Amwell is a telemedicine platform that offers therapy and psychiatry sessions via live video. The cost of therapy is $112 – $135 per 45-minute session depending on the provider. The cost of an initial 45-minute psychiatric evaluation is $279 and 15-minute follow-up appointments are $109. Amwell accepts many major health insurance plans which could make your costs even lower.
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Amwell At a Glance
Cost: $112 – $279 depending on service
Insurance Accepted? Yes
Pros & Cons of Amwell
Pros - Therapy and psychiatric medication available
- Select your own provider from a directory
- Therapy available for kids ages 10+
- You can pay per appointment, as needed
- Prenatal, postpartum, and menopause counseling available
Cons - Psychiatry is only available for individuals 18-years and older
- No text-based therapy available
- Amwell does not automatically match a therapist for you
- No discount for participating in both therapy and psychiatry
Preview Amwell
Amwell is a telemedicine platform that offers a variety of services including therapy and psychiatrymental healthcare. During our independent review, they earned 4.5 out of 5 stars overall. With Amwell, individuals can meet with a licensed therapist or psychiatrist via live video through Amwell’s website or app. Amwell’s costs range from $109 – $279, depending on which service you choose, and they accept many major insurance plans that could lower the cost of care.
When I tried Amwell, I found it very easy to sign up and find a therapist who could see me the next day. The directory of therapists was a bit overwhelming since there were many options. However, when I filtered it by availability, it shortened the list down to something more manageable.
My first video therapy session with my therapist happened the next day after signing up and it was easy to attend. I encountered some connection issues, so my appointment was shortened to 20 minutes, however, my therapist refunded me so I could get a full session another time. Notably, Amwell also offers psychiatry appointments for those seeking medication treatment as well.
Doctor on Demand has a very similar offering to Amwell. If you find that Amwell isn’t in-network with your insurance, Doctor on Demand could be a good choice, instead. For more details, check out our full Doctor on Demand review.
Why You Can Trust My Review
Firsthand Experiences with Amwell
In our detailed review below we present a deep dive into Amwell therapy and psychiatry services, but sometimes you just want to hear a clear recommendation from somebody who’s used the service firsthand. Here are our firsthand experiences using Amwell.
Michelle Liu
Emily Guarnotta, PsyD
Detailed Review of Amwell
Therapy with Amwell can help with a wide variety of concerns, including depression, anxiety, and women’s mental health. Amwell’s therapists include licensed psychologists and masters-level therapists. The cost of therapy with Amwell varies depending on the type of provider. Therapy sessions with a master’s level therapist cost $112, while sessions with a doctoral level therapist/psychologist cost $135.
Amwell offers therapy for anyone 10 years and older – therapists are available with specialized experience in treating adolescents’ and women’s issues, including issues due to pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause. You have the ability to select your own provider from a directory and, in some cases, you can schedule an appointment in as little as 24 hours. When I set up my Amwell account, I was able to schedule an appointment the following day. Evening and weekend appointments are also an option, which makes it a great choice for families and those with busy schedules.
Therapy sessions are 45 minutes long and can be scheduled as often as you and your therapist feel is right for you based on your treatment plan. Because Amwell does not require a monthly subscription, you are not required to pay for a certain number of sessions each month like many other online mental health platforms. Depending on your therapist’s approach, they may assign “homework” or other activities to do outside of sessions to help support what you discuss. You can also message your provider between appointments with questions and concerns.
Detailed Review of Amwell Psychiatry
Psychiatry with Amwell is only available to adults, 18-years and older. Amwell’s psychiatric providers are able to help those dealing with a range of mental health concerns, including anxiety disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, anorexia, and bulimia. Like therapy with Amwell, you pay a standard fee for each psychiatry session. The cost of an initial 45-minute consultation is $279 and 15-minute follow-up appointments are $112-$135. Amwell also provides the option of meeting with a psychiatrist who is authorized to provide therapy in addition to medication management services.
Amwell’s network of psychiatrists includes licensed physicians who are board-certified in psychiatry or neurology. You have the ability to choose your own provider by browsing the listing of psychiatrists in your state. Much like searching for a therapist, there are a couple of ways to find a psychiatric provider. You can choose a specific date and time you want to see a therapist or you can browse all providers and see their individual availability. I found the process of selecting a psychiatric provider to be seamless. I was easily able to look through all of the providers in my area and narrow down by search until I found the right one.
Once you have selected a provider, you can schedule your initial 45-minute consultation. If your provider decides to prescribe you medication, they will send it directly to your local pharmacy for pick up. You can then schedule 15-minute follow-up appointments as needed. There is also the option to message your provider between appointments with questions or concerns.
