Get the Care You Deserve With the Most Affordable Online Therapy

While many Americans have health insurance that would cover mental health care, most therapists and psychiatrists in private practice are not in-network with any insurance plans due to the high administrative burden and low reimbursement rates from insurance companies. This makes Amwell stand out as a highly accessible option for mental health care. Amwell’s acceptance of a wide variety of insurance plans—126, to be exact—means its telemental health services are available to almost anyone with any major insurance plan. The company’s mental health professionals use multiple therapeutic modalities to prioritize each individual’s treatment and overall goals, and the availability of medication management services within the same company enhances quality, collaborative care between psychiatrists and therapists.

Formerly called American Well, Amwell was founded in 2006, establishing itself as one of the oldest telemedicine providers. Through Amwell, users can access comprehensive and collaborative care within a single online platform, including teletherapy sessions and virtual medication management services.

Amwell accepts most major insurance plans, including Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, and Blue Cross Blue Shield—126 plans altogether. If using your insurance to pay for services, how much you pay per session will depend on your particular plan.

If paying out-of-pocket, Amwell’s teletherapy sessions cost between $109 and $129, depending on the experience of the therapist. Master’s-level therapists charge $109 per session, and doctorate-level therapists charge $129 per session. 

For psychiatric care and medication management services, you can also use insurance benefits. Out-of-pocket, an initial 45-minute psychiatric consult is $279, and it's $109 per 15-minute follow-up appointment.

When reviewing user surveys, it’s clear that Amwell prioritizes affordability in its quality mental health care. An impressive 88% of Amwell users rated the company’s value for money as excellent, very good, or good. Sixty-one percent stated they used health insurance to cover the cost of therapy. When rating the number of Amwell therapists who offered payment options, such as sliding-scale rates, payment plans, or accepting multiple insurance options, 72% of users said the options were excellent, very good, or good.

One of our testers of Amwell was impressed with how easy the service was to use, reporting that she “found the process of finding an individual therapist quite easy through Amwell.” In addition, she “liked how easy it was to schedule sessions.” Overall, she “had a generally positive experience navigating the Amwell platform and using its services.”

If paying out-of-pocket for mental health services in the U.S., your fee per session could easily reach $200 or more. BetterHelp’s subscription service is $60 to $90 per week, standing it apart from other far more expensive online therapy companies. And therapy seekers can be sure they are not sacrificing quality for affordability. BetterHelp requires its providers to have at least a Master’s-level education, and its licensed mental health professionals are extensively educated and experienced. BetterHelp’s therapists offer a variety of modalities, such as dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and trauma-focused therapy.

Founded in 2013, BetterHelp is one of the wider known online therapy providers. BetterHelp focuses on providing individual therapy through its web and app-based platform, subscription-based pricing, and widespread reach.

As of March 2023, BetterHelp has been ordered by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to pay $7.8 million in damages for not protecting the privacy of its clients’ personal health information, which it had previously promised to keep confidential. The sale of personal health information is unethical and illegal based on federal regulations governing the protection of this kind of data. Keep this in mind if seeking services through BetterHelp.

BetterHelp offers one subscription plan, which ranges in price from $60 to $90 per week. You can expect to be billed monthly, making your total cost between $240 and $360 each billing period. The subscription includes:

• Four 30- to 45-minute live therapy sessions per month (chat, phone, or video)
• Asynchronous messaging with your therapist 

BetterHelp practices surge pricing, which means your price will depend on where you live and how accessible mental health services are in your area.

BetterHelp does not partner with insurance providers, but it does provide discounts for people with lower incomes, college students, and veterans. The process for receiving these discounts is simple and does not require a significant amount of documentation.

BetterHelp is a great option for those who want or need to pay out-of-pocket but who still need affordable rates. Seventy-six percent of the 105 BetterHelp users we surveyed said all or most of their needs were met by their provider. When asked about the most important factor in their search for an online therapy service, the majority of users stated the company’s overall cost (31%), the ability to pay per session (20%), and financial aid or sliding scale rates (12%) were important factors in choosing BetterHelp. Fifty-eight percent of our surveyed users thought BetterHelp was affordable or very affordable.

One of our BetterHelp testers appreciated how easy it was to get started, explaining that “I found the service very easy to use and appreciated how streamlined and quick everything was.” She noted that “After my initial sign-up, my match was made almost immediately, and I could book a session for just two days away, at a time that I picked that wasn’t initially listed as an option.” Additionally, she told us that “I also liked the process for swapping therapists—no calling customer service, sending a message, and waiting for a reply—instead, it was automated and instantaneous.” 

