How Much Does Better Help Cost? Price Of BetterHelp Therapy

There are many considerations and often barriers when it comes to starting therapy. You have to weigh the pros and cons of in-person therapy versus online therapy, the specialty of the therapist you choose, and how much it will cost you with or without insurance.

 

Price is often the greatest deciding factor when choosing to seek out therapy or not. It’s tough for many people to afford the necessities of life, let alone tacking on another bill to the list. But we want to change the way you think about therapy. Therapy is not a lavish, extra expense. It’s an investment in your quality of life, relationships, and future.

Think of the high price of not seeking therapy when you need someone to talk to. Your work productivity, relationships, and physical health will suffer in the long run if your mental health is left unchecked. Consider this: if your kidneys are having a hard time functioning, would you not seek help and treatment from a doctor? Similarly, if your mental health is struggling, it’s important to have quality and affordable help.

We think BetterHelp online therapy is one of the best options because it’s affordable, convenient, and comfortable for many people. Let’s talk about BetterHelp cost, how our subscription works, and the kind of value you can expect to receive.

What Is BetterHelp?

BetterHelp is the largest online therapy platform worldwide. The platform offers virtual therapy services from over 23,000 certified mental health providers and has served over two million users. Our licensed counselors are all board-certified and experienced in the field and abide by BetterHelp privacy terms and HIPAA patient protection laws.

All you need to participate in our online therapy is Wi-Fi and access to a web browser from a smartphone, tablet, or computer. When you sign up for BetterHelp, you will fill out an initial questionnaire that will match you with a therapist who fits your needs. Live sessions occur via live chat, phone calls, or live video. You also can message your therapist 24/7 from an encrypted chat room, and they can see and respond to messages when they’re available.

The Benefits Of Online Therapy

Before you decide to invest in either online or traditional therapy, explore some of the benefits of online therapy. It’s of the utmost importance that you take the time to reflect on your personal needs, style of communication, and budget. You can glean the most value from the type of therapy you choose.

In-person therapy might benefit those who require that face-to-face connection and a provider who accepts insurance. Online therapy might work great for those who don’t want to go through insurance, feel more comfortable opening up to someone when there’s a screen separation, don’t have physical access to therapists, or don’t have time to sit on a long waiting list.

Read on to find out why online therapy is becoming a top choice for millions worldwide.

You Can Choose Your Therapist

One of the best features of online therapy is choosing from an extensive roster of qualified therapists. These providers would not all be available to you if you were limited to those within driving distance.

Here at BetterHelp, we firmly believe you can only optimize therapy benefits when your therapist is a good fit for you. It would help if you looked at your relationship with your therapist as you would any other relationship. If it’s not benefiting you and you feel like you’re a poor match for each other, you should continue searching for the right one for you.

Many people want to know: “Can I choose my therapist on BetterHelp?” The answer is yes! During the initial signup process, you will fill out a questionnaire indicating your general info, mental health needs, and therapist preferences.

Then within 24-48 hours, BetterHelp will match you to a therapist based on your answers. But after that, you have the choice to request a different therapist at any time. Even if you feel that it’s not a good match after your first session, you can change your counselor at any time.

It Can Be More Affordable Than Traditional Therapy

It cannot be easy to compare the cost of traditional therapy versus online therapy, as there are so many factors that influence the final price. But in general, online therapy sessions tend to be lower cost than traditional therapy sessions.

For example, the BetterHelp cost for a weekly subscription falls within $60 to $90, whereas an in-person therapy session can be anywhere from $100 to $200+ out of pocket. This doesn’t consider how much of a session might be covered by your health insurance.

 

What Can Affect the Cost of Therapy?

Some of the things that affect the overall cost for both in-person and online therapy include:

• Where You Live, the state or country you live in will affect the cost of therapy. For example, if you live in an expensive, urban area on a U.S. coast, expect to pay more for your therapist than you likely would in the Midwest.

 

• The Expertise Of Your Provider. Suppose your mental health provider specializes in a specific disorder or has decades of experience. In that case, you can expect them to command higher prices than a novice counselor with more generalized licensure. All BetterHelp therapists have at least three years of experience.

 

• The Type Of Therapy. The type of therapy you receive may affect the cost. There is a wide variety of Counseling available, such as couples counseling, group therapy, child psychology, psychiatry, etc. Expect to pay more for psychiatry than group therapy, for example.

 

• Your Health Insurance Coverage. Do you have health insurance with mental health coverage? Is your therapist “in-network” with your insurance company? If you have coverage, expect therapy to be more affordable. While a couple of online therapy platforms accept certain insurances, it’s not very common.

 

• The Online Therapy Platform You Choose. If you choose to use an online therapy platform, your select service will affect how much you pay. BetterHelp is one of the most affordable and high-value options, but others are. We recommend finding one that offers experienced, licensed providers.

BetterHelp Cost: Price Of A BetterHelp Subscription

Now that we’ve explained the variables that can affect the cost of therapy in general let’s discuss the cost of BetterHelp therapy services.

How Much Is A Subscription To BetterHelp?

BetterHelp offers a basic weekly subscription plan billed roughly once a month. For a BetterHelp membership, you can expect to pay anywhere from $60 to $90 a week.

