We Tested the Top Online Therapy Companies in 2024—Here Are the Ones We Recommend

In the summer of 2024, we asked a first-timer to online therapy to try out BetterHelp to see how its accessibility, quality of care, and overall user experience measure up. Upon experiencing the various appointment time slots available, the ability to filter therapist search based on identity, and its widespread reach around the globe, we decided that the extensive availability of BetterHelp’s services is unmatched. 

Though there was initially a challenge with the therapists—our first one didn’t show up to our scheduled appointment—BetterHelp apologized and quickly got us connected to a new provider. This new therapist had the demeanor of a “nonjudgmental friend.” She remained rather fluid in her therapeutic style, meaning she let us lead much of the session, but she did provide helpful homework and reading suggestions, in addition to being an intent listener. We especially loved how easy scheduling was and noted that our therapist always had multiple time slots for us to choose from.

Based on this experience, we think that Betterhelp’s number one strength is the ease and flexibility of scheduling sessions. 

This wasn’t our first time testing out BetterHelp. Over the past three years, we’ve tested the platform seven other times. What’s been a consistent theme throughout the years is BetterHelp’s easy sign-up process and ample appointment availability. That being said, we’ve always felt that BetterHelp provides what we’d call “therapy light”—meaning its services are not appropriate for anyone dealing with any kind of serious or even moderate mental health issue or problem, such as more severe anxiety or depression. In addition, BetterHelp did come under fire for violating patient data safety. This was something that was also noted by various testers over the years—be sure to read up on the company’s privacy policy and ask your therapist to review any questions you may have.

• Does BetterHelp Accept Insurance? No
• Subscription Required? Yes 
• Out-of-Pocket Costs: $240-$360 per month, depending on location and therapist availability in your area

We surveyed 100 users of BetterHelp:

• 87% rated BetterHelp as very good or excellent overall 
• 87% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent 
• 95% said that most or all of their needs were met at BetterHelp 
• 96% are likely or very likely to recommend BetterHelp to a friend or someone like them 
• 67% found their therapist had early morning, evening, and weekend availability, thus offering them flexible scheduling options

We tried out Talkspace twice for a month in the summer of 2024–one of us explored individual therapy while the other opted to try out couples therapy. We were curious if Talkspace provides the care it claims to, and it did not disappoint. We feel like this is the most comprehensive online therapy platform we’ve tried based on the variety of services available (individual, couples, and teen therapy as well as psychiatry), range of appointment times, and ability to choose to hold your therapy sessions in different formats (messaging, phone, or video). 

The last time we used Talkspace’s individual therapy, we were seeking care for a recent traumatic event. Recovery after a trauma is an especially sensitive time, which is why we so appreciated how easy it was to get started with Talkspace—no extra stress there. We quickly found ourselves building a rapport with our therapist, proving that we didn’t need to sacrifice quality care for comprehensiveness. We were able to book sessions after hours, which was great for ensuring our therapy appointments didn’t have to coincide with our workday. Plus, our therapist sent us thoughtful messages outside of our sessions that felt very meaningful. 

In fact, we were so pleased with our experience that we decided to stick with our provider even after our testing period ended.

Although one of the main selling points of Talkspace’s comprehensive services is the opportunity to partake in couples counseling as well, when we tried out that service this year, we had a not-so-great experience with our first therapist. We felt that the therapist we were matched with did not behave professionally—it seemed like he was conducting our session from his car, and we actually suspected that he was inebriated. After switching to another therapist, which was a seamless process, it still didn’t feel like the best fit. However, we’ve tested Talkspace’s multiple services nine other times across the past three years—including its couples therapy—and overall, those experiences were overwhelmingly positive, making us more than comfortable to recommend Talkspace no matter what kind of therapy you’re seeking.

