*Some in-office therapists might offer live chat sessions or phone calls between sessions

What is online therapy?

Like traditional therapy, the goal of online therapy is to improve one’s well-being, reduce symptoms of mental health conditions like anxiety and depression, and treat their root causes. The primary difference is the medium: rather than attending in-person sessions, patients and their virtual therapists communicate via text, live chat, or voice or video calls.

Online therapy has many benefits over traditional in-person therapy, as it allows people who otherwise wouldn't be able to make it to an office to access therapy. Even more attractive is the flexible pricing, which is typically more affordable than in-person providers.

Online therapy - also called teletherapy or virtual therapy - isn’t right for everyone. Individuals experiencing an acute mental health emergency, having thoughts of self-harm, or managing severe symptoms of conditions like schizophrenia may benefit more from intensive in-person counseling.

If you are in a life-threatening situation or mental health emergency, contact 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or 911 for help.

How does online therapy work?

You can access most of the best online therapy apps using your computer, phone, or tablet.

While every online counseling platform is different, you can expect your journey to look something like this:

1. You’ll start by filling out a short questionnaire regarding your current and past mental health, your reasons for seeking therapy online, and who you are as a person.

For example, you may encounter questions about your religious or spiritual beliefs, your gender identity and sexuality, or your relationships status. Of course, you won’t be required to answer any questions you don’t want to, but doing so can help a lot with the next step.

2. This step involves being matched with a therapist online. Some online counseling services provide you with a shortlist of online counselors to choose from, while others will match you with the therapist they think best meets your needs and preferences.

All online counseling apps allow you to ask for a new therapist if you feel you’re not making progress with your current one.

3. After you’ve matched with an online therapist, you can begin messaging them immediately. Otherwise, they might reach out to you to introduce themselves and explain more about their treatment approach.

Depending on the platform and plan you’ve chosen, you’ll also have the option of setting up a voice or video call.

The best online therapy apps offer a huge variety of specializations, making it much easier for you to find the right online therapist for your situation. These include the following:

• Family counseling, divorce, infidelity depression
• Infertility, pregnancy, postpartum, adoption depression
• Anger management
• Child or teen counseling
• Depression, anxiety, OCD, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder
• Religious and spiritual counseling
• Grief, trauma, PTSD
• Chronic pain depression
• Eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, and obesity
• Sleep disorders and insomnia
• LGBTQ+ issues

With the huge number of online therapists available today, just about every specialization is represented. Counsellors who conduct therapy online have the same accreditations as: in traditional therapy, including:

• Accredited psychologists (PhD. PsyD)
• Licensed professional therapists (LPC or LPCC)
• Licensed clinical social workers (LCSW/LMSW)
• Licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFT)

Our Top 3 Online Therapy Services

Our Top Choice

#1

8.4

Very Good

User Engagement

Based on the past 7 days

7.5

Brand Visibility

Based on digital performance

9.5

Products & Services

Based on

editorial assessment

9.0

Learn more on how we score

Visit Site

1434 Excellent reviews on

In a Nutshell

Talkspace offers online therapy solutions with an emphasis on text messaging as a primary means of engaging with your therapist. For many, this makes for a much more flexible and accessible therapy solution. The standard membership can be a more affordable alternative to traditional therapy. Extra features like a live matching session and the ability to speak with a psychiatrist (to manage medication) also help Talkspace stand out.

Read Review

Features

• Easy counselor matching
• 24/7 messaging available
• Flexible options tailored to your needs

Most Popular Products

Pros

• Offers personalized matching for clients and therapists
• Lets you choose your therapist from a list of suggested providers
• Accepts a number of health insurance plans
• Service is accessible through some schools and workplaces
• Provides tutorial videos to show users how to navigate the site

Cons

• Standard membership only includes text-based therapy
• Live sessions can be more expensive than other online options

Visit Site

Read Review

1434 Excellent reviews on

#2

9.8

Outstanding

User Engagement

Based on the past 7 days

9.9

Brand Visibility

Based on digital performance

9.7

Products & Services

Based on

editorial assessment

9.4

Learn more on how we score

Visit Site

7557 Excellent reviews on

In a Nutshell

BetterHelp is a 100% online therapy platform, with over 30,000 licensed therapists serving clients globally. The site matches you with a therapist who can help you with issues like depression, anxiety, bereavement, and more. Its standard membership includes weekly 1-to-1, 30-minute sessions, messages, live chat, and group webinars. Prices are affordable compared to traditional therapy, and you can access BetterHelp on any device.

Read Review

Features

• The world’s largest therapy service, matched to your specific needs, 100% online
• 30K+ professional & credentialled therapists
• Affordable therapy for your mental health
• Get 20% off on your first order

Most Popular Products

Pros

• Quick matching to licensed therapists based on your needs
• High availability of therapists
• Caters to a wide variety of groups (LGBTQIA+, Christian, teens, etc.)
• Change therapists easily
• Video and phone sessions, live chat, message your therapist anytime
• Anywhere, anytime therapy with the iOS and Android apps

Cons

• Standard weekly video sessions are only 30-45 minutes
• BetterHelp therapists cannot prescribe medication
• BetterHelp can’t substitute face-to-face therapy in every case

