BetterHelp Privacy: Data Sharing, HIPAA and Your Records

• BetterHelp says it is not paid for users’ data and does not share therapy content with advertisers. Accepting advertising cookies can still allow some browsing information to reach advertising partners.¹
• BetterHelp distinguishes between its subscription service and insurance offering in its privacy documents. Insurance members’ protected health information is covered by a separate HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices. Paying out of pocket does not, on its own, determine whether HIPAA applies to a provider or record. [1, 7, 12]
• In 2023, BetterHelp agreed to pay $7.8 million to settle FTC allegations about sharing sensitive information for advertising. Its retention policy also says clinical records remain for 10 years after an erasure request, subject to applicable exceptions. Deleting an account does not mean every record disappears. [1, 2]

When you start therapy, you should be able to understand who can see your information, how it is used, and what happens to it when you leave. With BetterHelp, those questions involve both your therapist’s confidentiality obligations and the platform’s data practices.

BetterHelp, owned by Teladoc Health, connects people with licensed therapists online. It offers a subscription service and an insurance option for eligible members. The privacy documents that apply depend on the service you use and the information involved. [1, 7, 10]

As a therapist, I would want someone considering an online platform to feel comfortable asking privacy questions before sharing sensitive information. Who can read a message? Will treatment be billed to insurance? Can you obtain your records? Those answers can matter as much as convenience or cost.

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Does BetterHelp sell your data?

BetterHelp’s Privacy Policy says no one pays the company for users’ data. It also says that therapy content does not go to advertisers, even when a user accepts advertising cookies. The information it identifies includes questionnaire answers, diagnoses, session data, journal entries, worksheets, and messages. ¹

That does not mean the platform shares no information. If you accept advertising cookies, some browsing information from its public website may be shared with advertising partners. BetterHelp says this excludes activity after you log in and start therapy. Its policy acknowledges that some cookie-based sharing may qualify as a “sale” under California law, even without a cash payment for the data. ¹

The distinction matters: a company’s statement that it does not receive money for data does not answer every question about how it uses or shares information.

BetterHelp’s policy also describes app tracking. Allowing tracking on an iPhone or accepting advertising cookies on Android can permit the use of an advertising ID and certain usage data to improve its Google advertising. Service providers, including Amazon Web Services and Stripe, process information to help operate the service. ¹

How to turn off advertising tracking

Review the settings in each browser and app you use:

• Website: Open Cookie Settings in the website footer. ²
• iPhone: Select Ask App Not to Track when prompted, or review Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking.
• Android: Review Cookie Settings in the BetterHelp app. ¹

These settings address advertising tracking. They do not prevent the processing needed to operate your account or provide therapy.

What happened in the 2023 FTC case?

In March 2023, the Federal Trade Commission alleged that BetterHelp disclosed email addresses, IP addresses, and health questionnaire information to Facebook, Snapchat, Criteo, and Pinterest for advertising despite privacy promises. The complaint included an allegation that the company uploaded nearly 2 million current and former users’ email addresses to Facebook in October 2017. [3, 4]

BetterHelp agreed to pay $7.8 million, and the FTC finalized the administrative consent order in July 2023. BetterHelp denied wrongdoing and described the advertising practices as industry-standard. [2, 5]

The refund program covered eligible people who signed up and paid between August 1, 2017, and December 31, 2020. The FTC reported nearly $5.2 million in refunds from the first round in June 2024 and more than $2.6 million in a second round announced in April 2025. ³

Our BetterHelp controversy article covers the case in more detail.

What the order required

The order prohibits BetterHelp from sharing health data for advertising and personal information for retargeting. It also requires express consent for certain other disclosures, a comprehensive privacy program, a retention schedule, and directions to third parties to delete previously shared information. ⁴

Those requirements should not be read as permission to share health data for advertising whenever a user agrees. The order’s advertising prohibition is separate from its consent requirements.

The FTC complaint also addressed BetterHelp’s earlier use of HIPAA seals on its websites. BetterHelp’s FAQ now describes HITRUST r2 certification. That is a separate security certification; it should not be presented as a government finding of HIPAA compliance. [4, 8]

Is BetterHelp HIPAA compliant?

A blanket yes or no leaves out important details. HIPAA applies to covered entities and their business associates. Whether a provider is covered depends on its activities, including certain electronic health care transactions, not simply whether an individual client pays cash or uses insurance. ⁵

BetterHelp’s documents distinguish between two offerings:

For the insurance offering, the notice identifies Uplift Behavioral Health, P.C. and associated provider groups as the clinical providers. It describes permitted uses of information and members’ rights. ⁶

Before enrolling, check which service you are joining and which privacy notice applies to your treatment. The fact that BetterHelp publishes a HIPAA notice does not mean every website interaction is covered by it. Likewise, self-pay should not be used as shorthand for “no HIPAA protections.”

Encryption, recordings and confidentiality

BetterHelp says messages between members and therapists use 256-bit encryption, its databases are encrypted, and its security team provides round-the-clock coverage. These are the company’s published security statements, not a guarantee that a security incident cannot occur. ¹

Its policy distinguishes these measures from the third-party technology used for live audio and video. The message-encryption statement alone does not establish the encryption details of a live call. BetterHelp says live sessions are not recorded unless you expressly consent. Written messages and chat text can remain in your clinical record. ¹

Who can read your messages?

