If you have met one ADHDer, you have met exactly one ADHDer. We all have our own interests, skills, and strengths. Additionally, no two organizations or employers are identical.
A job listed here may happen to be a good fit for you. With this in mind, common characteristics of ADHD can make certain high-focus or high-precision roles more difficult and stressful.
Jobs involving repetitive work do not lead to the dopamine production that many ADHDers need. When considering roles to apply for, think about what you do well and what you enjoy.
ADHDers often struggle with employment because the world is not designed to accommodate our brains. It is well-documented that those with ADHD are less likely to be employed, less likely to hold full-time work, and earn less income compared to their non-ADHD peers. Many jobs have requirements that are directly in conflict with common challenges associated with ADHD, such as meeting deadlines, attention to detail, focusing during long meetings, or sitting at a desk for long periods of time.
Suz Vera Burroughs, continuing education provider, specialist in ketamine-assisted therapeutic massage, and specialist in post-psychedelic integration massage and bodywork, has ADHD and supports ADHDers in her work. She shares that many with ADHD struggle at work because “neurodiverse folks often don’t ‘widget.'” “By that, I mean we rarely fit neatly into the gears of the corporate machine. This mismatch grinds everyone’s gears, ours especially!”
Of course, no two ADHDers are identical. Our characteristics show up in different ways, and we all have unique strengths and challenges regardless of neurotype or diagnosis. With this in mind, some roles tend to be more challenging for ADHD brains compared to neurotypical brains. As always, your mileage may vary, and just because something is not listed here doesn’t mean it won’t apply.
Data Entry and Processing
Jobs that involve entering and processing data require attention to detail and accuracy, which can be challenging for those who experience the inattentive symptoms of ADHD. In fact, the DSM lists the very first inattentive symptom as “often fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, at work, or during other activities (e.g., overlooks or misses details, work is inaccurate).”
In other words, if you have the neurodivergence that makes you prone to making simple mistakes, a job that relies on precision may not be the best role for you.
Furthermore, jobs that include processing and entering data can be highly repetitive in ways that do not hold an ADHDer’s attention or provide enough stimulation to keep them engaged. Dynamic environments with novel stimuli are much more likely to hold the ADHDer’s attention and allow them to thrive.
Editor/Proofreader
Similar to data processing, jobs that involve proofreading and editing require strong attention to detail. For some ADHDers, looking at all the tiny details rather than the big picture can be overwhelming. When your brain is more likely to make small mistakes and miss details, an editing job might not be the right fit.
In addition, ADHD brains thrive on novelty. This can mean that, when it comes time to edit and proofread, the project no longer feels new and shiny. As a result, it is harder to get motivated, start the task, and focus on reviewing something that has already been created. You might find yourself looking for the next new thing rather than following through on the task at hand.
Event Planner
Jobs that involve planning big events often require high levels of organization and attention to detail. You must be able to remember a lot of deadlines and moving parts, keeping everything straight and following up when needed.
Many ADHDers struggle with making a lot of decisions, which is a key component of this job. Event planning also typically involves a lot of meetings, decision-making, and budgeting—all of which can be difficult for ADHDers to manage.
Long-haul Truckers
Long-term research shows that ADHDers are at higher risk for motor vehicle accidents compared to non-ADHDers. This is not surprising, given that safely operating a car requires attention and impulse control skills, which do not come easily to the ADHD community.
Long-haul trucking can be particularly challenging as these jobs require driving incredibly long distances, often through areas that are neither interesting nor visually stimulating. Someone with ADHD might risk getting distracted, drifting off to sleep, or not properly attending to the road.
Customer Support/Call Center Jobs
Customer-facing jobs such as support or call center roles can be difficult for ADHDers for multiple reasons. These jobs tend to be highly repetitive in ways that those with ADHD may find boring. Although you do not know who will call next, and each request may be unique, answering similar questions day in and day out will quickly become tedious.
Additionally, these jobs are often very closely managed, and many ADHDers struggle with this level of oversight. Burroughs shares, “The biggest clashes happen in work environments that are overly structured, uniform, and inflexible.”
Since many with ADHD struggle to regulate their emotions in tense or high-conflict situations, it can be difficult to manage customer service situations when the customer may be angry and aggressive. When customers are upset, it is likely not the representative’s fault, yet representatives often take the brunt of this anger.
To be clear, no one deserves verbal abuse at work. But ADHDers might have particular difficulty self-regulating in these moments. Additionally, those with rejection sensitivity may burn out quickly in these situations.
Desk Jobs
Standard office jobs, like being an administrative assistant, office clerk, or accountant, can be challenging for ADHDers. Hyperactive-impulsive ADHD behaviors include fidgeting, difficulty remaining seated, and feelings of restlessness, all of which can be core requirements of desk jobs. Additionally, these roles often involve long meetings, requiring sustained attention, and strong organizational skills.
According to Burroughs, “Employers often think ADHDers need a lighter workload and more supervision, but we usually need the opposite: complex problems, clear deadlines, and more autonomy. Basics like clear written instructions and respectful communication help.”
Employers often think ADHDers need a lighter workload and more supervision, but we usually need the opposite: complex problems, clear deadlines, and more autonomy.
— SUZ VERA BURROUGHS, MS ED, BCTMB
Accommodations Make All the Difference
If you have ADHD and your dream job is on this list, don’t panic! Many jobs can be adjusted, and accommodations can be put in place that allow you to thrive. ADHD is considered a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and workers in the United States are legally entitled to reasonable workplace accommodations to allow them to thrive.
Of course, if an employer is flexible, employees can self-accommodate, making adjustments to their schedule, workspace, and approach to the job. “Simple, universal design steps can make a huge difference,” says Burroughs. “For example, making noise-canceling headphones available to all employees helps ADHDers without forcing them to ‘out’ themselves. Anything that benefits everyone, called a curb effect, is a win.”
Many employers will find that the entire organization becomes more productive and develops higher morale when employees are given the freedom to meet their own needs, regardless of whether they have ADHD or not. The environment, culture, and accessibility of accommodations are much bigger predictors of whether an ADHDer will thrive in a given workplace than the job itself.
Cognitive behavioral therapy, known as CBT, is an incredibly popular therapy modality (or type of treatment) based around recognizing and learning to change negative, unhelpful, or harmful thoughts. “The goal of CBT is not ‘positive thinking’ but rather ‘realistic thinking,’” explains Dr. Judith Beck, President of the Beck Institute, which specializes in CBT. It’s the most-studied modality of therapy, and it’s been proven effective to help treat a wide range of issues—from anxiety and depression to obsessive-compulsive disorder and even chronic pain—for a wide range of people, from kids to adults. You can even find couples therapy that uses the principles of CBT.
