Finding the best online therapy isn’t easy with so many options to choose from. We’ve reviewed the best online counseling services that offer virtual therapy sessions by phone, chat or video. Each of the top virtual counseling services below was evaluated based on therapist credentials, user reviews, price per session, features, and mental health services offered.
10 Best Online Therapy Services of 2024
- BetterHelp: Best online therapy platform overall
- ReGain: Best online therapy for couples and marriage counseling
- Pride Counseling: Best online therapy for LGBTQ+
- Teen Counseling: Best therapists for teens and parents
- Talkspace: Best teletherapy for psychiatry services
- Online-Therapy.com: Best counselors for cognitive behavioral therapy
- Calmerry: Best online therapy provider for OCD
- 7 Cups: Affordable online therapy for emotional support
- Amwell: Good option for PTSD and trauma
- MDLive: Great selection of licensed therapists
Online therapy is a convenient alternative to traditional in-person therapy and is quickly becoming one of the most popular ways to seek mental health care. Not only is online therapy just as effective as in-person therapy, but it’s also more affordable in most cases.
Online therapy can offer help with a variety of mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, grief, addiction, stress, PTSD, panic attacks, OCD, eating disorders, and anger.
The best online therapy services offer many different types of mental health professionals to choose from including professional counselors, psychiatrists, family therapists, marriage counselors, psychologists, and more.
No matter what type of mental health care you seek, you’ll likely find it at one of the online therapy platforms below.
Review of the Best Online Counseling Services
#1. BetterHelp: Best Online Therapy Overall
BetterHelp is one of the world’s largest and most well-known online therapy providers. It’s gained a reputation as the premier online therapy platform since its founding in 2013 because it offers a massive range of licensed therapists capable of dealing with many types of mental health concerns.
BetterHelp is a great starting point for people looking for the best online therapy service. It offers a user-friendly experience, and the dedicated app makes it simple to organize sessions and choose your preferred communication type.
The online platform has also expanded into several sister sites that address specific issues affecting certain population demographics. If you need specialized teen, couples, or LGBTQIA+ counseling, these Better Help sister sites may offer more effective therapy for your requirements.
BetterHelp offers an array of communication options:
- Phone calls
- Live chat
- Text messaging
- Video chat
Specialties
Thanks to BetterHelp’s wide range of licensed therapists, the platform can help with many mental health issues, including (but not limited to):
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Addiction
- Eating disorders
- Trauma
- Insomnia
- Self-esteem concerns
- Grief
The site focuses primarily on talk therapy techniques, including cognitive behavioral therapy, psychoanalysis, mindfulness, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing.
While talk therapy can be extremely beneficial to most people, some individuals may require medication to get the most out of their therapeutic treatment. Generally, psychiatric physicians must be the ones to prescribe psychotropic medications. Unfortunately, BetterHelp doesn’t offer psychiatric or medication management services through its online therapy program.
How the Process Works
Before starting the signup process, BetterHelp provides clear information about how it works and its overall process. This information includes how the platform matches therapists and patients, communication options, and links to mental health resources.
The signup process is relatively involved, with an extensive questionnaire that asks about your background and mental health concerns. After the first round of questions, you can create a BetterHelp account and continue with the process.
After your first login, BetterHelp will lead you through the second set of questions, which focus on finding the right therapist for your needs. The platform will then match you with an online therapist and request payment. The cost for BetterHelp therapy is between $60-90 week and is based off your location, preferences, and therapist availability.
Once you’ve paid for the month, you can choose your communication method and wait for your new therapist to get in touch. Most people hear from their therapist within a day or two, but some may need to wait for up to a week to start their session.
Pros:
- Online therapy sessions available by phone, video, chat, or message
- Over 27,000 licensed therapists ready to help
- Used by over 3 million people
- The world’s largest network of licensed and accredited therapists
- Online therapists that specialize in anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, and more
- Get matched to a therapist based on your needs, demographics, and preferences
- Message your web therapist anytime, from anywhere
- Therapy sessions available from your phone, tablet, or computer
- More affordable than in-person sessions
Cons:
- No psychiatrists to prescribe medications
- No free trial
#2. ReGain: Best Online Counseling for Couples and Relationships
ReGain is a sister platform to BetterHelp that focuses on helping couples. The site offers 8,000 licensed marriage and family counselors who can help couples deal with relationship problems. The goal of ReGain is to provide couples — or even individuals — who have relationship issues with a safe space and easy-to-navigate interface. With multiple communication options and flexible scheduling, ReGain has earned its reputation as one of the best online therapy platforms for couples.
The platform also contains an extensive knowledge base of informative articles and other resources that address common relationship issues.
