Headway is an online mental health platform that helps people locate a therapist or psychiatrist in-network with their insurance. We tested Headway therapy over the course of a month and found it to be a great platform overall. We like that it lists providers who treat all ages six and up, and offers options for both therapy and medication. However, it doesn’t offer any cash-pay options (users must sign up with insurance), plus less-populated states may have few provider options to choose from, especially for those looking for in-person care.
Headway at a Glance
Cost: $20–$50+ copay per session
Insurance Accepted: Yes
Medication Available: No
Pros - Offers both medications and therapy
- Very easy to access in-network care
- Same-day availability for some providers
- Options for children, teens, and adults
Cons - In-network providers only (no cash pay option)
- Telehealth platform may vary by provider
- Some providers have limited availability
- Smaller states may have fewer provider options
Headway is an online service that allows people to find mental health providers who are in-network with their insurance. Headway does not charge an ongoing fee for therapy seekers; rather, providers set their own rates and clients are responsible for any copay not covered by their insurance plan. Headway serves adults and children ages 6+ and is available in all US states.
After entering some information about your insurance plan, your location, and your presenting concerns, you will be able to search for providers. As an example, there were 386 providers available to me after I entered my state and insurance. You can narrow down providers by specialty, gender, and other options to find your best fit, then you can schedule an initial consultation.
Headway is one option for online therapy that accepts insurance, but it won’t be a perfect fit for everyone. Those who do not have insurance and are looking for cash pay therapy will be better served by BetterHelp. For someone wanting psychiatry or a bundled therapy/psychiatry plan, Brightside Health is a good alternative for cash-pay clients and insurance users. We also recommend Grow Therapy, as it takes the most insurance plans we’ve seen.
Brightside - Therapy & Medication Using Your Insurance
Together, medication and therapy can help you feel like yourself, faster. Brightside Health develops personalized plans that are unique to you and offers 1 on 1 support from start to finish. United Healthcare, Anthem, Cigna, and Aetna insurance are accepted.
Detailed Review of Headway
We spent a month testing Headway therapy and found a number of benefits and drawbacks to the platform. It could be a great choice for those looking for a therapist in-network with their insurance; however, it’s best for general use, as options for things like couples therapy or more niche therapy modalities are limited.
Precise Headway costs are difficult to determine as they can vary depending on your insurance plan and individual therapist, but copays range from $20–$50+ per session.
Review our scoring criteria for online therapy platforms here.
Review our complete editorial policies here.
Online Therapy
Headway makes it super simple to sign up for online therapy: Simply enter a few details about yourself, your current situation, and your insurance. After that, you’ll be able to begin browsing provider bios to find one that’s right for you.
Provider bio pages have detailed information that includes:
- Availability
- Cost
- Education
- Credentials
- Specialties
- Location
- Therapy modalities practiced
- Insurance plans accepted
Search filters allow you to sort providers by availability, gender, ethnicity, insurance, language, age, modalities, or in-person vs. video sessions. We looked through dozens of therapist’s profiles, and most offered 60-minute therapy sessions, though several preferred to start with a free 15-minute phone call to ensure a good fit before booking a first session. I think these phone calls are a really good idea when offered, as it gives you a chance to ask questions and see if the therapist responds well to your needs and what you’d like to work on together.
During my onboarding process, I tried to message a few different therapists, but, ultimately, only one was currently accepting new clients. My Headway session was about 60 minutes long, and I had good audio and video quality throughout the session overall. My provider was warm and helpful and used a person-centered approach. He was a good listener and allowed me to explore my concerns right away.
First therapy visits are always nerve-wracking, whether it’s your very first time or you’re simply starting over with someone new. I recommend getting settled and logged in a few minutes early, sitting somewhere comfortable and having water or tea (and tissues) on hand. If the therapist doesn’t make you feel at ease right away, remember that it’s perfectly normal to switch providers until you find someone you trust. This is absolutely worth it and will make a huge difference in the progress you see!
Psychiatry
Finding a psychiatric provider through Headway works exactly the same way as finding a therapist on the platform. From there, most medication providers on Headway prefer a 15-minute consultation before scheduling sessions. Initial sessions for medication management are 60 minutes.
Some of the psychiatrists and nurse practitioners on Headway may prescribe controlled substances, such as Adderall for ADHD or Xanax for anxiety. If you think you may benefit from a controlled substance, be sure to ask about it during your consultation, as some states have limitations on what can be prescribed online. Plus, some providers may not offer these prescriptions online.
