Best Online Therapy Options for 2021

Convenience, accessibility, and safety drove people towards online therapy in 2020, and the same is expected in 2021. As online therapy options multiply, finding the best choices can prove challenging as a beneficial option for one person may not offer the ideal fit for another. Everyone must weigh each platform’s cost, services, and options to identify which online therapy alternative can meet their needs.

Best Overall: BetterHelp

One of the biggest and most praised players in the online therapy field is called BetterHelp.

BetterHelp markets itself as an affordable, private form of online counseling for people seeking assistance for:¹

• Depression
• Stress
• Low self-esteem
• Anger
• Poor relationships
• Grief and loss

BetterHelp offers a high level of flexibility with its service options. People can engage their therapist in text messages, live chat sessions, phone sessions, and video sessions all contained in the services secure platform. What’s better is that users can utilize a combination of communication styles or stick to the one they like the best.

The barriers to access BetterHelp are low. The interested person can complete five steps to initiate services:

1. Answer a brief questionnaire describing yourself and the issues bringing you to treatment
2. Create a unique username and password to access the site
3. Pick your plan consisting of text, audio, and video sessions. Plans start as low as $35 each week and increase to $80 per week, depending on your plan and your length of service. The site offers financial assistance to those who qualify
4. Using the information provided in step 1, BetterHelp matches each person with a licensed professional therapist to begin communicating.
5. Once set up, you can start the counseling process with the methods that work for you and your payment plan.

Since BetterHelp is typically much cheaper than traditional therapy services, especially for those without insurance, it may be a great option for people who could not otherwise afford sessions. BetterHelp is clear is stating its services could have similar benefits as traditional therapy, but:

• It is not a substitute for traditional therapy
• Therapists cannot provide an official diagnosis
• The service cannot fulfill a court order for treatment
• Providers cannot prescribe medication

For more in depth information about BetterHelp, see Choosing Therapy’s full review.

Plan Options for BetterHelp

Unlike other online therapy options, BetterHelp truly has only one plan with payments that differ based on the duration. All plans include unlimited text, video, and audio messages with the therapist as well as one weekly live session.

BetterHelp offers four plans at different price points:

• $80/week for a one week plan
• $65/week for a four week plan
• $45/week for a three month plan
• $35/week for a one year plan

Visit BetterHelp.com to learn more or sign up.

Runner-Up: Talkspace

The other prime contender in the field of online therapy is Talkspace. Talkspace offers an appealing range of services to assess and address numerous mental health complications. It’s an option that some may find preferable to BetterHelp based on specific needs.

With more than 1,000 licensed therapists and one million users, Talkspace provides services to many people across the country. Unlike BetterHelp, Talkspace leads off with clear pricing plans, so users know exactly what they are getting.²

It’s important to note, though, that not all Talkspace plans offer live sessions with a therapist. Talkspace’s primary communication is through a chat platform that allows users to send text messages to their therapist. Since therapists do not respond in an immediate fashion, this communication feels more like very brief email exchanges than chatting or texting. In this way, Talkspace is not trying to replicate traditional therapy services.

Talkspace offers various specialized services to those with specific treatment goals including:

• Talkspace Insomnia
• Talkspace Teens
• Talkspace Couples
• Talkspace Psychiatry – meeting with psychiatrists or mental health nurse practitioners for medication evaluations and prescriptions

Talkspace even partners with select insurance companies to encourage use and lower costs. So, with all of these positives linked to the service, why isn’t it in the top spot? In previous tests of the service documented in Choosing Therapy’s full review, the assigned therapist was never in contact with the account holder. Days went by with no contact, which could really frustrate someone who prepaid for weeks or months of a service.Like other products, individual experience will vary. Another person could have had quick responses from their therapist to make the service much more appealing and satisfying.