Users can access their licensed marriage and family therapist using the ReGain app or via the following communication methods:
- Live video chat
- Phone calls
- Text messaging
- Live chat
Specialties
While ReGain focuses primarily on couples therapy, it provides extensive counseling for most relationships, including platonic, romantic, or familial. The platform has experienced family therapists to address concerns such as:
- Attraction and attachment
- Dating
- Recovering from domestic violence
- Infidelity
- Intimacy
- Divorce
- Parenting
- Break-ups
- Setting boundaries
How the Process Works
As with most virtual therapy services, your ReGain journey starts with completing an extensive questionnaire. This survey identifies your concern and gets information about your background and expectations. You can complete this questionnaire individually or with your partner.
Once you’ve completed the questionnaire and created an anonymous account, ReGain will request payment. Once you’ve paid for the month, ReGain will match you with a licensed marriage and family therapist.
Once matched, you can access a private chat room, accessible to you, your therapist, and your partner. You can start chatting at any time, and your therapist will attempt to respond as quickly as possible.
Pros:
- Best online therapy for couples, love issues, and marital problems
- Choose between individual therapy or couples counseling
- Unlimited messaging
- Ease of switching therapists
- Therapy sessions available by phone, video conferencing, chat, or message
- Affordable online therapy compared to other providers
- Several subscription plans to choose from
Cons:
- No licensed psychiatrists or medication management services
- Inability to choose your own licensed mental health professional
- No free trial
- Does not accept insurance
#3. Pride Counseling: Great Virtual Therapy for LGBTQ+
Pride Counseling is a virtual therapy platform with licensed professional therapists who understand the particular challenges facing people from these communities.
Pride Counseling is a sister site of BetterHelp, and it features the same user-friendly interface, signup process, and pricing structure. It also keeps to the high standards of having only trained mental health professionals such as family therapists, licensed clinical social workers, and clinical psychologists to ensure that users get the support they need.
Like most top online therapy platforms, Pride Counseling offers several ways to communicate with your therapist. These include:
- Unlimited text messaging
- Live video calls
- Live chats
- Telephone calls
Specialties
While all Pride’s counselors focus on helping LGBTQIA+ individuals, many subspecialize in certain mental health issues, such as:
- Anxiety
- Stress
- Depression
- Trauma
- Family/relationship conflicts
- Eating disorders
- Gender dysphoria
- Bullying
- Rejection
Counselors also offer multiple approaches, including cognitive behavioral therapy, psychotherapy, journaling, and other talk-therapy techniques.
How the Process Works
The first step in accessing Pride Counseling’s virtual counseling service is to answer a short questionnaire about your background and therapy goals. Once you’ve completed the questionnaire, you can create an anonymous account and wait for the system to pair you with an online counselor.
Pride Counseling works on a monthly subscription model and provides income-based financial assistance. Once you’ve made your first payment, you get access to the full range of therapy services, but if you’re dissatisfied, you can cancel via the Pride Counseling platform at any time.
The platform allows you to switch therapists, giving you plenty of space to find the right licensed therapist.
Pros:
- Stringent privacy protocols to protect your identity and data
- Flexible communication methods
- Therapists committed to providing support for LGBTQIA+ individuals.
- Ability to switch therapists at any time
Cons:
- No access to medication management services
- No health insurance acceptance
#4. Teen Counseling: Top Rated Therapy for Teens and Parents
Teen Counseling is the best online therapy platform for teens and parents. Teen Counseling is a sister site in the BetterHelp group of online therapy platforms, and it specializes in mental health conditions affecting teenagers. It’s one of the few online therapy services that cater to under-18s, though teens still need parental consent to use and pay for those services. It has a large range of licensed family therapists and psychologists with expertise in teen therapy.
Teen Counseling is accessible via a desktop or mobile app for Android and Apple phones. Users can communicate with their mental health professionals via:
- Text messaging
- Live chat
- Video calls
- Phone calls
Specialties
Teen Counseling offers support for a wide range of teen-related mental health concerns, including:
- Anxiety
- Eating disorders
- Depression
- Bullying
- Anger management
- Self-esteem
- Stress
- Family or romantic relationship issues
How the Process Works
All the best online therapy services start with a questionnaire, and Teen Counseling is no different. The questionnaire asks about a teen’s background and current situation to help it pair them with the right therapist.
Teenagers or parents can answer the questionnaire, but the platform requires parental consent to continue with therapy and handle payments. Note that counselors are unable to provide a mental health diagnosis, so this is not the site to use for diagnostic purposes.