It is incredibly difficult to find a quality psychiatrist in this country who accepts insurance—in fact, far fewer psychiatrists accept insurance than any other medical specialist. Enter Talkiatry, an online psychiatry platform built around taking insurance. Talkiatry is a newer teletherapy provider, which launched its services in 2020 as a result of the global pandemic. Its founders, Robert Krayn and Georgia Gaveras, DO, wanted to provide online psychiatric care that was within budget for its users. Talkiatry fulfills its mission by providing low-cost services that require users to use their insurance benefits to pay for psychiatry.

It’s worth pointing out that users cannot receive individual therapy services without a referral from a Talkiatry psychiatrist, so if you are looking mainly for online therapy rather than psychiatry, look elsewhere. 

Talkiatry’s prices are dependent on the coverage and benefits of your specific insurance plan. Talkiatry requires all patients to use insurance and does not allow them to pay out-of-pocket or use out-of-network benefits. Accepted insurance providers include Blue Cross Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, and Medicare (which is unusual even for online therapy companies that do accept insurance).

It’s important to keep in mind that there are additional costs for psychotropic medications, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which can range between $5 and $25 per month (again depending on insurance benefits). Prescriptions can be sent to your local pharmacy; Talkiatry does not fill prescriptions itself or ship medications.

Talkiatry stands out in providing excellent medication management. Of the users surveyed, 89% rated its psychiatry services as excellent, very good, or good. Seventy-eight percent said they were very likely or likely to recommend its psychiatry services to a friend. Since Talkiatry requires clients to use insurance benefits, it makes sense that 96% of users said they have some form of health insurance. 

Our Talkiatry tester was “overwhelmingly impressed with the quality of the providers at the company,” noting that “Talkiatry seems to be a company that is very focused on delivering accessible, affordable care, but also quality care.” He noted that “both the intake and the sessions at the company are long and thorough, allowing your psychiatrist the time to really get to know you and diagnose you accurately.” 

Similar to its parent company BetterHelp, Teen Counseling is a monthly subscription therapy service. The company provides quality online therapy to adolescents ages 13 to 19. With prices ranging from $60 to $90 per week, Teen Counseling may be an affordable option for those who cannot, or choose not to, use insurance to pay for mental health services.

The therapists employed at Teen Counseling specialize in teen-centered issues, such as peer conflicts, body changes, and college transitions. They offer a variety of therapeutic approaches in the form of text, phone call, or video call. Teens can access personal “therapy rooms,” while parents gain access to a separate room for their own individual therapy or for family services.

Even though Teen Counseling is subscription-based, the company only offers one plan. This monthly plan includes four live sessions and costs between $60 to $90 per week. However, you will be billed monthly at rates between $240 and $360. Your price per billing period will depend on your location as well as the availability of therapists. Teen Counseling and its parent company, BetterHelp, participate in surge pricing, meaning users who live in areas with a high demand for mental health care are charged more per month.

It is important to note that Teen Counseling does not accept insurance, and its price per week is higher than the average copay for therapy, which can range from $10 to $50.

Of the 105 Teen Counseling users we surveyed, 66% said they pay a discounted amount for their subscription plan. Eighty-five percent of users rated their therapist’s qualifications as excellent, very good, or good. In fact, 88% stated Teen Counseling was much better, better, or a little better than other services they have tried. The majority indicated that “the therapists have better qualifications/experience/specialized training” on Teen Counseling (48%) and that “the site and/or app is easier to use” (27%) than other online therapy companies.

Our tester of Teen Counseling tried out the service with her son, who “said he enjoyed talking to his therapist and that she was giving him ‘a different way to look at things’ that he hadn't thought about before.” In addition, “he indicated that he wanted to keep engaging in therapy using the Teen Counseling platform even after this review was complete,” a testament to the quality of care he received. 

The last thing you want to worry about when seeking treatment for anxiety is how you are going to afford to pay for that treatment. This is what makes E-Therapy Cafe a great option. Charging only $55 per session—far less than the average cost of therapy—and even less if you sign up for a subscription, E-Therapy Cafe offers providers who specialize in anxiety for a low per-session or monthly fee. 

