After thorough testing, our expert reviewers gave Talkiatry 4 out of 5 stars. In our experience, it’s an excellent non-subscription platform for medication management, offering one of the most convenient ways to access in-network psychiatric care. However, it is only available to those with insurance. Additionally, you can’t access therapy services independent of psychiatric care.
Talkiatry At a Glance
Cost: ~ $30 copay
Insurance Accepted? Yes, exclusively
Service Location: 44 States
Medication: Yes
Pros & Cons
- Treats children (5+), teens, and adults
- 300+ highly vetted psychiatrists
- Can prescribe controlled medication
- Accept FSA/HSA & Medicare
- Only accepts in-network patients
- Fees vary based on location & coverage
- Does not offer weekend appts
- Doesn’t treat couples or families
- Doesn’t have its own mobile app
Preview Talkiatry
Talkiatry provides comprehensive care for mental health conditions in 44 U.S. states. They offer medication management for children aged five and older, teens, and adults. In states where it’s legal, they can prescribe controlled medications without an in-person visit. Therapy is available on an as-needed basis.
Talkiatry partners with hundreds of major insurance plans, including Medicare, but does not provide cash-pay or ongoing subscription options. While this can be restrictive for those without insurance, it means that out-of-pocket costs for those who are eligible could be dramatically decreased.
Talkiatry prides itself on offering high-quality care and having its providers take their time with patients, as evidenced by the length of their initial appointments: 60 minutes for adults; 75 minutes for kids and adolescents. Follow-ups are 30 minutes and 45 minutes respectively.
If you don’t have insurance or you’re not in-network with Talkiatry, try Brightside Health. It is one of our favorite online psychiatry providers because they accept many insurance plans and offer affordable cash-pay plans. Those seeking online therapy vs. psychiatry or want a subscription format should consider some of our other favorite online therapy providers.
Detailed Review of Talkiatry
Talkiatry received 4 out of 5 stars from our reviewers. Some of their top-scoring areas include diagnoses, prescription options, and provider credentials. One negative is that they don’t offer cash-pay options for people without insurance. Additionally, they don’t offer therapy on its own if that’s something you’re interested in.
Continue reading for a description of our reviewer’s experience.
Review our scoring criteria for online therapy platforms here.
Review our complete editorial policies here.
User Reviews
Since Talkiatry is still a fairly young company – It’s only been around since 2020 – it can be difficult to get an accurate representation of what users think. Trustpilot only lists about 40 Talkiatry reviews, with an average 2.8 star rating. Meanwhile, Talkiatry has an F rating on the BBB, mostly due to unresolved complaints. Since Talkiatry doesn’t have its own mobile app, the major app stores can’t be used as a source of user reviews.
A representative from Talkiatry told us that the company has been working to improve its customer service as well as its handling of complaints and user issues.
Reviews from Trustpilot | Less than 300 reviews | 2.8 out of 5 stars
Positive reviews on Trustpilot highlighted that Talkiatry works well and these users tended to indicate that customer service was reliable and they encountered no issues, aside from a handful of easily-remedied technical issues. Positive reviews were by far the minority for Talkiatry reviews on Trustpilot.
Negative reviews on Trustpilot indicated several major billing issues in which users believed that Talkiatry had overcharged them, or charged them unnecessary fees. Many complained that they had received little to no helpful response from Talkiatry’s customer service.
Reviews from Better Business Bureau | Not BBB-accredited | F Rating
Talkiatry does not have a favorable rating on the BBB, with multiple reports of unresolved billing issues and ineffective customer support. However, there are very few reviews overall, so the bad rating might not paint a full picture. It is worth noting that the majority of user issues that have been closed were closed within the last year, indicating that Talkiatry’s customer service may have improved recently.
Alternatives & Competitors
Talkiatry is not a good solution for people who are uninsured/under-insured or those seeking therapy exclusively. If you’re not in-network with Talkiatry, Brightside Health is another one of our favorite online psychiatry providers. They provide therapy and accept many insurance plans and cash-pay. Plus, they are available in all 50 states.
