7 Cups may not have the name recognition of other online mental health providers, but what the company lacks in notoriety, it makes up for with a novel approach to emotional support. 7 Cups (or 7 Cups of Tea) offers users a combination of self-help guides, 24/7 free chat with volunteer listeners, and confidential and affordable therapy with a licensed professional.
What Does 7 Cups Offer?
Where other online mental health platforms provide psychotherapy with professional therapists through video, text, and audio message formats, 7 Cups utilizes a primary approach centered on text chats with volunteer listeners. With more than 300,000 trained listeners, 7 Cups wants people to have access to a friendly and caring person anytime, day or night.1
7 Cups was born when the founder experienced the comfort of having someone listen to his problems, and wondered how many people do not have this luxury. Since not everyone has a comforting listener close by, or a mental health professional on call, 7 Cups aims to fill the gap.
7 Cups uses a sophisticated “anonymous bridging technology” to connect people who need support with one of their trained “Active Listeners” to provide effective care. Active Listeners are volunteers who complete an online class, pass a test, and use their skills in messaging with those in need. Some listeners will be professional counselors and psychologists, but some will be kind people interested in volunteering their time for a good cause.
Active Listeners will know the limitations of their tools and refer users to additional supports as needed.2 Listeners will refer users to crisis services if they are experiencing severe symptoms or suicidal or homicidal ideations.
In addition to the free listening service, 7 Cups offers:1
- Self-help guides: Extensive information on numerous mental health topics to give users some self-directed advice and guide toward avenues of improvement.
- Q&A section: Thousands of threads about mental health issues ranging from anxiety and depression to bullying and forgiveness with professional moderators help establish a community of people helping people.
- Professional therapy: For a fee, a 7 Cups user can message with a therapist and expect a response once or twice each day Monday through Friday. It’s like having a therapy session spread out over the week, instead of just one hour.
Once a user establishes their status on 7 Cups, the service unlocks free group chats that may add value to the platform. These group chats may not be monitored by an active listener, so the content and helpfulness could vary greatly.
7 Cups is an app-based and web-based service, so a person can pull out their smartphone, computer, or tablet and get anonymously connected to an Active Listener within minutes.
Free Version vs. Paid Version
The core of 7 Cups is a free version that connects the user to an Active Listener. It is stated clearly and frequently that the listener is not a professional counselor and will not be qualified or capable to manage crisis situations. A listener is only there to listen and not use therapeutic skills, provider therapeutic techniques, or offer advice.
Another segment of 7 Cups service is the paid version. As one would expect, the paid version still provides the Active Listener service from the free option with the inclusion of messaging with a professional, licensed mental health therapist.
Who Is 7 Cups Right For?
As a service offering free emotional support to people across the country and the globe, 7 Cups could be right for many groups of people.
Some who may benefit from the services provided by 7 Cups include:
- People who just want a connection: You don’t need a mental health diagnosis or a severe mental health condition to use 7 Cups. The service is right for people who just need someone to talk to, people who feel lonely sometimes, or people who do not get the needed support from their loved ones
- People with mild symptoms: Many people have symptoms of anxiety, depression, or other conditions that fall into the mild range. For these people, 7 Cups could offer a level of care that works to keep their symptoms from worsening and impacting their daily life.
- Teenagers:Teenagers typically have limited power to start professional treatment and a limited ability to transport themselves to sessions. Teens with a smartphone and some tech savvy could enjoy the convenience of 7 Cups, a service with listeners especially for teens.
- People who cannot afford therapy: Without insurance, just one session of individual therapy can cost around $100, which really adds up over the course of a month or a year. People seeking the most affordable option may appreciate 7 Cups’ free version.
- People who are considering professional mental health treatment: Someone considering professional mental health treatment may be intimidated by the appointments, the time commitment, and the process of sharing personal information with a stranger. 7 Cups can act as a step in the direction of individual therapy to build confidence in the treatment.
- People looking for group chat options: Though it is not advertised prominently, 7 Cups offers group chats between users. This service is unlocked after a user earns enough points by completing a predetermined number of chats with Active Listeners.
- People who need to supplement their professional treatment: Professional therapy is great, but at an hour per week, the service may not provide the needed support. People in need of something more can add 7 Cups to the treatment plan to extend the benefit of therapy.
Who May Want an Alternative to 7 Cups?
With its high benefit and low-risk format, many people will benefit from the service, but still, 7 Cups is not for everyone.