• Does Talkspace Accept Insurance? Yes—Aetna, Cigna, Optum, Careleon, and Regence
• Subscription Required? Yes, for all services except medication management
• Out-of-Pocket Costs:
  -$276 a month for unlimited messaging therapy five days a week 
  -$396 a month for weekly video sessions and unlimited messaging
  -$436 a month for weekly video sessions, unlimited messaging, and access to Talkspace workshops 
  -$436 per month for couples therapy for weekly sessions and unlimited messaging
  -$65 per session for additional couples therapy sessions 
  -$299 for initial psychiatric evaluation and $175 for medication management follow-up sessions

We surveyed 100 users of Talkspace:

• 92% rated Talkspace as very good or excellent overall 
• 89% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent 
• 95% said that most or all of their needs were met at Talkspace 
• 97% are likely or very likely to recommend Talkspace to a friend or someone like them 
• 80% stated the platform was better than other online therapy services they tried

After experiencing panic attacks for the first time, we turned to Brightside Health in the summer of 2024 to try out its online therapy services for anxiety. After only a few sessions, we found ourselves becoming equipped with useful coping tools, allowing us to navigate our anxiety without having to turn to medication. With an experience like this, plus excellent user ratings, we are confident that Brightside Health is the best online therapy platform for anxiety and depression.

Our therapist took an active role in the therapeutic process, even coming to session with surveys to go over with us in order to understand how we handled various emotions in different situations. We were also assigned homework, which consisted of activities that would gently push us out of our comfort zone between sessions to help reduce our symptoms of anxiety. By the end of the testing period, we were already planning on continuing our treatment with this therapist.

We also tried out Brightside Health three other times in the past three years for both anxiety and depression, and the company has been consistently great at its niche of helping individuals suffering from these conditions. Something we specifically noticed was that Brightside could offer a bit more flexibility for choosing a provider to work with, which is especially important to finding a therapist with whom we could quickly establish a therapeutic rapport—the basis of effective anxiety and depression treatment. All of our experiences with this company vouch for the professionalism, efficacy, and overall quality care Brightside Health offers.

• Does Brightside Accept Insurance? Yes, including Aetna, Ambetter, Anthem, Cigna, and UnitedHealthcare 
• Subscription Required? Yes 
• Out-of-Pocket Costs:
  -$95 per month plus your pharmacy copay (if you have insurance prescription benefits) for the psychiatry plan, which includes an evaluation with a medication management provider, ongoing support and monitoring, and any necessary adjustments to medication
  -$299 per month for weekly 45-minute video therapy sessions and unlimited messaging with a licensed therapist
  -$349 per month for everything included in both the psychiatry and therapy plan
  

We surveyed 100 users of Brightside Health:

• 88% rated Brightside Health as very good or excellent overall 
• 94% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent 
• 93% said that most or all of their needs were met at Brightside Health
• 99% are likely or very likely to recommend Brightside Health to a friend or someone like them 
• 78% were seeking therapy for anxiety and 68% were seeking therapy for depression

In the summer of 2024, we asked someone who had never tried online therapy before to test Teladoc’s individual therapy services. Between the easy sign-up process and the ability to choose our own therapist, plus the wide range of insurance plans it accepts, we easily identified this platform as a great go-to for therapy newcomers like ourselves. 

Many folks want an online therapy service that has an easy sign-up process in order to cut down on time spent on the site or to make things like scheduling less complicated—and this convenience is certainly baked into Teladoc’s services. In this case, a simple sign-up process helped us therapy newbies not feel intimidated by the process. In fact, we were pleasantly surprised.

One thing we especially appreciated as newcomers was that our therapist was active in the session and recommended books and journaling for between sessions, making our first experience with online therapy even easier and more helpful. 

We’ve tested Teladoc five other times over the last few years, and each time we have enthusiastically recommended it. However, one tester noted that it was a challenge to not be able to speak to your therapist between sessions, meaning there isn’t a dedicated messaging portal for you and your provider. If you opt to use Teladoc, be sure to ask your therapist the best way to get in touch between sessions.

