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The 9 Best Online Therapy Services of 2021

Img of Dr McHugh
Updated on October 12, 2021

We may receive referral fees from providers listed below. See our full disclaimer.

The process of getting started with online therapy is likely to cause some anxiety, even if you’ve worked with a counselor in the past. First, there’s the issue of whether or not it’s effective. Next, you need to choose a therapy provider with the knowledge that in doing so, you are not actually picking a therapist, but rather a technology platform. Overall, it can be a little scary.

However, the benefits of online counseling are really hard to ignore. The convenience of engaging in remote sessions, the cost savings, and the ability to freely text with your therapist are excellent motivators for giving it a try.

When choosing an online therapy provider, you need to decide which features and attributes are most important to you. Some items to consider are price, communication options, qualifications of the therapists, and data security, to name a few.

To help make sense of all your options, we set out to review the leading services and narrowed the list down to nine platforms that we recommend. Although there are tens of great alternatives out there, our research has concluded that these offer the best overall value for your money.

This list was determined after researching and testing tens of competing services. We reviewed their technical features, investigated their reputations, compared their prices and packages, and of course, researched the qualifications and credentials of their therapists. Lastly, we considered one feature most customers often overlook; how much attention you can expect to receive from the therapists on each platform. The core focus of our analysis was to determine the overall value and effectiveness of each provider.

Talkspace

Editor’s Rating
Highlights
Best Overall
Average Price:
$65 per week
Mobile Apps:
iOS, Android
Session Types:
Video, Chat, Voice, Messaging
Pros & Cons
  • Unlimited counseling with a professional licensed therapist
  • Confidential and anonymous
  • Video sessions and ongoing text messaging with your therapist
  • Convenient and easy-to-use mobile app
  • Response time depends on the individual therapist

Talkspace is among the world’s most recognized online therapy brands. They understood early-on that in order to make professional therapy available to as many people as possible, they needed to make affordability and convenience a priority, thereby eliminating some of the primary obstacles that stand in the way of many people getting the help they need.

When it comes to price, Talkspace offers several different plans and options, allowing people to get started with professional counseling online even if they are on a tight budget. Some packages include more live sessions than others and therefore cost more. They also provide discounts to those that choose to commit to long-term packages.

As for convenience, Talkspace has continued to make counseling more accessible by incorporating world-class usability features into its platform. Talkspace provides their customers with access to live, one-on-one, therapy sessions via video conferencing. They also enable users to conduct an ongoing dialogue with their therapists via text messaging, available through their website and mobile app.

As with every online counseling provider, the quality of the treatment is subject to the expertise of the therapists and their ability to make meaningful connections with their clients. In order to maximize the efficacy of their service, Talkspace has set the highest of standards, requiring 3,000 hours of clinical experience in order to be accepted to their platform.

Read our full Talkspace review.

Online-Therapy.com

Editor’s Rating
Highlights
Best for CBT
Average Price:
$59.95 per week
Mobile Apps:
N/A
Session Types:
Video, Chat, Voice, Messaging
Pros & Cons
  • Unlimited communication with your therapist
  • Therapy sessions via video, voice and live chat
  • All counselors trained in CBT therapy
  • Therapist-guided worksheets
  • No mobile app

Online-Therapy.com is a fast-growing platform providing online cognitive behavioral therapy. Their therapists guide users through worksheets and interactive online books via live chat and messaging. In addition to being the platform with the most generous package of live therapy sessions, they provide a complete toolbox of resources to empower users to take charge of their mental health.

This service is a more affordable option than many of the other providers, although it does not come at the expense of providing their clients with access to live therapy sessions. Online-Therapy.com offers packages that allow you to pay a little more per month to receive more live sessions, and even those plans are little less pricey than the other providers.

Read our full Online-Therapy.com review.

BetterHelp

Editor’s Rating
Highlights
Largest Pool of Therapists
Average Price:
$80 per week
Mobile Apps:
iOS, Android
Session Types:
Video, Chat, Voice, Messaging
Pros & Cons
  • Unlimited communication with your therapist
  • Convenient and easy-to-use mobile app
  • Sessions can begin within 24 hours of signup
  • Response time depends on the individual therapist
  • Not covered by insurance

BetterHelp is among the largest, and certainly most recognized online therapy services in the world. Their platform connects users with licensed, professional therapists via video, phone, chat and messaging tools. Communication with the therapists takes place in the form of live sessions conducted as an ongoing dialogue via messaging and live virtual therapy sessions.