Once the teenager has created an account and paid for the first month, Teen Counseling will give them access to a private room, accessible only to the user and therapist. While therapists might inform parents with general updates, Teen Counseling is committed to maintaining its users’ privacy and confidentiality.
Teen Counseling uses an algorithm to pair teenagers with the right online therapist, who then contacts the teenager via live chat. Users can schedule live video sessions once a week and get unlimited messaging (though it may take a little while for the therapist to respond).
Teen Counseling offers multiple payment plans that provide access to everything on the platform. However, prices may still change, depending upon the choice of therapist, service demand, and location. The platform also offers income-based financial assistance but doesn’t accept insurance.
Pros:
- Mental health professionals who understand teens’ unique challenges
- Offers video, phone, and chat therapy options
- Parents and teens can both privately message the therapist
- Affordable online counseling when compared to in-person therapy
- Therapy sessions that are confidential
- Offers discounts for financial hardship
Cons:
- No medication management service
- Required parental consent to access the platform
- No free trial
#5. Talkspace: Best Telehealth Services for Anxiety, Depression, and PTSD
Talkspace was one of the first online therapy platforms and still offers high-quality mental health services today. Established in 2012, Talkspace has aimed to make therapy more accessible to those who need it most.
The platform has evolved constantly to meet user needs. It remains one of the most popular online therapy sites, offering access to over 3,000 licensed mental health professionals specializing in the most common conditions.
Talkspace provides users with several communication methods, including:
- Phone calls
- Live chat
- Text messaging
- Video calls
However, unlike other online therapy sites, Talkspace explicitly controls the number of video chats you can have per month. The lowest-tier plan doesn’t have any live sessions but still offers unlimited text messaging during the workweek.
Specialties
Talkspace started out as a talk-therapy platform but has expanded its online counseling services to include couples counseling, teen counseling, and (most notably) psychiatric services. With over 3,000 licensed professional therapists, Talkspace offers assistance for:
- Anxiety
- Stress
- Depression
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Relationship issues
- Addiction
- Parenting or family issues
- Social anxiety
- Bullying
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
- Bipolar disorder
How the Process Works
The main Talkspace website contains a signup page, FAQ pages, and a short demonstration video that shows how the platform works. Talkspace is accessible via a desktop and through a mobile app.
The first step of the signup process is to fill in a short questionnaire that assesses your needs and background. Talkspace will send you an email containing your account details after this step.
The second step is to choose your payment plan. Talkspace has three tiers of plans that increase in price, depending on how many live sessions you want per month. These plans include:
- Unlimited Messaging Therapy Plus, which includes text, video, and audio messaging without any live sessions
Unlimited Messaging Therapy Premium, which includes text, video, and audio messaging and one 30-minute live session per month - Unlimited Messaging Therapy Ultimate, which includes text, video, and audio messaging and four 30-minute live video sessions per month
- Note: If you want psychiatric or medication management services, you’ll need to pay for these in addition to the monthly talk therapy plan.
Once you’ve chosen your plan, the platform will look for matching therapists and give you several options. Each therapist has a bio outlining their specialty, experience, and methodology. These can be useful in deciding which one to pick.
Once you’ve chosen your therapist, the platform will give you access to a secure chat room. You can use this room to send your therapist as many messages as you want and schedule your live sessions using the Talkspace app.
Pros:
One of the only online counseling services that accept health insurance
Offers psychiatric care and medicine management
Mental health care services available for individuals, couples, and teens
Corporate plans are available for universities and employers
Specialties include anxiety, depression, stress management, grief, PTSD, OCD, LGTBQ, eating disorders, anger management, and more
Cons:
- Only phone, messaging, and text therapy available – no option for live chat sessions.
- Therapy appointments only last 45 minutes
- Can be more expensive than other remote therapy services
- No financial assistance program available
- Mixed reviews from past customers
#6. Online-Therapy.com: Best Online Therapists for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Unlike many other online therapy programs, Online-Therapy.com exclusively uses a cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) approach. CBT is a peer-reviewed talk-therapy method that can help people cope with many mental health concerns.
What makes Online-Therapy.com unique is that all its resources and therapies center on CBT. The site has an online toolbox of CBT tools, such as self-led worksheets, journal prompts, meditation exercises, and even yoga videos. All licensed mental health professionals on the site have extensive experience in CBT as a methodology and will help you get the most out of the experience.
Online-Therapy.com allows users to interact with their licensed professional counselors in several ways, including:
- Text
- Phone calls
- Video calls
- Live chat
Specialties
While the platform focuses on only one technique, CBT is flexible enough to address many mental health conditions, including:
- Agoraphobia
- Anger issues
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Panic attacks
- Stress
- Obsessive compulsive disorder
- Bipolar disorder
- Borderline personality disorder
- Unfortunately, Online-Therapy.com doesn’t offer medication management or psychiatric services.