More good news: CBT lends itself well to online therapy. In fact, studies bear out that it’s just as effective as in-person therapy. However, the flexibility of CBT means you might have to work a little harder to find the right provider, one who can make this adaptable modality work for you. “Sometimes CBT is mistakenly thought of as a very specific, one-size-fits all type of treatment,” says Dr. Steve Weissman, founder of NYCBT, a therapy practice, but “there is so much variety to how CBT can look depending on a person’s needs.”
That’s where I come in. I’m a licensed social worker and Verywell Mind’s Mental Health Editor, and I’ve spent the last three years researching, testing, and reviewing 55 different online therapy services to tease out the differences between the many services that offer CBT. After delving into my extensive testing results based on years of insights, these are the best online therapy companies for accessible, useful CBT therapy.
How does CBT work? As Dr. Weissman explains, “CBT is probably best known for taking a look at what’s going on right now, what’s keeping you stuck, figuring out what patterns of thinking and behaving are contributing to that, and developing strategies and skills for changing them.” Your therapist will also assign you homework between sessions so that you can practice the skills you’re learning in therapy until you can do them on your own.
Who is CBT for? The short version is: many people. The longer version comes from Dr. Beck: “CBT is effective for the treatment of many different mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, PTSD, substance misuse, ADHD, eating disorders, OCD, personality disorders, and many others. It can also be helpful in helping people cope with medical conditions like chronic pain, chronic fatigue syndrome, obesity and overweight, diabetes, migraine headaches, and more. Finally, CBT can help with quality-of-life concerns like anger, procrastination, relationship issues, stress, and poor sleep.”
How much does it cost? The prices of the companies on this list range from $60 a week to upwards of $195 per session.
Will insurance cover it? Possibly. Some of the companies on this list accept insurance, while others offer out-of-pocket subscriptions instead. Most companies that take insurance will let you search to see if they accept your plan during or after sign-up.
How do we meet? The cheapest plans are messaging-only, meaning you can contact your therapist via text as often as you want, with a certain number of responses guaranteed. You also always have the option of meeting with your therapist via video call. One company on this list (Thriveworks) also offers in-person sessions in certain locations.
Is it confidential? Be sure to read through any company’s privacy policy to better understand whether it is HIPAA-compliant (HIPAA is the law that protects personal health information) and whether it shares any private information with third parties; we recommend opting out of data collection.
What’s the time commitment? It depends. CBT is designed to be a short-term treatment, often lasting only six to 20 or 24 sessions. However, some therapy seekers might feel they need more time—and that’s ok. In terms of individual sessions, the companies on this list offer 30 to 60-minute appointments, and all assign homework to be completed between sessions, which requires additional time each week.
What makes a good CBT therapist? According to Dr. Beck, “a good CBT therapist will take a holistic view of their client’s health and mental health and focus not only on symptom reduction, but on their strengths, resources, values, and aspirations.” Look for a therapist who is flexible in their approach and is willing to work with you to identify and tackle problem areas in your life.
How Much Does CBT Therapy Cost?
Out-of-pocket, the CBT services on this list can cost as little as $60 per session (for Online-Therapy.com) or up to $240 or more.
Some companies, such as Brightside, Thriveworks, Wellnite, and Amwell, accept insurance, which means that you will only be responsible for your copay per session. Other companies that don’t accept insurance or are not covered by your particular insurance plan may charge an out-of-pocket rate. This could be a fixed rate or a rate that changes based on your location, the qualifications of your therapist, and how in-demand the company’s services are where you live.
Other companies offer subscriptions, meaning you pay a certain amount per month in order to access certain weekly services (such as unlimited messaging and one therapy session per week). Messaging-only plans are the cheapest, though as a therapist, personally I feel as though plans with video or at least phone sessions included are the most effective.
How I Reviewed CBT Online Therapy Services
As Verywell Mind’s Mental Health Editor, I’ve spent years testing and surveying real therapy users and reviewing their experiences to help rate and share the best online therapy services.
Firsthand Experience
I’ve reviewed 55 different online therapy companies using 65 different testers over the past three years, publishing 153 reviews.
For this story, I evaluated all of my testing insights from companies that specifically offer CBT as a therapeutic modality and reviewed my testers’ experiences with the CBT services they received. This included how knowledgeable their therapists were with the tenets of CBT, the specific CBT-based approaches they used in sessions, and the homework they assigned my testers to complete between sessions to strengthen their CBT skills.
I asked each tester to try each service for at least a month, which usually meant between two and six sessions at each company. I also asked testers to switch therapists partway through, if possible, in order to get a holistic idea of the offerings and quality of each company. My testers were located all across the United States and abroad, meaning I gained extensive information about each company’s services in a variety of areas.
Expert Interviews
I also spoke to two CBT experts who founded their own CBT practices and provided insight about what CBT is, who it’s best for, and the most optimal way of using it in the treatment of mental health concerns.
Dr. Judith Beck, President of the Beck Institute
Dr. Steve Weissman, founder of the New York therapy practice NYCBT
User Surveys
I surveyed more than 8,000 therapy clients who are currently using one of the 55 online therapy companies tested or who had used one in the recent past. I collected 350 different data points in which I asked users to evaluate each company’s services, from their therapist’s qualifications to whether they found a therapist who met all their needs to how they’d rate the company overall.
Hannah Owens is Verywell Mind’s Mental Health Editor. Hannah is a licensed social worker with a clinical background in community mental health. She’s worked at programs treating those with serious mental illness, providing both individual and group therapy. In her time at Verywell Mind, Hannah has designed and run years of online therapy testing, overseeing and editing reviews of the top online therapy companies out there and writing and editing roundups of the best online therapy services based on our extensive and thorough testing. Hannah brings her unique combination of both clinical and editorial expertise to her work for Verywell Mind.
Licensed social worker since 2019
Clinical background in community mental health
Specializes in serious mental illness
Believes in the mission of online therapy to make mental healthcare more accessible
Online therapy offers you the convenience and privacy of appointments from the comfort of your own home, and it’s usually cheaper and more widely available than in-person therapy. However, as a licensed social worker and former therapist, I can assure you that not all services are created equal. To find the best online therapy services, I’ve spent the last three years researching and extensively testing 55 different companies, racking up hundreds of reviews and thousands of pages of personal insights from testers all across the country. After parsing all this information, I’ve built this online therapy guide, in which I’ll share everything you need to know about all the major online therapy platforms.
