BetterHelp is an online counseling platform that connects users with a licensed, experienced therapist for remote teletherapy sessions. Virtual visits are conducted on your time and in the convenience of your home, car, or wherever you like via live video, phone, or chat sessions.
BetterHelp works for those looking for general mental health counseling or therapy for a diagnosed mental health disorder. How long you stay with BetterHelp depends on your mental health needs, budget, and lifestyle. This could equate to a few weeks, a few months, or an extended period of several months. According to our reviews team’s April 2022 survey of 1,000 online therapy users, most BetterHelp customers (38 percent) used the service for four to eight months. Of the rest, 24 percent used it for eight to 12 months, 23 percent used it for four months or less, and 15 percent used it for at least one year.
You can access the BetterHelp platform via its website or its mobile app, which you can use to manage your account, schedule appointments with your online therapist, and contact customer service.
Therapy Session Format
The weekly subscription cost for BetterHelp online therapy includes unlimited messaging and one live chat, phone, or video session per week, which gives you the freedom to choose the telehealth format that works best for you. Some people change the format each week depending on their mental health needs.
In general, each live session lasts about 30 to 45 minutes. The exact session length will be determined by both you and your therapist, though BetterHelp confirmed with our reviews team that the average session length is 30 minutes.
Unlimited Messaging
With BetterHelp online therapy, messaging is not a real-time form of communication like video is. Instead, it works like email. It’s available 24 hours a day, but that doesn’t mean your BetterHelp counselor will respond right away. In fact, according to our reviews team’s online therapy survey, only 50 percent of BetterHelp users received a response within a day. Of the rest, 17 percent received responses within a few days, 25 percent received responses within a week, and 8 percent said it regularly took more than a week for their therapist to respond. Your therapist will work with you to establish when and how often they will reply to messages.
You will receive an email when your counselor sends you a message. Messaging can be a convenient feature between live video, phone, or chat sessions when you have a quick question or need to check in with your therapist. It also creates an ongoing conversation you can reference at any time.
If you are concerned about your privacy, it may be useful to know that BetterHelp also allows you to “shred” messages you send to your therapist. Once shredded, it will no longer be visible in your account. You cannot delete messages from your therapist.
Live Chat
The live chat feature on BetterHelp’s online therapy platform is a lot like text messaging. You will be in a private, secure online therapy room with your BetterHelp counselor, and you’ll both be able to type questions and responses. Live chat can be a good option for users who prefer text over live video or phone sessions, especially if they are concerned about privacy.
Plus, you can always go back and read over the conversation, since the chat session will remain in the therapy room until you cancel your subscription.
Live Phone Sessions
You can schedule a live phone session with your counselor the same way you schedule a chat or video appointment on the BetterHelp app. Some people prefer the convenience and relative anonymity of this communication preference.
If you choose to speak with your therapist over the phone, you will log in to your therapy room at your scheduled time. Once logged in, your therapist will prompt you to start the phone session, and the system will request your phone number. The system will dial your number, and once you answer, it will connect you with your therapist to start the phone session. BetterHelp will not share your phone number with your therapist.
Live Video Sessions
The closest thing to an in-person counseling session is a live video appointment. As with chat and phone sessions, you need to schedule a video therapy session with your therapist. You will meet via video through your online counseling room. According to our reviews team’s online therapy survey, 66 percent of BetterHelp members used its video therapy option. The second most popular option was live chat, followed by phone therapy.
Group Webinars
BetterHelp users are able to join group sessions called Groupinars, which are therapist-led educational seminars on different mental health-related topics. Once you sign up for a membership, you will have access to a calendar that displays the sessions and topics for the week, including communication skill-building, identifying unhealthy behaviors, and building resiliency, among others. The “chat” function is available, so you will be able to ask questions at any time. Therapists will either answer questions live or at the end during a Q&A session. Every Groupinar is recorded and available for registrants for one week after it’s hosted.