Any prescriptions will be sent to a pharmacy of your choice, though some prescribers may also offer medication delivery services.
Headway Cost & Insurance
Headway does not charge any ongoing fees to clients. Rather, rates and insurance coverage will vary by therapist, and any copay not covered by insurance must be paid by the client. Per-session copays range from $20–$50 or more depending on your insurance plan. Individual providers may set no-show or late cancellation fees at their discretion. The costs of any prescribed medications are not included in the cost of the session. Instead, the cost of your medication is determined by whichever pharmacy you decide to use.
Headway works exclusively with providers who are in-network with insurance companies, and even helps mental health providers get credentialed to offer in-network mental health services covered by insurance. However, they note on their website that certain providers may accept private pay or offer a superbill for using out-of-network insurance, but you have to first get established with an in-network plan before this will be offered.
Headway works with more than 45 insurance companies, including:
- Aetna
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Cigna
- Oscar
- Oxford
- Optum (and all its affiliates)
- United Healthcare
- Select Medicare plans
User Reviews for Headway
Generally, Headway users have good things to say. Positive reviews highlighted the friendly staff and ease of use of the platform. However, some people aired grievances regarding billing and insurance issues. Headway does not have a good rating by the BBB, but given the relatively low number of complaints for a company this size, it’s wise to take this with a grain of salt.
Reviews from Trustpilot | 4.0 out of 5 stars | >1.3k reviews
Positive reviews on Trustpilot tended to focus on the ease of use with Headway. Many found Headway to be helpful and effective with minimal issues, and several praised Headway’s staff and customer service.
Negative reviews on Trustpilot tended to focus on isolated incidents of customer service trouble, insurance billing issues, and other administrative problems. These seem to be the minority, but it’s worth noting that some felt customer service was slow, ineffective, and rude.
Reviews from BBB | Rating: 1.08 out of 5 | >120 reviews | Not accredited by BBB
The BBB lists over 280 complaints against Headway from users. The majority are focused on issues with insurance billing, including a recurring theme of Headway underestimating a client’s copay only to charge them later for the difference. Headway has responded to all of these complaints with messages directing users to Headway customer support. While these complaints are concerning, the number of complaints is too low to say these are common issues.
Alternatives & Competitors
Headway could be a great platform for finding a therapist or psychiatrist who is in-network with your insurance. However, those seeking uncommon types of therapy, those who prefer text-based or live chat therapy, or people seeking couples or group therapy should consider looking into other options.
Grow Therapy
- Price: Varies by provider and insurance
- Insurance Accepted: Yes
Grow Therapy and Headway are very similar in how they operate, and both accept a wide variety of insurance plans in all 50 states. However, Grow Therapy accepts more insurance providers, including some Medicare and Medicaid plans, making its services more accessible for some users. It also lets clients pay with cash, unlike Headway which is exclusively insurance-based.
Neither Grow Therapy nor Headway require ongoing fees to use their platforms, so costs end up being very similar. If your insurance provider isn’t accepted with one, then it’s worth checking with the other.
To learn more about Grow Therapy, visit our full Grow Therapy review.
Pros & Cons
Pros - Offers cash pay options
- Improved user experience compared to Headway
Cons - Smaller provider selection than Headway
- Prices can vary greatly depending on provider
Brightside Health
- Price: $45–$349 cash-pay
- Insurance Accepted: Yes
Unlike Headway, Brightside Health operates on a subscription model, meaning that users pay a monthly fee and therefore have access to a range of services on the platform. Brightside Health offers plans for therapy, psychiatry, or both, and is in-network with many insurance providers, including some Medicare and Medicaid.
Some of Brightside Health’s unique features include Teen Care, online intensive outpatient programs, and an AI-driven prescription tool, PrecisionRx, that helps medication prescribers find the best possible option and dosage for their patients.
Learn more in our Brightside Health review.
Pros & Cons
Pros - Bundled pricing for medication management and therapy
- Many insurance plans accepted
- Cohesive platform—all visits happen on Brightside Health
Cons - Some cash-pay costs are high
- Teen Care not yet available nationwide (in 38 states so far)
Alma
- Price: Depends on insurance provider
- Insurance Accepted: Yes
Alma and Headway are very similar. Alma offers an online directory with thousands of therapists and medication prescribers available across the US. Much like Headway, Alma centers around finding in-network providers, though many providers on its directory also offer cash-pay appointments. Alma has a slightly more cohesive experience for clients than Headway, as all telehealth sessions are handled by a built-in platform, whereas Headway allows individual providers to handle this on their own.
