Calmerry and BetterHelp are online therapy platforms for individuals 18 years and older throughout the US. While both offer online therapy, they’re structured differently and range in costs. To learn more about how Calmerry and BetterHelp compare to each other, we’ll take an in-depth look at what each platform offers, their costs and subscription options, as well as any extra features available.
Calmerry Vs. BetterHelp: How They Compare
While Calmerry earned 3 out of 5 stars overall during our independent review and BetterHelp earned 4 stars, both companies offer similar services. To determine the best fit for you, we will examine how they compare in terms of their subscriptions and their costs.
What Is Calmerry?
Calmerry offers online therapy for individuals 18 years and older who are dealing with a range of mental health issues. Calmerry offers three subscription plans, with all therapy sessions lasting 30 minutes. With Calmerry, you will be matched with a therapist by a staff member via text messaging who considers your location, schedule, and symptoms when determining a good fit. Depending on your plan, Calmerry costs $228 – $360 monthly and does not accept insurance.
Calmerry’s three subscriptions are:
- Messaging Plan: $198 for the first month, then $228 monthly. This plan includes unlimited messaging with a licensed counselor, personalized therapy plan, and access to the self-help library and the Coa AI bot.
- Messaging + 1 Live Video Session Plan: $247 for the first month, then $298 monthly. This plan includes everything in the messaging plan plus one live 30 minute video session with a licensed therapist.
- Messaging + 4 Live Video Sessions Plan: $293 for the first month, then $360 monthly. This plan includes everything in the messaging plan plus four live video sessions with a licensed therapist.
If you would like more therapy sessions per month, you have the option to purchase additional sessions. One 30-minute session is $45, two 30-minute sessions are $84, and four 30-minute sessions are $160.
Calmerry can help people dealing with a wide range of mental health issues. They offer individual therapy for depression, grief, anxiety, OCD, self-esteem, emotional abuse, LGBTQ+, relationship therapy and more. During the matching process, you will be able to explain what you’d like to focus on during your therapy process.
What Is BetterHelp?
BetterHelp is a subscription-based online therapy platform for individuals 18 years and older across the US and internationally. They offer one subscription option (with weekly and 4-week/monthly billing options), which includes a weekly, 30 or 45-minute video, phone, or live texting session. A subscription also includes the ability to message with your therapist anytime between sessions, a journaling tool, and group webinars. BetterHelp costs $260 – $360 monthly, depending on your location, and does not currently accept insurance.
BetterHelp’s therapy subscription includes:
- One live, 30 or 45-minute weekly video, phone, or text session.
- Ability to text with your therapist at any time (responses can be expected at least once daily).
- An in-app journal that you can keep private or share with your therapist.
- Group webinars to attend on topics like anxiety, stress, depression, and more.
BetterHelp will initially match you with a therapist their matching program thinks would be a good fit for you. If you feel the match does not work for you, the option to change therapists is available at any time. BetterHelp can help with a wide variety of mental health concerns like depression, anxiety, stress, parenting, anger, self-esteem, and much more.
Calmerry Vs. BetterHelp Comparison Table
Calmerry | BetterHelp | |
---|---|---|
Services Offered | Individual Therapy | Individual Therapy |
Cost | $228 - $360 monthly | $260 – $360 monthly |
Insurance | No | No |
Communication Options | Video Sessions Instant Messaging Sessions Texting with therapist between appointments | Video Sessions Phone Call Sessions Instant Messaging Sessions Texting with therapist between sessions |
Medications Prescribed | No | No |
10% Discount on BetterHelp
BetterHelp is offering Choosing Therapy readers a 10% discount on the first month of their subscription. If you’re ready to sign up with BetterHelp, click here to automatically apply the discount code “choosingtherapy”. Choosing Therapy is compensated for marketing.
Pros & Cons of Calmerry
Calmerry offers three subscription plans to choose from and is available throughout the US. However, they do not accept insurance and therapy is only available to individuals over the age of 18.
Pros & Cons of BetterHelp
BetterHelp is available in all US states and internationally with the option to attend therapy sessions through video, instant messaging, or phone calls. However, there is only one subscription option (with weekly billing and 4-week/monthly billing options) and they do not accept insurance.