How the Process Works
Online-Therapy.com provides visitors with a massive amount of information, even before signing up. You can browse through the self-led CBT tools, check out the FAQ, and get a clear idea of how the process works.
The signup procedure is like those of many other online mental health services: You complete a questionnaire about your background, mental health issues, and therapist preferences. The site will make several recommendations based on therapist availability, and you can select one after reviewing their bios.
Online-Therapy.com has three subscription-based plans:
Basic plan: Allows you to message your therapist from Monday to Friday and receive daily messages from your therapist during the work week. Also provides access to the online CBT toolbox.
Standard plan: Same as the basic plan, plus a weekly 30-minute live therapy session and the ability to message your therapist at any time.
Premium plan: Includes everything in the lower tiers plus two 30-minute live sessions per week, and priority responses from your therapist.
Your therapist will use text messaging or your live video sessions as part of the talk therapy portion of your treatment, but you’ll still need to complete the self-led worksheets to get the most out of the platform.
Pros:
Choice of your therapist based on their bio
Affordable pricing plans
All therapists with extensive CBT experience
Highly rated virtual therapy platform
Licensed therapists answer messages within 24 hours
20% discount for the first month
Cons:
- No medicine management or psychiatric services
- Does not accept health insurance
- Limited scope of treatment — if CBT doesn’t work for you, then you need to find another platform
#7. Calmerry: Best Therapy for OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)
Calmerry is a relative newcomer to the online therapy space. The site’s founder saw the need for accessible, affordable mental health care during the pandemic and launched Calmerry in 2020 to address this need. While the site still has minor teething troubles, such as information-thin FAQ posts, it offers excellent support services for a wide range of mental health problems.
Calmerry provides various communication methods, allowing users to feel comfortable in their therapy sessions. These methods include:
- Live video sessions
- Text messages
- Live chat
- Live audio sessions
Like many of its competitors, Calmerry doesn’t offer live chat sessions in all of its plans. Only higher-tier plans provide 30-minute sessions, while the lower-tier plans offer only text messages and asynchronous communication.
Specialties
Calmerry offers counseling for many common mental health issues, including:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Stress
- Relationship issues
- Grief
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- LGBTQIA+ issues
The virtual therapy platform does not offer psychiatric services, and its licensed therapists aren’t able to prescribe medication. It’s also important to note that while Calmerry offers couples and teen counseling, each individual needs to pay for a subscription to take advantage of the service.
How the Process Works
Unlike most online therapy programs, Calmerry lets you set up an account before the intake questionnaire. The questionnaire covers your background, therapist preferences, and concerns.
Another feature that sets Calmerry apart from other online therapy companies is that it relies on a team of people to assign a therapist to a client. Most online therapy platforms use an algorithm (similar to ones found on dating apps) to pair customers and therapists, leading to potential mismatches. Having a pair of human eyes can make the difference and help reduce the number of therapists you may have to go through before settling on the right one.
Once you’ve picked your therapist from a selection, Calmerry will let you choose between three payment plans:
- Messaging provides unlimited messaging to your therapist, one to two responses during the week, and a personalized therapy plan.
- Messaging + One Live Video provides access to all the messaging services plus one live session per month.
- Messaging + Four Live Video provides access to all the text messaging services plus four live sessions per month.
You can start messaging your therapist immediately after making your first payment. Most people get a response within the day, but some report waiting up to five days to get a message back. The good news is that you can switch therapists at any time, without penalties, allowing you to browse around until you find one who works for you.
Pros:
- Uses human matching instead of an algorithm
- All web therapists are licensed and vetted
- Allows you to schedule remote therapy sessions to fit your routine
- Provides extensive customer support, including a detailed knowledge base
- Provides multiple plans so you can tailor your virtual counseling to your needs
- The trial one-week subscription acts as a good introduction to the platform
- Cancel your subscription at any time
- Free therapist switching
Cons:
- No option for phone therapy
- Lack of medication management
- Individual therapy, but no group sessions
What Is Online Therapy?
Online therapy is an alternative to traditional therapy where instead of meeting in a therapist’s office, you meet online or via video or phone call. Treatments consist of two broad categories, based on how patients would like to communicate with their therapist: synchronous and asynchronous.
Synchronous treatments refer to interventions that take place in real time, such as video calls, live chats, and phone conversations. Synchronous online therapy sessions closely resemble traditional therapy, where the therapist and patient interact directly.