What to Expect from Online Therapy
How much does it cost? The services we recommend cost anywhere from $55 per session to over $200.
Who is it for? Someone who wants to work through challenges, improve their overall wellbeing, or receive help for a mild or moderate mental health condition. It is not for people dealing with serious mental illness or who are in crisis or suicidal.
Will insurance cover it? Maybe. Most companies list the insurance plans they accept or let you search for your plan when signing up. I’ve noted the online therapy services on our list that accept insurance.
Is it confidential? Be sure to read through any company’s privacy policy to better understand whether it is HIPAA-compliant (HIPAA is the law that protects personal health information) and whether it shares any private information with third parties; we recommend opting out of data collection.
How do we meet? You can talk to your therapist via video chat, phone, or text, for anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour or more.
Does online therapy work? That depends on your commitment to doing the hard stuff, the skill of your therapist, and the services offered by the company. For this reason, don’t be afraid to switch therapists until you find the right match. Once these elements come together, you’ll be surprised at how effective therapy can be.
I had 65 different people sign up for talk therapy with all 55 online therapy companies reviewed. Over the past three years, I’ve published 153 reviews (here are our reviews for BetterHelp and Talkspace, for instance). I had my testers try out each company’s therapy services, and if the company offered other services (like couples therapy and kid or teen therapy) we tested those too.
I asked each tester to try each service for at least a month, which usually meant between two and six sessions at each company. I also asked testers to switch therapists partway through, if possible, in order to get a holistic idea of the offerings and quality of each company. My testers were located all across the United States and abroad, meaning I gained extensive information about each company’s services in a variety of areas.
User Surveys
I surveyed more than 8,000 therapy clients who are currently using one of the 55 online therapy companies tested or who had used one in the recent past, as well as users of 27 different online therapy directories. I asked users to evaluate each company’s services, from their therapist’s qualifications to whether they found a therapist who met all their needs to how they’d rate the company overall—all told, I gathered 350 different data points.
Headspace:Headspace is best known for its mental health app, which offers mindfulness and meditation exercises, CBT courses, and sleep resources—but in June of 2025, it also started providing online therapy services. Headspace’s mission is to make therapy more accessible, and it does so by offering its therapy services all across the country and accepting 45 different insurance plans, with a flat $149 fee for each session if you’re paying out-of-pocket. In addition, Headspace therapy clients receive a free three-month subscription to the Headspace app, followed by a significantly discounted monthly rate afterwards. Because Headspace is an app-first service, its in-app resources are top-notch—combine that with how affordable its therapy is, and we’re intrigued.
Sesame:Sesame is an online resource for quick, affordable healthcare services, including therapy and psychiatry. Sesame’s motto is “half-price, whole-quality care” for people who are uninsured or who have high-deductible health plans who need care without insurance, high costs, or long wait times. This company is unusual, because all of its mental healthcare providers are independent clinicians listing their private services and offering low out-of-pocket rates (which vary by provider)—they don’t accept insurance, but the rates rival what you might pay for a copay. You can choose your own provider by filtering by things like specialty, prices, and available session times, and can have a “new patient visit” consultation to determine whether that provider is right for you. In addition, you can message your therapist or psychiatrist anytime between sessions, with guaranteed responses within 24 hours. Ultimately, Sesame seems to be a good option for those who need low out-of-pocket fees in order to be able to afford therapy or psychiatry services.
Rula:Rula is an online therapy and medication management service offering individual, couples, and family therapy for ages 5 and up, as well as medication management for ages 13 and up. There are a few things that set Rula apart, one of which is its commitment to diversity and equity. Forty-nine percent of its clinicians identify as non-white, with 12 ethnicities represented, 11 genders represented, and over 40 different languages spoken across 18,000 providers. It also emphasizes its proactive oversight of its clinicians, consistently making sure they are providing evidence-based, measurable care and support to their clients. Rula is in-network with most major US insurers, including Medicaid and Medicare, and it reports that 99% of its clients use their insurance to pay for services (out-of-pocket prices vary depending on location and services provided). In addition, Rula follows rigorous privacy practices, including being HIPAA-compliant and encrypting all sensitive personal information. If you are looking for an affirming online therapy service that lets you choose your therapist from a curated list and accepts your insurance, Rula might be for you.
Finding the Right Online Therapist for You
The most important aspect of therapy is the rapport you are able to build with your provider. Establishing trust and feeling like you are able to be honest and open with your therapist means that you can really dig into the issues that brought you to therapy without having to worry about being judged, how your therapist is going to react, or censoring yourself because you are concerned about how what you’re talking about will affect your relationship with your therapist. A good therapist will practice unconditional positive regard, which means that no matter what you say or do (as long as it is not harming yourself or others), your therapist will support you and not make judgments about your worth as a person based on your thoughts or actions.
If you have a first session with a therapist and do not feel comfortable with them or you are having trouble building rapport over time, it is perfectly reasonable—and actually encouraged—to find a new therapist with whom you do connect. This can take some trial and error, but it will absolutely be worth it in the end when you find someone you really click with. The great thing about online therapy is that most companies make it extremely easy to switch therapists, increasing your chances of finding the right therapist for you.
Paying for Online Therapy: Insurance or Out-of-Pocket
When it comes to in-person services, it can be extremely difficult to find a therapist who accepts insurance—many providers simply don’t want to deal with the bureaucratic hassle and diminishing financial returns of working with insurance. This is where online therapy really comes in handy. Many online therapy companies are in-network with a wide range of insurance plans, and they often let you check your plan to see if you’re covered even before you sign up. If you need to use your insurance to pay for therapy, many of the companies on this list (specifically Talkspace, Brightside, Thriveworks, Teladoc, Doctor on Demand, and Talkiatry) are a good place to start.
If you are uninsured or underinsured and need to pay out-of-pocket for your therapy services, online therapy is a great option here as well. Many companies—such as BetterHelp, Talkspace, Brightside, and Online-Therapy.com—are subscription services, meaning you pay a relatively low monthly fee (especially compared to the average price of in-person therapy) for a certain number of sessions per month. For many, subscriptions like these make online therapy affordable and accessible.
Many online therapy companies also offer pay-per-session costs that are comparable to or much less than the out-of-pocket prices you’ll find with in-person services. None of the companies on this list charge more than $200 per therapy session, and most cost significantly less. If you are looking for an affordable non-subscription self-pay option, try E-Therapy Cafe.
Privacy and Online Therapy
When considering an online therapy company, the first thing to do is to check that it is HIPAA-compliant. HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is a federal law dictating how personal health information is shared. This is the bare minimum of privacy protection, and any company you work with should be HIPAA-compliant—it will usually say in its privacy policy, or sometimes even directly on its website, if it is. That being said, HIPAA does allow sharing of tons of different types of health information.
