BetterHelp Review 2026: Cost, Pros & Cons, & My Experience

I just finished my latest test run of BetterHelp for our 2026 review, giving me a fresh look at what the platform does well and where it still needs work. Over the past five years, ChoosingTherapy.com has had our editors use and review BetterHelp nearly 20 different times and we’ve consistently found BetterHelp to be a good starting point for those new to therapy or people without insurance. It’s easy to sign up, often has same-day or next-day availability, and offers therapy via video, phone, or text.

I found the therapist-matching process to be more in-depth than other online therapy options, leading to a better initial therapist fit. I also think all the “extras” offered, like therapist messaging between appointments and group sessions, were great for supporting my therapy journey.

BetterHelp’s biggest drawback remains that the vast majority of its users are unable to use insurance benefits to pay for their therapy. While BetterHelp has recently announced that a very limited number of the providers on their platform will begin accepting insurance, most users should expect to pay the full $260–$400 per month out-of-pocket.

If you have insurance, we recommend you check out our review of the best online therapy options that accept insurance. After all, a therapy platform that is in-network with your insurance may mean your out-of-pocket expenses are no more than your co-pay.

Detailed Review of BetterHelp

This is our fifth year reviewing BetterHelp, and they’ve maintained a four-star rating since our first review, with their biggest drawback being a lack of insurance coverage. We score online therapy platforms on 13 different criteria points, including payment options, clientele served, and customer service.

We rated BetterHelp highly in terms of user experience, accessibility, and clientele served. With a network of over 34,000 therapists, you’re likely to find someone who will suit your needs and preferences. Plus, the app makes it easy to not only attend video or chat therapy sessions, but also has extra features like goals, journaling, group sessions, and more.

Our lowest scores for BetterHelp’s rankings are in the cost and insurance categories. While BetterHelp does offer financial aid to those who qualify, most people will still see lower out-of-pocket expenses by using a therapy platform that accepts insurance. Additionally, in most cases you can’t get a mental health diagnosis from a BetterHelp therapist like you can on most other therapy platforms and in-person practices.

However, despite these drawbacks, we’ve consistently found BetterHelp to be a good way for folks new to therapy to start engaging in the process, especially since you can sign up and be seen by a therapist within a day or two. Plus, the messaging space can be really helpful for taking note of what you want to make sure you cover in a session, or just ask a quick question to your therapist, who should respond at least twice a week.

BetterHelp earned 4 out of 5 stars

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Detailed Scoring Breakdown

Therapy Types & Clientele Served (4 out of 5)

Range of Therapist Specialties & Treatment Approaches (3 out of 5)

Geographic Location (5 out of 5)

Session Length & Provider Consistency (4 out of 5)

Ongoing Access to Your Provider (5 out of 5)

Online Therapy Cost (4 out of 5)

Payment Options, Insurance, & Out-of-Network Benefits (4 out of 5)

Therapist Matching or Selection (3 out of 5)

Client Interface & User Experience (5 out of 5)

Privacy & HIPAA (4 out of 5)

Therapist Credentials & Expertise (5 out of 5)

Customer Service (3 out of 5)

Reliability & Longevity (4 out of 5)

Review our scoring criteria for online therapy platforms here.
Review our complete editorial policies here.

Signing Up for BetterHelp

Signing up for BetterHelp was a simple process that took me about 15 minutes. The detailed questionnaire started with questions about my gender identity and age, my sexual orientation, my relationship status, whether I consider myself to be spiritual, and if I’ve been in therapy before.

When I checked my sexual identity as “queer” the app prompted a few more questions about whether I’d prefer my therapist also identify as LGBTQ+ and what my pronouns are. Even though I was just getting started I found this reassuring, as yes, I certainly would prefer to see a queer therapist, and BetterHelp took this and other important details of my identity, like my pronouns, into consideration without me having to ask.

Then there were several questions about why I’m seeking therapy, what I’m looking for in a therapist, whether I’m currently experiencing acute anxiety, if I’m taking any medications, current financial status, current sleeping habits, what resources I’d find useful, and how I’d prefer to communicate with my therapist (messaging or phone/video).

Next it asked if I had any other specific preferences for my therapist. The options were:

• Male therapist
• Female therapist
• Therapist from the LGBTQ+ community
• Older therapist (45+)
• Non-religious therapist
• Black therapist

I selected “Therapist from the LGBTQ+ community” and “older therapist (45+). I’ve seen dozens of therapists between my job and my personal life, and I’ve always preferred working with someone older than me (this is just my personal preference, younger therapists can be fabulous!!).

