Best Online Therapy Companies That Accept Insurance

Teladoc, launched in 2002, claims to be “the oldest and largest telemedicine company and the global leader in virtual care.” In 2020, Teladoc acquired ​​virtual care company, Livongo, in an $18.5 billion deal that allowed the company to further expand its online mental health coverage. Its mission is to bring the best healthcare to anyone, anywhere in the world, and on the patient’s terms. 

Teladoc treats people of all ages and offers a wide range of mental health and medical services, including primary care, pediatrics, and nutrition. With over 50,000 licensed healthcare professionals covering more than 450 specialties, Teladoc offers 24/7 access to doctors, nurses, specialists, and licensed therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers. All doctors are board-certified and can diagnose, treat, and prescribe medications like antidepressants, specific anxiolytics, and select antipsychotics. In the mental health space, only psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners can prescribe medications. Therapists, while licensed, cannot.

Teladoc users love how easy it is to register, navigate the website, set up appointments, and communicate with their therapists. Satisfied customers also commented on the quality of medical service and the convenience of at-home therapy. They also love Teladoc's app, which has a rating of 4.8 stars on Apple's App Store. Most negative reviews involved complaints about slow or poor customer support.

Depending on your insurance, therapy sessions cost between $0 and $99; psychiatric appointments range from $0 to $299 per session. Teladoc accepts most major insurers and works with many Medicare Advantage and Medicaid managed care plans. You can also pay with health savings account (HSA) and flexible spending account (FSA) funds. Appointments are scheduled one at a time and you pay as you go. Teladoc does not offer packages or subscriptions, nor does it offer free or discounted trial sessions.

In our 2022 online therapy survey, 97% of users gave Teladoc an positive overall review. Specific areas Teladoc users rated highly were therapists’ qualifications (94%), providers meeting the users' needs (80%), and ease of using the Teladoc website (82%). The majority of Teladoc users (86%) had their counseling covered by insurance.

Talkspace was created to make high-quality behavioral health care services more affordable and widely available. The company’s goal is “to eliminate the stigma associated with mental health, provide convenient access to licensed providers, and to support the mental wellness of those in need.” Talkspace currently employs thousands of credentialed clinicians and has helped over one million people, mostly through messaging and live chat therapy, making it a great alternative for people who prefer to work with a therapist in a non-face-to-face interaction.

With Talkspace, you can exchange unlimited private text, voice, and video messages with your therapist. Upon signing up, Talkspace provides options for a therapist or psychiatrist licensed in your state and you can choose your provider and plan. Appointments are easy to schedule, either online or through the Talkspace app. Talkspace specializes in many types of therapy, including individual, relationship, and teen therapy (ages 13+). Psychiatry sessions are also available and provide follow-up care and medication management. 

Many users preferred accessing therapy via messaging rather than live sessions because it gave them time to reflect on their thoughts, process their emotions, and respond to the therapists at their own pace. Some also found it easier to discuss personal or uncomfortable topics via messaging instead of live face-to-face sessions.

Talkspace only offers subscription-based packages. Prices are not posted on the website, though customers say the prices range from $260 to $396 per month if paying out-of-pocket. Talkspace works with many employers, health plans, employee assistance programs (EAP), and educational organizations. Medicare and Medicaid are not accepted. Talkspace also offers a free mental health evaluation.

Subscription plans include:

• Unlimited Messaging Therapy Plus: Unlimited messaging only; starts at $69/week
• Unlimited Messaging Therapy Premium: Includes one live 30-minute session per month; starts at $99/week
• Unlimited Messaging Therapy Ultimate: Includes four live 30-minute sessions per month; starts at $129 a week
  

In our survey, 94% of users gave Talkspace positive reviews overall, and 92% were pleased with their therapist’s qualifications. Also, 86% of users reported that the response time from the therapists was faster than expected, which is impressive considering the messages are unlimited.

MDLIVE was created in 2009 to “deliver high-quality, convenient and cost-efficient care to patients and organizations across the United States.” The online therapy provider believes healthcare should be quick and easy, and available to people with and without insurance. The company began offering therapy in 2010, and in 2014, acquired Breakthrough Behavioral, a leader in teletherapy. In 2021, MDLive was purchased by the global health service provider, Cigna. 