You and your therapist can view your messages and submitted worksheets. Your therapist can see journal entries you choose to share. BetterHelp’s policy also describes access by clinical operations staff for quality assurance and by trust and safety or legal staff for specific account concerns. ¹

The policy’s quality-review language varies between sections, including a reference to consent. Ask BetterHelp which consent settings apply if that affects your decision to use the service. ⁷

From a therapist’s perspective, this is worth understanding before relying heavily on messaging. A message sent between sessions may become part of the treatment record. Ask how those messages are stored and who can access them.

Limits on confidentiality and anonymity

Therapy confidentiality has exceptions. Depending on the applicable law and circumstances, a therapist may be required or permitted to disclose information concerning suspected abuse, a serious threat of harm, or a valid legal requirement. A subpoena does not automatically mean the entire record must be released; the applicable rules and protections still matter. [1, 7]

BetterHelp says subscription members can use a nickname, but starting therapy requires emergency contact information. A therapist may also request identifying information needed to meet professional obligations. A nickname therefore does not make treatment anonymous. ¹

Does BetterHelp go on your medical record?

BetterHelp maintains its own clinical record of treatment. The separate question is whether information goes to an insurer, another provider, or an employer.

If you use a self-pay subscription

When no insurance claim is submitted, there is no claim for that treatment in your insurer’s claims history. That does not erase the clinical record or rule out other permitted or legally required disclosures.

Do not assume that all self-pay arrangements work the same way. Ask which service you are enrolling in, whether any claim will be submitted, and how requests to share records are handled. You can review the BetterHelp subscription option before deciding how to pay.

If you use insurance

The provider group submits a claim to your health plan. Its Notice of Privacy Practices also describes possible participation in health information exchanges. That language does not establish that your therapy record will automatically appear in another doctor’s chart. ⁶

If you use an employer benefit or EAP

BetterHelp’s policy describes sharing group-level usage information that cannot be tied to an individual. It also says an Employee Assistance Program, or EAP, provides notice of individual-level information it receives when a member consents to sharing. Review the terms of your specific benefit rather than assuming every employer arrangement is identical. ¹

How to download or delete your BetterHelp data

Request information you want to keep before your paid access ends. Canceling a subscription, requesting a copy of your information, and requesting erasure are separate steps.

Request a copy of your information

Go to Menu > My Account or Account Settings > My Personal Information and select the option to request a copy of your data. BetterHelp says this export includes information such as questionnaire answers, worksheets, emergency contacts, messages you sent, and journal entries. ¹

A personal-data export should not be assumed to contain the full clinical record. If you need records transferred to a new therapist, ask about the clinical-record request and authorization process. Insurance members can also contact hipaarequests@betterhelp.com; the notice describes possible cost-based copying fees. ⁶

Cancel and request erasure

For a subscription, the cancellation path described by BetterHelp is Menu > My Account > Payment Settings > Cancel Membership. To request erasure, use My Personal Information and follow the account-erasure instructions. If you cannot access the account, contact contact@betterhelp.com. [1, 9]

BetterHelp says a confirmation email follows within 24 hours. That confirmation does not mean every record has been deleted.

What BetterHelp retains

The policy’s retention schedule distinguishes between people who started therapy and those who did not: ¹

The policy includes exceptions for legal holds and other legal or compliance needs. It also retains certain complaint, privacy-request, and disclosure records. The 10-year period should not be described as applying only to therapist notes, or as a universal HIPAA retention requirement. ⁷

The clinical record can include therapist notes, service dates, questionnaire answers, contact information, messages, worksheets, and journal entries shared with the therapist. ¹

Before leaving, I would encourage a client to clarify what they can download, how a new provider can request records, and what remains after deletion. It is easier to resolve those questions while account access is still available.

What user reviews can tell you about privacy

The FTC case gives prospective members a concrete reason to examine BetterHelp’s privacy practices. General satisfaction ratings, however, cannot establish whether a platform protects information appropriately.

The September 2026 review snapshot used for this article listed a 3.8 TrustScore from 9,697 Trustpilot reviews, with billing and cancellation prominent among the summarized themes. ⁸ Those reviews may help identify service concerns, but they are not an audit of data security or legal compliance.

For a privacy decision, give greater weight to the policy, the applicable provider notice, regulatory records, and clear answers to your own questions.

Is BetterHelp a fit if privacy matters to you?

The practical question is whether you understand and are comfortable with the arrangement that applies to your care. Consider these questions before signing up:

• Which privacy policy and provider notice apply to my treatment?
• Who besides my therapist may access my messages or records?
• Will a claim be sent to my insurer?
• Which advertising settings can I decline?
• What can I download, and what remains after I close my account?

You do not need to dismiss a privacy concern just because a platform is convenient. If an answer is unclear, ask for clarification before sharing more information.

Our BetterHelp review covers the service and pricing. Couples can learn about its sister service, Regain. If the service and its terms meet your needs, you can explore matching with a BetterHelp therapist.

Crisis and emergency use

BetterHelp is not an emergency service. In the United States, call or text 988 for crisis support. Call 911 for an immediate emergency.

This article provides general information and is not individualized medical or legal advice.