• Does Teladoc Accepts Insurance? Yes, over 60 insurance plans, including Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Medicare, and Medicaid
• Subscription Required? No 
• Out-of-Pocket Costs: 
  -$119 per 60-minute therapy session 
  -$299 for the initial psychiatry visit 
  -$129 for psychiatry follow-ups

We surveyed 100 users of Teladoc:

• 94% rated Teladoc as very good or excellent overall 
• 89% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent
• 94% said that most or all of their needs were met at Teladoc
• 98% are likely or very likely to recommend Teladoc to a friend or someone like them 
• 83% are still working with their Teladoc therapist, indicating a high level of user satisfaction

Our 11-year-old son, who as a ten-year-old was experiencing regular panic attacks and generalized anxiety, has been seeing a therapist through Little Otter for the past year, and the results have been remarkable. Our son has not experienced a single panic attack since starting therapy with Little Otter. These results, as well as our previous positive experiences with this company, make Little Otter our obvious pick for the best kids online therapy provider. 

As you can likely imagine, getting a child to warm up to a therapist via telehealth is no small feat. Yet, after just one short intake session, Little Otter matched our son with a provider with whom he connected very quickly.

Another bonus was how we as parents were seamlessly involved in the treatment process. We were sometimes invited to join sessions with our son, and it was easy to message the therapist between sessions if we felt that something was missed or we needed extra support. 

We also tried out Little Otter four other times in the past few years, and there was a clear theme amongst our findings: The providers are excellent and the clinical skills are there, but the fees are highly cost-prohibitive, especially if the company does not accept your insurance plan. While it offers discounts if you buy sessions in bulk, these prices can still prove to be inaccessible to some. However, most of the time, we found the services to be worth the cost.

• Does Little Otter Accept Insurance? Yes, four plans—Independence Blue Cross, AmeriHealth, Sana, and Florida Blue 
• Subscription Required? No
• Out-of-Pocket Costs:
  -Free intake “kickoff” session
  -$390 for initial 90-minute therapy assessment
  -$195 per 45-minute individual child therapy session (sessions can be bundled for further savings)
  -$195 per parent coaching and/or parent training session
  -$500 for initial 75-minute psychiatric evaluation
  -$250 per psychiatry follow-up session

We surveyed 100 users of Little Otter:

• 86% rated Little Otter as very good or excellent overall 
• 86% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent 
• 96% said that most or all of their needs were met at Little Otter
• 95% are likely or very likely to recommend Little Otter to a friend or someone like them 
• 82% were able to easily find a therapist that fit the criteria they were looking for

We took a pass at trying to find a therapist with very specific search criteria on TherapyDen, and this directory passed with flying colors. We were able to filter our results based on fee, insurance, specialty, and location, and we still found seven providers to choose from who met all our needs. Factoring in the ease of use and the range of search filters available, we believe TherapyDen is the most inclusive online therapy service available right now. 

Geared specifically toward members of the LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities, we were able to narrow down our possible providers by both “specialty”—such as Cultural and Systemic Oppression, Gender Identity, Historical/Intergenerational Trauma, Immigration/Acculturation, Racial Identity, and LGBTQ Issues—and “specialized experience”—such as Racial justice framework, Trans-competent, and Queer-competent. This level of specificity when it comes to culturally-informed care is practically unheard of in the online therapy field. And our ability to narrow our search by including the desired fee and insurance we needed proves that TherapyDen is inclusive in multiple ways—both culturally and socioeconomically. 

We’ve used TherapyDen twice in the past and both times we sang praises for the directory’s social justice-focused approach. However, there was one negative thing we flagged this year: the email button on each therapist’s profile takes you to a contact form through the directory rather than connecting you directly to the therapists themselves. However, this was a small complaint that ultimately did not affect the usefulness of TherapyDen. 

TherapyDen is an online therapy directory. This means that it isn’t a service providing therapy, but it instead offers a search engine to find therapists that align with you. It is free to use, but session fees and insurance policies will vary by each individual provider. 

