Although in-person therapy has limitations in terms of availability, cost, and flexibility, online therapy services offer a creative and convenient alternative to mental healthcare.
More importantly, lockdowns and social distancing requirements made in-person sessions extremely difficult to achieve, which led to a surge in online healthcare use in recent years, and research indicates that this trend is here to stay.
As the number of providers for online therapy—also known as “e-therapy” or “internet therapy”—continues to grow, it is critical to take into account factors like cost, communication methods, and the backgrounds of therapists when looking for the best virtual therapy service.
We have examined the top online therapy services currently offered to help you make your decision.
The Top 10 Greatest Platforms & Websites for Online Therapy:
- BetterHelp: The best website for online therapy in general
- The Best Online Relationship Therapy Platform is ReGain
- Talkspace is the greatest for flexible payment plans and limitless messaging.
- Pride Counseling: The Greatest LGBTQ+ Online Therapy
- Faithful Counseling: Ideal for counselors who are committed to Christianity
- The best online cognitive behavioral therapy is offered by Online-Therapy.com.
- Calmerry: Ideal for a variety of therapeutic approachesCalmerry: Ideal for a variety of therapeutic approaches
- Cerebral – Best for affordable monthly pricing
- Grow Therapy offers a variety of licensed therapists with specialized training who are paid by insurance.
- Amwell: Best for accessibility
One of the biggest online therapy services is BetterHelp, which matches you with a licensed professional therapist within 24 hours and allows you to communicate with them via text, video call, phone, or live chat.
For patients on a tighter budget, the platform offers financial aid even though it does not accept insurance.
Why we selected BetterHelp: BetterHelp offers self-help worksheets on a variety of subjects, such as conflict resolution and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and both its online platform and app are easy to use.
Our experience We appreciate that BetterHelp counselors undergo a thorough screening process, and the service is affordable and has good reviews.
2. ReGain.
One live video or phone session per week, as well as 24/7 access to an online therapist, are provided by ReGain, a convenient online relationship therapy service for individuals and couples that matches you with a licensed therapist specifically selected to address your needs and goals.
Why we chose ReGain: ReGain understands everyone’s situation is different and offers reduced fees to those with financial difficulties or disabilities.
Based on our experience, ReGain lets you fully customize your therapy sessions, making it a very practical option if you are pressed for time.
3. Discussion Forum
Talkspace is an e-therapy platform that offers counseling and psychiatric treatment for teens, adults, and couples. They employ a detailed matching process to connect you with a licensed and experienced therapist based on your circumstances.
They provide three weekly payment plans and take insurance. Only the highest tier plan offers therapy via messaging with daily text responses to any questions you may have, although the other two higher tier plans offer live sessions.
You can be certain that your needs will be satisfied because Talkspace specializes in more than 40 clinical therapy areas.
Our experience: The quick response times displayed by Talkspace counselors and therapists impressed us. Their care providers are ready to support you whenever you need it.
4. Counseling for Pride
Pride Counseling offers affordable online therapy for LGBTQ+ individuals.
Because Pride Counseling bills on a weekly basis rather than by the session, several sessions can be scheduled in a single week. It also has a mobile app that provides all of the features of the website plus the extra advantage of mobile mental health support.
LGBTQ+ people may benefit from family therapy and support groups, but these are not included in Pride Counseling. Additionally, they are not in-network with insurance companies, even though their low weekly counseling fees make them more cost-effective than conventional in-person therapy.
Why we chose Pride Counseling: Perhaps Pride Counseling’s greatest benefit is that it offers a safe, supportive environment for LGBTQ+ community members to address their mental health issues, with all therapists trained specifically for this community’s needs.
What we experienced: Pride Counseling prioritizes confidentiality by allowing you to register using a nickname, whereas other services usually require your full legal name.
5. Faithful Counseling
The best option for Christian faith-based therapy is Faithful Counseling.
Betterhelp, which also provides clinical therapy for Christians, recently merged with Faithful Counseling. Each of its licensed and certified therapists submits a statement of their beliefs to make sure they align with the statement of faith. You will be asked to complete a questionnaire when you sign up for the service, which will ensure that you are paired with a qualified Christian therapist.
