Cerebral and BetterHelp are both online therapy platforms, with Cerebral also offering medication management to help manage certain mental health conditions. To learn more about how exactly Cerebral 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.
Cerebral Vs. BetterHelp: How They Compare
Both Cerebral and BetterHelp are online therapy platforms that operate in all 50 US states, with BetterHelp also operating internationally. BetterHelp offers therapy for adults, teens, and couples through its various subsidiary brands and doesn’t accept insurance for services. Meanwhile, Cerebral offers therapy for individual adults and couples, as well as medication management. Cerebral accepts some insurance plans which can help reduce costs.
What is Cerebral?
Cerebral is a subscription-based online mental health platform that offers therapy and psychiatry to adults 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 which plan you select, costs range from $95 – $365 monthly.
Cerebral’s subscription plans are:
- Medication: $95 monthly – includes a 30-minute initial consultation, a 15-minute intake follow-up, and up to two provider check-ins per month. The cost of medication is billed separately. Unlimited messaging with your provider is included.
- Therapy: $295 monthly -includes an initial evaluation session, then weekly 45-minute sessions with a licensed therapist, and unlimited messaging.
- Medication + Therapy Plan: $365 monthly – includes everything offered in the medication and therapy plans.
- Couples Therapy: $325 monthly – includes everything offered in the therapy plan for two clients rather than one.
Cerebral prescribes medications for a range of mental health conditions, including medication for depression (including postpartum and menopausal depression), and medication for anxiety, insomnia, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Depending on location, Cerebral also provides treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, and alcohol use disorder. Cerebral will only prescribe non-controlled medication for ADHD, which means it does not offer prescriptions for stimulant medications.
Online Psychiatry and Medication Management Covered by Insurance
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What is BetterHelp?
BetterHelp is an online therapy platform that quickly connects you with a licensed counselor or therapist. BetterHelp has one subscription option, which includes a weekly, 30 or 45-minute video, phone, or live texting session. A BetterHelp subscription also includes the ability to message your therapist anytime between sessions, with therapists typically responding within 24 hours. A BetterHelp subscription also provides access to their journaling tool and group webinars. Currently, BetterHelp does not prescribe medication, and they do not accept insurance. Through subsidiary brands Teen Counseling and Regain, BetterHelp also offers therapy for teens and couples. If you can’t afford therapy, BetterHelp offers financial aid to those who qualify.
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 discreet or share with your therapist.
- Group webinars to attend on topics like anxiety, stress, depression, and more.
Cerebral Vs. BetterHelp Comparison Table
| Cerebral | BetterHelp | |
| Services Offered | Online Individual & Couples Therapy; Online Medication Management | Online Therapy |
| Therapist Selection | Choose your own provider | Initially matched with a therapist |
| Cost | $95 – $365 monthly, depending on which subscription you choose | $260 – $360 monthly, depending on your location and therapist availability |
| Insurance | Yes, some plans depending on state and service | No, but does offer financial aid |
| Communication Options | Video Phone Messaging between sessions | Video Phone Live Texting Messaging between sessions |
| Medications Prescribed | SSRI’s & SNRI’s No controlled medications | None |
Pros & Cons of Cerebral
Cerebral provides online therapy and medication management to all US states. They also accept some insurance plans and offer four subscriptions to choose from. However, they are unavailable outside the US and cannot prescribe controlled medications.
Pros & Cons of BetterHelp
BetterHelp provides online therapy to all US states and internationally. They also have fair out-of-pocket costs when compared to in-person care. However, they do not accept insurance, do not provide medication management, and only offer one subscription option.
BetterHelp Vs. Cerebral: Costs
Costs between Cerebral and BetterHelp are quite different and depending on which company you choose, will depend on which subscription you choose or your location.
How Much Does BetterHelp Cost?
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 discreet or share with your therapist.
- Group webinars to attend on topics like anxiety, stress, depression, and more.
Those who have been a previous BetterHelp client may be offered a “maintenance plan” which costs $200 monthly (advertised at $50 weekly). This plan includes text, video, and audio messages with your therapist plus one live session. Additional live sessions can be purchased for $80 each.