Every session provided on E-Therapy Cafe is 30 minutes long. It is important to pay close attention to the license of your provider since the company employs life coaches as well as licensed therapists. Life coaching is not an equivalent service to quality therapeutic treatment, as coaches are not held to the same standards of licensure as therapists.

E-Therapy Cafe was founded by therapist Jude Black, PhD, LPC, in 2016. Dr. Black sought to provide personalized mental health treatment to veterans and military personnel, as well as their dependents. Today, E-Therapy Cafe has expanded its inexpensive services to a wide variety of people, including those experiencing symptoms of anxiety.

E-Therapy Cafe is unique in offering pay-as-you-go sessions in addition to monthly subscription plans. The prices are as follows:

• $55 per single session
• $196 per month for four sessions
• $360 per month for eight sessions

Each plan includes asynchronous messaging and live video sessions, as well as access to a virtual journal. The monthly plans renew automatically, so it is important to consider your budget when deciding how to pay for your services.

The company also offers a 10% discount to college students, military members and their families, and veterans, as well as first responders and their family members.

A whopping 94% of E-Therapy Cafe users rated the company as excellent, very good, or good overall, which was one of our highest user results in this category across the 55 companies we researched. Fifty percent of E-Therapy Cafe users stated their anxiety made them look for online therapy. In general, 80% of users rated E-Therapy Cafe’s value for money as excellent, very good, or good, indicating high customer satisfaction with its low prices.

Our tester of E-Therapy Cafe felt that, “to an almost overwhelming degree, E-Therapy Cafe coaches and therapists have a bountiful mix of certifications, specializations, and training.” She noted that “I consider the diversity of specializations and credentials a benefit.” Additionally, although it took her a few tries to find a provider with whom she could really develop a rapport, she said “I felt cared for and connected to both of the people I worked with.”

For members of marginalized communities, finding a provider who understands your experiences and the challenges you face, both in daily life and in your mental health, is imperative to establishing a good rapport and building trust in the therapeutic relationship. Enter Inclusive Therapists: Founded in 2019, Inclusive Therapists is a directory that is unique in its prioritization of marginalized communities, such as BIPOC and LGBTQ+ therapy seekers. Its mission statement is: “Celebrating marginalized identities, abilities, and bodies.” The website and its included features make clear that Inclusive Therapist has not lost its focus. 

Each therapist and psychiatrist listed on Inclusive Therapists is required to complete an assessment to ensure they provide affirmative, culturally informed mental health care to all populations. The directory goes one step further by creating a streamlined process for therapy seekers to find a therapist who is a member of their own community. Inclusive Therapists includes a search tab labeled Therapist Identity with filters such as “Adoption Experience,” “Neurodivergent Person,” or “Person of Color,” along with other identity traits.

In addition, you can filter search results by both insurance plan and whether or not the therapist offers sliding scale fees, effectively guaranteeing that you can find a provider whose services you can afford.

Furthermore, Inclusive Therapists seeks to enhance financial accessibility to BIPOC therapist seekers by promoting the Mental Health Liberation’s BIPOC Therapy Fund. BIPOC therapy seekers who display a financial need can apply for funds to cover therapy costs from providers on Inclusive Therapists. Likewise, the directory also offers free or low-fee memberships for mental health professionals of color who wish to list themselves on Inclusive Therapists.

Additional filters include specific specialties, such as “Intercultural or Interfaith Relationships” or “Aging Issues,” in addition to accessibility concerns like whether or not the office has a gender-neutral bathroom, evening appointments, or public transportation nearby for those seeking in-person services (for which you can also set a search filter). 

As a directory, Inclusive Therapists is free to use to search for a therapist. You can adjust your search criteria based on accepted insurance providers and fee range to fit your specific budget. Additionally, Inclusive Therapists allows you to mark whether you are looking for “Reduced Fee Teletherapy or Virtual Services” as well as “Low Cost or Non-Profit Services” under its Services tab.

Because Inclusive Therapists is a directory, not an online therapy company, the specific rate you pay for services will vary from provider to provider.

According to our survey of 180 people who used Inclusive Therapists, the most important factors for users who chose to find services through this directory were therapist qualifications and expertise (48%), cost (31%), and finding a therapist with a similar identity or cultural background as themselves (30%). Eighty-two percent of Inclusive Therapists users said the provider they found on the directory met all or some of their needs, with 80% stating they were likely or very likely to still be seeing their therapist six months from now.