Today, MDLIVE is one of the largest telehealth companies in the country, offering a network of licensed therapists, as well as board-certified physicians, pediatricians, and psychiatrists who can diagnose mental health conditions and prescribe medication. Prescribed medications for mental health include antidepressants, antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers.

Therapy, psychiatry, and medication management appointments can be easily booked online or in the MDLIVE app after signing up. MDLIVE treats patients 10 years old and up via live phone or video sessions. Treatments are available for a wide range of mental health conditions, including addictions, bipolar disorder, depression, as well as LGBTQIA+ support. 

Overall user satisfaction for MDLIVE was mostly positive among those we surveyed as well as our reviewers. Reviewers loved the ease of using the app, scheduling appointments and having access to a large network of providers. Common complaints included same-day appointments being rarely available and that the company doesn’t offer live chat therapy.

Depending on your insurance, therapy ranges from $0 to $108 per session, and psychiatry from $0 yo $284 per session. MDLIVE accepts many major insurance providers, including Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Humana. Some Medicare and Medicaid plans are accepted, and you can use HSA or FSA funds. Appointments are pay-as-you-go, as no subscriptions or packages are available. Free consultations or trial sessions are not offered.

In our survey, 91% of users rated MDLIVE positively overall. Eighty-six percent of users were happy with the therapists’ qualifications, while 83% felt their needs were met. However, only 43% of users thought they would still be seeing their therapist six months from now.

Inclusive Therapists is an online therapy directory that lists therapists who specialize in treating specific conditions that can stem from experiences marginalized communities encounter, such as prejudice, micro-aggressions, silencing, neglect, and language or financial barriers. The company was founded in 2019 by mental health justice advocate Melody Li after she found a lack of good therapy options for herself and experienced negative encounters with her own therapists. With Inclusive Therapists, Li strives to employ “social justice-oriented professionals that strive to embody: anti-discrimination, anti-oppression, anti-stigma, anti-racism & anti-ableism.” 

The company has an extensive database of therapists to choose from, including psychotherapists and psychiatrists. You can filter based on location, specialty, therapeutic approach, and criteria like cultural knowledge, spiritual knowledge, and therapist identity. Most online directories only allow you to search for therapists who accept insurance, but at Inclusive Therapists, you can filter for therapists who accept your specific insurance provider.  To find the best therapist fit, you can read more about them on the extensive therapist bios. 

To book an appointment (either in person or virtual), you can contact a therapist directly via phone or message them through the directory. There is also an option to have Inclusive Therapists match you with a therapist. A potential patient fills out a form noting criteria they prefer and they will receive a match within five business days.

Providers in the Inclusive Therapists directory offer individual therapy for adults and teens, relationship and couples counseling, group therapy, and coaching. It also has a selection of psychiatrists who can handle prescriptions and medication management.

Since Inclusive Therapists is a directory, the per-session costs and insurance acceptance vary depending on the provider. Some therapists operate on a sliding fee scale, and the website has a link to a BIPOC therapy fund if you need financial assistance to access therapy.

Overall, 81% of users rated their therapists’ qualifications as good or very good and reported being satisfied with the therapist options. What’s more, 67% said they were able to find a therapist who met their needs at Inclusive Therapy and 57% said it was very likely that they’d still be using the therapist they found six months from now.

Amwell is a telehealth platform that offers virtual physician appointments as well as online therapy. The business was co-founded by two brothers in 2006 and has been a household name in telehealth ever since. Amwell has a network of more than 350 psychologists, social workers, and other mental health professionals, each with varied disciplines and a wide variety of specialties. Amwell purchased the digital mental health platform SilverCloud Health and the automated virtual healthcare brand Conversa Health in 2021 in a $320 million deal.

To begin using Amwell’s online therapy, you must enroll and create an account, which you can do on its website or app, or by calling on the phone. Next, you browse through a list of providers who can help treat mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, grief, relationship troubles, addiction, ADHD, life transitions, and more. Typical sessions are 45 minutes long and are conducted via the company’s built-in video conferencing feature on the website or app.

The company treats children from 10 to 17 (with parent or guardian consent), as well as adults. Customers were generally satisfied with the cost of the service, the therapist qualifications, and the ease of scheduling. However, some complained that they had trouble scheduling and continued to receive bills even after they canceled a session. Others were frustrated that they couldn’t browse through therapists until they committed to creating an account.