A great perk to BetterHelp is that after you pay for your first month, you can access your client settings and explore more options to pay. You can choose to pay monthly or weekly in the app or on the website.
If you can’t afford therapy, BetterHelp offers financial aid to those who meet certain income criteria.
How Much Does Cerebral Cost?
Cerebral costs $95 – $365 monthly depending on your subscription plan. 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: $95 monthly – includes a 30-minute initial consultation, a 15-minute intake follow-up, and up to two provider check-ins per month. The cost of medication is billed separately. Unlimited messaging with your provider is included.
- Therapy: $295 monthly -includes an initial evaluation session, then weekly 45-minute sessions with a licensed therapist, and unlimited messaging.
- Medication + Therapy Plan: $365 monthly – includes everything offered in the medication and therapy plans.
- Couples Therapy: $325 monthly – includes everything offered in the therapy plan for two clients rather than one.
Cerebral Vs BetterHelp: How to Get Started
Getting started with Cerebral and BetterHelp is quick and easy, with the process taking less than ten minutes.
How to Sign Up for Cerebral
To sign up with Cerebral, you will first visit Cerebral’s website and complete an initial assessment. This assessment will further help you figure out what you are seeking care for. After you select which subscription you think best suits your needs and pay for your first month, you will then select your therapist or medication prescriber.
If you choose to enroll in a medication plan, you will be prompted to answer additional symptom questions, verify your identity with a government ID, and then choose a prescriber and a date and time to meet them.
After completing the sign-up process you can schedule your first therapy session or your first medication management appointment.
To learn even more about their sign-up process, please read our in-depth review of Cerebral.
How to Sign Up for BetterHelp
To sign up with BetterHelp, first visit BetterHelp’s 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 Cerebral: Extra Features
BetterHelp and Cerebral both offer extra features that can enhance your therapeutic experience.
BetterHelp Extra Features
There are two extra features of BetterHelp, 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 like, you will title your journal and then begin your entry. An interesting thing about these journals is you can choose to share them with your therapist or keep them discreet.
You also do not have to use the journal prompts and, instead, treat this as a free writing journal.
“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.
Cerebral Extra Features
Cerebral offers 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.
Cerebral also offers crisis management services including a dedicated crisis team to help clients who develop active suicidal thoughts. A free case management program is included for clients who develop ongoing suicidal thoughts to ensure adequate social support and linkage to community resources.
Cerebral Vs BetterHelp: Who Might Need An Alternative
While Cerebral and BetterHelp can help individuals over 18 with their mild to moderate mental health symptoms, these platforms will not be ideal for those with more severe symptoms or those under 18 years old.
Severe Mental Health Crisis
If you are experiencing thoughts of hurting yourself or others, you should contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or 988, or present to your local emergency room. Your local community may also offer crisis warm lines and you can always text “HOME” to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor.
Under 18 Years Old
Cerebral and BetterHelp are only available to those 18 years and older. While BetterHelp does have a teen therapy option, called Teen Counseling, it is only available to teens 13 years and older. For kids and teens younger than 13, a great online therapy and medication management option is Brightline Mental Health. Brightline can provide therapy to kids as young as six and can also refer their therapy patients in-house for psychiatric care.
To learn more about Brightline Mental Health and how it could benefit your young children, please read our detailed review of Brightline Mental Health.
Those Who Prefer Face-To-Face Care
Online therapy and psychiatry can come off as cold and disconnecting for some people. This is understandable and for those who would prefer to see a provider face-to-face, we recommend exploring an online therapist directory. Directories can help you find someone close to your location and there are filters available to find particular specialties. Another great option is Thriveworks, which offers in-person services in certain cities. Learn more in our full review of Thriveworks.
BetterHelp Vs Cerebral: Final Verdict
At first glance, it would seem that there is very little difference between BetterHelp and Cerebral. However, Cerebral offers much more in terms of mental health care than BetterHelp does, it accepts insurance and can provide medication management. Meanwhile, BetterHelp has a much larger therapist pool and is available internationally, but, it does not provide medication management and it does not accept insurance.
