The Best Couples Therapy Services

Sunday, March 26th

2023 Couples Therapy Reviews

E-Therapy Cafe

• One-time trial 30-minute session: $50
• One-time 30-minute regular session: $55
• Four 30-minute sessions: $196 per month ($49 per session)
• Eight 30-minute sessions: $360 per month ($45 per session)
• Choose your therapist from photos and bios
• Subscription service is most popular
• One of the first mental telehealth sources
• Couples therapy from choosing a partner to long-term married couples

Register, connect, and calm -this is the motto behind E-Therapy Cafe. When Dr. Jude Black's spouse was stationed abroad more than 25 years ago, the couple was able to communicate over video chat and they felt such a connection, even with a room full of other military members in the background. Because this video chatting was so powerful, and the service people really wanted therapy sessions from Dr. Black, she soon expanded her practice to include video chatting with military members stationed abroad. And so she began as one of the first telehealth therapy platforms.

Meet the team

At E-Therapy Cafe, there's an entire team of couples therapists and life coaches of varying ages, years of experience, and specialties, including relationship, marriage, and couples counseling; wedding coaching; LGBTQ+ counseling, college counseling; emotional animal support letters and therapy; and of course, military counseling. You can even choose your therapist from their photo and bio, rather than be assigned to someone. It can be comforting for you and your partner to select the person who will walk this personal journey together with you.

Take the first step

There are three steps to feeling better in the E-Therapy Cafe system: register, connect, and calm. When you register, you'll complete a brief survey so they can get to know you and your needs. You'll then connect with your therapist for online sessions. Lastly, you'll start to create your sense of calm to reauthorize your life.

Register

There's a brief survey that's painless to complete. They'd like to know which of the types of counseling you're interested in, your employment/student/military status, and how you're feeling. Don't worry, they're not asking your deep, dark feelings; it's a quick check-the-box answering simple questions. If there's anything else you'd like to add, sure, there's space for that, but it's not necessary.

Connect

Simply connect over video, whether on your smartphone or tablet. If video isn't possible for you, there's instant E-chat and even E-journaling for military personnel or others with limited access to the internet.

Calm

Together you, your partner, and your therapist can help create calm, find hope, and transform your couplehood for the better.

Cheaper if you choose more sessions per month

Would you like a one-shot deal? A trial session is $50 to decide if you like it or not. Still not sure? It's $55 when you want a single session thereafter. If you're willing to give it a go, try four sessions per month for $49 per session (or $196 for the month), which is their most popular choice. Ready for eight sessions? Save even more as the eight sessions per month are $45 per session (or $360 for the month).

What's included in a session?

Each session includes 30 minutes of a video chat, instant E-chat which is like messaging, or 700 words in an E-journal where you'll get a detailed response from your therapist. The single session is a pay-as-you-go program, so you can take another session or you can stop, it's your choice. With the 4- and 8-session packages, you will auto-renew each month, and if there's any leftover sessions, they do not carry over.

What's E-journaling?

If you don't have steady access to the internet or you just feel more comfortable writing than speaking, maybe an e-journaling session is best for you. Email in your "session" in 700 words or fewer, and you can expect a reply from your therapist within 24-48 hours. There's no need to make an appointment, just click "submit." The website where you send and receive your session is HIPAA compliant and very secure.

30 minutes is not enough? Book a double session

It should be noted that for therapy sessions, 30 minutes is rather short, especially for couples. Sometimes it takes that half-hour to just get going; sometimes the second person barely starts or doesn't get a chance. You might want to ask your therapist how they'll work with getting you both what you need in that amount of time. Another option is to book two sessions back to back, which E-Therapy Cafe does offer.

Changing or canceling appointments

All E-sessions expire 30 days from the date of purchase, so make sure you have time to get them in. If you are more than 10 minutes late to your session, the session is canceled. If, however, you do need to cancel or change the date of a session, be sure to send an email more than 24 hours before your scheduled session as all fees are prepaid 24 hours before the session time and there are no refunds. However, if they do agree that a refund should be granted, there will be a $30 processing fee that you're responsible for.

Discounts for some clients

There's a 10% discount on subscription packages for military members, their dependents, and veterans, first responders and college students.

What about insurance?

E-Therapy Cafe doesn't take insurance. They'll bill you, and when you request it, they'll send you a Bill of Services that you may choose to send to your insurer. Keep in mind that some of their staff are life coaches, so if you are going to request insurance reimbursement, be sure you're seeing a licensed therapist, and know that they are out of network.

