Is BetterHelp Legit? Ownership, Ratings and Complaints

• BetterHelp is a legitimate therapy service. Teladoc Health, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, has owned it since 2015. BetterHelp averaged 346,000 paying users a month in the second quarter of 2026.¹
• US therapists must hold a state license as a psychologist, marriage and family therapist, clinical social worker or professional counselor. They also need at least 3 years and 1,000 hours of experience.²
• As of September 2026, BetterHelp has a 3.8 TrustScore from 9,697 Trustpilot reviews and an A+ BBB rating. Complaints mainly concern billing. In 2023, it paid $7.8 million to settle FTC charges over sharing health data for advertising.³

Before signing up for BetterHelp, it helps to know who will provide your care and how the service handles problems. Adults meet with licensed therapists by video, phone or chat. Each therapist’s license number is published, so you can check it before your first session.

BetterHelp has accepted insurance and offered psychiatry since 2025. Its record also includes a 2023 settlement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the US consumer protection agency, over sharing health data with advertisers. Most complaints today concern subscription billing.

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Who owns BetterHelp?

BetterHelp says it was founded in 2013. Teladoc Health bought it in January 2015, and BetterHelp has been a wholly owned subsidiary since then. Teladoc trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker TDOC, so BetterHelp’s financial results appear in public SEC filings. For the quarter ended June 30, 2026, it reported $212.6 million in revenue and an average of 346,000 paying users a month, including members paying out of pocket and those using insurance.¹

BetterHelp says it has more than 31,000 therapists and has helped over 6 million people. It also operates in Canada, Australia, the UK, France, Germany and the Netherlands. Teladoc acquired UpLift, a mental health provider that works with health plans, in April 2025. By the middle of 2026, BetterHelp’s insurance option covered every US state and included more than 8,000 credentialed providers.⁴

Are BetterHelp therapists licensed?

Yes. BetterHelp’s terms require each US therapist to be a licensed psychologist with a PhD or PsyD, an LMFT, LCSW, LPC or the state equivalent. They must have a relevant degree, at least three years of experience and 1,000 hours of hands on practice.²

Applicants complete document checks, background checks and a case study graded by a licensed clinician. BetterHelp says it accepts about 25% of applicants.

Therapists work as independent contractors. Like clinicians in an office practice, they must follow their licensing body’s confidentiality and mandated reporting rules.⁵ BetterHelp’s state directory pages list each therapist’s license type and number. For example, the Georgia page includes Georgia LPC license numbers. You can verify a license through the state board’s public lookup.

As a therapist, I would encourage anyone considering an online service to check their clinician’s license before the first session. I would also want them to feel comfortable asking about the therapist’s approach and discussing whether the match feels right.

The 2023 FTC settlement over health data

On March 2, 2023, the FTC charged that BetterHelp had shared email addresses, IP addresses and health questionnaire answers with Facebook, Snapchat, Criteo and Pinterest for advertising despite promising to keep them private. The conduct occurred from 2017 to 2020. BetterHelp agreed to pay $7.8 million.⁶ In July 2023, the Commission voted 3 to 0 to finalize the order.³ It requires BetterHelp to:

• Stop sharing health data for advertising and personal information for retargeting.
• Obtain affirmative express consent before disclosing personal information to certain third parties.
• Maintain a comprehensive privacy program and limit how long it retains data.
• Tell the companies that received the data to delete it.

BetterHelp settled without admitting wrongdoing. It described the practice as standard across healthcare and said it had never been paid to share names or clinical data from therapy sessions.⁷

Refunds went to customers who paid on a BetterHelp website between August 2017 and December 2020, including sister sites such as Regain and Teen Counseling. The administrator paid nearly $5.2 million in June 2024. A second round in 2025 paid over $2.6 million to more than 534,000 people.⁸

As of September 2026, the FTC lists no open claims process and no other case against BetterHelp. Our BetterHelp controversy page covers the full timeline.

How BetterHelp handles your data now

The FTC order remains in force. BetterHelp’s cookie banner asks users to click “I agree” before it shares personally identifiable information with advertising partners. Messages use 256 bit encryption, and the platform holds HITRUST r2 certification, a healthcare security standard.⁵

During signup, you are asked for a nickname rather than your full name. BetterHelp’s privacy policy explains how to request erasure of your data through account settings.

