Two of our experienced reviewers used Regain therapy for couples and found it to be a great platform for couples looking for accessible and relatively affordable couples counseling. Regain therapy earned 3.5 out of 5 stars in our independent review. We loved the accessibility and ease of use, but it doesn’t accept insurance, and finding a therapist that’s a good fit can be difficult due to the sheer number of therapists on the platform.
Regain At a Glance
Cost: $260 – $360 monthly
Insurance Accepted? No
Pros & Cons of Regain
- Affordable compared to in-person couples counseling
- Financial aid is available to those who qualify
- User-friendly and easy-to-navigate website and app
- You and your partner can text your therapist anytime
- Attend therapy sessions around your schedules
- Doesn’t accept insurance
- Ultimate costs depend on your location
- You are initially automatically matched with a therapist
Who is Regain Right For?
- Those seeking online cash-pay couples counseling
- Those looking to strengthen their relationship or marriage with counseling
Preview Regain
Regain is an online couples therapy platform that connects you and your partner with a licensed therapist or counselor. With Regain, you and your partner can attend weekly, 45-minute video, phone, or live texting sessions with your therapist. Regain’s subscription also includes a chatroom you share with your partner and therapist, which allows you both to message your therapist between sessions. Regain has great extra features like a journal space and group webinars.
During my time working with Regain, my partner and I both found it to be a good-quality platform that was easy to navigate, quick and easy to get started with, and relatively affordable. Regain couples therapy is a great choice for couples looking to strengthen their relationship without the trouble of attending in-person sessions.
While Regain is an affordable cash-pay option for couples counseling, they do not accept insurance. If you’re looking for couples counseling that’s covered by insurance, Talkspace for Couples could be a good option. Relationship Hero is another great service for strengthening relationships, but it’s specifically for coaching rather than therapy. Meanwhile, those looking for individual therapy might be well served by BetterHelp (Regain’s parent company). Or, if you’re looking for psychiatry and therapy bundled together, Brightside Health is an excellent option.
If you and your partner can’t afford couples therapy, Regain offers help through BetterHelp’s financial assistance program.
Why You Can Trust My Review
Our review of Regain is based on first-hand experience using their couples therapy services by two of our experienced reviewers and their partners. These reviewers – Caitlin and Matt – used Regain by going through the sign-up process, getting matched with therapists, going to therapy sessions with their partners, trying and testing all the features, and even putting Regains’s customer service team to the test by switching therapists, and more. Over the last three years, we’ve learned a lot about Regain while also collectively testing and reviewing multiple other online therapy providers.
Based on our quantitative multi-point scoring criteria, Regain scored 3.5 out of 5 stars during our most recent review. Our scoring criteria measure 30+ metrics across 13 categories, ranging from quality of user experience to therapist vetting and experience, and more.
Review our scoring criteria for online therapy platforms here.
Review our complete editorial policies here.
Firsthand Regain Therapy Reviews
Below, we present our full review of everything Regain couples’ therapy has to offer. But, sometimes, it’s easier to just hear directly from someone who’s used the service firsthand. Here are our firsthand experiences with Regain.
Detailed Review of Regain Therapy
Regain couples therapy – owned by BetterHelp – is an online couples therapy platform that connects you and your partner with a licensed therapist or counselor. With Regain, you and your partner can attend weekly, 45-minute video, phone, or live texting sessions with a thoroughly vetted couples or family therapist. Regain also has great extra features like a journal space and group webinars.
Regain Couples Therapy
A subscription to Regain couples therapy grants you access to weekly couples therapy sessions with a Regain therapist. Sessions are usually 45 minutes long and offered via video, phone, or live chat. Couples also gain access to an ongoing chatroom with their therapist for between-session conversations. Regain couples therapy costs $260 – $360 monthly, depending on your location.
To get started with Regain, I simply went to their website and signed up for an account. During the process, I filled out a brief questionnaire about my situation, what I hoped to get out of therapy, and therapist preferences. I also entered my partner’s details and Regain sent them a link to sign-up for their account.
For my area (Tennessee) the standard fee is $360 monthly. At the checkout page, I was met with the opportunity to sign up for financial assistance offered by BetterHelp, but this wasn’t necessary for my purposes. After paying for my services, I simply waited for Regain to assign my partner and I a therapist. That process was completed within a few hours.