But there are other privacy concerns to keep in mind. In the early 2020s, as online therapy was on a meteoric rise, many companies such as BetterHelp and Talkspace came under fire for unethical privacy practices, such as selling client information to advertisers, which resulted in some class action lawsuits. Since then, it seems as though the online therapy world has really buttoned up its privacy standards, with more transparency about what information is shared, when, and with whom. With many online therapy companies, you can opt out of the company collecting certain data.
However, because online therapy companies are completely virtual, this does mean that any and all information you share with them will live on the internet, making it inherently susceptible to data breaches and sharing. Bear this in mind when considering an online therapy platform.
The bottom line is: read the company’s privacy policy before you sign up for services, confirm that it is HIPAA-compliant, and make sure it provides a way to opt out of data collection.
Why Trust Verywell Mind
Hannah Owens is Verywell Mind’s Mental Health Editor. Hannah is a licensed social worker with a clinical background in community mental health. She’s worked at programs treating those with serious mental illness, providing both individual and group therapy. In her time at Verywell Mind, Hannah has designed and run years of online therapy testing, overseeing and editing reviews of the top online therapy companies out there and writing and editing roundups of the best online therapy services based on our extensive and thorough testing. Hannah brings her unique combination of both clinical and editorial expertise to her work for Verywell Mind.
Licensed social worker since 2019
Clinical background in community mental health
Specializes in serious mental illness
Believes in the mission of online therapy to make mental healthcare more accessible
Trauma can happen to anyone–and when it comes to your mental health, the kind of care you get afterwards can make the difference between healthy healing and continued suffering. In fact, 10 to 20 percent of people who have had traumatic experiences also have persistent PTSD symptoms that cause impairment in their lives. As a licensed social worker and former therapist, I’ve also seen how much therapy can help.
Online therapy makes trauma therapy accessible, allowing you to connect with a trauma-informed therapist from home—especially important for people who live far away from help, or who feel safest at home. “Trauma therapy focuses on helping people develop a sense of safety,” explains Yolanda Renteria, a trauma therapist. “People processing trauma need approaches that help them find safety first, that go at their pace, and provide strategies to help them process past experiences.”
Here, I’ve compiled a list of the best online trauma services, based on three years of extensive testing. I’ve evaluated 55 different online therapy companies and determined which are the best for trauma, based on the experiences of dozens of testers who tried these services themselves. As an expert, these are the trauma services I’d recommend to a friend or loved one.
Trauma therapy differs from other types of therapy in a few specific ways. “One key aspect of most effective therapies for traumas such as PTSD is that they include a significant component of re-experiencing thoughts and feelings associated with the past trauma within the safe confines of the therapy sessions,” explains Dr. Susman. “This can include talking at length about past traumas or writing detailed accounts of the traumas.”
The best evidence-based trauma therapy modalities are:
EMDR: This approach retrains your brain in terms of how to respond to trauma memories
Prolonged exposure therapy: This safely reintroduces you to triggers until your response is no longer based in trauma
Somatic therapy: A body-centric approach based on the idea that trauma and traumatic memories are physically “stored” in the body; it works by releasing the tension and stress associated with trauma from the body with a combination of talk therapy and exercises focused on connecting the mind and the body
Internal family systems therapy: This modality recognizes that some inner parts of our personalities (like parts that protect us in the face of danger) have been pushed to the extreme by trauma and tries to realign those roles into healthy ones again (e.g., a part of you is still working overtime to deal with a threat that is no longer there so you work on relieving that part of you from its protection “duties”)
Cognitive processing therapy: This is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy that was designed to treat PTSD by recognizing unhealthy, unhelpful, or incorrect thoughts (e.g., “I deserved what happened to me”) and working to change them
Trauma-informed therapy: An approach to therapy that is specifically mindful of how trauma affects your behaviors, thoughts, and general mental health, as well as your ability to engage with treatment in the first place
Many survivors of trauma also find support groups or group therapy helpful. In fact, one meta-analysis (a study of lots of studies) found that group support helped significantly reduce symptoms of PTSD. You can often find support groups or group therapy via online therapy directories or by searching for local trauma-focused organizations.
How Do You Know If You Need Trauma Therapy?
If you’ve recently experienced a traumatic event—for example, if you were in a car accident, were the victim of an attack, or escaped an abusive relationship—trauma therapy might help you. This is especially true for people who are having difficulties functioning in their everyday lives. Trauma can affect your ability to work, to maintain relationships, and take care of yourself properly. So if you are noticing that things in your life have become too challenging to handle after experiencing a trauma, trauma therapy might be right for you.
Paying for Online Trauma Therapy
Some online therapy companies that treat trauma, such as Talkspace and Thriveworks, also accept health insurance—if you want to use your insurance to pay for therapy, most companies will let you search for your plan when or after signing up. If your insurance is accepted, you’ll only be responsible for your copay.
Other companies, such as BetterHelp, offer subscriptions, where you’ll pay a certain amount per month for a set number of sessions, while others charge per-session. Online therapy directories like Inclusive Therapists often allow you to filter your therapist options by cost or by which insurance they take.
How I Review Online Therapy Services
I’ve spent years testing and surveying real therapy users and reviewing their experiences to help rate and share the best online therapy services. You can see a full breakdown of our online therapy research and testing process on Verywell Mind.
Reviewing Trauma Services
To compile this list, I examined what services each online therapy company says it offers, looking specifically for mention of trauma or PTSD. I then investigated which therapy modalities the companies provide in the treatment of trauma (e.g., EMDR, CBT, etc). I also checked all of my testing insights to see if anyone was seeking help for trauma or PTSD.
Expert Insights
I consulted with two mental health professionals to get insights into trauma therapy modalities, theories, and effectiveness:
Yolanda Renteria, LPC, a trauma-trained psychotherapist
Dr. David Susman, PhD, a psychologist and professor at the University of Kentucky
Firsthand Experience
I had 65 different people sign up for talk therapy with all 55 online therapy companies reviewed. Over the past three years, I’ve published 153 reviews (here are our reviews for BetterHelp and Talkspace, for instance). I had my testers try out each company’s therapy services, and if the company offered other services (like couples therapy and kid or teen therapy) we tested those too.
I asked each tester to try each service for at least a month, which usually meant between two and six sessions at each company. I also asked testers to switch therapists partway through, if possible, in order to get a holistic idea of the offerings and quality of each company. My testers were located all across the United States and abroad, meaning I gained extensive information about each company’s services in a variety of areas.