Our tester of Inclusive Therapists especially appreciated the directory’s mission to provide culturally informed therapy to communities who have historically faced discrimination and microaggressions when in therapy. She said, “as a Black psychotherapist, I can attest to how this experience is all too common, with many individuals I’ve worked with citing negative past experiences with providers who don’t share their identity.” She reported, “After my private practice filled up, I found myself continually seeking out referrals for diverse practitioners,” and she turned to Inclusive Therapists for this purpose. “Based on my own experience as a Black woman who was once a therapy novice trying to find a biracial Black clinician, I see the value in this directory,” she explained, further noting that “navigating the website and search functions only deepens my confidence in this directory’s ability to provide further access to psychotherapy services for marginalized communities.”

Seventy-three percent of cohabiting American couples report they have repeated disagreements about finances. It is important that the cost of couples therapy does not compound that financial tension. ReGain’s affordable fees create an opportunity to receive low-cost couples therapy treatment without leaving your home.

Founded in 2016, ReGain is an online couples therapy platform owned by BetterHelp. It offers individual and couples therapy with a focus on strengthening relationships and developing tools for certain relational skills, such as communication, intimacy, and resiliency. Couples can look to the service for help with all kinds of romantic relationship concerns, from premarital counseling and sex therapy to discernment counseling and marital therapy. A subscription gets you four live therapy sessions per month via your choice of live chat, phone, or video. You can also message your ReGain therapist at any time through your member portal.

ReGain’s prices range from $60 to $90 per week. That said, there is only one subscription plan. Your total cost is determined by surge pricing—meaning therapy seekers in areas with fewer mental health care services will be charged more.

ReGain’s subscription plan includes:

• Four 30- to 45-minute live sessions via chat, phone, or video per month
• Asynchronous messaging with your therapist

While the company does not accept insurance (and couples therapy is rarely covered by insurance anyway), it does offer discounts for paying monthly or quarterly versus weekly.

Overall, 77% of the 105 ReGain users we surveyed rated the platform as excellent, very good, or good. Sixty-one percent of users said ReGain’s services for very affordable or affordable, while 53% said they would start their search on ReGain again if they needed to find a new therapist. Additionally, 80% of users rated ReGain’s value for the money as good, very good, or excellent.

Our ReGain tester was pleased with the quality of care she and her partner received, explaining that “the therapist we ended up meeting with was professional, listened to us, and was able to meet our needs.” Specifically, our tester appreciated that the therapist “worked with us to create goals based on our experiences and provided us with worksheets and activities that fit in with those needs.”

Peer support is often an integral part of recovering from a loss or making it through a divorce, but not everyone can afford the out-of-pocket costs of private group therapy or make time to travel to an in-person group. Circles addresses these needs by offering low-cost, closed weekly therapy groups led by mental health professionals for those dealing with grief, loss, divorce, or separation, as well as free peer-led support groups on a wide range of topics. 

Your $79 per month Circles+ subscription buys you access to a weekly group therapy “circle” consisting of no more than 10 participants and lasting 12 weeks. Everyone in a group is starting fresh, having all been assigned to a newly created group based on their answers to the intake questionnaire. Similar to individual or couples therapy, in group therapy, the therapist will employ various psychological methods and approaches to help members learn techniques to manage their mental health symptoms. The benefit of group therapy is that hearing from others in similar situations can help you feel less alone. 

Since its inception, Circles has grown to offer free peer-led support groups on a variety of topics, including parenting, disability and chronic illness, menopause, and sobriety.

Circles provides weekly online group therapy billed at $79 per month. You cannot use insurance to pay this fee, but it is on par with the average rates of in-person group therapy. Access to the peer-led support groups is free.

Eighty-three percent of Circles users rated therapist qualifications on the website as excellent, very good, or good. This is important to take into consideration since these mental health professionals are leading group therapy sessions. Fifty-nine percent of users said Circles’ flat fee per month for group therapy was affordable or very affordable.

Our tester of Circles was impressed with the quality of the group she attended, noting that the facilitator “was lovely, welcoming, funny, and personable.” She reported that she “felt very heard, supported, and emotionally buoyed by the sixty-minute session,” and even pointed out that “the session went by very fast.”