Plan Options for Talkspace

Talkspace offers six total therapy plans at different price points:

• Unlimited Messaging Therapy Plus: Billed monthly at $230, quarterly at $708, and twice yearly at $1248, includes unlimited text, video, and audio messages. No live therapy sessions are included.
• Unlimited Messaging Therapy Premium: Middle tier is available at $316 monthly, $852 quarterly, and $1512 twice yearly, includes all messaging features of the Plus plan with one live, 30-minute therapy session each month.
• Unlimited Messaging Therapy Ultimate: Billed as $396 monthly, $1068 every three months, and $1896 every six months, includes unlimited text, audio, and video messaging of the other plans with four live sessions four times per month.

In addition to the standard tiers, Talkspace offers specialized plans including:

• Talkspace Sleep Therapy: Specialized 8-week program that seems to follow standard fees
• Talkspace teens: $65 per week for unlimited messaging. Available for people 13 and over
• Talkspace couples: $99 per week with live sessions available

Visit Talkspace.com to sign up or learn more.

Talkspace vs. Betterhelp

Comparing Talkspace and Betterhelp is challenging because both offer tremendous opportunity for wanted growth and change. Undoubtedly, both online therapy options are positioned to help many people.

Either service is great for people who desire the flexibility, convenience, and safety offered by online therapy providers, but Talkspace may be the best choice for people who:

• Do not need or want live sessions
• Feel comfortable meeting their goals with written communication
• Want psychiatric services
• Are interested in specialized care for teens, couples, or sleeping problems
• Have an insurance plan that partners with the service

Betterhelp may be a better choice for people who:

• Need the support and encouragement of live sessions
• Want a lower-priced option. Agreeing to a long-term plan can save a lot of money when compared to Talkspace options.
• Don’t need or want psychiatric care

Just like with any form of therapy, the personal connection and assistance you gain from your therapist will dictate your perspective. People should always strive to find a therapist who helps them identify and achieve their goals, even if the process is uncomfortable.

Best Budget Option for Online Therapy: Youper

People who are not sure they want to invest a lot of time or money in online mental health treatments may be interested in a budget option like Youper. Youper completely reinvents the idea of online therapy by utilizing a digital assistant, named Youper, not a live person, to guide the treatment.

Youper is backed by plenty of data and sound research findings to position itself as a worthwhile treatment option.

Using plenty of useful interventions sourced from cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy, Youper can assist with:³

• Journaling
• Guided skills including mindfulness, deep breathing, and relaxation
• Improving quality and quantity of sleep
• Identifying and tracking various mental health concerns like anxiety, depression, panic, and phobias

Using artificial intelligence to treat mental health concerns is a novel approach, but those lacking the ability to spend a lot on psychological treatment should definitely consider the service. Check out Choosing Therapy’s full review of the Youper app.

Plan Options for Youper

Youper offers two plans at different price points:

• Free plan: Includes basic conversations, mood charts, and goal setting recommendations
• Premium plan: Allows access to full services and conversations with the AI as well as better guidance and skills. Billed yearly, this service costs only $44.99.

For less than $4 per month, many could find Youper helpful as a standalone or complement to other treatments.

Visit Youper.ai to sign up or learn more.

Best Online Therapy Option for Teens: Teen Counseling

Although BetterHelp does not directly offer treatment for teens, it operates a service called Teen Counseling. Teen Counseling utilizes many of the same systems and services of Betterhelp in a platform distinctly geared towards teens. Depending on the plan and needs of the client, Teen Counseling can offer chatting, real-time messaging, live phone sessions, and live video sessions. The services are available from the Teen Counseling app or website.⁴

Since the service is aimed at teens, a lot of attention is paid to issues of confidentiality and privacy. Teen Counseling clearly states that the information shared in the service is kept private between the client and therapist, with parents having limited access.

Plan Options for Teen Counseling

Teen Counseling offers two different plans at different price points:

• Basic plan at $40 each week: Includes unlimited chat, video, and picture messaging with no live sessions.
• Premium plan at $60 each week: Includes unlimited chat, video, and picture messaging with one live session each week. Live sessions may be text chat, video, or phone.

