When you think of Headspace, you likely think of it as a meditation app. However, Headspace has evolved to include online therapy, coaching, and more. Getting started with a therapist on Headspace was incredibly simple, mirroring the ease-of-use the app is known for. Plus, it takes many major insurance providers, meaning users could get therapy for a reduced cost—even free with some insurance plans.
Headspace Care at a Glance
Cost: $149 per session
Insurance Accepted: Yes
Medication Available: No
Pros & Cons
Pros - Quick sign-up process
- Next-day appointments available
- Many insurance plans accepted
Cons - No way to scan through a list of providers
- $125 cancellation fee
- Lack of desktop access
Preview Headspace Care Therapy
Therapy through Headspace Care happens within the Headspace app, making it a convenient choice for those already familiar with the app. It costs $149 per therapy session but accepts many insurance plans, so you could pay as little as $0, though you’ll be shown an estimate when you sign up.
When I used Headspace for therapy, I found it incredibly easy to sign up and get an appointment scheduled. For next-day therapy, I could choose between a couple different providers available in the afternoon, but when I looked further ahead my options expanded to about a dozen therapists to choose from. I tried to find a way to join my therapy session from my web browser, but I couldn’t find the Care section anywhere. However, attending the appointment through the Headspace app on my phone was quite convenient and I had no issues there. My therapist joined our session on time and was very genial and patient.
While Headspace’s therapy could be a great, convenient option, especially for those familiar with the app already and who have in-network insurance, it may not work great for everyone. If you have behavioral health insurance but it isn’t accepted by Headspace, we recommend trying out Grow Therapy, which accepts the most insurance plans we’ve seen. If you’re paying with cash, BetterHelp is a slightly more affordable option.
Detailed Review
Headspace Therapy is a quick and convenient way to access a therapist, especially if you’ve already got the Headspace app. With insurance, users could pay as little as $0 per therapy session, and the cash-pay rate is $149. This service is separate from Headspace’s meditation subscription, which costs $12.99 monthly or $69.99 yearly.
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Online Therapy
Signing up for online therapy with Headspace was a breeze. I entered my state and insurance plan, then was given an estimate for how much my therapy appointments would cost. Then I created an account, scheduled an appointment for the very next day (I had two therapists I could choose from who could see me at the time slot I wanted), entered my credit card information, and I was all set.
Therapy sessions are stated to last 50 minutes, though mine was slightly under, around 40. We ended the call after talking through several basic intake questions and talking a bit about what I’d like to accomplish in working together. She was patient and friendly, and immediately after our call she emailed me a worksheet on sleep hygiene, something we had talked about as I’ve had issues with sleep recently.
I tried to find a way to join my session through my web browser on my computer, but when logged in I couldn’t find anywhere that listed my therapy session, or anything related to Headspace’s Care features. However, joining from my phone was incredibly simple—all I did was hit one button to join the call, then when my therapist hopped on we were all set. My therapist did mention that she’s had other clients join from their computers, so I’m not totally sure what the issue was.
Note that Headspace therapy appointments have a relatively harsh cancellation policy: If you cancel your appointment within less than 48 hours or you don’t show, you’ll be charged a $125 fee. Failure to join your scheduled meeting within five minutes could result in that same fee, and three consecutive cancellations could mean termination of care.
Online Mental Health & Wellness Coaching
Along with therapy, Headspace Care also offers wellness coaching. It costs $99.99 monthly and cannot be covered by insurance, but users can get 50% off their first month to try the service and see if it’s a good fit.
Coaching differs from therapy in that it’s focused on present-moment concerns and actionable steps you can take now to make healthy changes. Coaches through Headspace are not necessarily trained therapists, but they have at least gone through some sort of accreditation, whether that’s through the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching, or they have a masters-level degree in a field related to psychology. Therefore, they cannot give any type of mental health diagnoses.