With one simple pricing plan that includes unlimited therapy, BetterHelp offers a counseling service that’s significantly less expensive than in‑office therapy. While they are not the least expensive provider, they do offer financial assistance for those that qualify.

As a silicon-valley based company with a more technical orientation, BetterHelp employs the most up-to-date technologies in optimizing their security and usability features.

It should be noted, that while most other platforms offer counseling for a variety of treatment needs, BetterHelp segments their treatments into different brands within their portfolio. For example, they offer counseling to adolescents via their brand Teen Counseling and Counseling for LGBTQ+ clients via their brand Pride Counseling. As users navigate BetterHelp, they are often directed to one of these other brands that have been designed to address the specific needs of that group.

Some users appreciate this feature, while others may prefer to to work through a generic platform that serves all types of people rather than grouping them together based on one aspect of their lives.

Read our full BetterHelp review.

Calmerry

Editor’s Rating
Highlights
Most Responsive Therapists
Average Price:
$56.99 per week
Mobile Apps:
iOS, Android
Session Types:
Video, Chat, Voice, Messaging
Pros & Cons
  • Offers flexible introductory plans
  • Highly qualified professional therapists
  • Most responsive therapists and support staff
  • Switch therapists at any time
  • Therapists cannot prescribe medication

Calmerry is a user-friendly therapy platform with experienced therapists that we found to be responsive and very eager to help.

Unlike other providers, they offer an introductory plan that allows you to sign up and get a feel for what you can expect from their platform before committing to a monthly subscription. In addition to an effective and pleasant therapy experience,  we found their mobile app to be intuitive and easy-to-use. All this makes them a very worthy option for online counseling.

Read our full Calmerry review.

ReGain Counseling

Editor’s Rating
Highlights
Best for Couples Counseling
Average Price:
$80 per week
Mobile Apps:
iOS, Android
Session Types:
Video, Chat, Voice, Messaging
Pros & Cons
  • Specializes in relationship counseling
  • All therapists are licensed and experienced
  • Allows couples more flexibility in scheduling sessions
  • Three-way phone and video sessions not supported

Regain is a unique online counseling service in that it focuses solely on relationship counseling. The therapists on this platform are licensed professionals that have experience in working with couples, as well as individuals, on resolving their relationship issues. In addition to being much more affordable than in‑office couples counseling, Regain is also more convenient with its multiple communication options and flexible session scheduling.

While couples therapy is meant to help bring couples together, the sessions themselves do not have to take place with both partners present. Individuals may attend the live sessions on their own to work through their relationship issues if the partner is unable or unwilling to attend.

Read our full ReGain Counseling review.

Tokitus

Editor’s Rating
Highlights
Best European Platform
Average Price:
$60 per session
Mobile Apps:
N/A
Session Types:
Video, Voice, Messaging
Pros & Cons
  • Pay-per-session pricing
  • Sessions available in 14 languages
  • Highly qualified therapists
  • Flexible scheduling options
  • Relatively small pool of therapists

Based in Lithuania, Tokitus markets itself as a European therapy provider that can cater to clients all over Europe. They offer therapy in 14 languages, enabling their users to engage in sessions in their native tongues.

Read our full Tokitus review.

Teen Counseling

Editor’s Rating
Highlights
Best for Teens
Average Price:
$75 per week
Mobile Apps:
iOS, Android
Session Types:
Video, Chat, Voice, Messaging
Pros & Cons
  • Specializes in counseling teenagers
  • All therapists are licensed and experienced
  • Parents communicate with their child’s therapist independently
  • Therapists cannot prescribe medication

Teencounseling.com is a therapy platform specifically designed to cater to teenagers 13-19 years of age. The therapists on the site are all licensed and experienced with helping teens cope with the issues unique to adolescence. Though parents can choose to be involved in initially discussing their child’s needs with the therapists, and continuously serve as the points of contact in case the teen is believed to be at risk, the sessions between the therapist and the teen are completely confidential.

Read our full Teen Counseling review.

Pride Counseling

Editor’s Rating
Highlights
Best for LGBTQ
Average Price:
$75 per week
Mobile Apps:
iOS, Android
Session Types:
Video, Chat, Phone, Messaging
Pros & Cons
  • Specializes in serving the LGBTQ community
  • All therapists are licensed and experienced
  • Easy-to-use mobile app
  • Response time depends on the individual therapist

Pride Counseling matches people in the LGBTQ community with licensed online therapists who can help them cope with many types of mental health issues, whether they are more common conditions such as depressions and anxiety, or challenges specifically relating to their sexual orientation.