Best Online Therapy Option for Couples: Regain

ReGain is a top option for couples therapy. Like the pattern set in place by Teen Counseling,  ReGain is not BetterHelp, but it is a platform maintained by BetterHelp. Because the service is specifically designed to facilitate couples therapy, the features in place make communication between the partners and to the therapist seamless. Like other BetterHelp-based options, ReGain focuses on chatting features, but video sessions are available and encouraged to move the process along.

A consideration for couples treatment is that not every therapist will be competent in this area. ReGain promotes itself as using only therapists who specialize in couples counseling for their product.

Like other online therapy options, a couple’s progress will largely depend on their strengths, stressors, communication, and match with their therapist. For users who do not feel their assigned therapist is a great fit, switching is possible.

Plan Options for ReGain

Regain provides treatment using a pricing structure similar to other BetterHelp products. ReGain offers two plans at different price points:

• Basic plan at $40 each week: Offers unlimited text, picture, and video messaging but no live sessions.
• Premium plan at $60 each week: Offers unlimited text, picture, and video messaging and one live session each week.

Visit ReGain.com to sign up or learn more.

Best LGBTQ+ Option for Online Therapy: Pride Counseling

Anyone looking for LGBTQ+ focused online therapy may be disappointed by the lack of available options. Currently Pride Counseling is the only significant platform that markets itself directly to the unique needs and struggles facing sexual minorities.

Interestingly, where the TeenCounseling and ReGrain options are clearly linked to BetterHelp, Pride Counseling’s connection is more covert. This service, too, falls into the BetterHelp network of online mental health therapy alternatives and offers all the same services as the main site.⁶

Even though Pride Counseling is specially for LGBTQ+ people, members from this group may find a lot of success on other platforms. Remember, the best mental health professionals specialize in providing empathy and understanding as they work to address a client’s needs in individualized ways. No one should have to feel compelled to use one service because it seems to be the only option.

Plan Options for Pride Counseling

Once again, like the other noted options, Pride Counseling follows the familiar pricing plans of BetterHelp. Pride Counseling offers two plans at different price points:

• The basic plan costs $40 each week: The lower-tiered plans include unlimited chat, video, and picture messaging with no live sessions.
• The premium plan costs $60 each week: The top-tiered plans include unlimited chat, video, and picture messaging with one live session each week. Live sessions may be text chat, video, or phone.

Visit PrideCounseling.com to sign up or learn more.

Best Online Therapy Option for Mental & Physical Health: Headspace

Like Youper, Headspace may not present as a direct alternative to therapy, but it can assist people seeking positive change to their mental and physical health. At its core, Headspace is an app-based offering focused on mindful meditations to create mental calm and relaxation, but that is only part of the service.

Headspace also offers something called “Move Mode” that consists of a mind-body experience geared towards improving the user’s mental and physical health simultaneously. With a combination of low and medium impact movement delivered by experts, Headspace’s Move Mode creates holistic improvements.

Move Mode offers four ways to engage with the program:⁷

• Mindful Cardio: 15-minute sessions utilizing walking, jogging, and running
• Move Minis: 10-15 minute workout designed to be fast and effective
• “Get Moving” 4-week program: 28-day program centered around weekly themes Week one is focused on intentions. Week two is focused on motivation. Week three centers around appreciation. Week four aims to build consistency.
• Quick Workouts: 25-minute, equipment-free exercise plans spanning a range of activities from stretching to explosive movement.

Plan Options for Headspace & Move Mood

The pricing and plan options for Headspace are pretty simple. Headspace offers one plan at a stable price point:

• $70 for a year of complete access to all Headspace has to offer

For people unsure about prepaying for 12-months of a service, Headspace users are eligible for a two-week free trial to explore the content before committing.

