11 Affordable Online Therapy Platforms to Improve Mental Health on a Budget
Therapy can have life-changing impact to your mental health…but it can also be a large expense that you might not be able to afford. Luckily however, in today’s world there are a lot of other alternatives to the traditional, in-person therapy. Keep reading for 13 affordable online therapy platforms to improve your mental health on a budget.
Free or low-cost mental health care does not have to mean they are lower quality care. There are effective ways to get help without needing to break the bank each month.
In fact, you might even find that online therapy is a more effective option for you and your personal needs.
Online therapy platforms vs. in-person therapy
There are some similarities between online and in-person therapy sessions. In either instance, you will communicate with a licensed therapist or mental health professional. You can seek support for a wide array of mental health issues such as stress, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, etc.
However, there are several key differences between online therapy and a traditional therapy session in-person.
Pros of in-person therapy:
- Non-verbal cues – During an in-person therapy session, it is easier for the counselor to pick up on non-verbal cues and body language. This can help them understand your needs better.
- Neutral location – When you go to an in-person therapy session it gives you a neutral space to talk about your feelings and needs, rather than being in a space where you work, relax, or live in.
Pros of online therapy platforms:
- Cost – Typically, online therapy options are more affordable than in-person sessions.
- Convenience – If you have a super busy schedule, trying to fit in a therapy appointment can be difficult. Online therapy gives you the option to get care conveniently from wherever you are located.
- Multiple forms of communication – Virtual therapy often gives you several different modes of communication options so you can pick what works the best for you. Perhaps you enjoy doing a video chat session or maybe you find that messaging your therapist works for you.
- Care in the moment – One of the benefits that virtual therapy can provide over in-person therapy is more on-demand care. If you have a subscription to a therapy app that allows you to message with your therapist, you can contact them in the moment when you have an issue arise, rather than waiting until your next appointment to talk about it.
- Discrete – If you want to keep your therapy sessions private, it can be easier to discretely communicate via your phone rather than attending a therapy session in-person.
Common features of online therapy platforms
Online therapy options have a lot of common features to them, so let’s talk about what to look for when evaluating your options.
Video sessions
Some therapy services offer video sessions with a licensed therapist. This option is the most similar to in-person therapy.
Messaging
A lot of online therapy options also include messaging with a therapist. Essentially, you have access to a chatroom and can send messages to your therapist who will respond within an agreed upon window.
Counseling for couples, teens, etc.
Most therapy options are for individual counseling, however many of these online therapy options also include group, couple, and teen counseling as well.
Medication management services
Another feature that has become popular for online therapy options is medication management. With this feature, you are paired with a psychiatrist who can prescribe you medication. A lot of times with this feature, the medication can even be sent directly to your home.
The best affordable online therapy platforms to care for your mental health on a Budget
1. Talkspace
Why it’s a great choice: Talkspace offers an affordable online therapy option for individuals, couples, and teens. You can chat with your provider via messaging, phone, or video – it is completely flexible to your needs and schedule! And it gets results.
A research study conducted by a professor from Columbia University in partnership with a professional at Talkspace showed 80% of participants found Talkspace to be as effective or more effective than in-person therapy.
The study also showed that 98% of participants found Talkspace to be more convenient than in-person therapy.
Pros:
- Proven results
- Get matched to a therapist that meets your individual needs
- Change providers at any time
- Text, voice, and video communication options
- Psychiatry options for medication prescriptions
- Covered by many insurance plans and employee assistance programs (EAP)
- Several different subscription plans to address your individual needs and budget
- Talkspace chatroom is available to you 24/7
Cons:
- Therapists are only available to communicate 5 days a week
- No sliding pay scale
Cost: Plans start at $69 per week and increase with additional features
Use this link to subscribe to Talkspace and get $200 off your subscription costs!
2. BetterHelp
Why it’s a great choice: BetterHelp is the world’s largest therapy platform with over 20,000 licensed therapists and more than 2.5 million patients who received care. This means you have access to many licensed professionals who specialize in different areas of mental health.