Asynchronous treatment means there’s a delay in communication between therapist and patient. Text messages are the most common form of asynchronous treatment, when a patient can message the therapist at any time but may have to wait several hours or even days until their therapist can respond.
The best online therapy programs offer a mix of asynchronous and synchronous communication options—patients can schedule live chats or video sessions but can also message their therapist at any time. This blend of communication channels allows patients to find the best fit regarding scheduling, availability, and need.
How We Ranked the Best Online Therapy Providers
Finding the right online therapy platform can feel intimidating for people who need support. You can easily find hundreds of mental health apps that seem to offer the same services but vary wildly in service delivery, therapies offered, and pricing.
We used numerous criteria in our search for the best online therapy platform. These included therapy specialties, communication methods, and pricing plans and gave us a good idea of which online counseling platforms offer legitimate and helpful mental health services.
Type of Therapy Offered
Some online therapy services specialize in providing general, affordable online therapy, while others focus on specific mental health or lifestyle issues. For instance, Pride Counseling offers help for people from the LGBTQIA+ communities, while ReGain offers relationship counseling for couples and families. Other platforms, such as BetterHelp and Talkspace, offer more generalized services addressing common mental health conditions.
We also looked at therapeutic interventions that the platforms offered. Almost all online platforms focus on talk-based treatments, including online cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychotherapy, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). Certain methodologies work better for some types of disorders (for instance, EMDR works best for post-traumatic stress sufferers), while other approaches are suitable for a wide range of issues. It’s important to find an online counseling platform that offers the type of talking therapy you need.
While almost all the best online therapy platforms work exclusively with licensed therapists, only a few provide access to medical doctors such as psychiatrists. This can be a drawback for people who need medication management for their mental health problems because only physicians can prescribe medication and make a formal mental health diagnosis.
Therapist-Matching Process
Finding a therapist whose technique works for you can be challenging, whether you’re considering in-person therapy or online therapy.
Online therapy companies streamline the process by using a matching algorithm to pair clients with the right therapist. When you sign up for an online therapy platform, you’ll answer a questionnaire about your therapist preferences, including gender, background, and religion. The platform will take these answers and the type of therapy you’re looking for and scan its database for licensed mental health professionals who fit the bill.
While almost all online therapy platforms use this model, some will assign an online therapist to you, while others will let you pick one from a curated list. Some platforms use humans instead of an algorithm to match users to therapists because humans are better at picking up nuances and may provide better matches.
But what happens if you don’t click with your assigned online therapist? All reputable online therapy providers will allow you to change therapists for any reason without penalties. While it may take time to find the right match, it’s always important to carry on searching until you find a therapist you’re completely comfortable with and who can offer you the services you need.
Communication Methods
The best online therapy platforms offer several communication methods, allowing users to feel comfortable using their preferred communication style. The most common ways to get in touch with your online therapist include:
- Phone calls
- Live video sessions
- Text messages
- Live chat sessions
Many platforms allow for unlimited messaging, meaning that you can contact your therapist via text message at any time, though you may have to wait a while for a response.
Phone calls, video, or chat sessions are all scheduled services that allow you to interact directly with your therapist. They are relatively similar to in-person therapy.
Taking advantage of several communication methods is the best way to get the most out of your virtual counseling platform.
Pricing Plans
While generally more affordable, internet therapy can still get expensive, especially if you want several video sessions per month. To make things even more complex, some online counseling platforms have different tiers of services, each with differing benefits.
Unfortunately, few platforms accept insurance, though some insurance providers are willing to reimburse some of the costs according to telehealth services guidelines. It’s a good idea to check with your health insurance provider to determine your options before committing to an online platform.
Therapist Credentials
One of the most important questions to ask about any online therapy service is whether its mental health professionals have the correct licenses. Licensing is an important step for any therapist because it allows them to practice in a certain state in their chosen specialty.
According to the American Psychological Association, the words “therapist” and “psychotherapist” aren’t protected terms in some states, meaning that anyone can advertise themselves as a therapist, even without proper qualifications. Licensing helps weed out any unregistered therapists and makes it easier to find legitimate professionals.
Online therapy companies are responsible for checking the credentials of their therapists, which is why so many services make it clear that their therapists have the necessary licenses to practice their profession.
How to Choose the Best Online Therapy for You
Every person’s therapy journey is unique, but here are several ways to narrow down the best online counseling options for your needs.
The first step should be to identify themost comfortable therapy format for you. Some people like the immediacy and flow of live video sessions, while others may prefer the slower pace of messaging and email.
Next, identify the frequency of therapy sessions you want per month. In general, people with serious mental health concerns benefit from more frequent sessions, while some people just need to touch base with their therapist once a month. Then, review the plans on various online platforms—most sites offer unlimited messaging and one or two live sessions per month.
