Best Online Therapy Options With Insurance for 2023

Best Overall – Teladoc

Teladoc is a telemedicine platform that offers therapy and psychiatry to individuals over the age of 18. Therapy costs $99 and psychiatry costs $299 for an initial session, with follow-up appointments costing $199. Teladoc is available in all 50 states and in Canada.

Teladoc provides access to licensed therapists and psychiatrists in your state. They are trained to treat various mental health conditions and symptoms, like anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), stress, and more. After you sign up, you can choose the therapist or psychiatrist you think will be the best fit for you and your schedule.

Psychiatrists can prescribe some medications, including antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and antipsychotics, but they can’t prescribe controlled substances. They do prescribe some attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications, including Intuniv, Strattera, and Kapvay. If you are already on medication, your Teladoc provider can help you get refills or prescribe new medications if needed.

How Much Does Teladoc Cost?

Teladoc costs $99 for a 45-60 minute session with a licensed therapist. Psychiatry costs $299 for an initial appointment and $199 for follow-up appointments. Any medications prescribed are either your pharmacy co-pay or an out-of-pocket cost.

Which Insurance Plans Does Teladoc Accept?

Teladoc accepts plans from companies like Aetna, Anthem BCBS, Cigna, Premera, United Healthcare, and more. They also accept Medicaid in certain states.

What Out-Of-Network Benefits Can I Use With Teladoc?

Teladoc allows you to pay for services with your FSA or HSA card, but it is unclear if they provide superbills at this time. We have reached out to the company but unfortunately have not heard back from them at this time.

What Sets Teladoc Apart?

Teladoc was one of the first telemedicine platforms to be launched and was founded in 2002. They are one of the biggest telemedicine platforms to this date and have made acquisitions of other online telemedicine platforms as well as online therapy platforms, notably BetterHelp in 2015. This allows Teladoc to be in a unique position when it comes to offering therapy to the United States.

Consumers can choose to use their insurance and see a therapist with Teladoc or choose an out-of-pocket subscription option and use BetterHelp. Either way, consumers will have access to a very large therapist pool and be able to connect with a licensed professional in their state within days.

You can read all about the online therapy platforms Teladoc has purchased in our comprehensive review of BetterHelp, our Teen Counseling review, Faithful Counseling review, or our ReGain Couples Counseling review.

How to Sign Up for Teladoc

You can create an account by signing up on the Teladoc website.

Best for Medication Management – Talkiatry

Talkiatry is an online psychiatry platform that offers medication management for children (6+), teens, and adults. With Talkiatry, you are able to attend live video sessions with a licensed psychiatric provider and therapy is available for existing patients. The cost of Talkiatry depends on your insurance plan and coverage. Currently, Talkiatry only works with patients who have in-network health insurance plans.

Talkiatry treats mood and anxiety disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and PTSD. When you sign up, Talkiatry will match you with potential providers, but you can have the option of selecting a provider. Talkiatry’s providers include licensed psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners. Services are available for children ages six and older, with all children under the age of 18 requiring parent/guardian consent for treatment. During the initial evaluation (one hour for adults, 75 minutes for children), you will develop a treatment plan with your provider and decide how often appointments will be held. Follow-up appointments are typically 30 minutes long.

If your provider decides that you would benefit from medication, they will send a prescription to your local pharmacy, where you can pick it up and either use your insurance or pay out-of-pocket for it. Talkiatry’s psychiatric providers can prescribe medications for depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Talkiatry providers may also prescribe stimulant and non-stimulant medications for ADHD, however, thisdepends on the provider and state whether this is an option.

How Much Does Talkiatry Cost?

Talkiatry costs depend on your specific health insurance plan and coverage. Talkiatry only accepts patients who have in-network insurance plans. Before you schedule an appointment, Talkiatry will let you know whether they accept your insurance, if you have a deductible or copay, and how much your total out-of-pocket cost will be.

Which Insurance Plans Does Talkiatry Accept?