With many online therapy platforms available on the market, it can be hard to get a sense of what each one offers. Here’s a breakdown of the two most commonly used platforms: BetterHelp and Talkspace.
BetterHelp vs Talkspace: Pricing
Both Talkspace and BetterHelp have tiered memberships. This means that how much you pay per week depends on the level of support you require — the more support or access to your therapist, the more expensive.
BetterHelp is less expensive than Talkspace, but only by a small amount. Talkspace costs between $65 – $95 per week, whereas BetterHelp costs between $60 – $90 per week. There are ways to decrease your bill for both, including getting billed upfront for multiple weeks or months at a time.
BetterHelp vs Talkspace: Services
BetterHelp offers more live sessions than Talkspace.
All BetterHelp plans include unlimited live messaging and phone sessions. At Talkspace, only the premium plans include live sessions – at the rate of either one or four live sessions per month.
BetterHelp vs Talkspace: Commitment
BetterHelp is less of a commitment, since you can sign up for a weekly membership.
With BetterHelp, you’ll have access to therapy without a long-term commitment, since plans can be billed weekly (as opposed to Talkspace, which has a monthly minimum). This means that if you aren’t sure if therapy from this company will be helpful for you, you aren’t stuck in a long-term contract.
BetterHelp vs Talkspace: Therapist Quality
Therapists on both platforms are similar in experience level; many therapists work for both platforms. You can learn more about your therapist’s background, education, and credentials on their profiles.
BetterHelp vs Talkspace: How to Choose?
If you’re looking to commit monthly and/or only want text, video, and audio messaging (i.e., don’t need live messaging or phone sessions as much), the Talkspace “Unlimited Messaging Therapy Plus” is your best bet.
If you want to try a weekly commitment and/or are most interested in the unlimited live messaging and phone sessions, BetterHelp can give you the flexibility to access these services and commitment levels.
What Happens When You Start BetterHelp
1. You start with an in-depth intake
When you sign up for BetterHelp, you answer questions from a comprehensive intake process. Questions range from “What is your relationship status?” to “Are you currently experiencing anxiety, panic attacks or have any phobias?”
The BetterHelp intake is a fairly comprehensive series of questions, with helpful guidance and explanations.
2. You’re matched with a counselor
Within 24 hours of completing the BetterHelp questionnaire, its algorithm matches you with a licensed counselor. If you don’t feel like your therapist is a good fit, you can easily request a new one.
3. You have 24/7 access to a messaging room
Once you’re matched, you can reach out to your counselor at any time from your shared private “messaging room.”
4. Your therapist typically responds once a day, Monday – Friday
For immediate responses, it’s best to schedule a phone, video, or live chat session in advance.
What Happens When You Start TalkSpace
1. You start with a quick intake
After answering a few required questions – e.g., “What led you to seek help today?” – you have the option to skip ahead and view potential therapists.
With Talkspace, users have the option to skip ahead to see potential therapist matches.
2. You’re paired with multiple options; you select the therapist you want to work with
The platform’s algorithm instantly pairs you with several therapists licensed in your state, and you select your therapist from that short list.
Similar to BetterHelp, if you don’t feel like your therapist on Talkspace is a good fit, you can easily request a new one.
3. You have 24/7 access to a private online room
Once you’re matched, you’re granted access to a secure, private “room.” This is where you can send messages to your therapist 24/7, via text, video, or voice.
4. Your therapist responds during business hours
Answers aren’t necessarily immediate; unless you have a plan that allows you to schedule live sessions, therapists respond during their own set business hours, five days a week.
Still not sure which platform to use? While there are benefits to using technology-enabled therapy services, Talkspace or Betterhelp might not be the easiest option when it comes to starting your mental health journey. Using Zencare, you can search through our therapist directory, filter for your needs and preferences, watch each therapist’s introductory video, and then schedule a call directly from the profile. All this without any cost to you!
