Amwell is a telemedicine platform that offers therapy and psychiatry sessions, in addition to urgent care and other health services, via live video. We rated Amwell 4.5 out of 5 stars for its ease of use, insurance coverage, and specialties offered on the platform. When I signed up for Amwell, I was able to find a therapist who could see me within 24 hours.
Amwell At a Glance
Pros & Cons of Amwell
- Therapy and 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
- Psychiatry is only available for individuals aged 18+
- 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 healthcare services, including therapy and psychiatry. During our independent review, it earned 4.5 out of 5 stars overall. With Amwell, users can meet with a licensed therapist or psychiatrist via live video through the website or app. Amwell’s costs range from $109–$279, depending on which service you choose, and it accepts 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. 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 adults seeking medication treatment as well.
If you find that Amwell isn’t in-network with your insurance, Doctor on Demand could be a good alternative. Others looking for in-network or cash-pay psychiatry and therapy could also try Brightside Health, as it offers monthly subscription plans that may be a better fit for some.
Detailed Review of Amwell
Amwell earned 4.5 out of 5 stars in our independent review of the platform. Its strongpoints include the range of clients and geographic locations it serves, insurance benefits, and general user experience. It doesn’t have many extra features, such as a journaling space or extra workshops, and some users report having some issues with customer service.
Continue reading for a detailed review of our experience, as well as our scoring breakdown below:
Review our scoring criteria for online therapy platforms here.
Review our complete editorial policies here.
Therapy
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 $109, while sessions with a doctoral level therapist/psychologist cost $129.
Amwell offers therapy for anyone 10 years and older—therapists are available with specialized experience in treating adolescents’ and women’s issues, including difficulties due to pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause. Users have the ability to select their own provider from a directory and, in some cases, 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.
Psychiatry
Psychiatry with Amwell is only available to those 18 and older. Amwell’s psychiatric providers are able to help people 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 $109. Longer, 30-minute follow-ups are available for $169. 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. Clients can choose their 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 one who looked like the best fit for me.
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- or 30-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. In order to access a session with your provider, simply 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.
Cost & Insurance
Therapy costs depend on the type of provider you want to see: Sessions with a master’s-level therapist are $109 each, while sessions with a doctoral-level psychologist are $129. 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 (or $169 for a 30-minute follow-up). 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. Currently, it is in-network with over 55 major health plans, including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS), Beacon Health, Emblem Health, United Healthcare, Caremark, and several others. 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 aged 10+, while psychiatry is available for those 18 and older. 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.
User Reviews
Amwell has a 4.9-star rating from 47,500+ reviews in the Apple Store and a 4-star rating from 8,400+ reviews in the Google Play Store. Reviewers found Amwell to be convenient, though others felt frustrated over canceled appointments and longer waits to see a provider.
Amwell’s scoring on both the Better Business Bureau and TrustPilot is based on the entire telehealth platform, not specifically on the behavioral health services. Their lower scores reflected issues regarding communication with primary care providers and other health services beyond mental healthcare. Therefore, we did not take those scores into consideration when reviewing Amwell.
Reviews from Apple App Store | 4.9 out of 5 stars | 47.5K 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 Google Play Store | 4 out of 5 stars | 8.5K reviews
Positive reviews included users praising how simple it was to find an appointment in a short period of time. Users also highlighted how user-friendly the app is.
Negative reviews included discussions of the high cost of appointments and services. Other negative reviews mentioned poor communication with some of their providers.
Alternatives & 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, especially for someone with in-network insurance. Meanwhile, Teladoc, with a larger pool of providers, may be better for finding more providers who are in your network, while Talkspace could be a good option if it takes your insurance.
Best for Provider Choice - Teladoc
Both Amwell and Teladoc offer fee-for-service therapy and psychiatry at similar cost, and for a range of mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Teladoc serves teens and adults ages 13 and older, while Amwell serves age 18+ for psychiatry and age 10+ for therapy. Unlike Amwell, Teladoc offers provider matching. When you sign up with Teladoc, you will answer several questions and then it will provide you with a list of providers that match your preferences.
Teladoc costs slightly more for psychiatry and about the same for therapy for those paying out of pocket. The cost of psychiatry with Teladoc is $299 for an initial evaluation and $199 for follow-up visits. The cost of therapy is $119 per session.
To learn more about Teladoc, visit our full Teladoc review.
Pros & Cons
- Wide range of insurance plans accepted
- Many providers offer next-day appointments
- Cash-pay psychiatry is expensive
- No therapist messaging between appointments
Best Subscription Model - Talkspace
Talkspace could be a great alternative to Amwell for those who are looking for both therapy and medication services, as well as those seeking therapy for kids, teens, or couples. If your insurance doesn’t cover Talkspace, Amwell has much more affordable rates for psychiatry.
Talkspace therapy costs $276–$436 monthly, and psychiatry costs $299 for an initial consultation and $175 for every appointment thereafter.
We found Talkspace to be an excellent platform for both psychiatry and therapy. It’s a great option for those looking for medication and have an insurance plan that’s in-network. If your insurance isn’t in-network, Talkspace may not be the most cost-effective platform.
Learn more in our full review of Talkspace.
Pros & Cons
- Accepts many insurance plans, including Medicare
- Sign-up is fast and easy
- Clients can’t choose their initial therapist
- The provider-matching process can sometimes take a few days
Best for Insurance Coverage - MD Live
Both Amwell and MDLive offer online psychiatry and therapy and treat a range of mental health concerns, including anxiety and depression. Both offer therapy for children ages 10 and up, but MDLive also provides psychiatric services to those as young as 10, while Amwell only offers medication management for those 18+.