Their users love it

In one survey, more than 90% have rated this service positively, one of the highest percentages of the companies we evaluated, and the clients are highly satisfied with the qualifications of their therapist. More than 75% would recommend E-Therapy Cafe to friends and family. In another survey, more than 80% were either satisfied or very satisfied with the selection of therapists.

They're one of the originals

It's comforting to know they were one of the first to do telehealth and that the founder's passion with this started when she communicated via video with her husband and his new friends who were stationed overseas. There were only two small downsides we could identify. If your therapist can't make it one day, you might be placed with a coach, which is different. And, there's also pressure to auto-renew when you buy a package of sessions. But those are pretty insignificant overall.

They get it right

Whether you want to see if the person you're dating and you are compatible or you've been married more than a quarter century, at E-Therapy Cafe there's a couples therapist for you. Your actual session can be via video chat, live message, or e-journal, which is quite flexible, and we like that the appointment can be added to you and your partner's Google calendars or to most any other online calendar.

Personalization is key

E-Therapy Cafe is about personalization and continuing to help you and your partner feel cared, have a better couplehood, all at a relatively reasonable price. The sessions are 30 minutes, which might not be enough time for you and your partner to share, so we'd suggest booking back-to-back appointments if time and your budget allow.

Our #1 pick for couple therapy

It's easy to see why E-Therapy Cafe gets our highest recommendation for online couples therapy. You and your partner together can choose your therapist from the photos and bios provided. Flexibility in session formats makes it convenient for you. And with multiple sessions per month auto-renewal program, you both might be motivated to keep attending and finding your calm. This should be the first site you consider when choosing a platform for online couples therapy.

Sesame

• Price depends on the therapist
• Sesame gives you a discount of $20
• Pay the provider directly and save money
• Possible same-day appointments
• Offers individual therapy as well as couples therapy
• Offers other health providers as well

Sesame works directly with therapists and other healthcare providers to offer good, affordable care. Click and find all their therapists in your area, and then make the appointment - and voila!. Keep in mind that therapists can only work with clients who are in the states where they're licensed, so it's good to know that Sesame will filter and then offer you therapists who are certified for your location.

Sesame takes $20 off the top

Sesame wants to help you save money when you're looking for a couples therapist or any other provider in your area, and they'll help you with a $20 discount. It's plain and simple.

What Sesame isn't

When you click on our other highly-rated therapy services, you'll usually find a group of couples therapists who use the same or similar methodologies, and therefore, there's a sense of consistency from one therapist to another. That's not necessarily the case with Sesame. Instead, click on the name of one of the therapists and read the information they share about themselves to determine if they are a good fit for you. It's not that one system is better than the other, they're just different.

Browse therapists in your area

Simply click on the mental health page and find out if there are therapists in your area. You'll have to be located in the state where the therapist is licensed in order for Sesame to offer them as a choice. If they do have therapists in your state, you'll see them right away and know your choices. Check their availability as some providers may have evening and weekend appointments available. On the other hand, if Sesame can't provide a couples therapist, then try one of the other highly recommended online therapy companies on our list.

Registration is simple

Select your therapist, enter your contact and payment information; that's it. Your payment is secured with the same system used with Amazon and other large shopping or booking companies.

Price varies by provider

Each therapist will set their own fee, so if price is a concern, use that as a factor when you choose the therapist that's right for you. And remember you'll have that automatic 20% discount by using the Sesame service to set up your couples therapy.

Sesame Plus

This is a subscription which can help you save on all the healthcare that Sesame offers, including not only individual and couples therapy, but also primary care physicians, urgent care, and doctors for acne, ear infections, sinus infections, vertigo, and so much more. Sesame Plus members save $20 per telehealth visit, and $30 on in-person visits with a specialist or dentist, plus a free lab or blood test each year. It's $10.99 per month or $99 per year. Sesame Plus can be your one-stop health-care provider.

They don't take insurance

Sesame doesn't take insurance; rather, they are a company that offers deep discounts on your couples therapy or other healthcare needs.

Fabulous cancellation policy

Whereas most providers require 24-hour notice before changing or canceling an appointment, Sesame only requires three hours' notice. And if you booked a same-day appointment, you'll only need to cancel only an hour before your meeting time. Any cancellations meeting less than that requirement won't get you a refund.