Three-Way Video Calling
Once we had our assigned therapist, I was able to schedule an appointment within a couple of days of signup – a pretty quick turnaround time, especially compared to in-person couples therapy. On the day of our appointment, my partner signed up for their Regain account (at the last possible minute, of course) and we both joined the therapy waiting room from each of our iPhones on our home WiFi network.
We didn’t have any problems joining the telehealth room, but I was a bit frustrated that there was no option in the telehealth platform to mute my microphone or turn off my video feed. Since I couldn’t mute myself, my partner and I had some severe audio interference, and I had to move to a different room for the rest of the session. Despite being a little bare-bones in terms of features, the telehealth platform worked well otherwise. I found this lack of a mute button very odd, since the platform seems to be built around the idea of 3-way video calling. Later, I figured out that if you are accessing the session on the Regain desktop site, a mute button is available.
Our Regain therapist was kind and compassionate and made both my partner and I feel very welcome and heard. I was impressed with our therapist’s background and felt that she would be an excellent choice going forward. Our session was scheduled for 45 minutes, but only lasted 30 minutes as we felt that we’d covered everything in that time. In the session, our therapist asked about the background of our relationship and any issues we’d been dealing with. She provided us with actionable steps for us to take and laid out a great framework to follow in future sessions. Even though we had a stroke of luck in getting matched with a great therapist right away, Regain does make it relatively easy to change your therapist if you feel there’s a poor fit. However, given the sheer number of therapists on the platform, it can be difficult to find an ideal fit.
After the session, our therapist sent a worksheet for both of us to fill out that detailed our own personal histories, communication styles, and other important factors. Our therapist said she is planning on using these responses to better inform our future sessions.
Journaling, Group Webinars, & More
The Regain app offers the same extra features that we saw during our BetterHelp review. Extra features include a journaling space that can be shared with your therapist, educational classes and group webinars, and great resources for skill building. Everything is included at no additional cost, and your subscription grants you access to one group webinar per week.
Overall, the extra features add quite a bit of value to a Regain subscription. Group webinars are available to subscribers once per week and are available in a huge selection of subject areas like coping skill building, meditation, and more. Meanwhile, the journaling space can be useful for jotting down insights in-between sessions, and, while it is personal by default, you can choose to share journal entries with your therapist and partner.
Regain Couples Therapy Cost: How Much is Regain Therapy?
Regain couples therapy costs between $260 – $360 monthly, depending on your location. The monthly cost gives you and your partner a weekly session with a therapist, one webinar per week per couple, and access to all the other features of the app. Regain does not accept insurance. When we used Regain, we were able to get 10% off our subcription cost.
A few key facts about Regain couples therapy pricing:
- Regain does not accept insurance
- Regain’s standard price is $260 – $360 monthly
- Financial aid is available for people in times of financial hardship, lowering the price by 10% – 40% for those who qualify
- You can use FSA or HSA to pay for Regain
- Your first month with Regain is due upfront
- Choosing Therapy readers receive 20% off their first month at Regain
Does Regain Accept Insurance?
No. Regain does not accept insurance for couples counseling.
Regain Financial Aid
Regain offers financial aid through BetterHelp’s financial aid offering. You can request help when you sign up or at any time during your services. Those eligible will receive a discount of between 10% – 40% off the base Regain pricing.
Who Does Regain Serve?
Regain couples therapy serves couples above the age of 18 in all 50 US states and internationally. Regain is an ideal solution for people who want to try out couples or marriage therapy, but don’t have any viable in-person options or are looking for the convenience of telehealth services. Regain can also be used by individuals who don’t have a partner who are looking to improve their communication, or by folks in alternate types of relationships such as friends, siblings, coworkers, and more.
Regain is for couples, while its parent company BetterHelp is for individuals. BetterHelp is one of the best options for online therapy, but Talkspace is better if you’re looking for something that’s covered by insurance (Talkspace has couples counseling, as well). Meanwhile, our favorite pick for those seeking a combination of medication and therapy is Brightside Health.
User Reviews for Regain
User reviews for Regain tend to be quite positive. Most reviews focus on how easy the service is to access and offer praise for the providers on the platform. However, negative reviews mainly focus on isolated issues with therapists and billing problems. Some users had difficulty with getting an account canceled or being charged more than they felt was correct.
