Online therapy has rapidly shifted from a convenient alternative to a widely trusted way for people to access mental health care. Whether you’re seeking support for anxiety, depression, stress, or life transitions, online therapy offers flexibility, broad access to licensed providers, and often insurance coverage.
Accelerated by the COVID era, recent online therapy statistics reflect a steady growth in telehealth use, particularly as insurance coverage has improved and access barriers have decreased. With that growth, many people still wonder: Is online therapy effective? Research suggests that online therapy can be effective for a range of mental health conditions when delivered by trained clinicians.
As demand for online therapy has increased, more companies have entered the space to make it easier to access care and connect with a therapist. While this has expanded options for clients, it has also made choosing the right platform feel overwhelming.
Online therapy platforms differ in pricing models, insurance acceptance, clinical scope, and how care is delivered. This guide provides a high-level overview of popular online therapy platforms to help you compare key features and decide which option best fits your needs. If you’re new to therapy altogether, starting with a general overview of what therapy is and how it works can be a helpful first step.
Key takeaways
- Insurance vs. subscription models: Some platforms accept insurance and charge per session, while others use monthly subscriptions and are often self-pay only.
- Clinical scope differs by platform: Broad networks support many therapy specialties and sometimes medication management, while others focus mainly on medication management or care for specific conditions.
- Services and care formats vary: Traditional weekly therapy (virtual or in-person) is offered by platforms like Grow Therapy and Headway, while app-based messaging or self-guided programs are central to platforms like Talkspace and Online-Therapy.com.
Explore online therapy platform options
Below is a quick, high-level overview of several well-known online therapy platforms. Each section includes a link to a more detailed comparison guide if you’d like to learn more about a specific platform and how it compares to Grow Therapy.
Grow Therapy
Grow Therapy connects individuals with licensed therapists and psychiatric providers across the U.S., with a strong focus on insurance-based care. Clients can filter providers by specialty, availability, location, and insurance acceptance, and many providers offer virtual or in-person sessions. With support for 135 specialties, Grow Therapy offers flexibility across therapy and medication management.
Alma
Alma helps clients connect with licensed therapists for virtual or in-person sessions, emphasizing detailed provider profiles and therapist choice. Many Alma therapists offer free consultations before engaging in ongoing care. Alma works with select commercial insurance plans but does not accept Medicare or Medicaid.
Learn more in our Grow Therapy vs. Alma comparison.
BetterHelp
BetterHelp is a subscription-based, virtual-only therapy platform. Clients complete an intake survey and are matched with a licensed therapist, with the option to switch providers. Communication may include video, phone, live chat, and messaging. BetterHelp does not offer in-person care or medication management.
Learn more in our Grow Therapy vs. BetterHelp comparison.
Brightside
Brightside offers fully virtual, structured care for conditions such as anxiety, depression, stress, and insomnia. Care is delivered through subscription plans that may include therapy, medication management, and digital tools like messaging and symptom tracking. Brightside does not offer in-person sessions.
Learn more in our Grow Therapy vs. Brightside comparison.
Headway
Headway focuses on making in-network therapy easier to access. The platform allows users to verify insurance benefits, view estimated copays, and book virtual or in-person sessions with licensed therapists and psychiatric providers.
Learn more in our Grow Therapy vs. Headway comparison.
Online-Therapy.com
Online-Therapy.com is a subscription-based platform centered on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-focused, self-guided programs. It offers worksheets, journaling prompts, structured modules, and optional messaging or video sessions. Insurance is not accepted.
Learn more in our Grow Therapy vs. Online-Therapy.com comparison.
Rula
Rula connects clients with licensed therapists who accept in-network insurance and provide virtual care. The platform uses a pay-per-session model and offers access to providers across multiple specialties, including couples and child therapy.
Learn more in our Grow Therapy vs. Rula comparison.
SonderMind
SonderMind offers guided matching to licensed therapists and psychiatric providers for virtual or in-person care. It works with most major commercial insurance plans and Medicare but does not accept Medicaid.
Learn more in our Grow Therapy vs. SonderMind comparison.
Talkiatry
Talkiatry specializes exclusively in psychiatry, offering virtual evaluations and medication management through psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners. It operates on a pay-per-session model and accepts many insurance plans.
Learn more in our Grow Therapy vs. Talkiatry comparison.
Talkspace
Talkspace offers virtual therapy and psychiatry through a subscription-based model. Clients can access care via video sessions, live chat, and messaging. Some insurance and employer benefits are accepted.
Learn more in our Grow Therapy vs. Talkspace comparison.