The cost of psychiatry on MDLive is $299 for an initial appointment and $159 for follow-ups, though this could be much lower with in-network insurance. The cost of therapy sessions is $179 for an initial session and $140 for following appointments. Like Amwell, MDLive also accepts health insurance.
Our detailed review of MD Live can give more information about the telehealth platform.
Pros & Cons
- Next-day appointments often available
- Accepts most major insurance plans
- No way to bundle therapy and psychiatry services
- No services for children under 10
History & News of Amwell
Year Founded: 2006
Founders: Ido Schoenberg and Roy Schoenberg
Publicly Traded? Yes
Headquartered in: Boston, MA
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. Since then, it’s grown 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 2020.1
Currently, over 80 million members have Amwell as a covered benefit, more than 2.3K active providers are part of the Amwell network, and around 50 health plans partner with the company.2
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. It continues to expand its technological capabilities—as of March 2025, Dan Zamansky, former leader of Amazon’s AI Health Initiative, is now Chief Product and Technology Officer,3 and Amwell has partnered with other platforms in the space to continue building out new ways to offer innovative healthcare solutions. This includes partnerships with Vida Health and Hello Heart to add ways for people to receive care for chronic conditions.4, 5
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.6 The two companies settled out of court in 2022.7
Choosing Therapy strives to provide our readers with mental health content that is accurate and actionable. We have high standards for what can be cited within our articles. Acceptable sources include government agencies, universities and colleges, scholarly journals, industry and professional associations, and other high-integrity sources of mental health journalism. Learn more by reviewing our full editorial policy.
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Landi, H. (2021, March 26). Amwell co-CEO to Amazon on telehealth play: ‘Welcome to the swamp.’ Fierce Healthcare. Retrieved from: https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/tech/amwell-co-ceo-amazon-not-a-competitor-telehealth-space
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Enabling hybrid care at scale. (2025). Amwell. Retrieved from: https://business.amwell.com/
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American Well. (2025, March 3). Amwell announces innovation leader as chief product and technology officer. Retrieved from: https://business.amwell.com/about-us/news/press-releases/2025/amwell-announces-innovation-leader-as-chief-product-and-technology-officer
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Pennic, Fred. (2025, January 15). Amwell & Vida Health Partner to Expand Virtual Cardiometabolic Care Offerings. HIT Consultant. Retrieved from: https://hitconsultant.net/2025/01/15/amwell-vida-health-virtual-cardiometabolic-care-offerings/
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Vecchione, Anthony. (2024, October 8). Amwell adds Hello Heart’s cardiovascular platform to clinical programs portfolio. Mobi Health News. Retrieved from: https://www.mobihealthnews.com/news/amwell-adds-hello-hearts-cardiovascular-platform-clinical-programs-portfolio
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Landi, H. (2020, September 23). Teladoc accuses Amwell of patent infringement as competition in telehealth market heats up. Fierce Healthcare. Retrieved from: https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/tech/as-telehealth-market-soars-teladoc-accuses-amwell-patent-infringement
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Yasiejko, C. (2022, July 6). Teladoc, Amwell settle patent suit on remote health-care tech. Bloomberg Law. Retrieved from: https://news.bloomberglaw.com/ip-law/teladoc-amwell-settle-patent-suit-on-remote-health-care-tech
We regularly update the articles on ChoosingTherapy.com to ensure we continue to reflect scientific consensus on the topics we cover, to incorporate new research into our articles, and to better answer our audience’s questions. When our content undergoes a significant revision, we summarize the changes that were made and the date on which they occurred. We also record the authors and medical reviewers who contributed to previous versions of the article. Read more about our editorial policies here.
Author: Abigail Rueger (New author)
Medical Reviewer: Benjamin Troy, MD (No Change)
Primary Changes: Updated the “History and news” section to add new CTO and new partnerships. Fact-checked and edited entire article for readability and clarity.
Author: Michelle Liu, MPH (No Change)
Medical Reviewer: Benjamin Troy, MD (No Change)
Primary Changes: Updated Amwell’s pricing from $112–$135 to $109–$279 depending on the service provided. Changed the format of the article to match our new style and added relevant info in the “Alternatives & Competitors” section for each alternative. Fact-checked and edited for readability and clarity. Updated images throughout.
Author: Michelle Liu, MPH (No Change)
Medical Reviewer: Benjamin Troy, MD ((No Change)
Primary Changes: Updated Amwell’s pricing from $109-$125 to B$112-$135. This change did not make them /less competitive. For this reason, our rating stayed the same.
Author: Michelle Liu, MPH (New author)
Medical Reviewer: Benjamin Troy, MD (New medical reviewer)
Primary Changes: Reassessment of Amwell and firsthand person impressions added; Added new FAQ; Fact-checked cost and offerings; updated style throughout. All new content was written by Michelle Liu, MPH, and medically reviewed by Benjamin Troy, MD.
Author: Emily Guarnotta, PsyD (No Change)
Medical Reviewer: Kristen Fuller, MD (New medical reviewer)
Primary Changes: Reassessment of Amwell & 1st person impressions added; Moved miscellaneous information to FAQ sections; Fact-checked cost and offerings; updated style throughout
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