You’ll also need to find a platform that offersthe type of service you require. If you need medication, find a site with registered psychiatrists who can prescribe medication in your state. If you’re struggling with relationship concerns, look for a site with many licensed marriage and family therapists.
The next step is to agree to a therapist. Some platforms allow you to choose your own therapist, while others will assign one automatically. No matter what matchmaking process the site uses, you should always be able to access the therapist’s credentials, experience, and specialties to ensure a good fit. Most telehealth services offer a wide range of professional counselors to select from, including licensed clinical social workers and psychologists.
The final criterion that affects your choice of online counseling is to set up a schedule with pricing you can afford. Some platforms accept insurance, while others offer financial aid for low-income individuals, making web therapy accessible to a much wider range of people. Even if a platform doesn’t accept health insurance, some plans may reimburse a portion of the cost as a telehealth service.
Is Online Therapy Effective?
The big question surrounding remote counseling is whether it’s as effective as in-person therapy. Many studies have examined this question, and a recentmeta-analysis of current data shows that online and in-person therapy are equally effective in addressing mild to moderate anxiety disorders. Another study found online cognitive behavioral therapy to be potentially more effective than in-office therapy, largely because of improved access to mental health professionals.
That said, individuals with severe mental health disorders often benefit from immediate intervention andmay do better in a traditional therapeutic format. Ultimately, virtual therapy offers a useful alternative to a traditional therapy session, but therapists still need to decide which format is the best for their patients.
The Advantages of Getting Therapy Online
If virtual and in-person therapy sessions are similarly effective, why should you choose virtual therapy instead of seeing a licensed therapist in person? Online psychotherapy offers several advantages that make it an appealing option for people who need support. These include:
Avoiding stigma: In some tight-knit communities, mental health conditions still carry a stigma that can be a massive barrier to seeking help. An online therapy session is completely private and offers a sense of anonymity and confidentiality that an in-person session can’t.
Convenience: Many people simply don’t have the time to organize a regular therapy session. Because online sessions have flexible schedules, it’s much easier to fit in a session without disrupting your day-to-day routine.
Ease of access and a wider choice: Some people may live far from a licensed therapist who offers the right service. Going online makes location less important, allowing people to find a therapist who meets their needs no matter where they are located. In turn, this provides a much broader selection of therapists.
Sense of intimacy: While some people may find a disconnect between a video call and in-person conversation, other people find video calls to be more comfortable. This sense of intimacy comes largely from the fact that you’re still in your home or a safe location, unlike the feeling that you’re intruding in someone’s space or find yourself in a sterile office space during an in-person session.
Types of Online Therapy Sessions
Many of the best online counseling services offer several communication methods, allowing people to choose how they interact with their therapist.
Phone Therapy
Phone therapy relies on a scheduled call session. Some people prefer the anonymity and privacy of a phone conversation rather than video chat, which can open new avenues and insights during the session.
Text Message
Text messages are an asynchronous form of therapy, which means they don’t rely on a real-time conversation.
While texting may not be suitable for deep work such as resolving the underlying causes of eating disorders or dealing with trauma, it’s a great tool for checking in. Many therapists use text messaging between sessions to encourage clients to practice their newfound coping skills.
Live Video Therapy
Often considered the best online communication tool, live video sessions are the closest to in-person sessions. They allow the therapist to pick up on body language, voice tone, and other non-verbal cues while still allowing for the convenience of remote therapy.
Online Chat
Online chat is the synchronous form of text messaging. Some people prefer organizing their thoughts or find themselves uncomfortable interacting directly with their therapist, so online chat can be a happy medium between the immediacy of a video session and the anonymity of text-based communication.
Things to Consider Before Choosing an Online Therapy Site
While virtual therapy platforms are an appealing alternative to traditional therapy, make sure to ask these questions before committing to any virtual therapy website.
Are the Therapists Licensed?
A licensed therapist will have the necessary qualifications to do their work correctly. A virtual therapy service should ensure that it works with only licensed social workers, marriage and family therapists, and psychotherapists who allow you to see their credentials on the site.
Is Online Therapy the Right Option?
Online therapy has helped hundreds of thousands of people, but it may not be the right option for everyone. If you’re uncomfortable with technology or suffer from a serious condition, in-person therapy may be the better solution for your needs.
Does My Insurance Cover Online Therapy?
While health insurance companies are starting to support telehealth services, they may not cover teletherapy fully. Speak to your health insurance provider first before committing to a platform—some health insurance companies may have deals with certain online platforms and may reimburse some of your costs.