Then, I checked a few boxes about what I’d prefer my therapist to have experience with. There was a long checklist that looked like it had a hundred different issues, everything from trauma to issues at work/school to grief. Or, you could just check the “just exploring” or “other” box. I scrolled through and checked the ones that were relevant to me:

• I’ve been feeling depressed
• I feel anxious or overwhelmed
• I want to gain self-confidence

You don’t rate these concerns on a scale from most important to least important. You just check off any that feel relevant to you in order for BetterHelp’s therapist matching system to find as good a fit as possible.

If you’re coming to therapy for a specific purpose, it’s important to be honest on these forms—sure, you could check off “just exploring,” but then, if you’re actually struggling with anxiety and trauma, you’re less likely to get a therapist with the experience and expertise you’re looking for. Now, checking every single box won’t be helpful for the algorithm either, but don’t be afraid to select a few different concerns from the list if they apply.

Finally, I was prompted to say in my own words what’s on my mind and anything else I wanted my therapist to know. I chose to add a bit of my recent history: I typed in that I recently moved and would love some support as I work to feel more established in my new city, plus I have a history with depression and going into the winter here feels like a potential trigger.

I kept this to about a paragraph, but it gave me some reassurance that my therapist would know my top concerns in my own words before our first session.

Getting Matched With My BetterHelp Therapist

By the time I completed my intake forms, I had selected quite a few qualities I wanted in a therapist, including identifying as LGBTQ+ (and specializing in working with queer folks), being over 45, and having experience treating anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. Plus, I wanted a therapist who offered video and phone therapy sessions, not just messaging.

Just so we’re clear, I had a lot of asks for what I was looking for in a therapist, and I was surprised to see how the therapist I was matched with about an hour later met every single qualification I was looking for:

• He was queer himself
• He largely works with LGBTQ+ clients
• He specialized in treating mood disorders (including depression)
• He had experience treating anxiety, stress, and life changes
• And, while I didn’t ask his age, he certainly seemed older than 45

My therapist sent me an introductory message thanking me for sharing and reassuring me that he works with people going through similar experiences quite often, meaning that he took the time to read my intake form and why I was seeking therapy. He went beyond the typical intro message that I’ve gotten from most other online therapists I’ve tried in the past, adding in comments like, “I work hard to create a safe space where you can work through everything from unpacking your evangelical upbringing to exploring dating in a new city.”

I will tell you, this is pretty unusual. On other online therapy platforms I’ve tested, not only is the intake form less specific, meaning I have a harder time dialing in a good match on the first try, but additionally, the first message I get from a new therapist is almost always incredibly boilerplate, clearly copied and pasted to each new therapy client. As skeptical as I was about using BetterHelp, this was truly a breath of fresh air.

Not only was my therapist a really good match considering what I asked for, he had a session available as soon as the next day, and a handful of sessions throughout the week. Ultimately the time that worked perfectly with my schedule was one week out, so I went ahead and booked that appointment.

I know it can feel a bit nerve-racking to enter your payment info and sign up before knowing who your therapist is going to be, but in all our experiences testing BetterHelp we’ve gotten matches and were able to book sessions within a day. Also, you won’t get charged until you’ve gotten matched with a therapist.²

My First BetterHelp Therapy Session

There was no way I was going to forget my first therapy session, because BetterHelp sent me several reminders by text and email the day before, the hour before, and 10 minutes before my appointment time. All these reminders are helpful since BetterHelp charges a $15 fee if you cancel or reschedule within 24 hours of your session, or if you fail to show up. Plus, no-showing a scheduled session means you lose that session credit for the week.

Now, I’ve met with dozens of online therapists in my work, and yet every time I get a little nervous to meet a new provider. A few minutes before my appointment, I settled into my comfy living room chair and had a warm mug of tea ready to really set a good, cozy mood for my session. All I had to do to join was tap the link from the text I had just gotten and it automatically opened up the BetterHelp app. I clicked the “Join Video Session” button at the top of my screen and I was in the waiting room.

As I sat in the virtual waiting room, I recounted the same horror stories you have probably seen of online therapists looking like they just rolled out of bed or joining sessions from a crowded cafe with no privacy. But when my therapist let me into the video meeting I was relieved: He was dressed professionally and joined me from a nice, book-lined office. He was very friendly and genial, immediately making me feel at home with him to chat about anything that was on my mind.