Neither Alma nor Headway require ongoing fees to use their platforms, so costs end up being very similar depending on your insurance coverage. If your insurance provider isn’t accepted with one, then it’s worth checking with the other.
Learn more in our thorough Alma review.
Pros & Cons
Pros - Better messaging and video platform support than Headway
- More cohesive experience overall than Headway
Cons - Smaller pool of providers compared to competitors
Why You Can Trust My Review
“After using Headway for about a month, I can say that it is an intuitive platform that’s worth trying for anyone looking for an all-in-one solution for finding an in-network therapist or psychiatrist. Headway is easy to access and offers a huge selection of therapists with a wide degree of flexibility in both scheduling and in their methodology.
Headway is particularly great for anyone who is looking for an in-network therapist or psychiatrist for managing mild-to-moderate mental health symptoms; however, it won’t be a good fit for someone with severe mental health issues or anyone else for whom virtual care is a poor fit.”
History & News About Headway
Year Founded: 2019
Founders: Andrew Adams
Publicly Traded? No
Headquartered In: New York, New York
Andrew Adams is the co-founder and CEO of Headway. In 2015, he faced challenges finding a therapist through his insurance and discovered that 70% of therapists do not accept insurance. This inspired him to create Headway in 2019, a platform designed to simplify access to therapists who accept insurance. Since its founding, Headway has raised over $325 million in funding, including $100 million in a Series D round in July 2024, led by Spark Capital. This brought the company’s valuation to $2.3 billion, marking a significant milestone in its growth trajectory.1
Headway has rapidly expanded its services and partnerships. By late 2024, the company was operating in all 50 states and Washington D.C., with over 34,000 providers on its platform. It has partnered with more than 40 commercial health plans, including Cigna and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, to build the largest network of independent mental health providers accepting insurance in the U.S. In addition, Headway announced plans to expand into Medicare Advantage nationwide by the end of 2024 and launch Medicaid services in 2025, aiming to address gaps in care for underserved populations.2
The company has also made significant leadership appointments to support its growth. In January 2025, Arnaud Ferreri joined as Chief Technology Officer to drive scalable innovation. In March 2025, Jake Poses was appointed Vice President of Product, bringing experience from LinkedIn and Thumbtack. These additions reflect Headway’s commitment to enhancing its platform and user experience.
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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Gonzales, Morgan. (July 15, 2024). Headway Raises $100M, Bringing Total Valuation to $2.3B. Behavioral Health Business. Retrieved from: https://bhbusiness.com/2024/07/15/headway-raises-100m-bringing-total-valuation-to-2-3b/
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Plescia, Marissa. (July 25, 2024). Headway Secures $100M To Expand to MA/Medicaid Members. MedCityNews. Headway Secures $100M To Expand to MA/Medicaid Members. Retrieved from: https://medcitynews.com/2024/07/headway-mental-health-funding/
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Headway. (March 20, 2025). Headway strengthens leadership team to support continued growth. Retrieved from: https://headway.co/blog/headway-strengthens-leadership-team
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Headway. (July 30, 2024). Client fees and responsibility. Retrieved from: https://help.headway.co/hc/en-us/articles/4427387656852-Client-fees-and-responsibility
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Headway. (July 30, 2024). Headway’s client intake and experience. Retrieved from: https://help.headway.co/hc/en-us/articles/4403895592724-Headway-s-client-intake-and-experience
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Headway. (September 15, 2025). Private pay for clients. Retrieved from: https://help.headway.co/hc/en-us/articles/39330456219796-Private-pay-for-clients
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Rueger, Abigail. (February 27, 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. (March 18, 2025). Brightside Health Review: Pros & Cons, Cost, & My Experience. ChoosingTherapy.com. Retrieved from: https://www.choosingtherapy.com/brightside-health-review/
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: Karen Carloni, MA, LCPC, NCC (No change)
Reviewer: Benjamin Troy, MD (No change)
Primary Updates: Updated insurance information and user reviews. Fully fact-checked and edited article for readability and clarity.
Author: Karen Carloni, MA, LCPC, NCC (No change)
Reviewer: Benjamin Troy, MD (No change)
Primary Updates: Updated user reviews to new count and ratings; Added Brightside Health to the “Alternatives & Competitors” section; Updated the “History & News” section to include information about Headway’s newest round of funding, its insurance expansions, and new leadership. Fact-checked and edited entire article for readability and clarity.
Author: Karen Carloni, MA, LCPC, NCC
Reviewer: Benjamin Troy, MD
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