Is the Site Secure?
While some of the best online therapy providers offer anonymity by allowing you to register with a pseudonym, you still have to provide information such as your email address and payment details. Many sites also need to store your chat room details, which will include all the messages between you and your therapist. Having a safe site is essential to protect your privacy and personal data.
While still not an outright requirement, try to look for sites that are HIPAA compliant. These tend to be the best online therapy sites that have high security and great confidentiality policies.
Privacy issues can also become more complex if the main user is a teenager. Teen-centric platforms like Teen Counseling require parental permission but will often still respect the teen’s privacy during sessions.
Types of Online Therapists
Almost as important as choosing the best online therapy platform is finding the right type of mental health professional. Certain therapists have specialties, and working with them from the start can save you a lot of time and effort.
Psychiatrists
Psychiatrists are medical doctors specializing in psychology and mental health. Because they have medical degrees, they can prescribe medication to address mental and physical health conditions. Some psychiatrists focus exclusively on medication, while others combine medicine with psychotherapy to provide a more holistic treatment plan.
Psychologists
Psychologists specialize in understanding human emotions and behaviors. They generally hold a doctoral degree or master’s degree and focus on helping individuals address their issues through evidence-based talk therapy. They’re the most common type of therapist on online platforms and can specialize in treating certain conditions, like depression or anxiety, using a variety of methodologies.
Licensed Family and Marriage Therapists
Marriage and family therapists focus on interpersonal conflicts in relationships. Sessions tend to focus on dealing with specific issues and resolving conflicts, but some marriage and family therapists will offer long-term therapy for couples who need more work.
Licensed Clinical Social Workers
Licensed clinical social workers help people cope with external issues. Just as with family therapists, licensed clinical social workers tend to offer interventions for specific problems, including:
- Social problems
- Family disputes involving domestic violence or abuse
- Substance abuse
Licensed Professional Counselors
Licensed professional counselors need a master’s degree plus two years of supervised work to qualify for their roles; they also must pass a national exam from the National Board for Certified Counselors. They guide people in dealing with issues such as:
- General stress
- Communication issues
- Addiction
- Job stress
- Anxiety
Because “counselor” isn’t a protected legal term, it’s a good idea to ask for a counselor’s credentials and experience, education, and specialty to find out whether they’re the right fit for your needs.
Tips for Finding the Right Virtual Therapist
Finding the right therapist or psychiatrist will always be a challenge. Therapists are people who will see you at your most vulnerable, and you need to feel comfortable working with them to see results.
A little bit of planning and research can help you narrow your search and stop you from wasting time switching between therapists before finding the right one for you. Here are some questions it’s wise to ask before starting your search:
What type of professional do I need? If you have a specific issue you need to address, going to a psychiatrist won’t be the best use of your time. Understanding the differences between various therapists can help you decide which one to pick.
What kind of therapy do I want? Certain conditions benefit from a particular type of treatment. For instance, CBT works great for anxiety and depression, while interpersonal therapy is better for communication and relational issues. Make sure to speak to your therapist about treatment types during your first session.
Do I have any preferences regarding my therapist’s background? According to the American Psychological Association, working with a therapist with a similar background can help form a higher-quality relationship. These preferences can include aspects such as the therapist’s age, gender, ethnicity, race, religion, or sexual orientation.
Remember that you’re never “locked in” with a particular therapist. Even if you’ve done your research and chosen what seems to be a good match, there’s no reason to continue therapy if you don’t feel rapport during the session.
Therapy is a unique relationship between therapist and patient. It requires active listening and participation from both parties. Successful therapy requires you to be honest and vulnerable, and if you don’t feel comfortable doing so, keep looking until you find a therapist you feel you can trust.
Getting the Most Out of Online Therapy
One way to increase your chances of success with a therapist is to prepare for your session. Most therapists can do a better job if their patient is prepared to maximize the benefits of each session.
Some of the ways you can prepare for your online session include:
Check your tech beforehand: Nothing is as disruptive to a therapy session as technical glitches. Not only do they interrupt the flow of the session, but they can also cause additional stress as you rush to troubleshoot and resolve connection issues.
Avoid distractions:
Having a therapy session at home opens you up to potential disruptions from family members, pets, and noisy neighbors. Try to maximize your privacy, let people know not to disturb you, and mute your phone before the session.
Set goals:
Work with your therapist to set achievable goals in a session. These will help your therapist offer more guided advice and provide actionable solutions instead of trying to figure out what you need from a session.
Be honest:
Therapy will inevitably touch on painful or uncomfortable subjects, and talking through these can often lead to important breakthroughs in therapy. If you aren’t ready to address certain topics, be clear and honest. A good therapist will know when to move on and when to try to tackle these topics again.
