Table of Contents
If you’ve considered online therapy, you’ve likely heard of Talkspace and Betterhelp, as they are two popular options. Both offer convenient therapy services from a licensed professional through your computer or phone, with the ability to check in between sessions.
However, there are differences between the two platforms to be aware of. For instance, only Talkspace offers psychiatry services and sleep therapy, while Betterhelp’s services are generally a bit more affordable, with the base plan including both messaging and live sessions.
Read on to learn more about how these two providers stack up in terms of costs and services, as well as who each platform may be best for.
Talkspace vs. Betterhelp
What Is Talkspace?
Talkspace Online Therapy
Talkspace is an online therapy service that allows you to connect with a licensed therapist by live video, over the phone or by text. You can also reach out to your therapist at any time through text, audio, picture and video messages, and get a guaranteed response daily, five days a week, according to the company.
Talkspace providers can address issues including:
- Depression
- Anxiety and stress
- Relationships
- Trauma
- Grief
- Anger
- Sleep
- Chronic illness
- Productivity
- Addiction
- Eating disorders
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Bipolar
- Substance abuse
- LGBTQIA+
- Childhood abuse
- Social anxiety
- Parenting
- Mood disorders
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
To get started, you’ll fill out an assessment that requests information about yourself as well as your preferences for therapy. Talkspace’s algorithm will then match you with three therapists, and you can choose which one seems like the right fit for you. You will then set up your Talkspace account and start therapy.
Each user gets their own Talkspace “room,” which is available at all times for you to drop into and share something with your therapist. Live sessions with your therapist are scheduled in advance. All communications with your therapist are hosted on the Talkspace platform, which is HIPAA-compliant and uses encrypted technology.
Talkspace’s services are a good option for someone who likes to be able to have regular access to their therapist, and who finds it more convenient to meet virtually rather than in-person.
What Services Does Talkspace Offer?
Talkspace offers a range of services including the following:
- Individual therapy
- Couples therapy
- Teen therapy
- Sleep therapy
Additionally, Talkspace provides psychiatry services, including medical care and medication management from licensed psychiatric prescribers.
Talkspace therapists are all licensed and have been vetted and trained by the platform, according to the company. When therapists begin working with Talkspace, they go through an evaluation and review, and are monitored and evaluated based on their performance thereafter.
Talkspace providers include licensed professional counselors, licensed mental health counselors certified to treat children and teens as well as adults, licensed marriage and family therapists and licensed and independent clinical social workers. They also may hold a Masters of Science in counseling psychology, clinical psychology, clinical counseling or educational psychology.
How Much Does Talkspace Cost?
Therapy Services Cost
The exact cost of Talkspace depends on your location and the subscription service you choose. You will not know your estimated costs for Talkspace until you sign up and are connected with a representative at the company.
As an example of how much you can expect the different levels of Talkspace subscriptions to run, here is the price breakdown given for an upstate New York location:
- $79 per week for messaging therapy (includes text, video and audio messaging with guaranteed daily responses five times a week)
- $109 per week for live therapy (includes four 45-minute live therapy sessions per month over audio, video or text)
- $139 per week for live and messaging therapy (includes four 45-minute live sessions per month over audio, video or text, plus text, video and audio messaging therapy services)
Be sure to check if Talkspace is running any promotional offers.
Psychiatry Services Cost
The platform’s psychiatry services do cost more, and you will pay $199 for your initial session, and $125 for follow-up sessions. However, there are also the following bundle discounts offered:
- For new customers:
- Initial evaluation + one follow-up = $315
- Initial evaluation + three follow-ups = $515
- Initial evaluation + six follow-ups = $799
- For customers who have already had an initial session:
- Initial evaluation (paid and completed) + three follow-ups = $338
- Initial evaluation (paid and completed) + six follow-ups = $638
- Initial evaluation (paid and completed) + nine follow-ups = $900
Talkspace Sleep Therapy
One differentiator of Talkspace is its sleep therapy service, which is an eight-week program during which you will work with a licensed provider who is trained in treating sleep disorders, including insomnia. Throughout the program, you will receive daily guidance and exercises from your therapist.