No additional discounts

Sesame is a company that already offers a discount on therapy and other services. There's no additional discount for military, teachers, older patients, or other groups.

Reviews for Sesame are very favorable

With over 800 reviews on Trustpilot, more than 75% of the users rate Sesame with 5 stars. Several like that Sesame gives them affordable pricing, quality providers, available appointments, and that you can even get same-day sessions. They also love that all the providers offer telehealth which can be so much more convenient than driving to an office.

A+ rating from the BBB

The Better Business Bureau gives them an "A+" rating. Although the average customer satisfaction on BBB's site is about 2.5/5 stars, there were fewer than 20 customer reviews total at the time of our evaluation, which isn't a large pool. One of the unhappy clients complained that there was no refund when the provider missed their appointment. A couple of others complained about the demeanor of the provider, and one complained that they weren't prescribed the medication they wanted.

Contacting Sesame

If you want to ask questions or comment on a provider, Sesame offers weekday and weekend phone hours as well as an option for email. Most find that Sesame answers right away.

Sesame is easy, and we like that

Simply said, Sesame helps you find a couples therapist who offers online sessions, and gives you a discounted price. There's no long questionnaire to fill out and no personal information to divulge. It's quite refreshing and it's quite quick. We especially encourage you to look into Sesame if you'd benefit from an all-in-one platform for healthcare and couples therapy.

Octave

• From $190 to $250 per session
• Almost 200 counselors
• Easy sign-up process
• Science-based approach
• In-network with some insurance providers

Octave's science-based methods aren't intended for just a one-and-done session, as it takes time to make changes that last. They specialize in tailoring their approach to the needs of you and your partner.

Easy to get started

If you're wondering whether you can find a couples counselor that both you and your partner can match with, Octave provides almost 200 counselors and 20 languages available. What can you expect overall? Well to start with, the registration forms are easy to find and complete.

They'll submit to insurance

There is employer-based insurance available, and they'll even submit to insurance, but there are caveats: your therapy has to be covered by insurance, they have to be in-network for your provider, and you'll need to be located in the same state as your counselor. That said, without insurance, their per-session prices are costly. Sometimes, though, you get what you pay for, and relationships are pretty valuable. Check right away to see if you live in one of the six states (or Washington DC) where they can provide therapists. If you do not, you're out of luck with Octave.

We all deserve emotional well-being

That's the first thing you'll see on their "about'' page. Octave's standard is to deliver care and have options to make the care more affordable so lives can be improved. Just as your needs are as individual as you and your couplehood are, Octave fine-tunes what they know of science-based research to work with you, your needs, and your experiences.

Why the name Octave?

Just like the musical term meaning a complete set of musical notes, they offer a complete set of services that can be tuned or adjusted to each person's needs, whether for individuals or couples.

Get started by answering a few questions

In order to customize a plan and choose the therapist that's right for you and your partner, you'll first need to share some information such as your basic contact information, what type of support you're looking for, and your mental health background. If Octave needs more info on your background before you get started, they might schedule you for a free consultation by phone. With that information, they'll find a therapist who's a good match for you both. You can find the link to that questionnaire right there on the landing page.

Potential wait time of a week or more

Once you fill out the questionnaire, you'll receive a welcome email, but you might have to wait a week or more for the name of your therapist.

Hundreds of therapists on staff

There are almost 200 Octave providers available to help you. Click on someone's photo and you'll see their therapy style and their interests in types of therapy, their approach. In addition, you can see their level of education, where they went to school, and personal information such as their pronouns, their interests outside of work, a book they have read more than once, favorite organization or non-profits, if they have pets, how they recharge, and more. When you can learn more about a provider on a personal level, it helps to feel more comfortable with them and maybe even form a connection before you meet face to face. If you feel more comfortable talking in a language besides English, there are twenty language options.

Clinically-proven methodologies

Octave is proud to use a science-based approach, and there are three that they use most commonly. EFT, or Emotionally Focused Therapy is a cutting-edge couples therapy technique which helps secure the bond between the couple. IBCT, or Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy, works to build empathy and understanding of each other. The Gottman Method works to manage conflict and build tenderness toward each other. They'll tailor your therapy using the method or methods that best suit your needs. The goal of Octave is to help you achieve long-term change, which isn't a quick fix, and it may take a couple or few months to build a good foundation, and as we know, change takes time.

