Electronic Health Reporter

Online therapy has made treatment for mental health not only affordable but easily accessible as well. It offers a great treatment solution for people without reliable transportation, unconventional working hours or lack of health insurance.

With the rapid advancement in the world of online video chat and messaging, a vast range of therapy online options has sprung up for people to choose from.

To help you determine which online therapy site is best suited for your needs, we have carefully evaluated and scoped out five of the most popular mental therapy sites by paying particular attention to the things that matter most to those looking for mental health support online.

BetterHelp

Depending on the treatment needed, this amazing app offers among other things, couple counseling, family counseling, and individual counseling. Their trained psychologists and clinical social workers then match you to the right counselor after checking your filled-up questionnaire. If you don’t approve of whom you have been paired with, a simple email to BetterHelp can help change that.

Once you have been successfully matched you can start contacting your counselor in a private and secure chat room or even schedule a live chat with your counselor. For those who wish to speak out their problems out loud, you can schedule a phone call for up to sixty minutes with your therapist.

Though BetterHelp paid services are not covered by health insurance companies, they charge a reasonable $35-$80 per week with the option of a 7-day free trial which can be canceled at any time. For those unemployed or going through financial difficulties, BetterHelp offers a 40% discount.

Finally, for someone who never wishes to leave the home and at the same time enjoy the ease of 24×7 texting and communication, there is nothing better than BetterHelp. Keep in mind though that this app should never be considered as a substitute for emergencies and when in immediate danger.

Talkspace

Another effective online video conferencing and texting therapy platform is Talkspace which offers access to a range of therapists supporting mental health services.

One of the first companies to enter the online therapy market in 2012, Talkspace offers multiple payment options to cover all budgets. Over the years the company has expanded its services by offering online medication management and online psychiatric evaluation.

Signing up with Talkspace is easy, and once you complete their survey page you get connected to the best therapist for your needs. Your therapist will view and respond to you 24×7 and you can expect a reply five times a week through text or live video sessions.

Plans start at $99 per week for both live sessions and messaging and are even covered by some insurance companies. Moreover, you can cancel your subscription anytime. You can first read this detailed comparison if you are having a hard time choosing between Betterhelp or Talkspace.

Calmerry.com

Established recently with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, Calmerry.com is an online platform that aims to offer an affordable and convenient way of accessing mental health.

This innovative service provides unlimited access to a wide range of services with emotional guidance and support by certified professionals through video sessions and text.

Once you sign up, Calmerry.com matches you with a therapist in under 48 hours. Their plans range between $45-$63 a month, offering daily responses and a weekly 30 minutes video session with a counselor.

Callmerry.com supports couples counseling, mental health issues, trauma, grief, virtual therapy etc.

Online-therapy.com

If you are looking for CBT-based talk therapy, then Online-therapy.com is the best app in the market. This user-friendly platform provides multiple ways to connect with your therapist both nationally and internationally.

Founded in 2009, what makes this Swedish company stand apart is their access to a vast library of resources through their ‘tool box’ which every subscriber gets on signing up. They treat through a combination of talk therapy and self-improvement programs.

Online-therapy.com is a subscription-based company and offers below-average rates for its three monthly plans $160/$240/$320  for the basic, standard, and premium plans with options to upgrade or cancel at any time.

Brightside

Brightside offers affordable online therapy options for various forms of depression and anxiety with claims that over 85% of members have shown improvement within 12 weeks.

For someone experiencing depression, Brightside is welcoming and easy to use with an impressive roster of professionals on its payroll.

Brightside charges $249 per month for the first month for the medication plus therapy plans and subsequently $299 and $349 thereafter.

Their therapy style is based on CBT, with emphasis on emotions you feel and how to handle them in ways for your betterment.