My Therapist Took Lots of Notes During Our Session

As we spoke during the 45 minute session, one thing I noticed was that my therapist spent a lot of time taking notes on his computer. I could see his eyes darting around the screen and hear the click of his mouse, plus occasional typing.

And I know I’m not alone here. Many BetterHelp users have left comments on app stores, Reddit, and TikTok about feeling like their therapists are distracted and not paying attention to them during video calls. They theorize that the therapists are potentially responding to other clients’ messages or even doing entirely separate tasks like placing grocery orders.

However, that wasn’t the vibe I got from my therapist. It did seem like he was listening and writing notes about me, but I still wish he would have set the scene for me a bit so I knew that’s what he was doing, and whether or not that level of note-taking would continue with future sessions.

Note: From my experience, you can expect a lot of notes in the first session or two as your therapist gets to know you. If, after that, you are still concerned about your therapist multitasking and not feeling like you’re getting their full attention, I encourage you to bring up the concern with your therapist at the start of a session or via an in-app message. You’re paying for this service, so if you feel you’re not getting the therapist’s full attention, that’s worth addressing with them.

There Was a Typical Amount of Video Lag

There were a couple moments at the start of our session where our video connection felt a bit choppy or there was a 1–2 second lag. But the video evened out pretty quickly and, overall, the call was as smooth as any other video call I typically have.

My colleague, Matthew Church, also experienced some intermittent connectivity issues while using BetterHelp, and the issue has been reported by many BetterHelp users on Reddit, too. At the end of the day, video calls can get a little choppy sometimes and it’s not an issue that’s unique to BetterHelp’s platform.

Note: If this happens to you, first make sure you’re on wifi and not using cell service if you’re on your phone. If you’re on a computer, try closing any unnecessary tabs and windows, and ensure that there aren’t too many other devices using up wifi bandwidth. For future sessions, make sure the web browser you’re using is up-to-date as well. If your video connection is especially bad, you and your therapist could switch to a phone call for that session.

My Thoughts After My First Session

The 45-minute therapy session flew by. Like I said, my therapist was quite friendly and immediately put me at ease, while also doing a great job of making sure we covered everything that was on my mind. Plus, he asked great questions and also spent a few minutes covering some background details so he could get a better idea of my current situation.

Now, I’m super picky about who I see for therapy (I’ve been doing this a long time and have certainly dialed in my preferences!), so for me, this therapist was a tiny bit too “friendly.” He leaned a bit more toward sounding like we were buddies and not quite enough of an authority figure for my preference. He was in no way unprofessional, just not an absolutely perfect personality fit—something that BetterHelp couldn’t have known, since he checked all the boxes I was looking for otherwise.

Changing Therapists on BetterHelp

Part of the draw of using an online therapy platform like BetterHelp is how simple it is to change providers if after meeting your therapist you decide they’re not a great match. Switching therapists on BetterHelp took me about one minute, and I was able to choose my new therapist from a list of options instead of just matching me with a single choice again.

I thought it was a relief that BetterHelp didn’t make me give a reason for why I wanted to change therapists. However, I was asked how likely I would be to recommend my therapist, so if I had had an issue, I could have detailed it here and given a negative review.

After this, I could go through my list of preferences and make any changes. I decided I would prefer to see a female therapist. Once I punched that in on my preferences, 10 therapist profiles popped up for me to look through, with their specialties, years of experience, licenses, and their upcoming availability. This made it easy to sort through and find someone with regular availability who suited my needs, and I could book with my new therapist directly from this page.

I loved how quick and seamless the transition was, not needing to do any more onboarding or go through setting up payment again, since BetterHelp keeps all your info on file ready to send to the new therapist.

Note: After changing therapists, your messages with your previous therapist will no longer be accessible to you. If you want to save them for some reason (maybe your therapist sent you some exercises or worksheets that you found helpful), do so before switching.

Another ChoosingTherapy.com reviewer, Matthew, didn’t get a great therapist fit on his first try, but he found a way to work around this and wrote a whole article on how to find a good BetterHelp therapist. After a couple of tries, he was satisfied with his therapist and had a good experience. He even saved himself from another not-so-great fit by trying a messaging session before having a face-to-face video session.

Note: It’s super normal to not get a great fit on your first try finding a therapist on any platform, and BetterHelp is no different. Don’t be afraid to “shop around” until you find someone who fits your needs—we promise they’re out there, and you’ll make the most progress when you feel rapport and trust with your therapist.

If you’re not sure your original match will work well, you can navigate to the “change therapist” button before you even have a first session, then get a list of 10 therapists to sort through yourself.