The whole person

Octave offers both couples counseling and individual therapy sessions. They say that sometimes when you're in couples counseling there may be sessions you'll want for just yourself, so it's nice to know you can sign up for individual therapy as well.

Doesn't specify session length

We don't know how long each live video session lasts with Octave, as it's not mentioned anywhere on their site, but typically therapy sessions are 45-60 minutes.

Price could be spendy without insurance

Each session will cost between $190 and $250, and you won't find out your price until a counselor has been chosen for you. Octave is more expensive than the competitors we also rate highly. If you're fortunate enough to be able to use your health insurance, your carrier may cover 80%, making your 20% bill much more attractive.

You have to live in the right US state

If you live in Washington DC or one of the six states where the therapists reside (California, Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, New York, Texas), then you qualify for therapy with Octave. They do not provide therapy to those outside of the states where the providers are licensed.

Insurance accepted - but there are requirements

Many online counseling platforms are not in-network for health insurance and may even avoid the topic altogether. Octave's unique approach to not only be in-network for some insurance providers, but also do direct billing, is almost unheard of in online therapy. That said, it's still tricky. You'll need to be located in the same state as your therapist and you'll need to see if your insurance covers couples therapy.

No information if you need to cancel or change your appointment

As we have found with most online couples therapy companies, Octave doesn't put their cancellation or appointment-change policy online. You'll have to inquire directly with the company, although we understand that if you miss a session with Octave with less than 24-hours notice, there's a $100 cancellation fee which will be placed on the credit card they have on file (not billed to insurance).

No discounts that we're aware of

Their website doesn't mention discounts for military, seniors, or other groups. Your only chance of not paying full price for couples sessions is probably through your health insurance.

Almost half of the reviewers were very satisfied

In one survey of over 100 users of Octave, more than 40% of the clients gave them very good or excellent in their overall satisfaction. It surprises us that for Octave, an organization with almost 200 counselors, there aren't more online reviews for customer satisfaction. Perhaps it's because therapy is a sensitive subject. The good news is that there aren't negative comments under the Better Business Bureau or anywhere easily accessible online.

We're fans but price and location will be limiting factors for some

Octave can match you and your partner with one of almost 200 counselors and 20 languages. You can get to know them professionally and personally in their extensive bios and even see a photo before you get started. The added personal section about each therapist really put us at ease in relating to them as actual people. This combination of three science-based methods for helping you both as a couple and individually work together for long-term positive changes. They do take insurance in some cases, but without insurance, they are by far the priciest of our recommended companies; and the biggest caveat is that if you don't live in Washington, DC or six other states, you can't get therapy at all.

Regain

• From $60 to $90 per week, billed every four weeks
• Video, audio, or live chat
• Unlimited messaging to the therapist
• All therapists are specialized in couples counseling
• Meet with the therapist individually or as a couple

Regain is pleasantly different. All of their counselors specialize in couples and family counseling and have at least a Master's Degree in their field of practice. Regain itself doesn't hire therapists; instead, they help therapists help people.

It's all about the portal

Regain provides the registration, the questionnaire, and the therapist/patient portal. It's through the portal that you'll have your video sessions, audio sessions, live chat sessions, and have access to messaging the therapist. For couples therapy, you'll give your partner access to the portal so you each can have access to the online sessions as well as message the counselor. The prices are pretty reasonable, although they can vary by $30 per session, and the session length is determined by the individual counselor.

They narrow their practice to experts in couples therapy

Regain specializes in couples therapy, where many other online companies have couples therapy as just one of their options of counseling from which to select. This means that all of Regain's counselors specialize in couples, where in other cases, the number of couples counseling experts may be few.

Highly qualified in couples therapy

The therapists in the Regain group have at least a Master's Degree in their field, have been qualified and certified in their state, and have at least three years and 1,000 hours of hands-on experience. They also have interest and expertise in relationship therapy and are willing to work with both individuals and couples.

Thorough get-to-know your questionnaire for just you or you both

When you sign up with Regain, you'll fill out a thorough questionnaire to know more about the challenges you have, what you'd like to achieve in therapy, and what kind of therapist you'd like to work with. You can invite your partner into the site at any time, but Regain encourages you to invite them during the initial questionnaire so their history and goals can be included.