We surveyed 100 users of TherapyDen:

• 87% rated TherapyDen as very good or excellent overall 
• 87% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent 
• 93% said that most or all of their needs were met with their TherapyDen provider 
• 96% are likely or very likely to recommend TherapyDen to a friend or someone like them 
• 89% said it was better or much better than other services they’ve used in the past
  

We recently sought medication management services through Doctor on Demand for our teenage son who was suffering from anxiety. We were relieved to meet with a psychiatrist who had excellent bedside manners and provided quality care. This experience, paired with the platform accepting a wide range of insurance plans and its availability nationwide, makes this our number-one pick for the best online therapy company for medication management. 

As you can imagine, engaging a teenager struggling with anxiety isn’t easy—add a computer screen between that teen and their provider and it becomes even more difficult. Yet, we were happy to report that the psychiatrist our son saw was a great listener and very understanding. The psychiatrist was also very respectful of our son’s autonomy, asking us to briefly step out of the room so our son could speak to the psychiatrist privately. This made us confident that our psychiatrist was providing our son with personal, tailored care.

We were especially impressed that the psychiatrist utilized our family history information to develop our son’s treatment plan—a level of detail that, in our extensive testing experience, most online prescribers rarely reach. 

While our three other experiences testing this company in the past were generally positive, it is worth noting that it can be frustrating that Doctor On Demand doesn’t display the insurance plans it accepts before you sign up. Since out-of-pocket costs can be a bit steep, it would be nice to know whether your insurance will help cover the costs or not before starting the sign-up process. 

• Does Doctor On Demand Accept Insurance? Yes, over 300 insurance plans, including Aetna, Cigna, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Kaiser Permanente 
• Subscription Required? No
• Out-of-Pocket Costs:
  -$134 for 25-minute session with a psychologist
  -$184 for a 50-minute session with a psychologist
  -$299 for an initial 45-minute consultation with a psychiatrist
  -$129 for a 15-minute follow-up with a psychiatrist 

We surveyed 100 users of Doctor On Demand:

• 88% rated Doctor On Demand as very good or excellent overall 
• 91% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent 
• 96% said that most or all of their needs were met at Doctor On Demand
• 97% are likely or very likely to recommend Doctor On Demand to a friend or someone like them 
• 31% were seeking psychiatry services through Doctor on Demand

We’ve tested E-Therapy Cafe six times over the past three years, and each time we’ve been pleased with the services we’ve received and impressed by the affordable price tag. Considering both the quality of the services and their relatively low per-session costs, E-Therapy Cafe is our top pick for the most affordable online therapy service. 

We have repeatedly called out how accessible E-Therapy Cafe is, noting that it has been best for when we’re going through some challenges and are seeking consistent check-ins and accountability on our healing journey. When we tried out E-Therapy Cafe’s couples therapy (and yes, couples therapy doesn’t cost a penny more!), we were impressed that we could schedule sessions as late as 9 p.m., which was perfect for our busy lives. And while sometimes we saw life coaches rather than therapists through the platform, this difference in credentials was clearly indicated, so we didn’t feel tricked or cheated, and we always had positive experiences nonetheless.

However, although the mental health services we received were top-notch, a common theme throughout our testing was that the website was a bit outdated and clunky. We also felt as though the providers could be more diverse. But despite these drawbacks, our past testing insights leave us confident many will be able to find excellent care at an affordable price with E-Therapy Cafe.

• Does E-Therapy Cafe Accept Insurance? No 
• Subscription Required? No 
• Out-of-Pocket Costs:
  -$55 for first session, $65 for all sessions after
  -$470 for eight sessions per month
  -$440 per month for 24 sessions over a three-month period
  -$65 for digital journal/email sessions
  -$170 for an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) assessment, evaluation, and consultation

We surveyed 100 users of E-Therapy Cafe:

• 85% rated E-Therapy Cafe as very good or excellent overall 
• 88% rated their therapist’s qualifications as very good or excellent 
• 96% said that most or all of their needs were met at E-Therapy Cafe
• 95% are likely or very likely to recommend E-Therapy Cafe to a friend or someone like them 
• 82% identified the platform as affordable or very affordable