Here’s an overview of what each week of the program entails:
- Week 1: Get onboarded and learn about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia
- Week 2: Identify your insomnia triggers to make a personalized sleep plan
- Week 3: Talk about any barriers and update your sleep plan as needed
- Week 4: Learn cognitive exercises to calm your mind and control intrusive thoughts
- Week 5: Set guidelines to improve sleep hygiene
- Week 6: Learn strategies to deal with nighttime worries that are keeping you up
- Week 7: Check in on your progress and determine a long-term plan
- Week 8: Look ahead and commit to a plan for future progress
The program costs a total of $520, paid out in two monthly installments of $260 each.
What Is Betterhelp?
BetterHelp Online Therapy
Similarly to Talkspace, Betterhelp allows you to connect with a therapist over the computer or through your phone, whether by video, audio or live chat. Betterhelp also allows you to send messages to your therapist any time.
Therapists can help you with generalized issues, such as anything that interferes with your well-being or with meeting your goals. Additionally, Betterhelp therapists can specialize in certain areas, such as:
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Relationships
- Parenting
- Depression
- Addictions
- Eating
- Sleeping
- Trauma
- Anger
- Family conflicts
- LGBT matters
- Grief
- Religion
- Self esteem
While Betterhelp can help someone dealing with the above issues, it notes that using this platform is not the appropriate choice for the following situations:
- If you are a minor or under a legal guardian’s care
- If you are required by a court order or another authority to go to therapy
- If you are in a crisis or emergency situation
- If you do not have a reliable internet connection or a device that can connect to the internet
Once you sign up with Betterhelp—a process that requires answering a number of questions related to your emotional state, lifestyle habits and therapy preferences—you will get matched with one therapist. This can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Your subscription officially begins once you are paired with a therapist.
What Services Does Betterhelp Offer?
With Betterhelp, you can access:
- Individual therapy
- Couples therapy
- Teen therapy
Betterhelp’s therapists all have a masters degree or doctorate degree in their field and have at least three years and 1,000 hours of experience, according to the company, and include psychologists, licensed marriage and family therapists, licensed clinical social workers and licensed professional therapists. Psychiatric services are not offered at Betterhelp.
How Much Does Betterhelp Cost?
Compared to Talkspace, Betterhelp has a much more straightforward cost structure, with the price ranging from $60 to $90 per week, and the company notes that the cost could be higher depending on your location and therapist availability, as well as your preferences.
This fee covers all types of communication Betterhelp offers—exchanging messages, live chatting, talking on the phone or meeting over video—and you can switch between these options based on your needs and availability. You can send unlimited messages to your therapists at any time, and you’ll get an email notification when they respond. Live sessions must be scheduled in advance and are limited to one per week.
Talkspace vs. Betterhelp: Which Is Better for You?
If you like the flexibility of being able to switch between available communication options depending on what’s convenient for you at a given time, Betterhelp may be a better fit. Talkspace requires you to pay more if you want to do live sessions, and your costs go up further if you’d like to have access to both live therapy sessions and messaging. Betterhelp, though, includes all of these options in its base fee.
However, Talkspace does offer more in terms of options. It offers psychiatry services, which allows you to get medical care and medication management (keep in mind, though, that this will cost more than the platform’s therapy services). Sleep therapy is also offered if you struggle with insomnia or another sleep disorder.
Another key differentiator is that Talkspace matches you with three therapists to choose from; Betterhelp only pairs you with one therapist. When it comes to payment options, Talkspace does work with some benefits plans but otherwise you can only pay with credit or debit card. While Betterhelp doesn’t usually accept insurance, it does let you pay through PayPal if you’d prefer.
At the end of the day, it really comes down to whether you’re willing to pay more for a wider offering of services with Talkspace. If you just need therapy and are concerned about affordability, Betterhelp might be a better fit.
You May Also Be Interested In Online Therapy Services From Our Featured Partners
BetterHelp Online Therapy
Learn More
On BetterHelp's Website
$60 to $90
No
(Note: Product details and pricing are accurate as of the publication date.)
Online therapy platforms connect you with licensed providers, which can include psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed marriage and family therapists, licensed clinical social workers and licensed professional counselors. Discover our top picks and the best online therapy to fit your needs and preferences here.
