiatrist will conduct an initial intake session, potentially recommend treatment through talk therapy and prescription medication, and schedule follow-up sessions as needed.

Amwell Offers Personalized Online Psychiatry

Amwell matches users with one of 350 therapists through an intake form with a list of conditions. After filling out the form, users receive a list of doctors (complete with photos and biography) that specialize in selected conditions.

Communicating with Your Amwell Psychiatrist

Amwell psychiatrists connect with patients through scheduled live video therapy or phone calls. Subscription mental health services are not available, but patients may request live sessions as needed (similar to traditional face-to-face therapy).

Amwell Online Therapy Cost 

Check with your insurance company to see if your plan covers Amwell. Psychiatrist and psychologist costs for Amwell are:

• Initial intake session: $199 
• All follow-up visits: $95 

Teen Counseling

• Headquarters: Santa Clara, California
• Founded in 2013
• Service Provided: Online Therapy

Online Therapy Company Overview

You guessed it: Teen Counseling specializes in online therapy for adolescents, aged 13 to 18. Teen Counseling not only provides online subscription-based therapy services for teenagers, but it also offers a parent portal to keep mom and dad in touch with the therapist. While all online therapy between the therapist and teen remains confidential, parents do have the ability to discuss areas of concern with the therapist as well.

Teen Counseling Offers Personalized Online Therapy

Teenagers and/or parents may proceed through the platform's unique set of screening questions designed to match you and your teen with the most appropriate licensed therapist. With access to over 3,500 therapists who specialize in young adult mental health, finding just the right counselor is a breeze.

Communicating with Your Teen Counseling Therapist

Teen Counseling is the only online therapist on this list that offers a parent portal to include parents or guardians in the therapy process. Both the parent or guardian and the patient are assigned a private and confidential chat room where they have access to unlimited messaging with the therapist. The teen can also access a private message room that parents cannot access — just to keep patient confidentiality on the up-and-up. 

Live video therapy or phone sessions can either be added a la carte or included in the monthly fee.

Cost

Check with your insurance company to see if your plan covers this platform. Teen Counseling offers two subscription plans for its services:

• Unlimited text-based messaging (live video therapy or phone sessions can be added for $25/session): $45/week 
• Unlimited text-based messaging and four live video therapy or phone sessions per month: $65/week 

Pride Counseling

• Headquarters: Santa-Clara, California
• Founded in 2013
• Service Offered: Online Therapy

Online Therapy Company Overview

Pride Counseling offers members of the LGBTQ community affordable therapy. Over 3,000 certified and licensed therapists are available, all of whom specialize in treating LGBTQ-related mental health issues as well as general mental health concerns. This is one of the few online therapy companies that specialize in LGBTQ issues, and many of the doctors and therapists on this platform are active in the LGBTQ community themselves. Users can even request a gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, queer, male, or female counselor. 

Pride Counseling Offers Personalized Online Therapy for LGBTQ Individuals

Pride Counseling matches users with professional counselors, based on objectives, preferences, and individual concerns. This company goes out of its way to ensure patients and therapists are a good fit. Users can request a new counselor at any time — for any reason whatsoever.

Communicating with Your Pride Counseling Therapist

The four standard online therapy modalities included with Pride Counseling subscriptions include text-based messaging, live chats, phone calls, and live video therapy chat. All of these online therapy platforms can be accessed through a smartphone, tablet, or computer.

Pride Online Therapy Cost & Pricing Options

Pride Counseling offers one standard pricing model that includes unlimited access to all four methods of communication with a licensed therapist or counselor.

• First 3 months: $65/week 
• After the first 3 months: $45/week 

iCounseling

• Headquarters: Santa Clara, California
• Founded in 2013
• Service Provided: Online Therapy

Online Therapy Company Overview

iCounseling provides standard online therapy with access to over 4,000 licensed therapists and professional counselors. Its easy-to-use interface and mobile apps allow users convenient communication with their counselors. All providers have a minimum of three years of practice, over 2,000 hours, and are accredited and board-certified.

iCounseling Offers Personalized Online Therapy

iCounseling screens new users with a questionnaire to determine individual goals and treatment options — and to match users with the most suitable mental health specialist available. 