Talkiatry accepts Aetna, Bind, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, ComPsych, Humana, Medicare, Oscar, United Healthcare, and Oxford.

What Out-Of-Network Benefits Can I Use With Talkiatry?

Talkiatry only sees patients who have in-network insurance plans and you cannot use any out-of-network benefits. If you do not have health insurance or if your plan is out-of-network, you cannot sign up with Talkiatry.

What Sets Talkiatry Apart From Its Competitors

Talkiatry prides itself on offering longer appointments than what is traditionally offered by other platforms and in-person psychiatrists. An initial evaluation is 60 minutes long and follow-up appointments are 30 minutes. Evening and weekend appointments are also available. Once you sign up, you can expect to schedule an appointment in approximately five days or less.

Talkiatry is also one of the few online psychiatry platforms that treats children and teens. Many other well-known online psychiatry platforms, such as Brightline Mental Health, only provide medication management to existing therapy clients. With Talkiatry, children as young as six years old can meet with a psychiatrist via telehealth with their parent or guardian’s consent. Many parents with young children have a hard time finding providers that specialize in child psychiatry, but Talkiatry makes this possible.

For more information about how Talkiatry works, you can read our in-depth review of Talkiatry.

How to Sign Up for Talkiatry

To sign up, please visit the Talkiatry website.

Best for Therapy & Medication – Thriveworks

Thriveworks provides online and in-person counseling for kids and teens, individuals, and couples both online and in-person. Thriveworks also offers evening and weekend appointments. Thriveworks costs $99 – $199 for one 60-minute session, with ultimate costs depending on your location and the therapist you choose. Thriveworks accepts several major insurance plans with select in-person locations accepting Medicaid.

All services that Thriveworks offers are available online, however, some services may not be available at in-person locations. Each physical location of Thriveworks will offer different services, accept different insurance plans, and may not be conveniently located to you. However, whatever way you choose to attend sessions and appointments, you will be able to choose your own provider from the Thriveworks online directory. Thriveworks offers a range of specialties and can offer services to kids and teens, couples, and even families.

Many providers have next-day, early morning, evening, and weekend appointments available. Therapy sessions are 60 minutes long with the first session being a comprehensive client intake. Initial psychiatry appointments are 60 minutes long with follow-up appointments lasting around 30 minutes. If you ever feel overwhelmed, the customer service team can help you set up your account, find a therapist, and add your payment and insurance information.

How Much Does Thriveworks Cost?

Thriveworks therapy costs $99 – $199 for 60 minutes, with ultimate costs depending on where you live, your insurance plan, and the therapist you choose.

Thriveworks does offer psychiatric care in select states and at select, in-person locations.

Psychiatry services cost $99 – $349, with exact costs depending on the provider and your location. Initial psychiatry sessions are between 50 – 60 minutes and follow-up appointments are 30 minutes long.

Which Insurance Plans Does Thriveworks Accept?

Thriveworks accepts insurance plans from companies like Blue Cross Blue Shield, Anthem, Optum, United, Aetna, Cigna, Humana, and many others. Some locations will also accept Medicaid.

What Out-Of-Network Benefits Can I Use With Thriveworks?

Thriveworks will allow you to use your FSA/HSA card to pay for therapy. It is unclear if you can receive a superbill at this time and we have reached out to Thriveworks to learn more.

What Sets Thriveworks Apart?

Thriveworks has locations in over 40 states and you can see therapists either in-person or online, which is a great option for those who want to see a therapist face-to-face every now and again. If you feel you may benefit from certain prescriptions, Thriveworks’ in-person psychiatry may be a good fit for you. Many online psychiatry platforms can’t prescribe controlled substances, but with Thriveworks you could see a therapist online and a psychiatrist in person.

For even more information about how they work, you can read our comprehensive Thriveworks review.

How to Sign Up for Thriveworks

You can sign up and check your insurance eligibility on the Thriveworks website.