Reviews from the Apple App Store | 4.7 out of 5 stars | 363 reviews
Positive reviews on the Apple App Store indicate that users tend to enjoy the convenience and accessibility of attending couples therapy easily from anywhere. Other users stated they saw real progress in their relationships and believed the service was incredibly valuable.
Negative reviews on the Apple App Store tend to be centered around isolated billing and therapist issues. Some felt that therapist availability was far too limited, others ran into problems with ongoing billing and felt that having to pay prior to being matched with a therapist was frustrating. Others felt that the therapist they were matched with wasn’t properly qualified.
Reviews from the Google Play Store | 4.6 out of 5 stars | 3.19k reviews
Positive reviews from the Google Play Store indicated that users tended to feel as though Regain was very beneficial to their lives and relationships and the convenience of accessing care from anywhere in the world was greatly appreciated.
Negative reviews from the Google Play Store consist mostly of complaints and issues about difficulty getting BetterHelp to cancel accounts. Some reviewers mentioned that they were still charged full price despite their therapists being late or not showing up to sessions.
Reviews from Trustpilot | 3.3 out of 5 stars | 232 reviews
Positive reviews from Trustpilot indicate that many users felt that Regain was helpful and convenient for finding online couples counseling. As with other review sites, Trustpilot reviewers tended to focus on the progress they’d made and how convenient it was to access.
Negative reviews from Trustpilot were very similar to negative reviews on the app stores. Most negative reviews centered around pricing and difficulty getting an account canceled, as well as other billing-related issues.
Reviews from Reddit
Positive reviews on Reddit about Regain therapy are somewhat mixed, but mostly positive. For every negative review of the platform, you can usually find a few positive or neutral thoughts that counter it. People tend to believe Regain is a decent platform, as long as you find a good therapist fit.
Negative reviews on Reddit about Regain mostly consist of complaints about individual therapists rather than the Regain platform as a whole. Based on this, it seems like people tend to think Regain is a good platform for couples therapy, but the experience may vary drastically depending on which therapist you’re working with.
Who May Want an Alternative to Regain?
Regain is an excellent online couples therapy platform, but some groups won’t find it ideal. People with insurance coverage for couples counseling, people experiencing domestic violence, those seeking sex therapy, and people looking for individual therapy should look elsewhere.
People with insurance coverage for couples counseling
While it’s somewhat rare to find, if you have insurance coverage for couples counseling, you might be able to find more affordable care elsewhere since Regain doesn’t accept insurance at all. Talkspace for Couples accepts many insurance plans.
People experiencing domestic violence
Regain says its services should not be used if you are currently in a physically abusive relationship or are concerned for your safety. Both are considered urgent matters and it would be best to seek out help from someone in person. You can also connect with someone on the Domestic Violence Support website or by calling 1.800.799.SAFE.
Those seeking sex therapy
Sex therapy can encourage couples to explore their sexual thoughts, feelings, and fantasies in a healthy and safe environment. For individuals, a sex therapist can help with a wide range of topics involving a lack of interest in sex, pain or discomfort during sex, trauma in past sexual relationships, and much more. To find and connect with an American Association of Sex Counselors, Educators, and Therapists (AASECT) you can look at Choosing Therapy’s online therapist directory.
People looking for individual therapy
Regain is specifically designed for couples and those in other types of relationships and is designed to be used with those people. If you’re looking for therapy for yourself or just want to work on your relationships without directly involving those people in therapy sessions, consider BetterHelp (Regain’s parent company) or one of the best online therapy options for individuals.
Regain Vs. Competitors
Regain is an excellent choice for online couples therapy. However, Talkspace for Couples might be a better choice if you have insurance that covers it, Relationship Hero is another good option for non-clinical relationship coaching, and Online-Therapy.com offers a ton of additional relationship resources and worksheets for improving communication and more.
Regain Vs. Talkspace Couples
Regain Vs. Relationship Hero
Regain Vs. Online-Therapy.com
Regain Couples Therapy Review – Is Regain Worth It?