How to choose the right online therapy platform
When comparing online therapy platforms, it can help to focus on four key factors: insurance coverage, clinical scope, services offered, and cost structure.
Insurance coverage
Insurance acceptance can significantly affect how much you pay for therapy and how predictable your costs feel over time.
| Platforms with broad insurance acceptance | Platforms with limited or no insurance coverage |
|---|---|
| Grow Therapy Headway Rula SonderMind Talkiatry Talkspace | BetterHelp Online-Therapy.com Brightside |
If affordability is a major concern, choosing a platform that accepts your insurance can make therapy more accessible and reduce unexpected expenses.
Payment model
How a platform charges for care influences both flexibility and long-term affordability.
| Pay-per-session (often insurance-based) | Subscription-based pricing (flat monthly fee) |
|---|---|
| Grow Therapy Alma Headway Rula SonderMind Talkiatry | BetterHelp Talkspace Online-Therapy.com Brightside |
Pay-per-session models often work well for people who plan to use insurance or want the option to schedule sessions as needed without committing to a monthly fee. Subscription-based platforms may appeal to those who prefer a predictable monthly cost, especially if they want frequent touchpoints or built-in tools.
Clinical scope
Online therapy platforms vary in what conditions they treat and whether they offer talk therapy, medication management, or both.
- Broad specialty coverage (many therapy focus areas): Grow Therapy, Rula, Headway, Alma, SonderMind
- Condition-focused or structured care (e.g., anxiety, depression): Online-Therapy.com
- Platforms offering medication management alongside talk therapy: Grow Therapy, SonderMind, Alma, Headway
- Platforms mainly offering medication management: Brightside, Talkiatry
Understanding the different types of therapy available — such as specific types of therapy (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), couples counseling, child therapy, or medication management — can help you choose a platform that best aligns with your needs. If you anticipate needing different types of support over time, a platform with broader clinical scope may offer more continuity and flexibility.
Services offered
Finally, consider how you want therapy to fit into your daily life when it comes to care format and communication style.
- Traditional weekly sessions (virtual or in person): Grow Therapy, Alma, Headway, SonderMind, Rula
- Flexible, app-based communication (messaging, chat, video): BetterHelp, Talkspace
- Self-guided programs & structured tools: Brightside, Online-Therapy.com
Traditional weekly therapy sessions may feel most familiar for those who value live, scheduled conversations with a consistent provider. App-based platforms emphasize messaging, chat, and video communication, which can feel more flexible or convenient for some users. Others focus on structured, self-guided programs and digital tools, which may appeal to people who want on-demand resources they can engage with at their own pace.
How do I compare online therapy platforms?
Keeping these factors in mind can help narrow your options. As you compare platforms, consider:
- Does this platform accept my insurance, and can I see my estimated cost before booking?
- Do I prefer paying per session with flexibility, or a flat monthly subscription with bundled services?
- Does this platform offer the type of care I need — such as specific therapy specialties, couples or child therapy, or medication management?
- Do I want traditional weekly sessions, flexible app-based messaging, or structured self-guided tools?
Ultimately, the best online therapy platform is the one that aligns with your clinical needs, financial situation, and personal preferences.
If you’re ready to take the next step, find a therapist with Grow Therapy and select a clinician who accepts your insurance and matches your specific needs.
Not quite ready to commit? We totally get it. You can also read our in-depth platform comparisons to continue learning and narrow down your options.
Frequently asked questions
Popularity depends on how it’s measured — marketing reach, provider network size, or insurance access. Rather than focusing on overall popularity, it’s usually more helpful to choose a platform based on your goals, insurance coverage, budget, and the type of care you’re looking for. The “most popular” platform for one person may not be the best fit for another.
You can find online therapy through several sources, including dedicated online therapy platforms, private practice clinicians who offer telehealth, and employer-sponsored mental health benefits (such as EAPs).
Online therapy platforms — such as Grow Therapy, Alma, Headway, SonderMind, Talkspace, and others discussed above — make the process easier by allowing you to search for licensed providers who offer virtual sessions, filter by insurance, specialty, and availability, and see estimated costs before booking.
With insurance, many people pay only a copay — often ranging from $0 to $50 per session. Without insurance, therapy sessions typically cost $75 to $250 per session. Some therapists who don’t accept insurance — or who are out of network — may offer sliding-scale fees based on income, which can make care more affordable.
You can start by reviewing your insurance plan’s mental health benefits or contacting your insurer directly to ask about coverage for outpatient therapy or telehealth services.
Many of the online therapy platforms discussed in this article make this process easier by letting you enter your insurance information upfront and showing you therapists who are in-network with your plan, along with estimated session costs before you book.