Best Option for Online Psychiatry: Brightside

Of course, therapy is responsible for making massive gains and changing the way people think, feel, and behave, but the people who cannot make significant progress with a therapy-only approach may need medication to create the wanted change. Brightside, with its flexibility, convenience, and upfront pricing could be the best option for 2021.

Brightside provides a comprehensive approach to mental health needs by offering therapy plans, medication plans, and a plan that combines both services into one. This way users can create a tailored experience and not pay for anything they don’t need.

People start with the “BrightGuide,” which assesses their current needs, symptoms, and goals before recommending treatments. The medication plan includes live video sessions with a psychiatrist to explore FDA-approved medication options to help symptoms linked to mental health conditions. Some other sites offer evaluations performed by psychiatrists or nurse practitioners.

The stand out feature of Brightside Medication is the speed. Once matched with a doctor, the video consultation will follow within 48 hours. If medication is prescribed, it will arrive at your door five days later.⁸

The range of medications prescribed through Brightside is limited to 30 different drugs, but for the majority of people and situations, one of these medications will be an appropriate match.

Brightside is a great match for people with depressive or anxious symptoms who are looking for a thorough assessment and medication prescriptions for a doctor in a short amount of time. Brigthside does not accept insurance payments, so those without coverage can find Brightside even more appealing.

Those with complex mental health conditions or those who have not found success with medications in the past may want to avoid Brightside.

Plan Options for Brightside

Brightside provides users just a few total pricing plans (two with medication options), which are refreshingly clear. Brightside offers three plans at different price points:

• Medication only: For $95 per month, users receive medication treatment from a psychiatrist. If the doctor recommends medication, they are shipped to the client for $15. New members receive $50 off of their first month of treatment.
• Therapy only: For $249 per month ($199 for the first month after discount), users receive evidenced-based therapy, custom treatment plans, unlimited messaging, and monthly video sessions.
• Medication and therapy combined: For $299 per month ($199 for the first month after $100 discount), this option offers the best savings while delivering the services available with the other treatments.

People interested in medication only can choose the first plan and save considerable money. Those selecting the medication plan will receive:⁹

• A real-time video evaluation with a medical doctor
• A treatment plan designed for your needs
• Unlimited messaging
• Unlimited follow-ups
• Medication delivered monthly to your home

Brightside may not be a major player yet, but if they can deliver on their promises, they can be a force in 2021.

Best Online Option for Peer Support: 7 Cups

Peer support can be an invaluable tool to help people feel connected to others and gain useful insights. The best online option for peer support is 7 Cups (7 Cups of Tea).

The innovative platform available through 7 Cups puts users in touch with peer listeners who can offer support and encouragement. These are real people from all over the world who are volunteering their time to become “Active Listeners.” They do not necessarily have any professional training, but they must take classes and pass a test to volunteer on the site.¹⁰

Once users sign up and log in, they are connected to a listener in a matter of minutes. The listener is not a therapist, so they are limited in the assistance and interventions that they may provide. If the user is experiencing a mental health crisis or a psychiatric emergency, 7 cups would not be a great service.

People looking for one-on-one chats may find the 7 Cups helpful. As users explore the platform more, they unlock new experiences including group chat rooms where they converse with listeners and other 7 Cups users for a more involved peer support community. For true peer support online, 7 Cups is a great option.

Plan Options for 7 Cups

This service has several different options, but it seems the stand out feature is the active listener for peer support. 7 Cups offers two plans at different price points:

• The free plan: This option is the one described above. Not only do users get unlimited access to listeners and the availability of group support, but they get all of this for free without trials or credit cards needed.
• The online therapy plan: 7 Cups isn’t known for their online therapy alternative plan, but the service offers one. For $150 per month, users receive unlimited messaging with a professional therapist. There is no additional option for live video, phone, or chat sessions.

Visit 7Cups.com to signup or learn more.