A monthly coaching subscription includes:
- Three one-on-one, 30-minute text sessions a month with a coach
- A personalized plan where you can learn new skills and increase healthy habits
- Plus the full Headspace library of meditations and sleepcasts
Cost & Insurance
If you pay out-of-pocket, every therapy session with Headspace costs $149. However, Headspace is in-network with over 45 insurance providers, including Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Optum, and Blue Cross Blue Shield. It claims that most members who use insurance end up paying $0–$35 per therapy appointment. While HSA and FSA payments aren’t directly accepted, users can submit receipts for reimbursement on their HSA and FSA accounts.
Coaching cannot be covered by insurance, but costs $99.99 monthly after a half-off trial month.
Who Does Headspace Care Serve?
Therapy through Headspace Care is available to anyone in the U.S. over the age of 18. Therapy is available directly in the Headspace App through the Care tab or through an online browser. It also offers support between sessions through Ebb, its proprietary AI companion, and its meditation and sleep supports, available with a separate subscription.
Online therapy through Headspace should not be used by people experiencing any type of mental health emergency or crisis.
Alternatives & Competitors
Headspace Care could be a great option, especially if your insurance is accepted. If not, we recommend checking with Grow Therapy, as it accepts the most insurance providers we’ve seen, including some Medicaid and Medicare plans. For cash pay, BetterHelp can be a great intro to therapy. If you’re looking for a bundled therapy and medication plan, Brightside Health offers several options and also takes many insurance plans.
Grow Therapy - Most Insurance Plans Accepted
Price: Varies by provider
Insurance Accepted: Yes
Therapy & Psychiatry: Yes
If your insurance plan isn’t accepted by Headspace, we recommend checking out Grow Therapy, where you can browse through a list of providers who accept your insurance and find the best fit for your needs. Grow offers both therapy and medication management, and its directory boasts more than 15k providers. If you don’t plan on using your insurance, each provider’s cash-pay costs are listed clearly in their bios, and while they each set their own rate, we’ve seen a range of $75–$250 depending on the service.
Learn more in our thorough Grow Therapy review.
Pros & Cons
Pros - Most providers accept many major insurance plans
- Services available for kids, teens, and couples
- Tons of search filters to narrow down best provider fit
Cons - Cash-pay costs vary by provider
- Some states have fewer options to choose from
BetterHelp - Best for Cash Pay
Price: $280–$400 monthly
Insurance Accepted: No
Therapy & Psychiatry: No
If you don’t have insurance, BetterHelp’s cost-per-session cost is more affordable than Headspace’s, though it uses a monthly subscription model instead of paying by appointment. It also offers some financial aid for those with lower incomes. Both platforms are super easy to use and make signing up a breeze, and while I was able to snag a next-day appointment with Headspace, BetterHelp even offers some same-day sessions.
Learn more in our BetterHelp review.
Pros & Cons
Pros - Same-day appointments available
- Offers financial aid
- Quick and convenient signup process
Cons - Does not accept insurance
- Can’t choose your first therapist
- Can be difficult to find a good fit
Brightside Health - Best for Therapy + Medication
Price: $45–$349 monthly
Insurance Accepted: Yes
Therapy & Psychiatry: Yes
Brightside Health is an online platform that offers monthly subscription options for therapy, medication management, and a bundled plan for both at a discounted rate. Users can choose their own provider(s) and it accepts many major insurance plans. Brightside Health’s Precision Rx plan uses AI technology to assist prescribers in finding the best medications possible with less trial and error for the consumer. It also offers a high-touch Suicide Prevention plan, and a Teen Care plan in 38 states and counting.
Our Brightside Health review covers more details.
Pros & Cons
Pros - Free assessment
- Accepts many insurance plans, including some Medicaid and Medicare
- Same-day and weekend appointments often available
Cons - Cash-pay is somewhat pricey
- Teen Care not yet available nationwide
- Customer service can be slow
Why You Can Trust My Review
I’ve spent hundreds of hours researching, testing, and reviewing online therapy services. I signed up for and used Headspace’s therapy service and found it to be incredibly straightforward on my phone, though less-so on a web browser, so if that’s a deal-breaker that could be worth considering. All-in-all, Headspace Therapy could be a great choice for someone who already uses the app and who has an insurance plan that’s accepted by the platform.