BetterHelp’s responsible AI policy says its AI does not provide therapy, diagnosis or treatment. It also prohibits therapists from using outside AI tools, including ChatGPT, for therapy communications.⁹

BetterHelp reviews on Trustpilot, the BBB and app stores

As of September 2026, BetterHelp has an A+ BBB rating. It scores 4.8 on the App Store, 4.6 on Google Play and 3.8 on Trustpilot. Reviewers often praise flexible scheduling and easy therapist switching. Billing is the most common complaint.

Trustpilot rating

BetterHelp’s TrustScore was 3.8 from 9,697 reviews in September 2026, down from 3.9 in August. Five star reviews make up 80% of the total, while one star reviews account for 11%.¹⁰ Trustpilot notes that the company has not invited reviews recently, so the sample may not be representative.

BBB rating and complaints

BetterHelp has been BBB accredited since 2015 and holds an A+ rating. It had 340 complaints over three years, with 112 closed in the last 12 months. Its customer review average was 3.99 out of 5 from 319 reviews.¹¹ Recent complaints involved charges after cancellation, account lockouts and insurance problems.

The BBB advises readers to consider complaints alongside a company’s size. Comparing 112 complaints a year with 346,000 average monthly paying users gives a rough ratio of 3 per 10,000. That comparison is limited because not everyone files a complaint with the BBB.

App store ratings

As of September 2026, BetterHelp has 4.8 stars from about 150,000 App Store ratings and 4.6 stars from about 65,500 Google Play reviews.

What users praise and complain about

Reviewers often like the flexible scheduling, choice of counselors and ease of switching therapists. Some also mention group classes, financial aid and affordability.

Billing complaints include unexpected charges, refund requests for unused weeks and slow customer support. A smaller group reports missed sessions or slow replies from therapists. BetterHelp says missed sessions are uncommon and refers those reports to its clinical operations team.

Why some people call BetterHelp a scam

People who use the word “scam” generally point to the FTC case, subscription billing or criticism of BetterHelp’s influencer advertising on social media.

BetterHelp uses a subscription model. Its terms say you must cancel before the renewal date to avoid the next charge, and refund requests are considered individually.² You can cancel through account settings, use the “Cancel Subscription” link in the website footer with your email address, or contact customer service.

You can see which licensed therapists BetterHelp matches you with. Our link applies 20% off the first month.

Who is BetterHelp for?

BetterHelp may suit adults who want weekly therapy from home. You can change therapists at any time without an extra charge. Insurance is available in every state, making it an option for people whose plans are accepted as well as those paying out of pocket. BetterHelp financial aid lowers the price for some members.

According to BetterHelp’s 2025 US data, 78% of clients with elevated depression symptoms and 75% with elevated anxiety symptoms improved within 12 weeks. In that report, improvement means any decrease in a PHQ 9 or GAD 7 questionnaire score.¹² BetterHelp also cites a study published in a peer reviewed journal by researchers at UC Berkeley, UCSF and San Francisco General Hospital. That study found a significant decrease in depression symptoms among users.⁵

BetterHelp says its therapists cannot diagnose mental health conditions. Its psychiatric providers are nurse practitioners and physicians licensed in the US. They can evaluate adults and treat depression, anxiety, ADHD, bipolar disorder, PTSD and OCD. The average insured copay is $26 per session.

This article is for information only and is not medical advice. Talk to a doctor or licensed clinician before starting, stopping, or changing any treatment.

Some readers may need another option:

• Teens: BetterHelp serves adults. People ages 13 to 19 use its sister site Teen Counseling.
• Couples: Couples therapy is offered through its sister site Regain. Family therapy is not available.
• Therapy ordered by a court: BetterHelp says its service is not suitable.
• Intensive outpatient care or appointments in person: BetterHelp does not have an intensive outpatient program. Its terms say the service may not suit needs that require care in person, including active substance withdrawal or anorexia nervosa.

Our BetterHelp review explains plans and pricing. If the service fits your needs, you can start BetterHelp’s matching questionnaire.

Safety: emergencies, therapist problems and refunds

BetterHelp is not an emergency service. Every page of its website links to crisis resources.² If you are in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or call 911.

You can request a new therapist at any time. If your therapist leaves the platform, BetterHelp emails you to arrange another match. All contact with a therapist must remain on the platform.

To report a therapist, write to contact@betterhelp.com for review by BetterHelp’s clinical operations team. You can also contact the therapist’s state licensing board.

Cancel before your renewal date to avoid the next charge. If you are dissatisfied with the service, contact customer support to ask about a refund. You can get matched with a BetterHelp therapist.