Since Amwell accepts most major insurance plans, if you’re covered, you’ll just have to pay a copay. If you don’t have insurance, out-of-pocket costs ranges from $109 (for a master’s level therapist) to $129 (for a doctorate level therapist). You can also use HSA, FSA, and health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) funds for payment.

Amwell does not appear to offer a free consultation or free assessment.

Of the patients we surveyed who used Amwell for online therapy through insurance, 35% said their experience was excellent while 27% said it was very good. Eighty-six percent of users said most or all their needs were met, though only 53% felt they would still be seeing their therapist six months from now.

Headway is an in-person and online therapy provider founded by four entrepreneurs in 2019 to allow people in need of therapy to search for providers by location, concerns, and insurance type. Headway offers a few additional categories of care that you don’t typically see in online therapy that accepts insurance, such as maternal mental health, women’s issues, and pandemic-related anxiety.

The company currently has therapists that operate in 14 states (Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia) and the District of Columbia, and is on a mission to expand its services nationwide.

To use the platform, you can search by location, mental health concern, and insurance. This will take you to a page that shows your therapist options, the specialty they treat, and insurance carriers they accept. The therapists also have blurbs on their profile page that describe their therapeutic approaches, such as “humorous," "solution-oriented," "warm," or "open-minded.” When you click on a therapist’s profile, you can see their availability to schedule and can fill out a form with your insurance information to get the exact cost before booking.

Headway users mentioned that it was easy to search for and schedule appointments with providers, as well as enter insurance information online. One former patient complained that billing overcharged them. Only being available in certain states also prevented people who were interested in using the platform from being able to try it out.

Cost of sessions depends on the therapist and your insurance However, Headway therapists seem to accept many insurance plans and some HSA/FSA plans. There are no free consultations or assessments, though.

Headway patients seem to be happy with the service overall. Of those we surveyed that used Headway, 41% said the company’s therapy providers were very good. Forty-five percent said they were very likely to recommend Headway to a friend or family member. But only 31% of Headway users said the service was better than others they used in the past.

LifeStance Health is a mental healthcare company offering treatment by licensed therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, and nurse practitioners to patients of all ages. Both in-person and telehealth services are available in the 33 U.S. states where LifeStance has offices. To use the platform, users click on “find a provider” and provide their city and state. This populates a list of therapists available in their area. Under each provider’s name, their next availability is listed, which is a feature that customers found helpful. 

Users of LifeStance liked the company, noting that they found the therapists to be friendly and helpful. Many also reported loving the ability to search by insurance provider and the convenience of being able to do therapy online in the privacy of their home. Some people reported needing to try different therapists before finding the right fit; others had communication issues with customer service.

Pricing is not disclosed on the website, and cost per session varies based on your provider and insurance plan. If you don't have insurance (or your insurance doesn't cover therapy), out-of-pocket costs range from $75 to $300 per session.

Psychiatric evaluations cost $200 to $300 without insurance, and additional sessions cost between $150 and $250. Again, pricing depends on provider and insurance coverage.

LifeStance received 88% positive reviews from our surveyed users. The majority gave positive ratings to the quality of the therapists (79%), with 75% saying they would recommend LifeStance to friends and family. Seventy-three percent stated all or most of their needs were met after therapy.

Talkiatry specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions. The company was launched in 2020 with the goal of making in-network psychiatric care more accessible, affordable, and flexible for both psychiatrists and patients. Talkiatry consists of a team of over 400 board-certified psychiatrists that can assist patients with medication management.

Talkiatry treats children, teens, and adults for a wide range of issues, such as anxiety, ADHD, PTSD, bipolar disorder, depression, and insomnia. Sessions are conducted via live video and can be booked online or on its third-party app, Healow, after signing up. 

Users of Talkiatry were overall very satisfied with the service. Most reviewers loved the quality of the treatments and the availability of the psychiatrists. Some of the negative reviews mentioned problems with the website and difficulty with the sign-up process.

Pricing depends on your insurance. An estimate of your copay is available when you sign up.

Talkiatry is in network with every major insurer, including Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, Blue Cross, and Blue Shield. It also accepts HSA and FSA accounts, Medicaid, and Medicare. There are no subscription plans; you pay per session plus any medication costs. There are no free or discounted trial sessions.

Our surveyed users rated their overall experience with Talkiatry 95% positive. Eighty-seven percent of users would recommend its services to friends and family. Eighty-nine percent of users were pleased with the medication management services.