Visit Site

Read Review

7557 Excellent reviews on

#3

8.1

Very Good

User Engagement

Based on the past 7 days

7.5

Brand Visibility

Based on digital performance

8.6

Products & Services

Based on

editorial assessment

8.6

Learn more on how we score

Visit Site

In a Nutshell

Faithful Counseling is a good solution for anybody looking for a blend of traditional and spiritual therapy. One of the best aspects of the platform is being able to decide for yourself, with the help of your therapist, the role you want faith to play in your sessions. The well-thought-out questionnaire and large network of 6,000 licensed therapists also mean you’re likely to find the right counselor for you in a very short period of time. Faithful Counseling’s therapists blend empirically validated therapy with Biblical wisdom and religious perspective to respond to a large number of issues, from grief or anger counseling to stress, anxiety, and depression. The pricing is on par with competitors, and financial aid is available for those who need it. If you’re looking to benefit from therapy that will work with, rather than against your spiritual beliefs, Faithful Counseling may be right for you.

Read Review

Features

• Get matched with Christian therapists
• Message anytime, plus live chat & video
• Financial aid if you meet certain criteria

Most Popular Products

Pros

• Licensed, Christian therapists from the BetterHelp network
• Message anytime, plus live chat & video
• Financial aid available for those who meet certain criteria
• Choose to what degree religion will be involved in your therapy
• Short and quick, but relatively thorough questionnaire

Cons

• No customer chat or phone support
• Prices may vary based on your location and preferences

Visit Site

Read Review

How much does online therapy cost

Affordability is one of the primary benefits of virtual counseling. Some online therapy platforms offer a variety of plans, although many of the most popular ones, like BetterHelp, have just one flat rate per month. Some online therapy apps include texting anytime and at least one voice or video session per week, although some charge extra for these live sessions.

Additionally, some platforms offer online therapy that’s covered by insurance or online therapy that takes Medicaid, while others offer financial aid for those in need. It’s possible to find free online therapy in the form of self-guided, self-paced sessions, although many people have greater success working actively with an online therapist.

Why choose online therapy

Online therapy offers a number of advantages to traditional therapy.

Affordability

As already mentioned, even the best online counseling can be significantly less costly than traditional, in-person therapy. Some online therapy services often include messaging, live chat, and video. Finding an affordable online therapy solution can be much easier than finding an in-person one.

Accessibility

The best therapy apps allow you to message your online therapist 24/7, without having to book an appointment, and they’ll respond when they’re able. Anybody with a stable internet connection can use online counseling, making it particularly useful for individuals with reduced mobility or who reside in rural communities.

Convenience and comfort

Many people find teletherapy far more convenient than its traditional counterpart. For example, you may be more comfortable expressing yourself via text message rather than speaking. It gives you time to put your thoughts and feelings into words. With therapy online, you can get help from the comfort of your home or another safe place.

How to get started

The first thing you’ll need to do is choose an online counseling service. There are a few factors you’ll want to consider. You can use our chart above to compare the best online therapy services and choose the one that fits your needs best.

• How much does it cost? Compare plans to find one that suits your needs and fits your budget. Does the therapy app include text messages? Are video calls extra? Is it covered by your insurance or does the app offer financial aid? Do the overall costs fit your budget?
• Does it have the features I want? Not all online counseling apps are built the same. Some include useful, extra features like journaling, mental health resources, and built-in session scheduling.
• How can I communicate with my therapist? Decide whether you want to communicate with your virtual therapist primarily with your computer or your smartphone, or both. Is text therapy enough or do you prefer voice or video calls?
• Is the app user-friendly and enjoyable to use? Is there user support available? You’re going to be using this app often and for an extended period of time. Make sure you enjoy its look and feel, that it’s easy to use and understand, and that user support is available if you encounter any problems.
• Is online therapy right for me? You may not know the answer to this until you’ve tried out an app, but it’s an important question. If you find that online therapy isn’t right for you, you’ll probably want to switch to in-person therapy.

How to choose a therapist

Choosing an online therapist is an important part of your mental health journey with therapy online. There are a few important factors to consider, but this is one area where the best online therapy apps definitely excel. Many popular therapy apps use sophisticated algorithms to match you with a virtual counselor based on an initial questionnaire. You’ll find many of the same questions as these:

• What are you seeking help for? Most therapists specialize in a few specific domains. Make sure your online therapist has the education and experience necessary to help you overcome whatever difficulties you’re facing. Think about your reasons for seeking help, how your difficulties are affecting you, and what you hope to gain from therapy.
• Do you feel comfortable with them? Therapy works best when you are open and honest; that can be hard to do if you don’t have a good connection with your therapist. If you don’t “click” with the first virtual counselor you meet, don’t give up. Just ask to be assigned to a new one. You may need to try two or three therapists until you find the right one—but you’ll be glad you did.
• Are they licensed? Most online counseling apps rigorously vet their therapists before allowing them on board. You can check these requirements on the platform. You may also want to find an online therapist who’s licensed in your state, as licensing requirements vary.
• What kind of treatment options do they offer? Therapy comes in a variety of flavors. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a popular approach based on identifying and changing negative thought patterns. However, other approaches can also be useful and may feel like a better fit. Find out what treatment options your virtual therapist offers and discuss their merits with them.
• Are they responsive and available when you need them? You shouldn’t expect your online therapist to respond to your messages as soon as you send them, but they should respond within a reasonable timeframe. Make sure they’re available for voice or video calls at a time that suits your schedule as well.

*Parental consent required