How Much Do Online Counseling Services Cost?
While online therapy may be more affordable than in-person therapy, it can still be expensive. With few health insurance providers offering coverage for online therapy, you may need to shop around and find the balance between affordability and quality.
In general, you can expect to pay between $80 and $250 per session, depending on your location and the therapist’s expertise. More experienced therapists will charge more, and metropolitan areas tend to be significantly more expensive than rural ones. Some online providers may offer discounts on video sessions if you sign up for several months or opt for a higher-tier plan.
Many of the best online therapy websites offer different plans depending on the number of live sessions per month. You may use this to your advantage and pay only for the number of sessions you need—there’s no reason to pay for four sessions per month if you’re only checking in with your therapist.
You can also look into whether your chosen platform offers financial aid. Some platforms are willing to reduce costs for low-income users, though you may need to go through some extra hoops to access these benefits.
One aspect of online therapy pricing that confuses many people is that platforms will show per-week prices but bill only once per month. Always make sure to factor in the monthly cost because most won’t reimburse you for lost sessions if you cancel your subscription early.
Does Insurance or Medicare Cover Online Therapy Sessions?
Unfortunately, only a few online platforms accept insurance, and very few health insurance providers reimburse for online therapy. However, as some providers expand their telehealth coverage, it’s likely that support for online therapy will expand in the future.
As with any medical service, it’s always good to ask your provider and the service whether you can use your health insurance benefits or make a claim for reimbursement. Many online platforms that didn’t accept insurance in the past have started accepting certain health insurance plans, so check your platform’s stance on insurance regularly.
Who Is Online Therapy Best For?
The past couple of years since the onset of the pandemic have been incredibly stressful for most people —a recent study reported an increase in depression symptoms in adults from 8.5% before the pandemic to 27.8% during the pandemic. Online therapy represents an ideal solution for people looking for support and an appealing alternative to traditional treatments.
As with other types of therapy, online therapy has distinct advantages and disadvantages, and while it may be suitable for many people, it may not be the right option for everyone.
In general, online therapy is best for people who:
- Have a mild to moderate condition treatable with talk therapy
- Struggle to access mental health services in their area
- Need more affordable services
- Have limited mobility
- Feel more comfortable talking to someone over the phone or via text messages
- Need the anonymity and privacy of remote counseling sessions
Some people may find even the best online therapy options unsuitable. These include people who:
- Have suicidal impulses
- Wish to harm others
- Are technologically challenged
- Don’t have access to reliable internet for video or phone sessions
- Have thought disorders such as borderline personality disorder or schizophrenia
- Require immediate medical intervention
- Feel more comfortable meeting in person in a neutral location
What Type of Mental Health Issues Can Virtual Therapy Help With?
Online therapy is effective for many issues, and most platforms will offer a list of their specialties and treatment offerings. You can expect typical online therapy services to assist with:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Stress
- Communication issues
- Relationship concerns
- PTSD
- Panic attacks
- Anger issues
- Bullying and other teen-centric concerns
- Substance abuse and addiction
- Eating disorders
- Domestic violence and abuse if the site has licensed clinical social workers
- Trauma
- Grief
Final Thoughts on Online Therapy
Online therapy is a useful tool that can bring about meaningful change for people who need support. It offers several advantages over in-person therapy, such as being more affordable and accessible. While online therapy isn’t the right solution for everyone, it can offer a lifeline to people who need a helping hand.
Unfortunately, finding the right provider can be a challenge. Most platforms offer similar services, and navigating your options can feel intimidating and overwhelming. Not only do you need to factor in the type of therapy you require, but you also must consider pricing and therapist qualifications before reaching a decision. The fact that many platforms don’t offer free trials can make committing to one feel even more fraught.
We’ve researched many of the major online therapy options and found several that offer various services for the most common mental health problems. These platforms offer access to high-quality therapists, and some even provide options for medication if necessary. While it may take some time to find the perfect fit, these platforms are a great place to start your search.
Summary of the Top Recommended Online Therapy Platforms
- BetterHelp: Best online therapy platform overall
- ReGain: Best online therapy for couples and marriage counseling
- Pride Counseling: Best online therapy for LGBTQ+
- Teen Counseling: Best therapists for teens and parents
- Talkspace: Best teletherapy for psychiatry services
- Online-Therapy.com: Best counselors for cognitive behavioral therapy
- Calmerry: Best online therapy provider for OCD
- 7 Cups: Affordable online therapy for emotional support
- Amwell: Good option for PTSD and trauma
- MDLive: Great selection of licensed therapists