Attending a Group Session

BetterHelp advertises “Group Sessions” with a wide variety of subjects that are therapist-led support groups or discussion groups. They’re typically 90-minute weekly meetings, where people dealing with similar issues are able to actively share what they’re going through. The group session I attended was equal parts informative, cathartic, and normalizing and I left feeling like I had found a new supportive community.

In a single day (a Friday) there were 35 different live sessions I could attend throughout the day. I was drawn to several different topics, including:

• Taming Anxiety
• Challenging Self-Criticism Together
• Living With Neurodiversity
• Somatic Experience & Releasing With IFS Parts Work

I ultimately decided to attend the session titled, “Support for People Questioning Their Sexuality and/or Gender,” but I was impressed by the range of other niche categories, including Spanish-speaking groups, multiple groups for parents, DBT groups, and fertility support. Looking at other days, I saw a Polish-language group, several Christian-based topics, multiple groups for trans folks, sessions on coparenting, and even yoga classes.

The session I attended on questioning gender/sexuality was led by a nonbinary therapist who spends a lot of their time working with people on this exact topic. They led a small group of us (four people total) and we each shared where we were at on our gender journeys. Three of us kept our videos on the whole time and were actively engaging, and there was a fourth person who joined a bit late and didn’t realize they were expected to share, so they kept their video off and just listened in and the therapist said that was perfectly fine.

There were a few moments where it felt like the therapist could have reeled in a member who ended up doing a good deal of the talking during our session, but since we were such a small group there was plenty of time for each of us to share quite a bit. I could see how things could get a bit side-tracked, especially in a larger group, but a skilled therapist should be able to keep everyone engaged and on topic.

The group I attended acted as more of an “intro” that could lead to “graduating” to a group that was more focused on trans support. This could also be true for other groups, like if you start with a DBT skills group and then “graduate” to a bipolar disorder support group. Other group sessions could become a regular part of your weekly self-care plan where you build camaraderie with the same people, like a support group for parents of autistic children, or dealing with lifelong depression symptoms.

Note: BetterHelp states in its Member Guidelines that these groups are “facilitated discussion, not therapy.” These guidelines also outline confidentiality (no recording or sharing personal details outside of groups) and ask that you cancel your spot at least 24 hours in advance if you can’t attend so someone else can join. It also has a note stating that you should participate with your video on and expect to share during the session. Additionally, these groups happen over Zoom, so you’ll get a Zoom link to attend instead of staying in the BetterHelp app for group sessions.

Live Text-Based Sessions

When I first signed up for BetterHelp, I also had the option to choose whether I’d prefer video/phone appointments or text-based sessions. For text therapy, instead of meeting with a therapist via phone or video, you instead send text messages back and forth in a secure chat room for a dedicated period of time, typically 30 or 45 minutes.

Honestly, text-based sessions didn’t interest me, so I stuck to video sessions when I used BetterHelp. However, text-based sessions could be a good solution for those who find it difficult to set aside time for a call regularly, or who deal with social anxiety, a communication disorder, or for any other reason that could make it difficult to talk with someone over phone or video call.

My colleague, Matthew Church, used the text therapy feature for a few sessions and found that, while convenient, it felt less valuable than the video sessions for him. His therapist wasn’t a very fast typist, so it would take awhile to get good responses, meaning they ended up not being able to cover as much as in a video or phone session. Another concern that many BetterHelp users on Reddit and TikTok have noted is that they worry therapists may use ChatGPT to respond during messaging therapy.

That being said, when Matthew was switching therapists on BetterHelp, he found a text-based therapy session on BetterHelp to be a great, low-stakes way to talk to the new therapist he chose before meeting with them on a video call (he even chatted with one while relaxing in the bathtub!). Through this live-texting session, Matthew found the new therapist to be a good match, and then switched future therapy sessions to video.

If you’re wanting to try text-based therapy sessions for yourself, I’d recommend messaging the therapist first to ask if they find this mode of communication to be helpful and effective for them as a therapist, and maybe even ask if they’re fast at typing.

Note: Live chat sessions count as one of your weekly sessions, so you won’t be able to have both a live chat and video session in the same week. Not all therapists offer live chat as an option for sessions, so if you’re interested in it you’ll want to include that in your onboarding questionnaire and check your therapist’s profile once you are matched.