History & News About Headspace
Year Founded: 2010
Founders: Andy Puddicome and Richard Pierson
Headspace was founded in 2010 by former Buddhist monk Andy Puddicome and his friend Richard Pierson. It began as a meditation app, offering a range of guided meditations and sleep recordings, and has grown into a full-service mental health resource, offering mindfulness resources, an AI companion, wellness solutions for businesses (including an EAP replacement), and therapy and psychiatric services.1
Puddicome and Pierson stepped down from Headspace leadership in January of 2021, as the business continued to expand with new ventures in direct-to-consumer and B2B projects.2 Also in 2021, Headspace merged with Ginger, an app first developed in 2011 as one of the first digital mental health platforms, to offer mental health services through the Headspace app.3
In 2025, Headspace has continued to expand, including a partnership with the U.S. Navy, the unveiling of its AI Companion, Ebb, and, in June, the launch of insurance coverage for therapy through the app.4,5,6
Frequently Asked Questions
How Does Headspace Vet Its Therapists?
Headspace only works with licensed therapists, vetting their credentials against the licensing boards in the therapist’s state. It has a large network of providers who have training in specialty areas such as anxiety and depression, trauma, relationships, stress, and more.
How Does Headspace Match Me With a Therapist?
Headspace Therapy users can choose which date works best for them, then scroll through the available providers for those dates and times until they find someone who feels like a good fit.
Can I Choose a New Therapist?
Yes, Headspace Therapy users can request a new therapist at any point by by contacting the Member Support team.
ChoosingTherapy.com strives to provide our readers with mental health content that is accurate and actionable. We have high standards for what can be cited within our articles. Acceptable sources include government agencies, universities and colleges, scholarly journals, industry and professional associations, and other high-integrity sources of mental health journalism. Learn more by reviewing our full editorial policy.
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Headspace. (2025). Crunchbase. Retrieved from: https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/headspace
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BusinessWire. (October 12, 2020). Headspace Announces Leadership Transition. Retrieved from: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201012005616/en/Headspace-Announces-Leadership-Transition
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Ginger is now part of Headspace. (2021). Headspace. Retrieved from: https://organizations.headspace.com/ginger-is-now-part-of-headspace
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BusinessWire. (March 5, 2025). Headspace Announces Partnership With the U.S. Navy. Retrieved from: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250305527571/en/Headspace-Announces-Partnership-With-the-U.S.-Navy
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Meet Ebb. (2025). Headspace. Retrieved from: https://www.headspace.com/headspace-subscription/ebb
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Sohail, Syed Hamza. (June 18, 2025). HIT Consultant. Retrieved from: https://hitconsultant.net/2025/06/18/headspace-launches-insurance-covered-therapy-direct-to-consumers/
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How much does Headspace online therapy cost? (2025). Headspace.com. Retrieved from: https://help.headspace.com/hc/en-us/articles/37974225153307-How-much-does-Headspace-online-therapy-cost
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Rueger, Abigail. (June 2, 2025). Grow Therapy Review: Pros & Cons, Cost, & Who It’s Right For. ChoosingTherapy.com. Retrieved from: https://www.choosingtherapy.com/grow-therapy-review/
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Church, Matthew. (May 20, 2025). BetterHelp Review: Cost, Pros & Cons, & My Experience. ChoosingTherapy.com. Retrieved from: https://www.choosingtherapy.com/betterhelp-review/
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Church, Matthew. (March 18, 2025). Brightside Health Review: Pros & Cons, Cost, & My Experience. ChoosingTherapy.com. Retrieved from: https://www.choosingtherapy.com/brightside-health-review/
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