Peer support and individual therapy are often necessary steps in the journey of recovery from addiction, but finding one or both for an affordable price can be difficult. Monument was founded from a desire to increase the affordability of alcohol use treatment beyond the standard inpatient facilities. Monument addresses these accessibility issues by focusing on virtually treating alcohol use disorders through peer support, medication management, and therapy sessions, all for fairly low subscription fees and while accepting most major insurance plans. In fact, community membership is free, meaning that there is no financial barrier to care when seeking peer support through Monument. 

Monument offers online individual and group therapy and a 24/7 anonymous community forum, as well as medication management services provided by a licensed physician. Users are able to choose how often they want therapy services, creating a customized approach to substance use treatment. It is worth noting that physicians on Monument can only prescribe disulfiram and naltrexone—medications that treat substance use. Other psychotropic medications, such as antidepressants, are not available through Monument.

As of March 2023, Monument has come under fire for selling the personal health information of its patients, including the content of text chats conducted through the platform, to advertisers and big tech companies. This practice is unethical and illegal based on federal regulations of the protection of personal health information. Keep this in mind if seeking services through Monument.

Monument provides four monthly subscription plans to choose from based on your budget and desired services:

• Community Membership includes access to support groups and the anonymous 24/7 community forum. This plan is free to users.
• Physician Care includes access to a licensed physician and psychiatric care as well as to support groups and the anonymous community forum. This plan costs $10 per month after an initial fee of $45. It is important to note that the intake appointment with your physician is included in the fee, but additional appointments will cost $45 each.
• Total Care (Biweekly) includes two 45-minute therapy sessions per month, unlimited physician appointments, psychiatric care, and access to support groups and the anonymous forum. This plan costs $149 per month.
• Total Care (Weekly) includes four 45-minute counseling sessions per month, unlimited physician appointments, psychiatric care, plus access to support groups and the anonymous forum. This plan costs $249 per month.

If these prices do not fit your budget, it could be worth looking into your insurance coverage and benefits. Monument accepts most major insurance plans, such as Medicare, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and UnitedHealthcare. Prospective users can submit their insurance information and find out whether Monument accepts their plan within 24 business hours.

Seventy-eight percent of our 105 Monument users rated the company as excellent, very good, or good overall, whereas 75% of users rated the company’s medication management services as excellent, very good, or good. Seventy-nine percent of users rated Monument’s value for money as excellent, very good, or good, indicating positive customer feedback regarding its four subscription plans. Fifty-seven percent of users thought the service was affordable or very affordable. One of our testers noted that compared to the competition, “Monument comes out on top in terms of available services.”

As an online therapist directory, Open Path Collective focuses on providing mental health services for low- and middle-income users who are uninsured or underinsured. The company is on a mission to create “a just, compassionate world where all people can easily access the care they need to thrive.”

Through a streamlined search process, therapy seekers can filter their results based on type of therapy (such as individual, family, or couples) and price range, in addition to the therapist’s specialty, treatment approach, languages spoken, ages treated, and race/ethnicity. 

Specialties range from abuse, addiction, and anxiety to burnout, family conflicts, and even “Socioeconomic Stress/Issues,” which can be extremely useful if you are experiencing the chronic mental health effects of having a lower income. As if managing your bills on a meager income isn’t hard enough, the stress of worrying about getting by financially can compound your mental health concerns. Thanks to stigma, potential trauma, and social and other stresses, poverty itself can cause poor mental health. Income inequality has been specifically linked to an increased risk of mental illnesses such as depression and substance use disorders, making Open Path’s mission of affordable, accessible care even more vital. 

Open Path Collective is free to use as a directory. Once you find a mental health provider, whether for online or in-person therapy sessions, you can expect to pay between $40 and $80 per session. Your sliding scale fee will be determined by your total income and financial need. That said, to access these reduced fees, you will need to pay a lifetime membership fee of $65.

It is important to point out that Open Path Collective features student interns, or pre-licensed therapists, in its directory. These sessions are $30 each.

Sliding scale fees do not limit Open Path Collective’s ability to provide quality care. Eighty-one percent of Open Path Collective users surveyed indicated they were very satisfied or satisfied with the therapist options available on the directory, while 84% said they were likely or very likely to recommend it to a friend. Seventy-four percent of users said Open Path Collective was better than other services they have tried—with the majority indicating Open Path Collective’s website is easier to use (51%) and that its therapists have better qualifications or experience (27%).

“Open Path is an invaluable resource for those who are uninsured or underinsured,” says Hannah Owens, LMSW, a subject matter expert. “It guarantees that almost anyone who needs mental health care can find the support they require.”