Yes, I believe in many instances Regain is worth the costs. Especially, if you and your partner are looking for ways to improve your communication. Overall, I believe Regain could be an excellent option for finding accessible and affordable online couples therapy. There’s a huge selection of therapists available and appointments are often available same-day, not to mention it’s usually far more affordable than traditional in-person options.
When my partner and I used Regain, we both felt that it would be very useful in supporting and improving a relationship. Our therapist was excellent, and all the extra features of the Regain app greatly enhanced the value of the service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Regain Therapy Legit?
Yes, Regain is a legitimate online therapy platform that’s owned by BetterHelp. BetterHelp is one of the largest and most well-known services of its kind. Regain thoroughly vets and verifies all of its therapists and we personally recommend the platform.
How Does Regain Vet & Verify Its Therapists?
All therapists and counselors on Regain are licensed and accredited psychologists, licensed marriage and family therapists, licensed clinical social workers, or licensed professional therapists. All professionals on Regain must have at least three years and 1,000 hours of hands-on experience.
According to BetterHelp – Regain’s parent company – counselors must provide proper licensure documentation and proof of identity when they apply. BetterHelp then cross-checks their licensure information with their respective state licensing boards. Additionally, BetterHelp requires each therapist or counselor to complete a case study exam to be graded by a licensed clinician and evaluated in a video interview.
How Do I Change Therapists on Regain?
To choose a new therapist on Regain, simply go to the Regain mobile app or website, log in, navigate to your account, and select “Change Therapist”. You will then see a selection of therapists from the directory and you can read profiles and choose someone that fits you better.
How Much Does Regain Therapy Cost?
Regain couples therapy costs between $260 – $360 monthly, depending on your location. The monthly cost gives you and your partner a weekly session with a therapist, one webinar per week, and access to all the other features of the app. Regain does not accept insurance.
A few key facts about Regain couples therapy pricing:
- Regain does not accept insurance
- Regain’s standard price is $260 – $360 monthly
- 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 Regain
- Your first month with BetterHelp is due upfront
- Choosing Therapy readers receive 20% off their first month at Regain
Does Regain Accept Insurance?
No. Regain does not accept insurance.
Can I Use My HSA/FSA for Regain?
Yes. You can use your FSA or HSA funds for mental health services offered by Regain. However, insurance plans differ, so you should check with your insurance provider to ensure couples therapy is an eligible expense.
How Do I Cancel My Regain Subscription?
To cancel your Regain account, log in to your Regain account, select “My Account” from the menu then “Payment Settings” and then you’ll see “Quit Therapy”. According to Regain, you must go back to the menu, click “My Account”, select “Personal Information” and then click on “Request Erasure”. Once this process is completed, you will receive a cancellation confirmation email from Regain.
Ensure you complete these steps for both yours and your partner’s Regain accounts.
If you have further questions about canceling your account, please contact BetterHelp at: [email protected].
Can I Pause My Regain Subscription?
Yes, you can pause your Regain subscription. You can choose to pause your account for two, four, or six weeks, which extends your payment date by that length of time. Unfortunately, you will not be able to message your therapist or book/attend sessions while your account is paused. If you want to, you can unpause your account early.
Does Regain Issue Refunds?
Regain offers refunds on a case-by-case basis and you must meet their criteria to receive a refund. You can email Regain at: [email protected] or call them directly: (844) 518-9559.
Is Regain HIPAA Compliant?
BetterHelp (Regain’s parent company) has policies that are consistent with HIPAA standards, however, the company does not state that it is compliant with HIPAA regulations. Prior to any sessions (messaging or live sessions), you will be required to sign a form agreeing to their privacy policies. To read more, please visit BetterHelp’s Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.
All of the therapists on the BetterHelp platform have HIPAA obligations under their licensure. The therapists on BetterHelp also have robust requirements mandated by BetterHelp’s Data Processing Agreement. However, BetterHelp is technically not regulated by HIPAA because they are not a “covered entity” under the statute.
When people ask about HIPAA, most often they are concerned about their privacy and security. To that end, BetterHelp has implemented a robust set of privacy and security policies and technology solutions, including:
- State-of-the-art technology, operations, and infrastructure with the goal of protecting your privacy and safeguarding the information you provide
- Messages between you and your therapist are secured and encrypted by banking-grade 256-bit encryption. Additionally, you can always select the “Remove Message” button to remove messages that you’ve sent to your therapist.
