Getting the help you need when you need it is critical when life becomes hard. In the past, your only option was to hop in the car and head to a doctor’s office. However, thanks to technology, you now have several online therapy services you can choose from. This means that no matter what you need help with, you can chat with a licensed therapist, psychiatrist, psychologist, or counselor from home at one of the best online therapy providers.
The 4 Best Online Therapy Apps
| Provider | Try Now | Logo |
|---|---|---|
| Online-Therapy.com | Try Now |  |
| Talkspace | Try Now |  |
| BetterHelp | Try Now |  |
| Pride Counseling | Try Now |  |
Online-Therapy.com – Best All Around Option
What We Like
- The most extra features including live one-on-one sessions, self-help courses, a private journal, activity plans, guided meditation, and yoga videos.
- A strong focus on cognitive behavioral therapy
- 20% discount on the first month of service and 14-day money-back guarantee
The Bottom Line – Online-Therapy.com has a robust list of features to add to the standard one-on-one live video sessions. If you’re looking for a good all-around option, this should be your go-to.
Talkspace – Best for Getting Prescribed Medicine
What We Like
- Therapy and psychiatry services available under the same roof (able to prescribe medication)
- Special programs for couples therapy, teen therapy, and insomnia therapy
- Online therapy services at Talkspace available for 40 million + Americans through insurance
The Bottom Line – For people who are looking to get some prescription help or aren’t sure if that’s something they need, Talkspace offers both services individually or together under the same option.
BetterHelp – Best for Group and One-On-One Therapy
What We Like
- Able to create an account under an anonymous nickname if you choose to
- Financial aid may be available if you qualify (apply through the link below before checkout)
- 20+ live, interactive group therapy offerings available free each week
The Bottom Line – BetterHelp is the best online therapy provider for people who may want an anonymous experience, access to group therapy sessions, or who are looking for unlimited text message therapy support.
Pride Counseling – Best for LGBTQ Therapy
What We Like
- Highly specialized service for people in the LGBTQ community
- Able to stay anonymous except for providing an emergency contact
- Unique therapist matching process for specialized care
The Bottom Line – For people in the LGBTQ community looking for an online therapy option with licensed therapists that understand the unique challenges you may be facing, Pride Counseling is hands-down the best online therapy option.
Does Online Therapy Work Well?
Melissa (Reilly) Zawisza, LCSW-S of Reilly Counseling says, “Except for a few technical difficulties, sessions have gone smoothly. I work with teens and adults. Some clients have a session at their office and teens are having sessions in their rooms. It’s a new experience seeing glimpses into the client’s home life.”
She continues, “Clients seem more relaxed in session. At the beginning of each session, I cover how I protect the privacy and explain they may hear my dog bark every once in a while. There are materials on my site about how to have telehealth sessions. There are some benefits to it. There’s no drive time, no time in the waiting room, or no chance of running into someone else.”
Why These are the Best Online Therapy Services
Robust Suite of Features
The best therapy providers online don’t just offer the ability to talk with a therapist. The companies offer additional support tools to help you on your journey. These tools can include things like text message support, self-help courses, meditation and yoga, and self-help resources. Additionally, we pay a lot of attention to providers that offer specialty services like marriage counseling, couples counseling, insomnia therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, LGBTQ-focused therapy, and other specialized options.
Affordable Care Options (With or Without Insurance)
Therapy can cause more issues than it helps if it’s something that’s too expensive. For that reason, we take a long look at the pricing of online therapy companies before recommending our top options. All of these apps and websites offer affordable plans and options that can help if you do or don’t have insurance coverage.
Easy-to-Use Online Therapy Interface
One of the most important parts of our review process when choosing the best online therapy companies is a look at how easy the programs are to use. Is it simple to sign up? Is it easy to see what you’re signing up for? Is the process of choosing a therapist well laid out? Is it user-friendly to get access to your sessions and the extra tools? All of the convenience and benefits of getting help online go out the window if the program is difficult to use.
A Track Record of Success Helping Patients
It’s important to look at past reviews, news stories, industry insight, and any other sources of information to see just how well regarded each option is. Has the company been around for a while? What’s the program’s track record of success? Is the company known as one of the best online therapy services? These are important questions that must be answered before we’ll recommend a provider.
Tips for Selecting the Best Online Therapy Provider for You
- Know that you can cancel at any time. – It’s important that you invest some time right now to choose the best online therapy provider for you. That being said, you don’t want to overthink the process and end up getting no help. Here’s the good and reassuring news. If you join one of these therapy apps or websites and you don’t like it, you can cancel and give another option a try.
- Most of the best online therapy providers allow you to change therapists at any time. – Know that almost every one of these companies allows you to switch therapists at any point in time for any reason. Additionally, many of these services will let you see your therapist or counselor options before you complete your sign up. This should be reassuring that you have options after you make a selection.
- Try and know if you have any interest in medication. – It’s okay if you don’t know right now whether or not you are open to trying medication to help meet your needs. But if it is something you may be interested in or something you’re specifically looking for, you may want to consider an online therapy company that has doctors in-house that can prescribe medicine.
Finding the Right Mental Health App for You:
So you want to gain control of your mental health? With so many options it’s crucial that you find an app designed to help your with what you’re going through. Below you will find a list of pages with to help you find the help you need whether you’re dealing with anxiety, stress, depression, relationship problems, and more…
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Providers
- Online Therapy for Anxiety
- Online Therapy for Couples
- Online Therapy for Depression
- Online Therapy for Teenagers
- Text Therapy Apps and Providers
- Therapy Apps for Social Anxiety
- Therapy Apps That Takes Insurance
Best Therapy Apps FAQ
What is Online Therapy?
Online therapy is the connection between traditional in-person therapy and technology to provide a new and exciting solution for people looking for some help with life. People can now connect with licensed therapists, counselors, psychiatrists, and social workers through video chat, text messaging, and over the phone.
Is online therapy legitimate?
Yes, the best online therapy providers use fully licensed providers and operate in a secure and HIPAA compliant environment. Online therapy gives you a convenient and discreet way to get help without needing to go to a doctor’s office. Additionally, the service brings a lot of unique features like self-help courses, text message support, online group sessions, and more.
Are the therapist online licensed?
Yes, the top online therapy companies only use licensed therapists and providers. Generally, you’ll find psychologists (PsyD), licensed professional counselors (LPC), marriage and family therapists (LMFT), licensed clinical social workers (LCSW), therapists, and psychiatrists (MD).
Does insurance cover online therapy?
Your insurance may cover some of the online therapy services currently being offered. The best way to find out if you are covered is to call your insurance company. According to Talkspace, over 40 million people in the U.S. now have coverage resulting from COVID-19.
Is online therapy expensive?
Compared with the cost of in-person therapy, you may be able to get significant savings when choosing to get services online. Additionally, the top providers do offer a lot of extra features online that may help you get a higher quality of service.