Best for Anxiety & Depression – Brightside

Brightside is a subscription-based online therapy and psychiatry platform that focuses exclusively on treating mild to severe anxiety and depression in adults over 18. You can attend weekly 30-minute sessions with a licensed therapist for $299 – $349 monthly, depending on which plan you choose. Brightside’s therapy and medication plans are available in all 50 US states.

Brightside Health providers are able to treat generalized anxiety disorder, phobias, panic disorder, major depressive disorder, postpartum depression, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and more. Brightside is one of the few online mental health treatment platforms to treat people with elevated suicidal risk through its Crisis Care program.

With Brightside Health, you have the option to select between three monthly subscription plans: a medication-only plan, a therapy-only plan, or a combination medication and therapy plan. Services are available to adults ages 18 and older only in the United States.

How Much Does Brightside Cost?

Brightside Health costs $95 – $349 monthly depending on the subscription plan you choose. There are additional fees for purchasing more therapy visits and for medication shipping.

Brightside’s subscriptions are:

• Medication: $95 monthly and includes a virtual evaluation with a psychiatric provider and ongoing support and monitoring. There is also unlimited messaging with your provider as well as self-care tools online or in the app.
• Therapy: $299 monthly and includes four weekly video therapy sessions, unlimited messaging with your therapist, and self-care tools. Additional sessions are available for $59 each.
• Medication + Therapy: $349 monthly and includes everything from the medication plan and the therapy plan as one bundle.

You can schedule extra video appointments with your therapist for $59 per 30-minute session. All medications are a $15 copay with insurance, with out-of-pocket costs varying per medication.

Which Insurance Plans Does Brightside Accept?

Brightside Health is in-network with Aetna, Cigna EverNorth, Allegiance, Anthem, and United Healthcare, with plans to expand. If you have coverage for Brightside, you will be responsible for any co-pay, co-insurance, deductibles, or medication costs. When you sign up, Brightside will check your eligibility, then after your visit, Brightside will submit a claim to your insurance provider.

What Out-Of-Network Benefits Can I Use With Brightside?

If you are out-of-network, Brightside Health will not submit claims for you but they can provide you with a superbill that you may submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement. You can also use your FSA/HSA card to pay for therapy.

What Sets Brightside Apart?

Brightside is the only online therapy platform on our list that exclusively treats anxiety and depression with a combination of CBT techniques, therapy, and medication management. Unlike Talkspace, Brightside does not make you pay for two plans in order to receive therapy and medication/psychiatric care, which may allow you to save money. While both platforms accept insurance, it seems that Talkspace accepts more plans.

Brightside is also one of the only platforms on our list that offer a dedicated Crisis Care program for those experiencing acute suicidal thoughts. The Crisis Care program is available in select states with health insurance. The program is based on the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS) framework, which is a clinically-proven approach to treating individuals with active suicidal thoughts or recent attempts.

To learn more about this program and what else they offer, you can read our comprehensive Brightside Mental Health review.

How to Sign Up for Brightside

To sign up for Brightside, visit the Brightside website.

Best for Texting/Messaging – Talkspace

Talkspace offers online therapy subscriptions throughout the US and Canada and online psychiatry services to individuals 18+ throughout the US. They make accessing mental healthcare convenient and earned an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars in our independent review. Therapy on Talkspace ranges from $276 – $436 monthly ($69 – $109 weekly), with online psychiatry costing $249 for an initial appointment and follow-ups costing $125. Talkspace accepts many major insurance plans, which could make your out-of-pocket expenses significantly less.

After you complete the sign-up process and get matched with your therapist, you can begin to send text messages to your therapist immediately. Generally, they will message you back at least once per day, with some therapists replying more frequently. You will be able to see if your therapist is offline or available in the top corner of your chat room. This gives you a great sense of when to expect replies to your messages. All live sessions are held through Talkspace and you do not need to download Zoom or any other secondary app.

How Much Does Talkspace Cost?