In terms of therapy subscriptions, these two companies are tied for who is best. But if we take into consideration that Cerebral offers a subscription that combines therapy and medication management, that would make it a more attractive option. Oftentimes, people with moderate mental health symptoms will feel better if they combine therapy and medication.
Cerebral Vs BetterHelp Vs Talkspace
Cerebral, BetterHelp, and Talkspace are some of the biggest names in the online mental healthcare world. All three platforms offer therapy to individuals over the age of 18 across all 50 US states. However, Cerebral and Talkspace both offer medication management and accept insurance, whereas BetterHelp does not.
Cerebral and Talkspace both offer out-of-pocket costs for medication management. An initial evaluation with Talkspace is $299 and follow-up appointments cost $175. Cerebral, on the other hand, charges a monthly subscription fee with shipping for medication included. Both Talkspace and Cerebral accept insurance, which could lower the out-of-pocket costs and may make them quite comparable in price. However, Talkspace accepts significantly more insurance plans than Cerebral does. If you are only seeking medication management, Cerebral’s Medication Management Plan is only $95 monthly making it a really affordable option that offers more relative value than BetterHelp or Talkspace. If you have insurance, though, you might be better off with Talkspace.
To learn more about how its online platform works, you can read our in-depth review of Talkspace.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Is Online Therapy & Psychiatry Right For?
Online therapy and online psychiatry are great for people who are new to both and have mild to moderate mental health symptoms. Utilizing these services online can save you money and time. Having the convenience of attending sessions and appointments from the comfort of your own home can easily outweigh any qualms you may have.
What Credentials Do Cerebral & BetterHelp Therapists/Providers Hold?
Cerebral therapists hold master’s or doctoral degrees in counseling, social work, or psychology. All therapists and counselors on BetterHelp and Cerebral are licensed and accredited psychologists, marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, or professional therapists.
Do BetterHelp & Cerebral Accept Insurance?
Yes, Cerebral accepts insurance from some insurance companies. BetterHelp does not accept insurance at this time, but does offer financial aid through the BetterHelp financial assistance program.
Can Cerebral & BetterHelp Prescribe Medication?
Yes, Cerebral can prescribe medications but BetterHelp does not prescribe medications.
Is Cerebral the Same as BetterHelp?
No, Cerebral and BetterHelp are not the same — they are separate companies with different service lines. BetterHelp offers therapy, whereas Cerebral offers both therapy and medication management.
We regularly update the articles on ChoosingTherapy.com to ensure we continue to reflect scientific consensus on the topics we cover, to incorporate new research into our articles, and to better answer our audience’s questions. When our content undergoes a significant revision, we summarize the changes that were made and the date on which they occurred. We also record the authors and medical reviewers who contributed to previous versions of the article. Read more about our editorial policies here.
Author: Caitlin Bell, MA (No change)
Medical Reviewer: Benjamin Troy, MD (No change)
Primary Changes: Fact-checked all content and updated where appropriate; updated Cerebral pricing and service offerings, refreshed all verbiage for enhanced readability, and confirmed all facts to be accurate.
Author: Caitlin Bell, MA (No change)
Medical Reviewer: Benjamin Troy, MD (No change)
Primary Changes: Updated costs for BetterHelp throughout; updated all images.
Author: Caitlin Bell, MA (No change)
Medical Reviewer: Benjamin Troy, MD (No change)
Primary Changes: Updated cost section for BetterHelp to reflect current price options.
Author: Caitlin Bell, MA
Medical Reviewer: Benjamin Troy, MD
Primary Changes: Updated cost section for BetterHelp to reflect current price options.
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Online Anxiety Test
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Best Online Therapy Services
There are a number of factors to consider when trying to determine which online therapy platform is going to be the best fit for you. It’s important to be mindful of what each platform costs, the services they provide you with, their providers’ training and level of expertise, and several other important criteria.