User Surveys
I surveyed more than 8,000 therapy clients who are currently using one of the 55 online therapy companies tested or who had used one in the recent past, as well as users of 27 different online therapy directories. I collected 350 different data points in which I asked users to evaluate each company’s services, from their therapist’s qualifications to whether they found a therapist who met all their needs to how they’d rate the company overall.
Why Trust Verywell Mind
Hannah Owens is Verywell Mind’s Mental Health Editor. Hannah is a licensed social worker with a clinical background in community mental health. She’s worked at programs treating those with serious mental illness, providing both individual and group therapy. In her time at Verywell Mind, Hannah has designed and run years of online therapy testing, overseeing and editing reviews of the top online therapy companies out there and writing and editing roundups of the best online therapy services based on our extensive and thorough testing. Hannah brings her unique combination of both clinical and editorial expertise to her work for Verywell Mind.
Licensed social worker since 2019
Clinical background in community mental health
Specializes in serious mental illness
Believes in the mission of online therapy to make mental healthcare more accessible
When choosing an online therapy provider, we recommend that you read the company’s privacy guidelines before you sign up to better understand whether it is HIPAA-compliant and whether it shares any private information with third parties. There have been some concerns raised by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and several government officials about what user health information online therapy providers collect and what they do with any information they collect.
Psychiatric care can be expensive—up to $200 per session or more out-of-pocket—which is why, even when people need mental health medication, they sometimes do not seek treatment. In fact, in the U.S., 55% of people living with a mental illness do not receive treatment. The good news is that if you have health insurance, you might be able to use those benefits if you find an in-network provider. “Psychiatric services can get expensive when you are paying out-of-pocket, and finding someone who is in network with your plan can offset costs significantly,” says Amy Marschall, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist at Resiliency Mental Health.
That said, it isn’t always easy to find a psychiatrist who takes insurance—even when looking online. According to one study, while about 89% of doctors in other specialties take insurance, only around 55% of psychiatrists do, making the search for psychiatric care that much more difficult. To help you find the very best online psychiatry platforms, we worked with three subject matter experts to evaluate 55 online therapy companies and 27 directories, surveying 100 users at each. We also tried and tested each service ourselves. Here are the ones we recommend that not only accept different insurance plans but also are flexible, inclusive, and family-friendly.
Our Online Therapy Methodology
Curious about the extensive work we did to research and evaluate online therapy companies? Take a look at our online therapy methodology.
$50-$175 for substance use; Individual therapy: $50 for 20-minute sessions, $100 for 40-minute sessions; $35 per group session; $75-$175 for psychiatry session
Yes
No
Group Therapy, Individual Therapy, Medication Management, Psychiatry, Teen Counseling
Guide to Choosing the Best Online Psychiatry That Takes Insurance
Are Online Psychiatry Services Right for for You?
Online psychiatry can help children, teens, and adults with mental health conditions control or diminish their symptoms using psychotropic medication. “Psychiatry is an important component of mental health treatment for many,” says Dr. Marschall. “Psychiatric appointments are typically shorter than therapy sessions and focus on medication management.”
People who are experiencing difficulties with stress, anxiety, grief, anger, or trouble focusing may benefit from seeing an online psychiatrist. If you face barriers to psychiatric care, such as a busy schedule or financial stress, telepsychiatry might be right for you, especially if you need to use insurance to pay for care.
What If I’m Having Thoughts of Harming Myself?
If you are in severe distress or are having thoughts of harming yourself or someone else, online psychiatry is not the right option for you. Instead, call the U.S. Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or go to the nearest emergency room.
The following resources may also help you or someone you know:
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 or reach out via chat or on WhatsApp to talk with a volunteer crisis counselor.
The Trevor Project: Young LGBTQ people can call, chat, or text with a trained crisis counselor.
FindTreatment.gov: Find behavioral health and substance abuse treatment centers in your area with this database compiled by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Online Psychiatry?
Online psychiatry refers to psychiatric care and/or medication management services delivered virtually, typically via video. Your provider may be a board-certified psychiatrist or another licensed prescriber, such as a psychiatric nurse practitioner. They may prescribe medication, which can be delivered to your home or a local pharmacy.
Is Online Psychiatry That Takes Insurance Effective?
Research suggests that online psychiatry can be helpful for people with a wide variety of mental health conditions. For example, telepsychiatry has been found to be effective in treating selected patients with depression, anxiety, psychotic disorders, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Also, studies suggest that online psychiatry can be effective for geriatric (older) patients as well as children and teens facing mental health concerns.
What Are the Benefits of Online Psychiatry That Takes Insurance?
There is evidence that online psychiatry can help to overcome many barriers to mental health care. These barriers may include:
High costs
Physical inaccessibility
Mental health stigma
Transportation difficulties
Living in a remote area
Communication differences
Busy schedules
What Is the Cost of Online Psychiatry That Takes Insurance?
The cost of online psychiatry varies widely by insurance provider, the type of healthcare provider you’re seeing, and your location. With some Medicare plans, for example, you’ll be expected to pay 20% of the costs of each visit. Without insurance, an initial psychiatry consultation may cost $300 to $500 per visit, followed by $100 to $200 per hour for every follow-up visit.
With insurance, your copayment will vary, but may be in the range of $20 to $40 per visit.
Can Online Psychiatrists Prescribe Controlled Substances?
Yes, qualified online psychiatrists can prescribe controlled substances to treat medical conditions, including mental health conditions. However, not all online mental health platforms allow their providers to prescribe controlled medications, so availability may be limited.
Examples of controlled substances used to treat mental health conditions include:
Stimulants, such as Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts) and Ritalin (methylphenidate)
Benzodiazepines, such as Ativan (lorazepam) and Xanax (alprazolam)
What Should You Expect From Online Psychiatry?
An online psychiatry session works similarly to a face-to-face session with a psychiatric care provider. Usually, you’ll sign in through a secure online portal and meet with your provider at an appointed time via video. Your psychiatrist may ask you about your current symptoms, your medical history, and any medications you’re taking, as well as what you’d like to get out of your session.
Methodology
To compile this list, we researched, evaluated, and tested 55 different online therapy and psychiatry companies, specifically focusing on which companies offered psychiatric services as well as which accepted insurance. We further evaluated these companies based on specialty (treatment for specific mental health concerns or specific demographics), the number of insurance plans accepted, availability (number of states), flexibility in scheduling, which medications can be prescribed (such as controlled substances for anxiety or ADHD), and the type of provider available.