Talkspace has three subscription packages, but the cost ultimately depends on your geographic location and therapist availability. The messaging-only package starts at $69 per week, the live therapy package starts at $99 per week, and the messaging + live therapy package starts at $129 per week.

Talkspace offers three online therapy subscriptions:

1. Messaging Therapy: This plan gives you a dedicated chatroom where you can send text, audio, or video messages to your therapist anytime. Therapists will respond to messages at least once daily, Monday- Friday. Costs start at $276 monthly (advertised at $69 weekly).
2. Video + Messaging Therapy: This plan gives you four, 45-minute video sessions with your therapist every month, as well as the messaging plan. Costs start at $396 monthly, advertised at $99 weekly.
3. Video + Messaging + Workshops: This plan includes everything from the Messaging Only and Live Therapy plans as well as access to live Zoom workshops with licensed providers on various mental health topics. Costs start at $436 monthly, advertised at $109 weekly.

Talkspace Psychiatry costs $249.00 for an initial assessment and $125 for all follow-up appointments. There is also an option to bundle follow-up appointments when you purchase an initial assessment. It is important to note that there are no bundle options for therapy and psychiatry.

Which Insurance Plans Does Talkspace Accept?

Talkspace takes insurance for therapy from providers like Cigna, Magellan Health, and more. Talkspace partners with many employers, employee assistance programs (EAP), and educational organizations to make therapy available and affordable. You can easily check what benefits are included through the Talkspace website.

What Out-of-Network Benefits Can I Use with Talkspace?

Talkspace can provide you with a superbill that you can submit to your insurance company if you have out-of-network benefits. Once your claim is processed, your insurance company may reimburse you for some or all of the costs. You can also use your FSA/HSA card to pay for therapy.

What Sets Talkspace Apart?

Talkspace has been a leader in the mental health and wellness sector since 2012, which has given them an advantage over other subscription-based platforms like Brightside or Cerebral. The messaging-only plan they offer is a great, low-cost option for those looking to connect with a therapist but not ready to talk to someone face-to-face. With text-based therapy, you can message your therapist anytime and expect replies at least once a day.

For those who have an insurance plan that is accepted by Talkspace, the costs for the messaging-only plan could be significantly less. To learn more about how Talkspace works, you can read our in-depth review of Talkspace.

How to Sign Up for Talkspace

To sign up for Talkspace, visit the Talkspace website.

Best Subscription-Based Therapy – Cerebral

Cerebral is a subscription-based online mental health platform that offers therapy and psychiatry to individuals 18 years and older throughout the United States. All therapy sessions are 45 minutes long and initial psychiatry appointments are 30 minutes long. You can choose to attend your appointments either via video or phone call. With Cerebral, you will be able to choose from several subscription plans as well as select your own provider after you sign up. Depending on your chosen plan, costs range from $99 – $325 monthly.

Cerebral offers a stand-alone therapy plan or a medication + therapy plan. Cerebral therapy subscriptions include weekly 45-minute video or phone sessions with a therapist of your choosing each month. Platforms like Brightside and Talkspace do have some similar subscription options, but Cerebral offers them for a lower cost, especially when paired with insurance.

Cerebral also offers great self-care tools in their app under a tab called “Learn.” You will have some assigned work to complete, but you can also explore what else there is in the “Discover” section. Here you will find learning modules on topics like “What Is Anxiety?”, “What is CBT?”, and “Goal Setting”. There are also grounding techniques, a journaling tab, and two cognitive behavioral therapy worksheets to complete. You can even listen to a meditation, a visualization exercise, or a progressive muscle relaxation exercise.

How Much Does Cerebral Cost?

Cerebral costs $99 – $325 monthly depending on which subscription plan you choose. If Cerebral is in-network with your insurance company, the plans will cost $30 monthly in addition to any co-pays for your visits and medication. Medication subscriptions include the cost of shipping fees but do not include the cost of medications, which start at $10.