- Databases are encrypted and scrambled so they essentially become useless in the unlikely event that they are stolen or compromised.
History & News About Regain
- Year Founded: 2016
- Parent Company: BetterHelp
- Publicly Traded? Yes
- Headquartered in: Mountain View, California
After 3 years of offering individual therapy on its main platform, BetterHelp founded its solution for couples therapy – Regain – in 2016. At that time, BetterHelp had multiple brands geared toward special populations such as teens and those seeking faith-based or LGBT-informed care. However, Regain is one of the only such brands to remain.
Regain and BetterHelp as a whole are no strangers to controversy. In 2023, BetterHelp faced a significant offense related to its privacy practices from 2017 to 2020, resulting in a $7.8 million fine imposed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).1 The offense centered around allegations that BetterHelp shared sensitive user data with third parties, including major companies like Meta (formerly Facebook) and Snapchat.
According to an official release by BetterHelp, the company shared encrypted email addresses with Facebook to optimize its marketing strategy between 2017 and 2020. BetterHelp claims that this is a standard marketing practice in the industry, however, the FTC alleges that BetterHelp should have been more clear in explaining this to its users.
When we reached out for information on this, BetterHelp reiterated that the company “does not and has never shared with advertisers, publishers, social media platforms, or any other similar third parties, private information such as members’ names or clinical data from therapy sessions.” Additionally, BetterHelp stated that they have never received compensation for sharing data.
BetterHelp released a statement to Choosing Therapy acknowledging they have worked with the FTC to reach these resolutions to the issue:
- Updated the BetterHelp privacy policy
- Told the advertising companies that received hashed, encrypted information was to be deleted
- Ceased sharing information with other companies for advertising
- Enhanced BetterHelp’s privacy program to better protect personal health information. An independent third party is auditing BetterHelp’s program to ensure information is being protected
Anyone can visit BetterHelp’s privacy policy for more details as to how BetterHelp handles user data.
Choosing Therapy 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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Neporent, L. (2023, March 6). BetterHelp mental health app faces $7.8m FTC fine for sharing private user data. Psychiatrist.com. Retrieved from: https://www.psychiatrist.com/news/Regain-mental-health-app-faces-7-8m-ftc-fine-for-sharing-private-user-data/
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: Matthew Church, M.S. (No change)
Reviewer: Kristen Fuller, M.D. (No change)
Primary Changes: Updated user reviews for the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Updated for clarity and fact-checked for accuracy.
Author: Matthew Church, M.S. (No change)
Reviewer: Kristen Fuller, M.D. (No change)
Primary Changes: Revised answer about HIPAA-compliance in FAQ to better reflect BetterHelp policy.
Author: Matthew Church, M.S. (New author)
Reviewer: Kristen Fuller, M.D. (New medical reviewer)
Primary Changes: Full rewrite of article with new rankings, new awards, and rework of companies represented. Updated for clarity and fact-checked for accuracy. New content was written by Matthew Church, MS, and medically reviewed by Kristen Fuller, MD.
Author: Caitlin Bell, M.A. (No change)
Reviewer: Benjamin Troy, M.D. (No change)
Primary Changes: Added review summary and features.
Author: Caitlin Bell, M.A. (No change)
Reviewer: Benjamin Troy, M.D. (No change)
Primary Changes: Updated costs throughout.
Author: Caitlin Bell, M.A. (No change)
Reviewer: Benjamin Troy, M.D. (No change)
Primary Changes: Full reassessment of ReGain; Updated all sections; Fact-checked costs; Updated screenshots/images; Removed discount chart; Added Summary table at the end
Author: Caitlin Bell, MA
Reviewer: Rajy Abulhosn, M.D.
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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 30,000 therapists who provide convenient and affordable online therapy. BetterHelp starts at $65 per week and is FSA/HSA eligible by most providers. Take a free online assessment and get matched with the right therapist for you. Free Assessment
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
Online Psychiatry
Klarity Health – The providers on Klarity offer comprehensive, personalized ADHD treatment. From diagnosis to therapy to medication management, a Klarity provider will be there for you. And, if needed, they’re able to prescribe controlled substances, like Adderall or Concerta. Visit Klarity Health
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