Using the Journaling Tool in the BetterHelp App

I’ve found a regular journaling practice to be a great way to clarify my thoughts and feelings. When I spend even just a few minutes on either side of a therapy session reviewing how I felt, if I missed anything, and any new insights I gleaned, I find this really helps give me direction for my next session—meaning I have fewer less-than-productive therapy sessions with even just a bit of preparation. BetterHelp’s journaling tool makes it easy to get started with this practice, and allows you to set up reminders so you stick with it. Plus, if you don’t know where to start you can use its built-in prompts.

Prompts suggested by the BetterHelp journal ranged from more surface-level to fairly deep self-reflections; I shuffled through a few and was met with prompts like, “What is something I need to let go of? Why am I holding on to it?” and “I would encourage a friend who is struggling with depression to…” and then I could hit the “use” button and start typing my response to the prompt.

I found it helpful that I could set a reminder schedule if I wanted to set up a daily journaling practice. Plus, I could choose to have my journaling responses sent to my therapist automatically, or I could keep them to myself. BetterHelp states explicitly that you are the only person with access to your journal, and your therapist can only view entries that you elect to send.

Setting Goals in the BetterHelp App

The Goals tab in the BetterHelp app prompted me to set a goal I’d like to achieve while in therapy. I liked that it said that if I wasn’t sure about my goals, I could ask my therapist for help. I could either write my own in the text box or browse through several examples in different categories, including “managing difficult emotions,” “self-care & compassion,” and “physical health,” to name just a few. I set the physical health goal of increasing my physical activity, and I personalized it by saying I’d like to get at least two strength training sessions in per week.

Once I made the goal, I was prompted to break it down into smaller steps that felt achievable and measurable, so I set the first step as scheduling out the regular days and times I’d do my strength training sessions.

My goal was automatically shared with my therapist (unlike the Journal tab, where you can choose whether or not to share your entries) so that he could help me work toward achieving it, and I could add as many goals as I wanted in this tab. I could see this being especially helpful for people who are new to therapy and want to be able to track their progress with their therapist’s help.

Therapist Messaging Outside of Sessions

My therapist mentioned at the end of our call that I could message him any time day or night and he would get back to me at least once a day during his typical business hours. I thought this was really reassuring, as even just after our first session I thought of a few things I’d like for him to know about me moving forward so he could tailor future sessions more to my needs.

Each therapist will have their own timeline for when they respond to messages, though BetterHelp says that, in general, therapists typically respond within 24 hours. It’s recommended that you ask your therapist how frequently you can expect to hear back from them and if they have any specific days or times where they’re not going to give any responses.²

There’s no character limit to what you can write in this messaging tab, so you can spill your guts here if you’d like, but just know that your therapist likely has pretty strict limitations on messaging, and may restrict their messages to cover pressing matters like a scheduling issue. This is common whether you’re seeing an online therapist or an in-person therapist. In my experience, they prefer to address any mental health concern brought up in a message during a scheduled session.

That being said, all of us ChoosingTherapy.com reviewers have found this messaging space to be one of the huge perks of BetterHelp. In fact, when our reviewer Matthew used BetterHelp, he found messaging to be a great way to start getting to know a new therapist—he was able to avoid an unnecessary video session with a new therapist after discovering over messaging that they wouldn’t be a good fit.

Here are some other ways you could use the messaging feature of the BetterHelp app that I think will lead to a richer therapy experience:

• Before your first session:
  • Use this space to tell your therapist about any deal-breakers you have
  • Ask about personality fit and style of therapy sessions
  • Ask about the therapist’s expertise and lived experience
  • Mention any issues you’ve had with previous therapists
• After your first session & any time throughout your BetterHelp experience:
  • Recap any questions you have about session flow or other concerns
  • Mention something about your personal history that you forgot to say on the call
  • Ask for resources
  • Use it to get clarification. E.g., “I’m confused about what you said regarding [XYZ], can we start there in our next session?”

Several people on Reddit have mentioned that they believe their therapist sent them message responses that were pasted from ChatGPT. This goes against BetterHelp’s official policy requiring all therapists to make clinical responses themselves and not using AI, stating that the goal is “ensuring that every message reflects the therapist’s expertise, empathy, and clinical judgment.”³ While we haven’t personally encountered this from the therapists we’ve interacted with on BetterHelp, if you have concerns that your therapist may be using AI to respond to your messages, you have the right to ask them about this directly.

BetterHelp Cost & Insurance

BetterHelp costs range from $260–$400 monthly (advertised at $65–$100 weekly). This includes weekly sessions with your therapist, access to BetterHelp’s resource content, and one weekly group webinar. BetterHelp is just starting to accept a few insurance plans in select states (more info on that below), which could make the cost of therapy lower for some. However, the monthly cost of BetterHelp, even without insurance, makes it an affordable out-of-pocket option when compared to traditional therapy, which typically costs $100–$150+ per session.