A study conducted by researchers from University of California – Berkeley, University of California – San Francisco, and the San Francisco General Hospital found:
“Users of BetterHelp experienced significantly reduced depression symptom severity after engaging with the platform.”
Pros:
- Proven results
- Get help from anywhere through text, live chat, phone, and video options
- Access to a large network of counselors who all have at least 3 years and 1,000 hours of hands-on experience
- Change providers at any time
- Several different subscription plans to address your individual needs and budget
- Ability to remain anonymous
Cons:
- You don’t get to choose your therapist (you will be matched to someone based on your answers to a survey to understand your needs)
- Not covered by insurance
- No psychiatry options to have medication prescribed
Cost: BetterHelp ranges from $60-$90 per week (billed per month)
3. Cerebral
Why it’s a great choice: Cerebral is an affordable option to get therapy and medication delivered to your door monthly. You can choose between three different plans: Medication + Monthly Care Counseling, Medication + Weekly Therapy, or Weekly Therapy.
Pros:
- Multiple plan options to address your needs
- Psychiatry options to get prescribed medication sent directly to your home
- Covered by some insurance plans
- FSA and HSA eligible
Cons:
- Therapy services not available in all states (For more info on availability, check out the FAQ’s here.)
- Services only available for individuals 18 years and older
Cost: Prices start at $29 per month for in-network insurance providers. Otherwise, plans start at $89 per month (medication billed separately).
4. Online-therapy.com
Why it’s a great choice: Online-therapy.com provides cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) through worksheets, guided videos, messaging, and live options (video, voice, and text).
Pros:
- Multiple ways to communicate with your therapist
- Sections with guided videos and worksheets in addition to therapy services
- Easy-to-use journal in your account to reflect on your emotions and progress
- Activity tracker to plan self care activities and have accountability to do them
- Access to yoga and meditation videos
- Choose your therapist from a selection provided once you complete a questionnaire
Cons:
- Therapists only respond Monday – Friday
- No medication management services
- Does not accept insurance
- All care is CBT based
Cost: Starting at $31.96 per week
Click here to get a 20% discount on Online-Therapy.com.
5. ReGain
Why it’s a great choice: ReGain is an online relationship therapy option specifically designed to relationship, marital, and family issues such as conflict, affairs, communication skills, etc. Partners will have a joint account where they both have access to all messages and communication.
Pros:
- Built specifically to help couples
- Both partners have access to written communication
- However, an individual can also speak with the counselor privately as needed
- Ability to maintain confidentiality by using a nickname
Cons:
- May not be the right choice for you if you need individual counseling
- Video communication is two-way so couples need to be in the same location to talk with the therapist (Might not be the choice for long-distance couples)
- Does not accept insurance (However, this is typical for couples counseling overall)
Cost: The cost for ReGain ranges from $60-$90 per week (Billed monthly)
6. Wellnite
Why it’s a great choice: Wellnite is a great affordable option for individual, couple, family, and teen therapy. Wellnite has a large focus on anxiety and depression so it might be right for you if you are seeking help for those specific issues.
Pros:
- Multiple plans to fit your unique needs
- Ability to choose your therapist, doctor, or mental health coach from a directory of bios once you’ve subscribed
- Medication delivered to your home
- Provides many approaches including cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness therapy, feminist therapy and EDMR therapy
- Reimbursements through PPO plans
- Noted as the Best Low-Cost Option in Verywell Mind’s 2021 Online Therapy Award
Cons:
- Medication for anxiety and depression only
- Not available in all U.S. states
- May not be the right fit for you if you want to address needs outside of anxiety and depression
- Less frequent communication with your therapist than some of the other online therapy options. For example, the Medical Care + Therapy plan only includes 2 therapy sessions per month. (But you can add additional sessions for a fee).
Cost: Plans are starting at $37.50 bi-weekly. Each plan has a certain amount of included sessions with your therapist, additional sessions will be an additional charge
7. Ayana Therapy
Why it’s a great choice: Ayana Therapy is a great option because they are committed to mental health services more available to marginalized and intersectional communities.
Pros:
- Diverse therapist community made up of many different races, ethnicities, cultures, genders, sexual orientations, and religions.