Top Rated Online Therapy Services
BetterHelp – Best Overall
“BetterHelp is an online therapy platform that quickly connects you with a licensed counselor or therapist and earned 4 out of 5 stars.” Visit BetterHelp
Online-Therapy.com – Great Alternative
In addition to therapy, all Online-Therapy subscriptions include a self-guided CBT course. Visit Online-Therapy.com
BetterHelp Vs. Calmerry: Costs
BetterHelp and Calmerry costs are very similar to one another with a few differences to be aware of.
How Much Does BetterHelpCost?
BetterHelp costs start at $260 – $360 monthly (advertised at $65 – $90 weekly), with the ultimate cost depending on your location and therapist availability.
BetterHelp’s therapy subscription includes:
- One live, 30 or 45-minute weekly video, phone, or text session.
- Ability to text with your therapist at any time (responses can be expected at least once daily).
- An in-app journal that you can keep private or share with your therapist.
- Group webinars to attend on topics like anxiety, stress, depression, and more.
How Much Does Calmerry Cost?
Calmerry costs $228 – $360 monthly (advertised as $57 – $90 weekly), depending on the subscription option you choose. The first month of each subscription is offered at a discounted rate for new users.
Calmerry offers the following subscriptions:
- Messaging Plan: $198 for the first month, then $228 monthly. This plan includes the ability to message anytime with a licensed counselor, personalized therapy plan, and access to the self-help library and the Coa AI bot.
- Messaging + 1 Live Video Session Plan: $247 for the first month, then $298 monthly. This plan includes everything in the messaging plan plus one live 30 minute video session with a licensed therapist.
- Messaging + 4 Live Video Sessions Plan: $293 for the first month, then $360 monthly. This plan includes everything in the messaging plan plus four live video sessions with a licensed therapist.
Additional therapy sessions are:
- One 30-minute session: $45
- Two 30-minute sessions: $84
- Four 30-minute sessions: $160
Calmerry Vs BetterHelp: How to Get Started
Calmerry and BetterHelp both have easy sign-up processes. Calmerry can get you matched with a licensed therapist in your state within 24-48 hours, while BetterHelp can get you matched within 48 hours (however there are certain cases where it may take longer).
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How to Sign Up for Calmerry
To sign up for Calmerry, visit their website and select “Get Started.” You will then complete the initial survey questions about your symptoms and then choose which subscription plan you want. After you pay for your first month you will then be matched with a therapist.
After you are matched with a therapist, you can begin messaging them right away to get to know them better. You will be able to select a date and time for your first live therapy session, if that is the subscription plan you chose.
To learn more about their sign-up process, you can read our comprehensive review of Calmerry.
How to Sign Up for BetterHelp
To sign up with BetterHelp, visit their website and select “Get Started.” You will then complete a short assessment of your symptoms and create your new account. Prior to being initially matched with a therapist, you will need to input your payment information and pay for your first month.
After you pay, you will be able to read about the therapist you were matched with and select “Schedule” in the app. You will be able to choose a date and time to meet with your new therapist that is convenient for you. If for whatever reason you feel your therapist is not a great match, you will be able to self-select a new therapist from a list provided by BetterHelp.
To learn even more about their sign-up process, please read our in-depth review of BetterHelp.
BetterHelp Vs Calmerry: Extra Features
BetterHelp and Calmerry have great extra features available with their subscriptions which can help you on your therapy journey.
BetterHelp Extra Features
BetterHelp has two main extra features for clients, the “Journal” and “Groupinars.”
The “Journal” section gives you a journal prompt suggestion, with options to shuffle or see all. There are quite a few journal prompts to choose from in categories like depression, anxiety, relationship issues, and general suggestions. Once you select a prompt, you will title your journal and begin your entry.
An interesting thing about these journals is that you can share with your therapist or keep them private. You also do not have to use the provided journal prompts and treat this as a free writing space.
“Groupinars” are webinars you can attend through the app. These are on various mental health topics, from relationships and trauma to anxiety and skill building. Each topic provides you with a group session name, date, time, and a description of what each group session will cover. If you click on “more information” then you can register for your first group session.
Calmerry Extra Features
Calmerry has two main extra features for clients, a self-help library and an AI chatbot named Coa.
The self-help library offers learning courses on various mental health topics, downloadable PDF worksheets, and audio journaling prompts. Everything in the self-help library is completed at your own pace, and you can pick and choose which materials you want to explore. While your therapist may assign you worksheets as “homework,” everything is designed to help you think more deeply about how your symptoms affect your daily life.