In addition to online counseling services, iCounseling also offers a free online library of the signs, treatments, and FAQs. Information includes causes of anxiety, eating disorders, PTSD, depression, grief, and stress.

Communicating with Your Teen Counseling Therapist

Once you have been matched with your licensed therapist, you are free to communicate with your counselor through text-based messages, live chats, phone calls, and live video sessions. Your subscription with iCounseling includes unlimited communication via any of the aforementioned modalities without additional charges. 

iCounseling Online Therapy Cost & Pricing Options

This company doesn’t traditionally bill insurance companies, so check with your provider to see if the membership costs are covered in your health insurance policy. iCounseling offers three separate billing options for their subscription with no changes to the mental health services provided:

• Quarterly membership: $45/week 
• Month-to-month membership: $65/week
• Week-to-week membership: $80/week  

Doctor on Demand

• Headquarters: San Francisco, California
• Founded in 2012
• Service Provided: Online Therapy/Psychiatry

Online Therapy Company Overview

With a diverse selection of over 300 licensed therapists and psychiatrists, Doctor on Demand offers behavioral health treatment through ongoing therapy sessions as well as prescription medication. Doctor on Demand specializes in anxiety, depression, postpartum depression, relationships, trauma and loss, screenings, and all mental health issues stemming from these conditions.

Doctor on Demand Offers Personalized Online Therapy and Psychiatry

Doctor on Demand utilizes a free mental health assessment to diagnose patients. This quick and easy evaluation will help to determine potential underlying conditions impacting mental health, while also determining the most suitable course of treatment. Like the other providers on this list, Doctor on Demand hires some of the best online therapists.

Communicating with Your Doctor on Demand Therapist or Psychiatrist

This online therapy company offers individually-scheduled live video sessions with either a licensed therapist or psychiatrist. After completing a free assessment, the online therapy site will pair you with a specialist.

Doctor on Demand Online Therapy Cost & Pricing Options

Doctor on Demand comes with a steeper price tag than most of the other platforms on this list. Yet unlike many of the other online therapy platforms, DoD accepts many health insurance plans. They also offer employee discounts for companies such as American Airlines, Walmart, and Comcast. With that in mind, therapy and psychiatry sessions are billed differently and must be scheduled ahead of time.

• 25-minute therapy session: $129   
• 55-minute therapy session: $179
• Initial psychiatry visit: $299  

PrestoExperts by Liveperson

• Headquarters: New York, New York
• Founded in 2013
• Service Provided: Online Therapy/Telehealth

Online Therapy Company Overview

PrestoExperts’s network of therapy providers is substantially smaller than it’s competitors (under 100 licensed therapists), which is perfect for users who don’t want to weed through a long list of specialists.

PrestoExperts Offers Personalized Online Therapy

Filter mental health providers by credentials, experience, licensing, and certification in a matter of seconds. Areas of focus include addiction, coping methods, faith-based online counseling, emotional disorders, and many more.

Communicating With Your PrestoExperts Therapist or Counselor

Therapy providers may communicate with clients through text chat, phone calls, or emails. But this communication can only begin after an email screening process for both the user and the counselor. The screening process is designed to keep both the therapist and the user safe and anonymous. 

PrestoExperts Online Therapy Cost

PrestoExperts offers a unique pricing model compared to that of its competitors. Therapists are allowed to determine the rate to be charged on a per-minute basis. 

Current rates are $1-to-$4.50 a minute (or $60-to$270 and hour). Check with your insurance provider to see if PrestoExpert’s costs are covered under your health insurance plan.

Final Takeaways for Online Therapy & Psychiatry

Online therapy and psychiatry are rapidly gaining popularity in the telehealth industry — and with good reason. Online therapy saves patients time and money and often removes the need for health insurance and face-to-face therapy altogether. 

Plus, patients can choose from thousands of specialists on a wide variety of platforms. From therapists specializing in couples therapy to teen problems and LGBTQ mental health issues, it’s easy to communicate with professional counselors from coast to coast. 

Growingly competitive online therapy spaces offer plenty of options, price points, and features. Hopefully, this ultimate guide to telehealth and best online therapy reviews will help you navigate your way along the road to an improved state of mental health.