Cerebral’s subscription plans are:

• Medication + Care Management Plan – For $99 monthly, you will receive an evaluation, a diagnosis, and a prescription (if needed) by a medical prescriber. Medication will be mailed to you on a monthly basis and you can text your care team in between appointments if needed. You will also have access to all of the self-care tools like worksheets, meditations, a journal, and learning modules.
• Therapy Plan – For $259 monthly, you will attend weekly video or phone sessions with a licensed therapist of your choice. You can text your care team anytime with questions as well as view your symptom scores. You will also have access to all of the self-care tools like worksheets, meditations, a journal, and learning modules.
• Medication + Therapy Plan – For $325 monthly, you will have access to everything from the medication plan and the therapy plan.

Which Insurance Plans Does Cerebral Accept?

Cerebral accepts the following health insurance plans:

• Anthem: GA, CA, ME
• Blue Cross Blue Shield: TX, PA, WV, IA, SD, NE, WY, MT, VT, MD, DC
• Blue Shield: CA
• Cigna: CA, NY, AZ, WA, TX, FL, GA, IL, VA, PA
• Magellan Health: National
• United Healthcare / Optum: GA, CA, TX, NY, AZ, FL, PA, VA, WA

Cerebral will assist you in verifying your insurance coverage once you sign up for an account. Depending on your insurance plan and the specific medication, you may also be responsible for a copay for your medication.

What Out-Of-Network Benefits Can I Use With Cerebral?

Cerebral can provide you with a superbill that you will submit to your insurance company if you have out-of-network benefits. Once your claim is processed, your insurance company may reimburse you for some or all of the costs.

What Sets Cerebral Apart?

Cerebral offers a great range of subscriptions to choose from with competitive costs. These plans are made even more affordable if you are using your insurance to pay for therapy. Since Cerebral can offer therapy and medication management, it is a great choice for those looking to attend live sessions and appointments for one cost.

Platforms like Talkspace or Thriveworks require you to pay for two services rather than offering a bundled option to save money. To learn even more about everything they offer, you can read our comprehensive review of Cerebral.

How to Sign Up for Cerebral

To get started, you can sign up and create an account on the Cerebral website.

Best for Kids & Teens – Bend Health

Bend Health is a subscription-based online therapy platform that allows kids and teens (1-17 years old) to attend live, 30-minute video sessions with a care team that consists of a mental health coach and licensed therapist. In between sessions, teens and parents can keep in touch with their team through text messages, and can expect a response by the next business day. Bend Health is available in all 50 US states.

Bend Health costs $199.99 monthly for coaching, $399.99 monthly for coaching & therapy, and $549.99 monthly for coaching, therapy, and medication management. While these costs are fairly high, it is important to note that Bend Health does accept insurance which could significantly lower these costs.

Bend Health also works with select hospitals and insurance providers. This allows them to receive referrals from your regular primary care provider and offer mental health treatments much quicker than in-person providers. Prior to signing up with Bend Health, you can talk with a customer care representative to discuss if your insurance plan is accepted.

How Much Does Bend Health Cost?

Bend Health costs $199.99 monthly for coaching, $399.99 monthly for coaching + therapy, and $549.99 monthly for coaching + therapy + medications. If your teen’s primary care doctor refers you to Bend Health, the cost of care may be covered by insurance.

Bend Health therapy subscriptions are:

• Coaching: For $199.99 monthly you receive a comprehensive care plan, one-on-one live 30-minute video coaching sessions, unlimited messaging, parent-skills training, real-time video updates about your teen, and the option to upgrade if needed.
• Coaching & Therapy: For $399.99 monthly you receive a comprehensive care plan, one-on-one live 30-minute video coaching and therapy sessions, unlimited messaging, parent-skills training, real-time video updates about your teen, and the option to upgrade if needed.
• Coaching, Therapy & Medications: For $549.99 monthly you receive everything in the coaching & therapy plan plus an initial evaluation by a psychiatrist, 15-minute follow-up appointments, and medication if needed

Which Insurance Plans Does Bend Health Accept?

Bend Health partners with insurance providers including UnitedHealth/Optum, Humana, Cigna, and more.