To match you with a therapist who specializes in both your Christian branch and your mental health issues, a complex matching process is used. This indicates that if you value your faith and want to incorporate biblical teachings into your therapy, this is a good platform. For Christians seeking faith-based counseling, it is easy to use due to its straightforward sign-up process, eye-catching display, and straightforward appointment scheduling functionality.
Why Faithful Counseling was our choice: Despite the merger of Faithful Counseling with Betterhelp, Christian-centered therapy methods remain easily accessible. A harmonious fusion of faith and mental health support is ensured by the platform’s unique integration of clinical therapy and Christianity. The site caters to a number of Christian denominations, such as Catholic, Protestant, Baptist, and others, so users can find counselors who share their beliefs. Additionally, spiritual activities like scripture reading, meditation, and prayer are incorporated. Believers who wish to apply biblical concepts to their counseling sessions should choose this online therapy provider.
6. Online-Therapy.com.
With a primary focus on cognitive behavioral therapy, Online-Therapy.com boasts a network of counselors with a variety of specialties. To assist you in navigating its program, their platform also offers a variety of interactive worksheets, exercises, and self-help assignments.
You can text, talk, or video chat with your counselor, depending on your preferences.
We selected Online-Therapy.com because it lets you change therapists at any time while receiving treatment. Using their journaling tool is another beneficial way to monitor your progress and enhance your wellbeing.
Our experience: Unlike certain other online therapy services, Online-Therapy.com lets you browse profiles of suggested therapists and select your own counselor on the basis of accreditations, specializations, and user reviews.
7. Calmerry
The therapists on Calmerry, an online therapy network, have backgrounds in a variety of fields, such as couples counseling, LGBTQ-related therapy, and grief counseling. They provide you with two methods of communication with counselors: video sessions and texting.
The ability to text at any time, receive daily responses from therapists, and change counselors or cancel at any time are all included in all plans.
The reason we selected Calmerry is that Calmerry thoroughly screens its therapists to guarantee the caliber and dependability of the counseling services you receive.
According to our experience, Calmerry does more than just pair you with a therapist; their blog offers details on various therapeutic modalities (such as dialectical behavior therapy, emotion-focused therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy) so you can determine which one best suits your needs.
8. Cerebral
For those with disorders like anxiety, depression, and insomnia, Cerebral provides online talk therapy sessions. You receive a comprehensive treatment plan that is customized to meet your needs from their staff of qualified counselors.
Talk therapy and appropriate medication prescriptions are the two tiers of Cerebral’s approach, which helps you manage your symptoms and lead a more balanced lifestyle.
Reasons for selecting Cerebral: Cerebral offers high-quality care at a lower cost than other options on our list.
Our experience: We appreciate that the staff at Cerebral follows up with you each month, keeps an eye on how you are responding to your medications, and assists you in making the required modifications to guarantee that your treatment goes as planned.
9. Grow Therapy
With more than 4,000 certified therapists, Grow Therapy is a great online resource for people dealing with mental health issues. Its pay-as-you-go payment model gives you the flexibility to select the frequency, date, and time of your appointments. Sessions are frequently less expensive, if not entirely covered, thanks to Grow’s partnerships with numerous insurance companies.
The licensed therapists on the platform have expertise in a variety of fields, such as couples counseling, family issues, abuse, trauma, and child or adolescent issues. You can decide which of the in-person and virtual sessions is most effective for you. Video, phone, or instant messaging therapy sessions conducted online provide even more convenience for your hectic schedule.
Why we decided on Grow Therapy For people with hectic schedules who require insurance-covered mental health services, Grow Therapy is a fantastic choice because it provides reasonably priced talking therapy on a pay-as-you-go basis.
Experience: Grow Therapy’s user-friendly online interface was easy to use, and we appreciated the payment plan’s flexibility.
10. Amwell
The 350 professional therapists in Amwell’s network include counselors, social workers, and psychologists. All of them must have an active license and hold an advanced degree (master’s or higher) from an APA accredited institution. Furthermore, a minimum of one year’s experience is required for its practitioners.
Before therapists can join Amwell’s network, their credentials are verified by an onboarding team. Regular quality assurance reviews take place throughout the partnership between Amwell and its therapists to guarantee a high level of service.