- Therapists receive cultural competency training to help prevent misdiagnosis
- Ability to remain anonymous
- Text, call, and video communication
Cons:
- No medication services
- Does not accept insurance
- You do not choose your therapist (You will be matched to a therapist based on a questionnaire you complete)
- Pricing is not clearly available on their website
Cost: Pricing is not clearly displayed on the website. It seems that monthly plans start at $140 per month which includes unlimited texting and 2 therapy sessions.
8. Amwell
Why it’s a great choice: Amwell is a really good option for you if you are looking for online therapy platforms that offer a lot of flexibility. Amwell allows you to schedule appointments as needed and some therapists are available on nights and weekends (which not all platforms offer).
Pros:
- Flexibility in scheduling
- Treatment available on nights and weekends
- Medication management services
- Serves a range of issues including couples therapy, panic attacks, insomnia, depression, etc.
- Accepts health insurance
Cons:
- Company does not just focus on therapy
- Video communication only (No messaging, phone, etc.)
- No subscriptions offered – you pay per visit similar to a traditional therapy session
- Higher cost than some of the other subscription-based therapy services
Cost: Therapy sessions range from $109-$129 depending on the therapist
9. Monument
Why it’s a great choice: Monument offers personalized online alcohol treatment that allows you to get care conveniently and affordably.
Pros:
- Specialized alcohol treatment
- Offers medication management services
- 24/7 anonymous forum community where you can connect with other people working through sobriety or moderation
- Online alcohol support groups
- Accepts insurnace
- Offers free resources and help
Cons:
- Not the right fit for you if addiction is not your main concern
- You do not choose your therapist
- Therapy is not offered in all U.S. states
Cost: Community membership is free. Additional plans start at $9.99 per month (With an initial $45 fee) ranging up to $249 per month for their total care plan.
10. MDLive
Why it’s a great choice: MDLive is one of the best affordable online therapy platforms. MDLive provides mental health care through individually purchased sessions including options for therapy and psychiatry.
Pros:
- Accepts insurance
- Medication management services
- Ability to purchase individual sessions vs. a full subscription
- Choose your provider
- Responsive customer service hotline
Cons:
- MDLive does not focus solely on mental health
- Does not offer couples, family, or group counseling
- No subscriptions or discount options
- Wait times for care can vary based on your state
- Less affordable without insurance
Cost: Starting at $108 per therapy session
11. Sanity and Self
Why it’s a great choice: Sanity and Self offers a chat 1:1 option to connect with licensed therapists, life coaches, and relationship experts via messaging and video.
Pros:
- Options for future, goal-oriented care with a life coach
- Ability to choose your provider based on their bios
- Messaging and video options
- Change your provider at any time
- Ability to remain anonymous
Cons:
- Not all experts are licensed therapists
- Does not accept insurance
- No medication management services
Cost: Text chat plans start at $39.99 per week (billed monthly). Video chat sessions cost from $60-$120 per session.
Other tips to get help on a budget
Besides the online therapy platforms we discussed above, there are also other ways to find therapy or mental health care that is affordable.
Find out what your insurance covers
One of the best ways to find affordable mental health care is to find out what your insurance covers and does not cover. This can help you find in-network therapists or online therapy options that will be a lower rate through your insurance.
Look into sliding scale options with in-person therapists
If you have read through the options above and think an in-person therapist is still the right fit for you, look into therapists that offer a slide scale pay option. This means that as opposed to a standard rate for each therapy session, the cost will be flexible based on the patient’s ability to pay.
Find out what your local community offers
Another great way to find access to affordable mental health care is to find out what your local community offers. Sometimes local community centers, churches, universities, etc. will have free group sessions. You might also be able to find a teaching university that provides free counseling with an intern.
Conclusion: Affordable online therapy platforms
Therapy can be really expensive. While the money spent towards mental health is a good place to put your money, it is not always feasible. However, this does not mean you shouldn’t still have access to effective treatment and care.
Use the guide in this post to find the best affordable online therapy platforms that are right for your personal needs and budget.
Remember: Free or low-cost care does not mean it is less effective.