Both companies provide live therapy sessions in the form of live chat, audio call, or video call. BetterHelp’s sessions last 30 to 45 minutes, while Talkspace’s sessions last 30 minutes. Each company’s pricing is listed as weekly on their websites; however, users are billed monthly.
Talkspace offers a tiered subscription plan for individual and teen therapy.
The Messaging Therapy plan, starting at $69/week, includes unlimited messaging and guaranteed therapist responses five days a week.
The Video Therapy plan, starting at $99/week, includes four live therapy sessions a month via live chat, phone, or video call.
The Video + Messaging Therapy plan, starting at $109/week, includes both messaging and four live sessions.
The Video + Messaging + Workshops plan, starting at $120/week, includes messaging, four live sessions, and weekly workshops.
Talkspace also has a single plan for couples therapy: Couples Therapy + 4 Live Sessions, which includes unlimited messaging and four live therapy sessions per month. This plan starts at $109/week.
Meanwhile, BetterHelp offers a single plan for individual therapy; however, its pricing varies widely, because the cost is based on your location, availability, and demand. Our editor in Seattle was quoted $90 to $150 per week, while our New York editor was quoted $60 to $90. Officially, as of February 2025, BetterHelp advertises that its services cost $70 to $100 per week.
While Talkspace accepts insurance, BetterHelp does not, though it does provide financial aid to particular demographics, including students, veterans, and low-income households. Having the option to secure financial aid or use your insurance benefits may be the determining factor as to which online therapy company is better for you.
Seventy-six percent of users we surveyed said Talkspace’s subscription plans were affordable or very affordable. Even though BetterHelp offers only one plan, 70% of users surveyed also said BetterHelp was affordable or very affordable.
Both companies have an easy cancellation process. Since users are billed monthly, a cancellation means your plan will not renew at the next billing period. Users are required to pay for the full month, and refunds for unused sessions are not available.
Talkspace vs. BetterHelp: Website & Account Setup
Signing up with either company is fairly straightforward. Of the users we surveyed, 63% said the sign-up process at Talkspace was very easy while 58% said the sign-up process at BetterHelp was very easy. You can sign up for services via the websites of both providers or their corresponding mobile apps.
I signed up for both Talkspace and BetterHelp. Even though the sign-up process was more comprehensive on BetterHelp, I did not feel like Talkspace’s swift sign-up negatively affected my experience or how well I matched with my therapist.
Talkspace
Ninety-four percent of users said Talkspace’s website was easy or very easy to use. The website’s design is straightforward and simple. That being said, there are additional resources, such as an informational blog or mental health tests, on its website—although these pages are sometimes hard to find. I had to explore the website further to find these resources linked in the site’s footer rather than the navigation menu.
Talkspace Homepage
After arriving to the homepage, users are able to sign up immediately, with the choices “Individual,” “Couples,” “Teens,” and “Psychiatry” in different-colored boxes below the phrase “Space to figure things out.” Its quick sign-up process involves eight questions, ranging from your sleep habits and physical health to your gender identity and date of birth. The entire process took me about 10 to 15 minutes to complete on Talkspace’s website.
If you plan to use insurance benefits, you will need your Member ID accessible while signing up.
If you are seeking individual therapy, you will receive a personalized match within 48 hours. After I signed up as an individual, Talkspace took less than an hour to match me, which was impressive. Couples seeking therapy through Talkspace will receive a list of recommended therapists to choose from–though the website does not specify how long it takes to receive this list.
BetterHelp
Signing up for BetterHelp is a longer and more comprehensive process. While the website is straightforward and easy to navigate, there are more questions in BetterHelp’s sign-up process than Talkspace’s process. It took me about 20 to 30 minutes to complete, and I had to do it in one sitting because it did not save my answers. I was asked a series of questions about my gender identity, age, sexual orientation, relationship status, and religion. Then, BetterHelp asked questions about my mental health history, current physical health, financial status, employment, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. The questionnaire also asked if I had problems with intimacy or with my identity. I considered the questions to be random and not well organized when I completed my sign-up.
Betterhelp
Even though signing up is a long process, 95% of BetterHelp users said its website was easy or very easy to navigate. I found the website to be well-organized, eye-catching, and interactive.
The company states users will receive a match in 24 hours, but I received one in less than 12 hours.
Talkspace vs. BetterHelp: Psychiatry
Out of the two, only Talkspace provides psychiatry services. These services are offered separately from talk therapy. Of the users we surveyed, 92% rated Talkspace’s medication management services as excellent or very good. Thirty-nine percent of users said they were prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and 33% said they were prescribed an atypical antidepressant.
Initial psychiatric evaluations cost $299, an evaluation with one follow-up session costs $474, and an evaluation with three follow-up sessions costs $824. You can sign up for a psychiatric evaluation on Talkspace’s homepage. Those prices do not include medication, which can range from $5 to $99 for a 30-day supply of SSRIs. Psychiatrists on Talkspace are unable to prescribe controlled substances, such as Xanax or Valium. Medication prescriptions will be sent to a pharmacy near you.
Talkspace vs. BetterHelp: Counselor Qualifications
Therapists working for Talkspace and BetterHelp are required to be licensed in their respective states. In the company questionnaire, Talkspace shared that its employees are required to have over 3,000 clinical hours, while BetterHelp requires their therapists to have 1,500 clinical hours and a master’s-level education. All therapists through BetterHelp are independent contractors.
Eighty-seven percent of BetterHelp users said their therapist’s qualifications were excellent or very good, and 89% of Talkspace users said the same. Thirty-three percent of Talkspace users and 24% of BetterHelp users said therapist qualifications and expertise were an important factor in their search for a therapist.
In terms of therapy approaches, BetterHelp and Talkspace each provide:
Both companies have free mobile apps available to download on iOS and Android phones. Upon logging into either app, users can access the portal.
When you open the BetterHelp app, the first page you see is your portal. There are tabs at the bottom for “Session,” or your portal, “Journal,” “Schedule,” “Groupinars,” and “More.” In the “Journal” tab, you will find optional daily prompts to complete in addition to therapy. That being said, BetterHelp’s app is confusing to use because of its organization.
On the other hand, the app for Talkspace flows well and is simple to use. You can view most of its elements on one screen. Talkspace’s app is organized by “Rooms,” which is your portal, “Helpful tips,” which includes videos about the therapeutic process, and “Tools.” The “Tools” include a schedule of your upcoming live sessions and an area to track your symptoms and note long-term goals, as well as a variety of coping exercises.
This could be why 56% of users said Talkspace’s app was easier to use than its competitors, whereas just 31% of BetterHelp users said the same.