While Talkiatry does offer therapy, you must be an existing patient to receive this service. If you’re looking for subscription-based virtual therapy that is covered by insurance, check out Talkspace. If you don’t have insurance, look into BetterHelp, which offers financial aid for those who qualify.
Best For Cash-Pay - Brightside Health
- Price: $95 – $349 monthly
- Insurance Accepted? Yes
- Therapy & Psychiatry? Yes
- Location: 50 US States
If you’re paying out of pocket, Brightside Health is the better choice. With straightforward, affordable cash-pay options for therapy, medication management, or both, Brightside lets you choose a plan that fits your budget. Brightside’s cash-pay model is designed to make quality mental health support accessible without breaking the bank.
Pros & Cons
- Prescribes medication & provides therapy
- Accepts insurance or cash-pay
- Only treats adults
- Customer service can be slow
Best For Subscription Therapy - Talkspace
- Price: $276 – $436 monthly
- Insurance Accepted? Yes
- Location: US & International
Talkspace provides flexible plans that let you access therapy conveniently and consistently. Unlike Talkiatry, which doesn’t offer subscription plans and limits therapy services to existing psychiatric patients, Talkspace caters to a broader audience with affordable monthly packages that include unlimited messaging and regular live sessions.
Pros & Cons
- Accepts many major health insurance plans
- Psychiatry and therapy services (13+)
- Exact monthly costs vary
- Limited ability to choose your therapist
Best For Financial Aid - BetterHelp
We are highlighting BetterHelp as being better for financial aid options because it actively works to make therapy more affordable for those in need. With its simple application process for financial assistance, BetterHelp provides reduced rates based on your income and circumstances, ensuring cost isn’t a barrier to care.
Pros & Cons
- 30k+ licensed therapists to choose from
- Offers financial aid
- Doesn’t prescribe medication
- Doesn’t accept insurance
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Talkiatry Legit?
Yes, Talkiatry is a legit provider of mental health services that fully vets and verifies its providers and is in-network with many insurance plans. We have personally used Talkiatry and recommend it to many people.
What is Talkiatry?
Talkiatry is an online mental health platform that provides psychiatric services to anyone aged five and up in 43 US states. Talkiatry is unique in that it only provides services to those who have insurance plans that are in-network with Talkiatry. Talkiatry also offers therapy services to existing patients if deemed necessary.
What States is Talkiatry Available In?
Talkiatry is available in 43 out of the 50 US States (including Washington D.C.). Talkiatry is not available in:
- Alaska
- Delaware
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- New Mexico
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Wyoming
How Much Does Talkiatry Cost?
Talkiatry costs depend on your health insurance plan and coverage. Unlike many online psychiatry platforms, Talkiatry does not have a set appointment fee or subscription service and does not accept cash-pay at all. Talkiatry only accepts patients who have in-network insurance plans.
Before you schedule an appointment, Talkiatry will let you know whether they accept your insurance, if you have a deductible or copay, and how much your total out-of-pocket cost will be. For most people, your copay will be around $30 per appointment.
Can I Use My HSA/FSA for Talkiatry?
Yes. Talkiatry does accept FSA and HSA for therapy costs such as your copay. You simply use these cards as you would a debit or credit card.
How Do I Cancel My Talkiatry Subscription?
To cancel your account with Talkiatry, you must reach out to the company directly. You can contact them by phone at 1-833-351-8255 (TALK) or by email at [email protected].
Can Talkiatry Prescribe Controlled Substances?
Whether or not Talkiatry can prescribe controlled substances such as benzodiazepines or stimulants depends on your state’s prescription laws. Some states allow the prescription of controlled substances without an in-person visit and some do not.1 For more details, you can discuss this with your Talkiatry psychiatrist.
Does Talkiatry Prescribe Xanax?
Talkiatry does prescribe Xanax and other benzodiazepines, if this treatment is deemed beneficial by you and your provider. Whether or not this can legally be prescribed via telehealth is dependent on your state’s prescribing laws.1
Does Talkiatry Prescribe Adderall?
Talkiatry does prescribe Adderall and other stimulants, if this treatment is deemed beneficial by you and your provider. Whether or not this can legally be prescribed via telehealth is dependent on your state’s prescribing laws.1
Does Talkiatry Issue Refunds?