Many companies are beginning to use AI to help further clients’ therapeutic experiences, but Calmerry was ahead of this trend. Their Coa chatbot has been a part of their platform for years now and is a great tool to use to stay engaged in your therapy process. Coa can help guide you to courses, worksheets, and journaling prompts that directly relate to your current symptoms.
Calmerry Vs BetterHelp: Who Might Need An Alternative
Calmerry and BetterHelp are great options for individuals over the age of 18 seeking online therapy, but there are some people who will need an alternative. Those who want to use their insurance, people seeking medication management, and anyone looking for substance use disorder treatment will need to find care elsewhere.
You Want to Use Insurance
Calmerry and BetterHelp do not accept insurance and those who have mental health insurance will want to find an alternative. A great option for online therapy with insurance would be either Talkspace or Teladoc. Talkspace is a subscription-based online therapy platform and Teladoc offers online therapy at a per-session rate. Both accept a wide range of insurance plans and signing up is quick and easy.
To learn more about what subscription plans they offer, you can check out our Talkspace review.
Talkspace - Online Therapy With or Without Insurance
Your therapist can help you process thoughts and feelings, understand motivations, and develop coping skills. Covered by most major insurance plans. Try Talkspace
Seeking Medication Management
Neither BetterHelp or Calmerry offer psychiatric assessments or medication management. For those who want to combine the power of talk therapy with medication, an online platform like Cerebral or Brightside would be a great choice. With either company, you can choose a subscription that focuses on medication management only, therapy only, or a bundle medication and therapy option. You will be able to talk with a medication provider face-to-face, and they will help you find a medication that works best for your symptoms.
To learn more about the differences between these two companies, you can check out our head-to-head comparison of Cerebral and Brightside.
Substance Use Treatment
Calmerry and BetterHelp can help with a wide range of mental health symptoms but they cannot provide substance use disorder treatment. A great alternative for those seeking at-home treatment would be a platform like WorkIt Health. Not only can you receive personalized treatment with WorkIt Health for your substance use issues, you can also receive therapy for any other co-occurring mental health symptoms you are experiencing.
To read all about their program, check out our WorkIt Health review.
BetterHelp Vs Calmerry: Final Verdict
Overall, BetterHelp and Calmerry offer very similar services for very similar prices and which one is best will depend on what you are looking for in a subscription. BetterHelp has been in business for over a decade, has a much larger therapist pool than Calmerry, and marginally outperformed them during our independent review. However, Calmerry allows you to choose from three subscription plans and has a better self-paced learning library.
If you have tried BetterHelp before and did not feel like the company was a good fit, we recommend Calmerry. If you have never tried online therapy before, we recommend starting with BetterHelp before exploring other options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Is Online Therapy Right For?
Online therapy is a good fit for those who are new to therapy and for those with mild to moderate mental health symptoms. This is also a great choice for those who like the convenience of attending their therapy sessions from the comfort of their own home.
What Credentials Do Calmerry & BetterHelp Therapists Hold?
Calmerry therapists hold a master’s or a doctorate degree in their field and are experts in evidence-based techniques. All therapists and counselors on BetterHelp are licensed and accredited psychologists, marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, or professional therapists.
Do BetterHelp & Calmerry Accept Insurance?
No, BetterHelp and Calmerry do not accept insurance
Can Calmerry & BetterHelp Prescribe Medication?
No, Calmerry and BetterHelp do not prescribe medication.
Additional Resources
To help our readers take the next step in their mental health journey, Choosing Therapy has partnered with leaders in mental health and wellness. Choosing Therapy is compensated for marketing by the companies included below.
Online Therapy
BetterHelp – Get support and guidance from a licensed therapist. BetterHelp has over 20,000 therapists who provide convenient and affordable online therapy. Take A Free Online Assessment and get matched with the right therapist for you. Free Assessment
Online Psychiatry
Hims / Hers If you’re living with anxiety or depression, finding the right medication match may make all the difference. Connect with a licensed healthcare provider in just 12 – 48 hours. Explore FDA-approved treatment options and get free shipping, if prescribed. No insurance required. Get Started
Medication + Therapy
Brightside Health – Together, medication and therapy can help you feel like yourself, faster. Brightside Health treatment plans start at $95 per month. United Healthcare, Anthem, Cigna, and Aetna accepted. Following a free online evaluation and receiving a prescription, you can get FDA approved medications delivered to your door. Free Assessment
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