With this platform, members can communicate one-on-one with a dedicated therapist via phone, video, or the platform’s secure messaging system. The platform has its own app in addition to the website where users can log on and receive therapy from counselors that have experience with the LGBTQ community.

Read our full Pride Counseling review.

Amwell

Editor’s Rating
Highlights
Great Video Therapy Platform
Average Price:
$109 per session
Mobile Apps:
iOS, Android
Session Types:
Video, Phone
Pros & Cons
  • All therapists are licensed and have at least a master’s level therapy degree
  • Quick signup
  • Few therapists to choose from
  • No unlimited therapy packages offered

AmWell is an online medical care platform that puts people in touch with health care professionals. Among the other services they offer, counseling is available via web and mobile app at a fraction of the cost of traditional, in-office visits. While therapy is not their primary focus, one thing that does make them stand out is that they also offer sessions with psychiatrists.

Read our full Amwell review.

Side-by-Side Feature Comparison

Company Average Cost Insurance Accepted Session Types Mobile Apps Website
Talkspace $65/week Yes Video, Chat, Voice, Messaging iOS, Android talkspace.com
Online-Therapy.com $59.95/week No Video, Chat, Voice, Messaging N/A online-therapy.com
BetterHelp $80/week No Video, Chat, Voice, Messaging iOS, Android betterhelp.com
Calmerry $56.99/week No Video, Chat, Voice, Messaging iOS, Android calmerry.com
ReGain Counseling $80/week No Video, Chat, Voice, Messaging iOS, Android regain.com
Tokitus $60/session No Video, Voice, Messaging N/A tokitus.com
Teen Counseling $75/week No Video, Chat, Voice, Messaging iOS, Android teencounseling.com
Pride Counseling $75/week No Video, Chat, Phone, Messaging iOS, Android pridecounseling.com
Amwell $109/session Yes Video, Phone iOS, Android amwell.com

What is Online Therapy?

Online therapy, commonly referred to as teletherapy, online counseling, or virtual therapy, has evolved over time to mean different things. Whereas all forms of therapy conducted over the internet were once considered online therapy, the term currently refers specifically to psychotherapy treatment conducted by mental health professionals via the web or a mobile app.

The mediums through which treatment is delivered include video conferencing, live chat, private message boards, text messaging, phone calls, and audio messages. The treatments themselves involve the same techniques and therapy modalities one might encounter with an in-person therapist.​

How Much Does Online Therapy Cost?

The factor that determines the cost of online therapy, more than anything else, is how much of the therapist’s time and attention you receive through a given provider. Some services provide hour-long sessions that cost approximately $100 per session. Others allow you to communicate with your therapist only through text messaging, and therefore may cost as little as $40 per week.

That places the price range of a subscription to a therapy platform at anywhere from $160 to $400 per month, subject to how many live therapy sessions you schedule each month, and how many months you can pay for in advance.

Is Online Therapy Effective?

Scientific studies, as well chatter among mental health professionals, seem to indicate that, overall, counseling sessions delivered via online platforms are, in fact, effective. While, as with everything in life, there are some drawbacks, they seem to be overshadowed by the benefits.[1]

What are the Main Benefits of Online Counseling​?

There are several reasons the top online therapy platforms have succeeded in attracting millions of users. Below are some of the more notable benefits reported by users and highlighted by the providers themselves.

  • Saves Time: The time spent commuting back and forth, on top of a session that typically lasts close to an hour, is a big time commitment for many people. Parents, as well those working full-time often find it difficult to consistently attend weekly sessions with a therapist. Online counseling sessions, however, do not require any time for commuting. In fact, sessions can take place during blocks of ‘downtime’ in the weekly schedules of even the busiest people. Since all one needs is a mobile device or computer with an Internet connection, the sessions can take place during a lunch break, while waiting in the car during a child’s soccer practice, or practically anytime during an available time slot that matches up with your therapist’s schedule.

  • Saves Money: In-person therapy sessions can cost anywhere from $75 to $300. This range reflects the location and level of education and experience of the therapist. Some online counseling services provide users with discounted introductory pricing, as well as discounts when committing to long-term subscriptions, starting with subscriptions as low as $40 per week. Some providers even work with major insurance companies, which further reduces your costs.