What Out-Of-Network Benefits Can I Use With Bend Health?

Bend Health can send you a superbill to submit to your insurance for possible reimbursement. They also will accept FSA/HSA cards to pay for the costs of their services.

What Sets Bend Health Apart?

Bend Health is a very family-focused and centered platform. It was built by a husband and wife team with kids who understand the importance of family involvement. Bend Health says that its care model reduces wait times, improves the accuracy of diagnosis, and provides appropriate treatment options for kids, teens, and their families.

The ability to work with various hospitals and insurance plans allows Bend Health to receive mental health care referrals. This means your child or teen will get the support they need much quicker than waiting for in-person services.

Bend Health has now started offering neuropsychological evaluations to help measure attention/concentration, executive functioning, mood and personality, depression, and more. These evaluations can help your doctors diagnose your child or teen and give them the support and skills they need.

How to Sign Up for Bend Health

To get started with a new evaluation, you can visit the Bend Health website.

Best for Substance Use Disorders – WorkIt Health

Workit Health is an online medication-assisted treatment (MAT) platform for substance use disorders. The MAT program is available in select states and recovery coaching is available nationwide. Clinicians monitor patients’ progress through routine drug tests, which can be completed through the app. The cost of care will depend on your location, treatment plan, and insurance provider.

Workit Health’s MAT program is available in:

• Alaska
• California
• Colorado
• Florida
• Georgia
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Kentucky
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• New Jersey
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Texas
• Virginia
• Washington

Treatment and therapy are available through their website’s patient portal or the Workit Health app. A great perk to WorkIt Health is they also treat any co-occurring conditions and disorders in addition to substance use disorders.

During Workit Health’s onboarding process, you’ll answer a few questions about the addictions, behaviors, or mental health conditions you’d like to address. You’ll also state your personal goals, like if you’d prefer to just cut back or quit your addiction entirely. If you’re interested in medication-assisted treatment, you’ll be matched with a clinician who will conduct a medical evaluation to see if it’s right for you.

If medication is prescribed it will be sent to your local pharmacy for pick-up. Patients receiving medication-assisted treatment will be required to take drug tests so clinicians can monitor their progress and modify medications as needed. Workit Health makes it easy to complete drug tests via the app.

How Much Does WorkIt Health Cost?

WorkIt Health costs depend on your customized treatment plan, your location, and your insurance provider. Workit Health offers weekly payment plans for those paying out of pocket, but this varies by state. Medication costs will depend on your insurance plan.

Which Insurance Plans Does WorkIt Health Accept?

Workit Health accepts many major insurance plans, like Aetna, Humana, Cigna, and Blue Cross.

What Out-Of-Network Benefits Can I Use With WorkIt Health?

WorkIt Health can create a superbill and guide you through the process of submitting a claim for possible reimbursement.

What Sets WorkIt Health Apart From Its Competitors?

Workit Health takes a whole-person approach to recovery and provides several additional resources beyond medication-assisted treatment. Clinicians can provide a dual diagnosis and treatment for co-occurring mental health conditions that often appear alongside addiction, such as insomnia, depression, or anxiety. Treatment plans may include medication, therapy, one-on-one coaching, and access to online peer support groups.

Workit Health also provides hundreds of therapeutic online courses that cover a range of topics, like using cognitive-behavioral therapy to treat addiction, mindfulness techniques, and how to overcome cravings. The online courses are a part of your customized treatment plan, and your curriculum will reflect your personal goals.

How to Sign Up for WorkIt Health

You can sign up for Workit Health by visiting the Workit Health Website.

Final Verdict

Navigating insurance costs can be confusing and can cause a great deal of frustration for many people. What’s more, even if an online therapy platform takes your insurance, your plan might not have the correct coverage. This is why it is so important for you to call your insurance provider in advance of signing up for any of the services on our list. Most of these large companies will run your insurance and do an eligibility check, but it is always advisable that you do some upfront work.