Some people who should consider options other than 7 Cups include:
- Children under 13: Like other online therapy and emotional support programs, 7 Cups set the lower age limit at 13, which means children 12 and under cannot utilize the service. Children and their parents should seek in-person services or local telehealth options to find providers competent in treating children.
- Anyone in crisis: 7 Cups clearly states throughout their platform that they are not a service for people in crisis. The site offers alternatives for people in that state, but people experiencing a significant crisis should call 9-1-1, while others in distress can find a local crisis hotline or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
- Anyone experiencing psychosis: Having a series of hallucinations or delusional thoughts can signal troubling mental health symptoms. If a person is noting these severe outcomes, they would do well to seek a face-to-face evaluation to assess symptoms and coordinate treatment.
- Someone looking for psychiatric medications: Psychoactive medications, like antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs, can address unwanted symptoms safely and effectively. 7 Cups does not offer an option for psychiatric medications, so someone in need may need a prescription from a primary care doctor, a psychiatrist, or another online provider.
- Anyone looking for a deeper relationship: People may request the same listener, but if they are not available, the user will have to speak to a new person. This turnover increases the possibility of having chats that repeat the same story or feature the same feedback as the previous chat. These people may benefit from online or in-person individual therapy.
7 Cups Pricing & Costs
The pricing and costs of 7 Cups are simple and streamlined. The service that connects a person to a specially-trained Active Listener is free, and the paid version that provides unlimited chatting to a licensed therapist costs $150 each month. It is essential to note that the unlimited chatting in the paid version only offers a therapist’s response once or twice a day during a 5-day workweek. Because of this, the messages will be closer to email responses than text messages.
The free option is a useful resource for anyone to try, while the paid version may not add a lot of benefit, especially for people who can use insurance coverage to pay for therapy. Without insurance coverage, though, the paid version of 7 Cups yields a higher benefit relative to cost.
Does 7 Cups Take Insurance?
While other online mental health platforms like Talkspace may accept payment for private insurance companies, 7 Cups does not. Because of this, any person interested in using the paid version of the site must do so by paying upfront.
Since online services like 7 Cups are constantly evolving and updating their services, this may change in the future.
How to Use 7 Cups
For access to 7 Cups free version, the process is simple:
Step 1: Create an Account
Download the app or navigate to the 7 Cups homepage to create an account. All you need is your email, a username, password, and limited information about your age to get started. Compared to other similar services, the speed of 7 Cups is impressive as there are very few barriers to access. It may be a matter of minutes from account creation to being connected to a listener.
7 Cups – Signup
Step 2: Chat With Noni, a Support Bot
Meet Noni. Noni is a bot that provides automated support and directions. Noni can help you connect with an Active Listener in a few short steps.
Just select the issue that you would like to discuss from the group of topics that range from relationship stress to anxiety.
Step 3: Select Your Chat Partner
Do you prefer the free version with the Active Listener or the paid version with a professional therapist? When you choose the listener, you jump right into the conversation. When you choose the therapist, you are prompted to enter more personal information, sign off on an informed consent that allows therapy to commence, and add your credit card information.
Step 4: Start Messaging With Your Active Listener
Your Active Listener can give you some information about the site, what they are able to do, and the limitations of their services. During this process, the listener was available almost instantly and provided feedback very quickly.
As an experiment, another Active Listener was requested. The second listener was responsive and entered into a kind exchange, but then stopped chatting without any explanation.
7 Cups – Desktop Chat
Step 5: Explore Social Aspects of the App
7 Cups has other elements to engage users. These features provide reinforcement for using the service and allow users to unlock features like group chat.
People can also earn badges and rewards for speaking to listeners and maintaining longer conversations. It isn’t obvious from the outset how these work to enhance the users’ experience, but it could help add some level of incentive to keep coming back to the service.
7 Cups – Alerts
7 Cups – Badges
Confidentiality & Privacy
In an effort to preserve confidentiality, 7 Cups uses its anonymous bridging technology to connect users on their phones or computers to Active Listeners who are also based from their homes. With this in place, no one has access to any personal information.1
In fact, signing up for the free version of 7 Cups only requires an email address. The user never has to provide:
- Their name
- Their phone number
- Their address
When someone signs up for the paid version, more information is required to maintain safety and establish emergency contacts. Still, the site promises privacy throughout the process.
Like any service, anyone should personally vet the process 7 Cups uses to maintain confidentiality. Data breaches are possible so a person should weigh the possible risk versus reward.
Pros & Cons of 7 Cups Based on User Reviews
According to users on the App Store, 7 Cups has a fair rating of 3.6 out of 5 based on about 1,300 reviews. A glance at reviews will show many polarized opinions of the service.
