Online therapy typically costs between $60 and $110 per week, depending on the platform and plan you choose. That works out to roughly $240 to $440 per month. This is generally less than traditional in-person therapy, which averages $100 to $250 per session in the United States.
What Major Platforms Charge
Pricing varies across platforms, and most use a subscription model rather than charging per session. Here’s what you can expect from the largest services:
- BetterHelp: Around $70 to $100 per week, billed weekly or monthly ($280 to $400 per month). This includes one weekly live session, unlimited messaging with your therapist, worksheets, journaling tools, and access to webinars. Extra sessions beyond your weekly allotment cost about $20 each.
- Talkspace: Three tiers starting at $69 per week for messaging-only therapy, $99 per week for messaging plus up to four video sessions per month, and $109 per week for all of that plus weekly workshops. Additional live sessions cost $65 each.
- Online-Therapy.com: $39.95 to $79.95 per week depending on the plan, making it one of the more affordable options.
- Cerebral: $85 to $325 per month depending on whether you need therapy alone or therapy combined with medication management.
Most platforms bill on a recurring basis, either weekly or every four weeks. You’re paying for ongoing access rather than booking individual appointments, which is a different financial commitment than seeing a therapist in person.
How Session Length Compares to In-Person Therapy
A traditional in-person therapy session runs about 45 to 50 minutes. Online platforms often use shorter windows. BetterHelp sessions are generally 30 minutes, though some therapists offer 45-minute slots depending on their availability. Talkspace video sessions are also 30 minutes.
This is worth factoring into your cost comparison. If you’re paying $100 per week for a 30-minute session online versus $150 for a 50-minute session in person, the per-minute cost may be closer than the sticker price suggests. That said, most online subscriptions include messaging access between sessions, which adds value that’s harder to quantify.
Insurance Can Significantly Lower Your Cost
Several online therapy platforms now accept insurance from major carriers, which can bring your out-of-pocket cost down substantially. Talkspace accepts plans from Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, Optum, Regence, TRICARE, and Blue Cross Blue Shield. Cerebral works with Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Optum, and UnitedHealthcare. Brightside Health, Amwell, and Thriveworks also accept most major plans.
BetterHelp is a notable exception. It does not bill insurance directly, so you’d pay the full subscription price out of pocket. Some users submit receipts to their insurer for possible out-of-network reimbursement, but that depends entirely on your plan.
If keeping costs low is your priority, start by checking whether your insurance covers any of these platforms. A plan with a $20 or $30 copay per session turns a $400 monthly expense into something much more manageable.
Using HSA or FSA Funds
Online therapy subscriptions can be eligible for reimbursement through a health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA), but there’s a catch. You generally need to actually attend your scheduled session for that subscription fee to qualify. If you skip a session, the fee for that period likely won’t be reimbursable. Couples and marriage counseling is also typically not FSA-eligible.
Keep your receipts and check with your plan administrator about documentation requirements before assuming you can use these funds.
Financial Aid and Sliding Scale Options
Some platforms offer reduced rates based on income. BetterHelp has a financial aid option for users who qualify, though the company doesn’t publish specific discount percentages. You’ll typically need to provide information about your income and number of dependents. Some providers may ask for a pay stub, while others take self-reported income at face value.
Outside of the major platforms, many individual therapists who practice online also offer sliding scale fees. The less you earn, the less you pay. If the subscription platforms are out of your budget, searching for therapists who offer sliding scale rates through directories like Open Path Collective or Psychology Today’s filtering tools can turn up sessions in the $30 to $80 range.
Online Psychiatry Costs More
If you need medication management for conditions like depression or anxiety, online psychiatry is a separate cost from therapy. Without insurance, an initial psychiatric consultation runs around $299 for a 45-minute evaluation. Follow-up appointments for medication adjustments are shorter (about 15 minutes) and cost around $129 each.
Some platforms bundle therapy and psychiatry. Cerebral’s higher-tier plans ($325 per month range) include both therapy sessions and medication management. BetterHelp recently added psychiatry services through a partner called UpLift, though this comes at an additional cost beyond the standard therapy subscription.
Cancellation and Refund Policies
Because online therapy uses a subscription model, it’s important to understand what happens when you want to stop. Most platforms let you cancel your subscription at any time, but you typically won’t receive a prorated refund for unused days in a billing cycle.
Refund policies for missed sessions are strict. On Online-Therapy.com, for example, sessions you miss or cancel with less than 24 hours’ notice are treated as used services and aren’t refundable. Messaging and worksheet access are also non-refundable once used. Refund requests are reviewed case by case and must generally be submitted within 90 days of the charge.
Before signing up for any platform, read the cancellation terms carefully. Some bill every four weeks rather than monthly, which means you could be charged 13 times per year instead of 12, a small difference that adds up.
How Online Therapy Compares to In-Person Costs
In-person therapy in the U.S. averages $100 to $250 per session, with therapists in major cities often charging toward the higher end. At one session per week, that’s $400 to $1,000 per month before insurance. Online platforms offering weekly sessions for $280 to $400 per month represent a meaningful savings, especially for people paying out of pocket.
The tradeoff is shorter sessions on most platforms and less flexibility in choosing your exact therapist. But for many people, the lower cost and convenience of logging in from home makes online therapy the more realistic option for consistent, ongoing care.