Every four weeks, this weekly price is billed to your credit card or PayPal account. The exact cost differs for each person and is based on your therapist’s availability, location, and preferences. Financial aid is available to those who qualify.

What’s Included?

Here’s what comes included with a weekly BetterHelp subscription to use our therapy services:

• A Live Therapy Session. This weekly live session is between you and your therapist and happens in the virtual format of your choice: live chat, live phone call, or live video. So, how long are BetterHelp sessions? The standard session is 30 minutes long, but some providers offer 45-minute sessions. The standard subscription offers one session per week, but you may be able to receive more than one from your therapist, depending on their availability and your budget.

 

• You are messaging With Your Therapist Anytime. One of the highlights of our online therapy platform is your ability to message your therapist in a secure chat room 24/7. Messaging is unlimited, and conversations are saved, so you can always go back and refer to them for guidance. This written communication is a unique feature that traditional therapy can’t offer. Your therapist can access and reply to messages whenever they’re available.

Canceling Your BetterHelp Subscription

There is no set or required amount of time to use BetterHelp online therapy. We understand that, by nature, therapy is a fluid process. Everyone is at a different place in their mental health journey, and some might require more long-term, integrated support than others.

In addition, sometimes life circumstances dictate when and for how long we need the support of a professional. Some BetterHelp users feel back on their feet after a few weeks of therapy, and others choose to continue for months or even years. The choice is yours!

Is it easy to cancel BetterHelp? Yes, it’s straightforward to cancel. If you do choose you no longer want or need BetterHelp therapy, you can cancel your subscription at any time. Just follow these simple steps to cancel your membership and delete your account:

1. Login to your BetterHelp Account.
2. If you are currently receiving therapy, head to Menu>My Account>Payment Settings>Quit Therapy.
3. Once you do this, head back to Menu>My Account>Personal Information. Then click on “Request Erasure.”

BetterHelp Is Safe & Secure

One of the major concerns around virtual therapy platforms is that they may not be very secure. When dealing with mental health issues and health-related topics, the nature of the information can be very sensitive and private. We understand this and believe in our highly secure, safe, and discrete online service.

Does BetterHelp Share Your Data?

BetterHelp protects and honors the value and privacy of your personal information. We are committed to protecting your health and safety by never releasing mental health information you would not want to be shared. We do not profit off of or sell your data.

We may share basic demographic info to third-party services for business or marketing purposes, but nothing that compromises your safety, privacy, or health. Please read our privacy policy to learn exactly how your information is handled.

Is BetterHelp Confidential?

BetterHelp is completely confidential. When you sign up for BetterHelp therapy, you are not required to provide your real name if you want to remain anonymous. In addition, per our counselor's terms and conditions, we require all of our counselors to abide by HIPAA laws and patient data protection.

Our counselors are all independent mental health providers, not BetterHelp employees, but they are expected to maintain professional integrity and standards.

Encryption
Are you wondering, “Is BetterHelp encrypted?” Yes, our browsing encryption system (SSL) is provided by Comodo, one of the world’s top data security companies. And all messages between you and your counselor in the portal are encrypted with bank-level 256-bit encryption.

Online Therapy Alternatives

If you decide you want to try online therapy, there are a few other options besides BetterHelp on the market. It depends on your budget, therapy needs and preferences, and what platform you’ll get the most value from.

So, what is the most affordable online Counseling? This is a tricky question because each platform offers slightly different services and levels of therapist qualifications. Many consider platforms like BetterHelp and Talkspace the best value for your money because sessions are often lower-cost than traditional therapy sessions, and providers are licensed professionals.

Other platforms, like 7 Cups, offer some free tools and forums that might add value and provide community and connection.

Is BetterHelp Religious?

Maybe you’re looking for a religious therapy platform. There are faith-based therapy platforms out there that integrate spirituality into therapy sessions. BetterHelp is not religious, as it aims to be a neutral platform that has welcomed over two million from around the world from a variety of faiths.

That being said, BetterHelp counselors bring a variety of faiths to the table, and you can request a counselor who can bring your faith to the conversation. We’ll try our best to match you with one.

We ask, “Are Faithful Counseling and BetterHelp the same?” Faithful Counseling is one of BetterHelp’s sister therapy sites. This therapy platform is faith-based, and all licensed therapists are practicing Christians.

Conclusion

Online therapy is a great option for looking for reasonably priced, convenient, comfortable, and secure support from a therapist. BetterHelp offers a safe and discreet platform to receive virtual therapy from one of our 23,000 licensed, board-certified providers.

Live sessions take place once a week and usually last for 30 minutes but can be as long as 45 minutes, depending on your needs and your therapist’s availability. You can partake in them over live chat, live phone call, or live video – the choice is yours. Our weekly subscription plan ranges from $60 to $90 and is billed to your credit card or PayPal account every four weeks.

While BetterHelp does not accept insurance, we offer financial aid to certain individuals who meet our income criteria. So far, we’ve granted over $65 million to help make therapy more accessible to all. If you’re looking for quality, trusted, and convenient support, sign up for BetterHelp and get matched with a therapist today.