Pros
The users who enjoy 7 Cups seem to really appreciate what the service is and what it offers in terms of emotional support.
Some of the most favorable reviewers report:
- Thinking that the service is a fantastic space for people who are struggling with symptoms but feel unable to speak out loud.
- Feeling that the Active Listeners really cared about the users’ health and well-being
- Enjoying the ability to become a listener to help others as listeners have helped them
- Being able to express things to people without needing personal connections
- Noting that the app adds to a sense of fulfillment and progress in life
- 7 Cups offers an environment of intelligent and caring individuals
- The listeners are helpful but even the assistant bot can offer helpful suggestions and lessons
Cons
Expectedly, some users do not report the same positive experience of others on 7 Cups.
Some of the negative reviews referenced:
- The poor suggestion from listeners about the role of self-care and cutting, especially in the group chat feature with other users
- The inexperience of the Active Listeners who did not respect the user’s privacy
- Active listeners who never respond or stop responding shortly after the conversation starts
- The inconsistency in listeners with some being very helpful and others making the user feel worse
- Listeners who quickly leave the conversation without any warning or communication
- Other users who are only interested in flirting with members or trying to engage in inappropriate conversations
- The actual app being buggy or challenging to use, which makes the benefit less
- Listeners who seemed condescending or judgmental*
*Please note that users may flag content as inappropriate at any point and moderators will review the content and take action as needed.
7 Cups vs. Talkspace vs. Betterhelp vs. In-Person Therapy
7 Cups will be an excellent service for many, but it exists alongside other mental health providers who offer different types of services that cater to different types of users. Here’s how 7 Cups stacks up:
7 Cups vs Talkspace
Like 7 Cups, Talkspace is an online mental health provider for teens and adults looking to boost their well-being. Talkspace differentiates itself by forgoing a free option and instead focusing on various therapy options.
Talkspace provides various services from mental health professionals like:5
- Unlimited messaging therapy
- Live video therapy sessions with a consistent professional
- Couples counseling messaging therapy
- Psychiatric services for people interested in an evaluation for medication
- Insomnia program that presents guided materials for those with poor sleep patterns
- Different tiers of therapy with varied levels of video sessions
The cheapest Talkspace therapy option is $260 per month, so even 7 Cups paid version is much cheaper. On the other hand, Talkspace does have options to pay with insurance coverage and health savings accounts.
7 Cups vs Betterhelp
As Betterhelp boasts its status as the world’s largest e-counseling platform, it has more in common with Talkspace than 7 Cups. Like Talkspace, Betterhelp uses messaging services to make progress, but the platform incorporates live video and telephone therapy sessions as well.
Betterhelp’s pricing is comparable to Talkspace with weekly fees ranging from $60 to $100.6 So, Betterhelp could be more of a replacement for individual therapy, while 7 Cups is something very different.
7 Cups vs In-Person Counseling
Comparing 7 Cups’ free service to in-person individual counseling is a bit of an uneven comparison. Instead of viewing them as “either/ or,” it could be more helpful to view them as completely different services that could boost the other’s effectiveness.
In-person therapy offers a traditional counseling experience that has been largely unchanged for decades, while 7 Cups is an innovative form of emotional assistance that uses volunteer listeners. What 7 Cups lacks in expertise, it makes up for in accessibility, low cost, and availability.
7 Cups Statistics
7 Cups uses many statistics to express their accomplishments. The company has studied outcomes of their services and published the findings in prestigious mental health journals.
According to 7 Cups:3
- 100% of participants would recommend the service for people with perinatal mood disorders
- 84.6% of users find the listener to be a good support
- 79.1% report that they would like to chat with the listener again in the future
- 75.8% of users felt much better after communicating with a listener
- 70% of participants rate support from listeners on 7 Cups as equally or more effective as traditional psychotherapy
7 Cups continues to research and track the impact of the platform and those assisted. To date, 7 Cups has:4
- Over 1.1 billion messages sent
- Helped over 39,000,000 people
- Operates in 189 countries and 140 language
- A network of over 320,000 listeners
Final Verdict on 7 Cups
7 Cups is not primarily set to be a therapy replacement. It is aiming for something else. For people looking for some empathy and support that is both free and convenient, 7 Cups provides a low-risk service. Perhaps, the most impressive aspect of 7 Cups is the speed of access to a listener.
Like all mental health services, there is no universal option to create great results. 7 Cups’ price and potential value makes it worth reviewing to understand the limitations and possible benefits.