Talkiatry may offer refunds on a case-by-case basis. If you have a question about getting a refund, you can call Talkiatry at 1-833-351-8255 (TALK) or email the company at [email protected].
Is Talkiatry HIPAA Compliant?
Yes, Talkiatry is HIPAA-compliant. To learn more, you can read Talkiatry’s privacy policy, Talkiatry’s terms of use, and Talkiatry’s notice of privacy practices.
History & News About Talkiatry
- Year Founded: 2020
- Publicly Traded? No
- Founders: Robert Krayn & Dr. Georgia Gaveras
- Headquarters Location: New York, NY
Talkiatry was founded in April 2020 by Robert Krayn and Dr. Georgia Gaveras. Mr. Krayn was a patient who personally experienced the challenges of finding quality psychiatric care and Dr. Gaveras is a triple board-certified psychiatrist. The company’s goals were to increase access to quality outpatient psychiatric care by making telehealth accessible and affordable.
In 2021, the company received $5 million in funding to expand its mission. Since its founding, Talkiatry has partnered with several major commercial health insurance plans and Medicare. Currently, Talkiatry serves patients in 43 states and has partnered with more than 60 insurance plans, with plans to continue to expand its network and reach.2, 3
Currently, Talkiatry is one of the few online psychiatry platforms that prescribes controlled medications. Before 2020, laws required that patients and providers must have face-to-face visits before controlled medications like stimulants could be prescribed. In March 2020, an emergency waiver went into effect that temporarily allowed providers to prescribe controlled medications during telehealth visits. The waiver has continued to be extended, but companies like Talkiatry are concerned that thousands of patients could lose access to their controlled medications if the exemption is revoked.
Some online psychiatric platforms, like Cerebral, have faced controversy over their online prescribing practices, but Talkiatry has managed to avoid lawsuits and controversy. In January 2023, Talkiatry’s CEO Robert Krayn spoke out about this and cautioned that revoking this exemption could affect thousands of patients. In the meantime, Talkiatry plans to continue to grow and offer high-quality psychiatric care to patients with a variety of mental health diagnoses.4
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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Talkiatry. (n.d.). Can Talkiatry prescribe controlled substances? Talkiatry Help Center. Retrieved from: https://www.talkiatry.com/help-center-articles/can-talkiatry-prescribe-controlled-substances
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Talkiatry. (n.d.). About us. Retrieved from: https://www.talkiatry.com/about-us
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PR Newswire. (2021, February 16). Talkiatry announces five million dollars in series A funding to strengthen its already profitable mental health solution. Retrieved from: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/talkiatry-announces-five-million-dollars-in-series-a-funding-to-strengthen-its-already-profitable-mental-health-solution-301228049.html
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Burkey, Annie. (2023, January 12). Thousands of patients could lose mental health services if pandemic-era rules end, Talkiatry data show. Fierce Healthcare. Retrieved from: https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/telehealth/talkiatry-data-shows-if-covid-exemptions-were-end-thousands-would-lose-care
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Henry, T. A. (2023, November 1). Why DEA’s latest move on telehealth could be a lifesaver. American Medical Association. Retrieved from: https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/digital/why-dea-s-latest-move-telehealth-could-be-lifesaver
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 (No Change)
Medical Reviewer: Kristen Fuller, MD (No Change)
Primary Changes: Fact-checked all information; updated where necessary to improve factual accuracy and readability; updated formatting.
Author: Matthew Church (No Change)
Medical Reviewer: Kristen Fuller, MD (No Change)
Primary Changes: Fact checked content; updated age to 5+; updated for clarity
Author: Matthew Church (New author)
Medical Reviewer: Kristen Fuller, MD (New medical reviewer)
Primary Changes: Full rewrite and re-review of Talkiatry, new editorial rating, fact-checked all information and updated accordingly.
Author: Emily Guarnotta, PsyD (No change)
Medical Reviewer: Benjamin Troy, MD (No change)
Primary Changes: Added review summary and features.
Author: Emily Guarnotta, PsyD
Medical Reviewer: Benjamin Troy, MD
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