  • Privacy and Confidentiality: Engaging in online counseling provides users with a similar level of privacy and confidentiality to what they would receive with an in-person therapist. Therapists on the platforms are bound by strict local and federal laws. The counseling sessions, as well as all communication with the online therapists, are protected by HIPAA. The chat sessions on the major therapist platforms, especially those listed above, are secured by encrypted connections. When signing up, users can use an alias and any email account, adding an element of anonymity not available with in-person therapists.

  • Access to More Therapists: In some areas, the availability of local mental health professionals is extremely limited. Those that need therapists who specialize in treating specific conditions or using therapy modalities that they prefer have an even harder time finding help locally. With online counseling, location is less of a limiting factor. Therapists can work with clients that reside in any location in which they are licensed. Many therapists are licensed to work in multiple states, thereby dramatically increasing the number of potential clients they can help. This opens up a world of additional options to those living in smaller towns who may have a smaller pool of providers.

  • Many Options for Communication: Some people are able to communicate well verbally, face-to-face with their therapists, even when discussing the most sensitive of subjects. There are those, however, that have an easier time expressing themselves in writing or over the phone. This may be because it gives them more time to think through what they want to say or because it allows them to avoid having to process and express the physical mannerisms inherent in face-to-face communication. This is an area in which teletherapy really excels as text, phone, audio, and message boards are available through most online therapy providers.

Which Diagnoses Can be Treated Through Online Therapy?​

While most people think of online therapy as primarily equipped to help those struggling with anxiety and depression, this is far from the truth. A variety of conditions and symptoms can be helped through online sessions. Most of the therapy platforms we reviewed and listed here treat these diagnoses:

  • Mood Disorder: These disorders usually have symptoms involving mood fluctuation, including periods of depression, mania, lack of sleep, risk-taking behaviors, and lack of impulse control.[2]

  • Anxiety Disorders: Anxiety takes many forms but can involve specific fears, phobias, or worries, OCD, or generalized anxiety.

  • Personality Disorders: People who are diagnosed with personality disorders have long-term, fixed patterns of behavior that are extreme or rigid and inflexible. Narcissistic personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, and others are common diagnoses related to personality disorders.

  • Psychotic Disorders: Psychotic disorders are severe mental health conditions that are characterized by abnormal and odd thoughts and perceptions. Distorted reality is common for those in a psychotic state, often experiencing hallucinations and delusions. Schizophrenia, delusional disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and others are common diagnoses. Though not all providers have professionals on their platforms who can treat these types of disorders, some platforms, such as Talkspace and Amwell, do have online therapists with the necessary credentials and experience.[3]

  • Trauma-Related Disorders: Trauma-related disorders present themselves when a person experiences an event that causes them to feel excessive fear, often involving fear that they will die as a result of the experience. These include chronic abuse, rape, incest, neglect, car accidents, medical traumas, and many others.

  • Substance-Abuse Disorders: Substance abuse is an issue that has been prevalent for decades and continues to be a contemporary problem in our lives. Alcohol and drug dependence are medical conditions that have specific treatments that are effective in helping a patient reach sobriety. While therapy should be only one aspect of the treatment plan, it can be provided online with experienced counselors available on many of the leading platforms.[4]

Which Therapy Modalities Are Practiced via Therapy Platforms?

These are some of the main theories that influence the therapy modalities commonly used in online sessions:

  • Psychodynamic Therapy (Psychoanalytic): Patients gain insight into the unconscious ways they process things and how they affect current behaviors. Patients learn how their past may be behind their anxiety or depression, and work out how to undo these patterns and develop healthier, more sustainable ones.

  • Behavioral Therapy​: Derived from the early work of Pavlov, famous for his work with dogs, and Skinner who pioneered shaping behavior, therapists help patients overcome fears, phobias, or anxieties by desensitizing their worries. Through gradual exposure to stressful experiences and using coping skills, this approach shows a person can change their perceptions and behaviors in the process.

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Patients are taught to recognize how their thoughts are contributing to their distress, and through cognitive and behavioral approaches, are challenged to apply coping skills in situations where they are exposed to stress.

  • Cognitive Therapy: Patients become able to notice their thoughts and how these thoughts affect their feelings and ultimately their behavior. Therapists will help their patients recognize that challenging their thoughts and using coping skills to tolerate them and change how they feel about whatever is causing them stress.

  • Humanistic Therapy​: Patients work toward self-actualization involving helping them find meaning and make choices that are in their best self-interest in combination with support and consideration/respect for others to help them achieve their goals.

  • Integrative or Holistic Therapy: Therapists work with different approaches depending on patient need and their personal expertise and training.

understanding reviews of online therapy

What Are the Different Types of Online Therapy Providers?