Talkspace vs. BetterHelp: Session Platforms
Talkspace and BetterHelp each provide users with portals that are accessible through their mobile apps or websites. Asynchronous text messaging with your licensed therapist is available within the portals. You are able to message your therapist at any time with both companies. Depending on your plan, you will receive guaranteed therapist responses at least five days a week.
You are also able to schedule your live therapy sessions through the portal and choose your desired session type—live chat, audio, or video call. Your therapist will then confirm the session time.
It is worth noting that Talkspace allows users to schedule four therapy sessions at one time, meaning you don’t have to wait to schedule appointments week-by-week. I appreciated the freedom to skip a week or schedule two sessions within the same week, depending on my needs. This may be why 23% of users said Talkspace had more flexible session times than its competitors.
BetterHelp schedules roughly week-to-week. After you schedule your initial session through the portal, your therapist will ask you at the end of each session when you would like to schedule next, as is often the case with in-person therapy.
I was disappointed with Talkspace’s live sessions. During live video calls, the video often lagged and the audio sounded staticky. The low quality distracted me, and I felt unable to focus on my needs during therapy sessions. The audio did not improve with live audio sessions—confirming to me that it was an issue with Talkspace’s platform.
In contrast with Talkspace, the audio and video quality during live video sessions was excellent on BetterHelp. The high level of quality extended to BetterHelp’s audio session, though I personally felt like I was on a casual phone call rather than a therapy session.
Live chats on BetterHelp and Talkspace were comparable to one another. I found it more effective when therapists utilized text messages versus audio messages during the live chat sessions. It is worth pointing out that BetterHelp has a “Live Texting” feature where users can view what the therapist is typing as they type it. This was interesting to me and pushed the flow of conversation along.
When I tried asynchronous messaging on each platform, I received concise, vague responses from the therapist at BetterHelp. My therapist at Talkspace often directed me towards live sessions when I messaged them. For example, after sending a long message with three paragraphs, I received the response, “Would you like to schedule a live video or audio call to discuss that further?”
While a variety of factors play a role in how well you connect with your therapist, such as session type, length between sessions, or typical response times, 94% of users from both BetterHelp and Talkspace said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the therapist options provided by the respective companies.
Talkspace vs. BetterHelp: Resources
Both Talkspace and BetterHelp provide additional resources, such as live events or blog posts. Each company’s blog provides informative articles about mental health conditions and coping strategies. BetterHelp’s blog, titled “Advice,” contains more posts than Talkspace, with a wider variety of topics, such as what to expect in therapy and information on different therapeutic approaches.
However, Talkspace includes a “Mental Health Conditions” library. These pages thoroughly describe the symptoms, causes, and treatment of 32 mental health conditions. Free mental health assessments are available on its website, too. It is worth noting that the results of these tests are not an official diagnosis. There is also an extensive blog with regular posts.
Talkspace also offers hour-long workshops through Zoom. Some examples are “Releasing Resentment Together,” “Celebrating a Multigenerational Workforce,” and “Making Peace with Your Body and Food.” Users must attend these workshops live as they do not offer a link to the recording after. Of the users we surveyed, 74% said Talkspace’s additional resources were excellent or very good. In fact, 20% of users said Talkspace’s resources were better than its competitors—which is one of the highest percentages of the 55 companies we reviewed.
Betterhelp
Similarly, BetterHelp offers Groupinars, which are short webinars users can attend about a variety of topics. These live events are held within your portal on BetterHelp’s website or app. Some titles offered include “Recovering from Race-Based Traumatic Stress” and “The Gut/Brain Axis: Digesting the Connection Between Food and Mood.” If you do not catch the live event, you are able to view the recording for up to seven days after. Seventy-nine percent of users we surveyed rated BetterHelp’s additional resources as excellent or very good.
Talkspace vs. BetterHelp: Customer Experience
Overall customer satisfaction appears high for both companies. Ninety-seven percent of Talkspace users said they were likely or very likely to recommend the company to a friend, whereas 96% of BetterHelp users said the same.
Seventy-two percent of Talkspace users and 82% of BetterHelp users rated the company’s customer service as excellent or very good. Both companies have phone numbers and contact forms for customer support easily accessible within the portal and on their websites.
It is worth pointing out, however, that one scroll through Talkspace’s social media pages reveals multiple complaints from users in their comments regarding the company’s overall customer service or lack of response from customer support.
Final Verdict
Although the one out-of-pocket subscription plan offered by BetterHelp is slightly cheaper than the comparable services at Talkspace, Talkspace is our choice for best online therapy company because it accepts insurance, offers multiple types of therapy (individual, teen and couples), and it also offers medication management. Its easy-to-use app and website create a streamlined service for users. Plus, Talkspace is good for those wanting to use in-network insurance plans or employer-sponsored plans. However, without insurance benefits, the cost of Talkspace’s subscription plans could be too costly.
BetterHelp’s overall affordability and available financial aid options make it a good choice for users prioritizing cost and accessibility. Still, depending on where you are located, BetterHelp might be more expensive than Talkspace. The ability to read therapist bios prior to signing up and BetterHelp’s requirements for their therapists could also be beneficial for therapy seekers looking for well-qualified therapists with plenty of experience with patients.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Are Therapy Sessions at BetterHelp and Talkspace?
BetterHelp advertises that its therapy sessions are between 30 and 45 minutes long, while Talkspace sessions are 30 minutes. That’s not to say some sessions might end early (or go longer) based on the flow of conversation or the quality of care the therapist is able to provide.
Do Talkspace and BetterHelp Accept Health Insurance?
Talkspace accepts most health insurance plans. It is easy to search and check if the company accepts your plan by entering your member ID during sign-up.
BetterHelp does not accept health insurance. However, it provides a wider range of financial aid to certain demographics, such as low-income populations, veterans, and students.
Can Talkspace and BetterHelp Therapists Provide Diagnoses?
No, neither Talkspace nor BetterHelp therapists are able to diagnose you. However, Talkspace’s psychiatrists are able to provide diagnoses.
Can Therapists on BetterHelp and Talkspace Prescribe Medication?
Therapists on BetterHelp and Talkspace cannot prescribe medication. Talkspace does have licensed medication management providers, such as psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners. However, this service is separate from your therapy services.
When Should I Consider Getting Help Beyond Online Therapy?
Online therapy can benefit those with moderate anxiety, depression, or life stressors. However, if you feel like your diagnosis or symptoms are more severe, such as psychosis, schizophrenia, or suicidal ideation, then in-person options for therapy or psychiatric treatment are more suitable.