A few key facts about BetterHelp costs:

• BetterHelp’s standard price is $260–$400 monthly
• Your first month with BetterHelp is due upon signup
• Financial aid is available for people in times of financial hardship, potentially lowering the price by 10%–40%
• You can use FSA or HSA to pay for BetterHelp
• ChoosingTherapy.com offers a BetterHelp discount code that gets you 20% off the first month for new users.
• BetterHelp cannot provide a superbill with any diagnostic CPT codes; while you can get a billing invoice, this will likely not contain enough information for your insurance provider for out-of-network reimbursement

Does BetterHelp Accept Insurance?

BetterHelp currently has a limited number of providers on their platform who are beginning to accept insurance, but the states, carriers, plans, and providers are quite limited at this time.⁴

A limited number of providers on BetterHelp are currently accepting insurance in a limited capacity in several states:⁵

• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Florida
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Kentucky

• Maryland
• Michigan
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nevada
• New York
• North Carolina

• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Pennsylvania
• Texas
• Virginia
• Washington, D.C.

For the limited number of people who will be able to use in-network benefits with BetterHelp, users will be charged on a per session basis, with no subscription fees and no long-term commitment. Users will have no out-of-pocket costs beyond their co-pay and co-insurance (and should contact their insurance company for those details).

Those who are able to use in-network insurance with their provider on Betterhelp will be able to receive diagnoses from their provider (unlike the rest of BetterHelp’s cash-pay subscribers currently).

People who are able to use in-network insurance benefits with BetterHelp will need to do video-based therapy (not phone or live-text). But users will still have access to messaging with their therapist and all other mental health and self help tools BetterHelp offers, like journaling, worksheets, progress trackers, mood trackers, and group sessions.

Some providers on BetterHelp may be in-network with certain health plans. Coverage may vary by provider, plan, and therapist availability. Because benefits will vary, it’s important for people who wish to use in-network benefits with a provider on BetterHelp to check their health plan for full details and to verify coverage on the BetterHelp website.

BetterHelp has told ChoosingTherapy.com that they are continuously working to add more health plans and increase coverage. We are keeping a close eye on this and will update our review as coverage expands.

Getting a Refund From BetterHelp

If you’re unsatisfied with the care you receive from BetterHelp, you may or may not be able to get your money back. BetterHelp states that it considers each case individually, so if you had a bad experience with your therapist or if you can’t find a good match, it’s worth reaching out to see if you could be issued a refund. Be sure to provide details and state the amount you’d like compensated (a month’s worth of service, one weekly session credit, etc).⁶

If you stop using BetterHelp but you forget to cancel your subscription, you’ll still be charged every week or month, depending on your plan.

To test out Betterhelp’s refund process, one of our reviewers created a test account on BetterHelp, paid the fee, and then messaged support stating that they’d like to cancel and receive a refund. BetterHelp support responded within the day and refunded him in full after exchanging a couple of quick emails.

While some users have gotten multiple months’ worth of services reimbursed after forgetting to cancel their subscriptions, other customers were only able to get one month of payment refunded. Overall, the consensus seems to be that getting someone on the phone gives you a better chance of getting a refund versus just sending an email or message (although, again, we had no problem getting a refund via an email exchange).

Note: If you’re concerned about signing up for a full month of BetterHelp and not being able to find a good therapist, you could always try signing up for just a week to start, then see if you’re happy with its services and find a therapist you jive with. Then, worst case scenario, you’re only out for a week’s worth of payment (and you could still see about getting a refund). And if you find a therapist, then you can switch to the monthly plan after a week to save money.

User Reviews for BetterHelp

Overall, users tend to have a positive sentiment toward BetterHelp across several user review websites. Positive reviews noted that BetterHelp can be an excellent place to find healing, and praised the expertise of BetterHelp therapists. Negative reviews weren’t big fans of the price of the service, technical difficulties, and privacy issues.

In regards to user reviews regarding privacy concerns, BetterHelp is not without its controversies. It settled with the FTC in 2023 for sharing users’ data with Facebook, Snapchat, Criteo, and Pinterest for advertising purposes between 2017 and 2020, with many previous users getting refunds. This was relatively “standard practice” for mental health companies at this time, but it still caused a big concern for how BetterHelp was using client data.