Amwell’s app view includes bottom tabs that can direct you to your appointment calendar, messages from your provider(s), and a tab where you can change your personal settings/preferences. The interface is simple to navigate and all information is easily located.
In order to access a session with your provider, you click the calendar icon and select the appointment you are attending. You will then be directed to the waiting room where you will wait until your provider is ready to see you.
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Attending Your First Appointment on Amwell
Attending a therapy or psychiatry appointment on Amwell requires you to sign up for an account and complete all the required questions. From there simply choose “Behavioral Health” and find a provider and appointment that works for you.
To attend a session on Amwell, follow the steps below:
- Create an account through the Amwell website.
- Enter your personal information and then select “Behavioral Health”.
- Choose what type of service you would like between therapy, psychiatry, adolescent therapy, menopause counseling, and pregnancy & postpartum therapy.
- Choose to search appointment options by provider or appointment date and time.
- Select an appointment that works for you.
- Pay for the appointment.
- Download the app from one of the app stores for convenient access to your account from anywhere.
- Log on to the website or use the mobile app to attend your scheduled appointment.
Amwell Cost & Insurance
Amwell costs $112– $135 per session for therapy and $109 – $279 per session for psychiatry. The final price is dependent on the provider. There are no monthly subscriptions or sign-up fees. Amwell accepts health insurance for mental health services and is in-network with over 55 major health plans.
Therapy costs depend on the type of provider you want to see – sessions with a master’s level therapist are $112 each, while sessions with a doctoral-level psychologist are $135. All therapy sessions are 45 minutes long. Psychiatry costs $279 for a 45-minute initial evaluation and $109 for each 15-minute follow-up visit.
Amwell accepts health insurance for mental health services. Currently, they are in-network with over 55 major health plans, including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS), Beacon Health, Emblem Health, United Healthcare, and Caremark. Many employers also offer Amwell as a service to their employees. For these reasons, plus the option to receive a superbill or use your FSA or HSA funds for mental health services, Amwell earned 5 stars in the “Insurance & Out-of-Network Benefits” category of our scoring criteria.
Payment for your appointments is due upfront and if you fail to attend or cancel less than 24 hours before your scheduled appointment, you will be charged a $40 cancellation fee. At the end of my first appointment, my therapist coordinated with me to schedule my next three sessions, which was convenient.
Both therapy and psychiatry costs are clearly provided and the per-session costs are in line with the length of service rendered. For these reasons, Amwell earned 5 stars in the “Online Therapy Cost” category of our scoring criteria.
Who Does Amwell Serve?
Amwell therapy is available for anyone age 10+, which psychiatry is available for those age 18+. Both services are available in any of the 50 US states. There are specific options for those seeking psychiatry, adolescent therapy, pregnancy & postpartum therapy, and menopause counseling.
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User Reviews
Amwell has a 4.9-star rating from 42,000+ reviews in the Apple Store and a 4.3-star rating from 8,400+ reviews in the Google Play Store. Reviewers found Amwell to be convenient while others felt frustrated over canceled appointments and longer waits to see a provider. We reviewed both Better Business Bureau’s and TrustPilot’s review of Amwell and noted that their scoring was based on Amwell’s entire telehealth platform, not specifically on the behavioral health services. Their lower scores reflected the issues that were regarding communication with primary care providers and other health services beyond mental healthcare. Therefore, we did not take into consideration those scores when reviewing Amwell.
Reviews from Apple App Store: 4.9/5 42.7K reviews
Positive reviews of Amwell included the positive quality of care and good engagement with their providers.
Negative reviews of Amwell talked about how other services, like primary health care, were lacking in professional quality. As mentioned, many of the reviews of Amwell were looking at Amwell as a whole, or primarily focused on other telehealth options that were not for behavioral health.
Reviews from Android App Store: 4.3 / 5 8K reviews
Positive reviews included users praising how simple it was to find an appointment in a short period of time. Users also highlighted how simple the app was to use.
Negative reviews included discussions of high cost of appointments and services. Other negative reviews mentioned poor communication with some of their providers.
Who May Want Alternative to Amwell?
Amwell has a wide range of mental health services but there are certain groups of people that cannot receive care on the platform. People looking to address substance use disorders and children and teens in need of medication management will need to seek out an alternative to Amwell.
Those Seeking Substance Use Disorder Treatment
While Amwell treats a wide range of mental health conditions, they do not provide treatment for substance use disorders. Amwell’s psychiatrists do not have the resources to support people who are struggling with substance abuse, so if you are detoxing from drugs or alcohol, you will need to seek out an alternative, such as Bicycle Health or other online addiction treatment programs. Depending on severity, you may be best served in a face-to-face treatment setting, rather than through telemedicine.