Methodology
To accurately review and compare Talkspace and BetterHelp, we sent questionnaires to both companies and surveyed 100 current users of each. This allowed us to directly compare services offered by gathering qualitative and quantitative data about each company and its users’ experiences.
We evaluated both companies on the following factors: website usability, the sign-up and therapist matching processes, therapist qualifications, types of therapy offered, the service’s quality of care, client-therapist communication options, session length, subscription offerings, handling of personal information, average cost and value for money, whether it accepts insurance, how easy it is to change therapists, overall user satisfaction, the likelihood that clients would recommend them, and current mentions in the media.
Text-based therapy can feel like a lifeline, especially for people who aren’t comfortable doing video or in-person chats, or who live in therapy deserts—places where mental healthcare is hard to find. As a licensed social worker and former therapist, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend text-only sessions, but texting can be a great support to therapy seekers who feel more comfortable, for whatever reason, behind a phone. Thankfully, therapy via text has been proven to be an effective alternative to in-person or online therapy.
While it sounds straightforward, text therapy can take a few formats. For some, it involves conducting your therapy session entirely via text message, so during your scheduled session, you communicate with your therapist exclusively via messaging, not with a video or phone session. Otherwise (or in addition), many companies offer texting between sessions, where you can ask your therapist questions and get mid-week support if you feel like the wait for your next session is too long. There are even crisis text lines where you can get emergency help without having to talk to someone on the phone.
My list of the best text-based online therapy services covers all these formats, so that you can find the right company for your needs, right at your fingertips.
How much does it cost? The therapy services recommended here range in cost from $55 per session up to $480 per month. Some peer-based services and hotlines are free.
Who is it for? For those living with social anxiety or agoraphobia, even video or phone sessions are uncomfortable or even impossible. Similarly, kids and teens who have grown up on technology might be more uncomfortable with face-to-face services. Or you might only have time for a therapy session on your lunch break at work, where a phone conversation might be overheard. In all these cases, text therapy could be a good option.
Will insurance cover it? Maybe. Some of the companies on this list accept insurance, and others don’t. I’ve indicated which companies on this list do.
Is it confidential? Be sure to read through any company’s privacy policy to better understand whether it is HIPAA-compliant (HIPAA is the law that protects personal health information) and whether it shares any private information with third parties; we recommend opting out of data collection.
What’s the time commitment? Sometimes you might start feeling better after just a couple of sessions, and other times you might need to see your therapist for a few months or even years.
Does it work? You get out of therapy what you put in. If you are dedicated to doing the work and tackling your issues, you’re likely to see success.
Text Therapy vs. AI
People are turning to AI, like ChatGPT, for mental health advice, guidance, and even therapy—but I’m here to tell you why that might not be a good idea.
First of all, the difference between text therapy and AI is that even though you’re communicating via text, in text therapy you are still talking to a human, and a therapist to boot. This is a trained professional who follows an ethical code and who, as they get to know you, will provide personalized mental health support.
All of the companies on this list employ real (read: human) therapists. This means that, even when you are communicating via text, you are always talking to an actual person. Not so, obviously, with AI—and this is where AI falls down on the job.
ChatGPT does not know you, and—worse than that—has been trained to be a sycophant, telling you what it thinks you want to hear. Where a human therapist can and will challenge your unhealthy or inaccurate ideas about yourself and others, you cannot count on ChatGPT to do the same. And as you get sucked in further and further to ChatGPT’s potentially biased responses, you can lose sight of any objectivity that an outside (therapist) perspective might have offered.
In addition, AI conversations cannot (and should not) take the place of human interaction. It might seem nice to have a “friend” in your pocket who tells you exactly what you want to hear, but there is so much to be said for cultivating and maintaining human connection, which can open you up to new experiences, help you practice empathy, and be there for you in-person for a hang or a hug when you need it.
While ChatGPT and other LLMs can certainly be useful for some therapy-related things, such as helping you organize your thoughts around a difficult subject, provide education about different therapeutic techniques, and assist you in developing a self-care plan, they should never be used to replace therapy with a real-life human therapist.
Paying for Online Text Therapy
Most of the services on this list operate as subscriptions, meaning you are charged for a month at a time for a certain number of sessions. Some services accept insurance (like Talkspace and Brightside), while others require you to pay out-of-pocket (but might be able to provide a superbill that you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement). In some cases, like Talkspace, text-based therapy is the cheapest subscription option, while in others text communication is included in each option. Text chats with crisis services, such as the Crisis Text Line, are free.
How I Review Online Therapy Services
I’ve spent years testing and surveying real therapy users and reviewing their experiences to help rate and share the best online therapy services. You can see a full breakdown of our online therapy research and testing process on Verywell Mind. Here is an overview of how I capture and evaluate firsthand experience and survey data.
Firsthand Experience
I had 65 different people sign up for talk therapy with all 55 online therapy companies reviewed. Over the past three years, I’ve published 153 reviews (here are our reviews for BetterHelp and Talkspace, for instance). I had my testers try out each company’s therapy services, and if the company offered other services (like couples therapy and kid or teen therapy) we tested those too.
I asked each tester to try each service for at least a month, which usually meant between two and six sessions at each company. I also asked testers to switch therapists partway through, if possible, in order to get a holistic idea of the offerings and quality of each company. My testers were located all across the United States and abroad, meaning I gained extensive information about each company’s services in a variety of areas.
Texting Services
When testing companies that offer text-based services, I made sure my testers tried this format as well as video and/or audio sessions. I paid special attention to how my testers felt about this type of communication—did they feel they could connect with their therapist this way, did they come away from the session feeling heard and supported, and the pros and cons about texting versus other session formats.
User Surveys
I surveyed more than 8,000 therapy clients who are currently using one of the 55 online therapy companies tested or who had used one in the recent past, as well as users of 27 different online therapy directories. I asked users to evaluate each company’s services, from their therapist’s qualifications to whether they found a therapist who met all their needs to how they’d rate the company overall—all told, I gathered 350 different data points.
Why Trust Verywell Mind
Hannah Owens is Verywell Mind’s Mental Health Editor. Hannah is a licensed social worker with a clinical background in community mental health. She’s worked at programs treating those with serious mental illness, providing both individual and group therapy. In her time at Verywell Mind, Hannah has designed and run years of online therapy testing, overseeing and editing reviews of the top online therapy companies out there and writing and editing roundups of the best online therapy services based on our extensive and thorough testing. Hannah brings her unique combination of both clinical and editorial expertise to her work for Verywell Mind.
Licensed social worker since 2019
Clinical background in community mental health
Specializes in serious mental illness
Believes in the mission of online therapy to make mental healthcare more accessible
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