Providers of online therapy can be classified by how they provide therapy. Most providers fall under one of two categories; those offering unlimited access to therapists and those that are purely session-based.

Providers offering unlimited access allow their users various forms of digital communication with their therapists. This may include phone, text, live chat, message boards, video messages, and audio messages. In addition, they may also offer live therapy sessions via video. Although the therapists might respond only a few hours, and sometimes a couple of days, after the messages have been sent, there is still an ongoing dialogue that allows clients to communicate exactly how they feel in real-time. The therapists then respond and provide support, often referencing previous live sessions or messages.

Those platforms that are more session-based typically do not offer additional ways to communicate with the therapists outside of the actual sessions which are typically conducted via video conferencing software. The sessions themselves can last 45 minutes to an hour, as compared with the 30-45 minute sessions that normally place through platforms offering unlimited access. However, the cost of a weekly session normally costs around $100, considerably more than the $50 to $65 charged by those offering unlimited access.

Things to Keep in Mind When Choosing an Online Therapy Service

  • One Therapist Does Not Represent the Entire Industry: When you sign up for online therapy, the platform will match with a therapist based on several parameters. This matching process is not always perfect. Sometimes, two people are simply incompatible for many reasons. Sometimes, they do get along, but the therapy does not appear to be working. When either of these scenarios happens, it’s important to remember that no one therapist represents the entirety of online therapy, and certainly of psychotherapy treatment as a whole.

    People switch medical professionals all the time, and if you are unhappy with your therapist, you should do the same. Most online therapy platforms allow you to easily switch therapists at any time. If your frustration is as much with the platform itself as it is with your therapist, you can choose a different provider that will meet your needs.

  • Canceling is Easy: If you try out online therapy and come to the conclusion that it’s not for you, canceling your account is easy, and does not involve having an awkward conversation with your therapist the same way it would if you were seeing someone in-person. So, you should not worry about making the wrong decision, as it can be undone with minimal effort. However, keep in mind that receiving a refund for the unused time left in your package may prove to be a frustrating experience.

  • Decide Which Methods of Communication You Prefer: For some, the thought of texting with their therapist might seem a bit too informal. They prefer to have heavy, personal conversations with therapists they can see via video sessions. Others, however, really appreciate the ability to communicate with their online therapist the same way they communicate with nearly everyone else in their lives, via text messaging. There is certainly an age component that might impact which of these methods you prefer, but regardless, you should be prepared to decide which option you need before you sign up so that you choose the right provider and the right package for your needs.

  • Online Therapy Reviews Can Help You Decide: Therapy is not a quick-fix type of service. It typically involves a long-term process of gradually opening up to the therapist and working on oneself to confront emotions, change bad habits, and eventually overcome complicated challenges. Since the definition of success varies greatly when it comes to mental health treatment, our selection of the best online therapy providers was impacted by feedback shared with us by users of this site, as well as reviews and independent research by our editorial team.

Summary

Online therapy provides a wealth of benefits, including convenience, privacy, and affordability, to name a few. It’s, therefore, no surprise to see millions of people transitioning from in-office to online sessions. If you’re looking to make the switch to online therapy from in-office appointments, make sure your needs are clearly defined so you can make the best possible decision for yourself.

Having a trusted relationship with a mental health professional gives you a place to vent and express your innermost thoughts and struggles. You could be struggling with mental health conditions, relationship problems, trauma, or a myriad of other challenges. A professional can help you arrive at the answers on how to cope with your life. It can be so hard to deal with the stress of life without support, and even when we do have the support of our loved ones, we can feel misunderstood and alone.

Online therapy has provided an easy and cost-effective way for people to give therapy a try and see if it works for them. However, regardless of whether it’s virtually or in-person, the important thing is that if you feel that you need help, you make it a priority to speak with a mental health professional.

online counseling provides many benefits
References
  1. Andrews, G., Basu, A., Cuijpers, P., Craske, M., McEvoy, P., English, C., & Newby, J. (2018). Computer therapy for the anxiety and depression disorders is effective, acceptable and practical health care: An updated meta-analysis. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 55, 70–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2018.01.001
  2. Mood disorders—Symptoms and causes. (2021, July 1). Mayo Clinic.
  3. The U.S. National Library of Medicine. (2021). Psychotic Disorders. MedlinePlus.
  4. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2017, June). Trends in substance use disorders among adults aged 18 or older. The CBHSQ Report.