Children & Teens Needing Psychiatry
Amwell’s psychiatry services are only available for adults 18 years and older. Adolescents 10 years and older can participate in therapy, but parents will need to find an alternative when it comes to psychiatry. Online platforms like Brightline and Talkiatry offer psychiatric services and medication management to children six years and older. Doctor on Demand is very similar to Amwell and also serves kids and teens.
Amwell vs Competitors
Amwell is a great choice for those just needing an easy and convenient way to find therapy to help reduce the impact of burnout, stress, or other behavioral health issues. Amwell could be an ideal choice for someone who has viable in-network therapy options. Meanwhile, Teladoc, with a larger pool of providers, may be better for finding more providers who are in your network, while Online-Therapy.com is great if you’re specifically looking for CBT therapy.
Price: $112-135 per session
Insurance Accepted? Yes
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Therapy and Psychiatry available as per session costs -
Browse a provider directory and select your own provider at a patient’s convenience -
Therapy services available to individuals 10-years and older
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Psychiatry is only available for individuals 18-years and older -
No text-based therapy available -
Amwell providers will not prescribe controlled medications
Price: $119-299 per session
Insurance Accepted? Yes
-
Accepts insurance from most major providers -
Medicaid is accepted in very select states -
Services are available at a flat rate without insurance.
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Appointments can be expensive if they’re not covered by insurance. -
No between-session messaging
Price: $276 – $436 monthly
Insurance Accepted? Yes
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Many major health insurance plans are accepted -
Individual, couples, and teen therapy available
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Not much control over initial therapist choice -
Provider matching process can take a few days
Price: $108 – $248 per session
Insurance Accepted? Yes
-
Offers a range of services, including online psychiatry, therapy, and medical visits -
Choose between live phone or video appointments
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No options for text therapy -
No discounts or bundles available if you want therapy and psychiatry
Amwell Vs. Teladoc
Amwell Vs. Talkspace
Amwell Vs. MD Live
Amwell Review – Our Final Verdict
Amwell is ideal for adults seeking psychiatry and people seeking therapy for concerns like anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, and women’s issues. Benefits of Amwell include the ability to select your own provider, fast scheduling, and evening and weekend appointments. The cost of Amwell’s therapy services is similar to other online mental health platforms and many different insurance plans are accepted. Compared to other platforms like Talkspace and Teladoc, the costs of Amwell’s psychiatry services are more affordable.
Overall, my experience with selecting a provider and scheduling an appointment was positive. I was able to choose from several providers in my state and schedule an appointment the next day. I also appreciated that Amwell has providers with specialized training in treating emotional issues related to pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause. Amwell appears to be a good and affordable option for online therapy and definitely earned its 4-star overall rating during our independent review.
History & News of Amwell
Year Founded – 2006
Amwell was founded in 2006 by Ido Schoenberg and Roy Schoenberg with the vision of connecting patients, providers, insurers, and innovators together to provide quality affordable healthcare. Together they have grown Amwell to be one of the largest telemedicine companies in the world. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Amwell grew exponentially, which led the company to go public in August 2020. In 2020, Amwell had a total of 5.9 million virtual visits, which was an increase of 400% from the previous year.1 Currently, over 80 million members have Amwell as a covered benefit, more than 98,500 providers are part of the Amwell network, and more than 55 health plans partner with the company.
Amwell’s primary business is providing the technology platform that allows health plans and systems to connect doctors with their patients. Their direct-to-consumer app, which was the focus of this review, is just one aspect of their business.
Amwell’s growth has not been without controversy. In 2015 Amwell filed a lawsuit against fellow telehealth platform Teladoc for patent infringement. The lawsuit was dismissed by a federal judge. In 2020, Teladoc filed a lawsuit against Amwell with similar claims.2 The two companies settled out of court in 2022.3
Additional Resources
To help our readers take the next step in their mental health journey, Choosing Therapy has partnered with leaders in mental health and wellness. Choosing Therapy is compensated for marketing by the companies included below.
Online Therapy
BetterHelp – Get support and guidance from a licensed therapist. BetterHelp has over 30,000 therapists who provide convenient and affordable online therapy. BetterHelp starts at $65 per week and is FSA/HSA eligible by most providers. Take a free online assessment and get matched with the right therapist for you. Free Assessment
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Medication + Therapy
Brightside Health – Together, medication and therapy can help you feel like yourself, faster. Brightside Health treatment plans start at $95 per month. United Healthcare, Anthem, Cigna, and Aetna accepted. Following a free online evaluation and receiving a prescription, you can get FDA approved medications delivered to your door. Free Assessment
Online Psychiatry
Klarity Health – The providers on Klarity offer comprehensive, personalized ADHD treatment. From diagnosis to therapy to medication management, a Klarity provider will be there for you. And, if needed, they’re able to prescribe controlled substances, like Adderall or Concerta. Visit Klarity Health
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