Your counselor match can be pretty spot on

When you register, you'll be matched with a therapist who fits your goals, preferences, and the sort of issues you are dealing with. Some of these issues might include stress, addictions, sleeping issues, eating disorders, trauma, family conflicts, parenting, LGBTQ+ matters, and more, and there are therapists who have special interest in these areas. You'll receive the name of your therapist within a few hours up to a few days.

You can remain anonymous

Your information is confidential; in fact, Regain doesn't even ask for your full name or your contact information. Choose a nickname, if you prefer, which will be your identity in the system. The only thing they will need to be revealed is emergency contact information, and that's kept safe in their system. Of course, your therapist can access that name and contact info if they feel you are in danger and need to tell your loved one.

Available 24/7

Regain understands people's busy schedules and offers therapy any day of the week and any time of day. This isn't common, but it's certainly refreshing.

How the chat room works

The Regain system will give you an assigned chat room, which is open 24/7. You can enter at any time to write about yourself, what's going on with you and your partner, discuss what's bothering you, and ask questions. You and your invited-to-the-site partner are able to chat at any time with the therapist. Remember, the room is private among you three, so whatever you write, all three of you can see. Your therapist will offer feedback, insight, and guidance as they learn about your issues and help you move forward to accomplish your goals.

There's also video or audio sessions

You can have video sessions, and that can be done individually or with your partner. Your partner can share your screen or they can be in a different place on their own screen. Sessions are live, 30-45 minutes, depending on the therapist.

Pricing is reasonable

The price is $60 - $90 per week, billed every four weeks, and pricing depends on your location, your preferences, and the availability of therapists. You'll have a credit card or PayPal on file and you'll be billed on a recurring basis.

Change or cancel at any time

You can change or cancel your Regain membership at any time and for any reason. Just log in to your account, click the icon at the top right corner of the page and choose Billing Settings and Quit Therapy. You'll pay the four weeks in advance, but if you cancel during that month there's no information if you get a refund on the remaining part of the month.

Either no discount or may depend on the individual therapist

No discounts are mentioned, so you can ask your therapist if there are any that they offer, since this is a network service.

A ton of free articles

On the Advice tab, scroll down and you'll see almost 130 articles on marriage and relationships, and they're all available at no cost. Read about marriage counseling, common marriage problems and what to do about them, how to seduce your spouse (!), how to make your relationship interesting again, and, well, over a hundred more.

Very happy patients

Many patients love Regain and give it a full five-star rating. We've seen many reviews where people are thrilled with the match they made with the therapist and received exactly the type of help they're looking for. A vast majority of participants found Regain to be affordable and a good or excellent value, and almost 90% were extremely satisfied with their therapist.

Misplaced criticisms

Still, we also found some reviews from people who were reportedly less than satisfied with Regain. Most of their complaints had to do with their particular therapist. For example, people weren't happy if their therapist was late for a session or didn't show for some reason. Frankly, we view these criticisms as more to do with the therapist rather than the Regain service. If you're not happy with the therapist you've selected, you can always switch to a different one or request a refund.

So much to love

Regain matches you with an experienced couples therapist who's compatible with your therapy goals. They provide a portal for your sessions and for messaging your therapist at any time. Because it's a network and they all specialize in couples therapy, there are quite a few therapists to choose from, indicating a great possibility of a good match. Plus, there's the option to switch therapists if it's not the best match. We like that the portal can be anonymous, can give access to both partners, and that you can message your therapist at any time. Regain is a strong option you should consider when looking at online couples therapy services.

Online-Therapy

• $110 for a month of 45-minute sessions
• Complete toolbox of materials to supplement your sessions
• Yoga and meditation videos available for relaxation
• You're matched with a therapist the instant you register
• Message your counselor as many times as you need

Online Therapy is so much more than therapy. You'll receive the traditional 45-minute video, audio, or live chat sessions you'll find with other online couples therapy services. But with Online Therapy, you get more.

Fill out the worksheet

You have a few pages to read and a worksheet to complete, as these will be the basis of your therapy session. You'll also get an online journal, have access to yoga and meditation videos, and you can message your therapist whenever you have questions or "a-ha!" moments. The price is a bit higher, but the resources are plenty. When have you ever been able to message a provider whenever you need to? Well, with Online Therapy you can.

Get to know your conselor

As soon as you click submit to register, you'll be assigned a therapist specially matched to meet the responses you put on your questionnaire. If you want to change therapists due to scheduling differences or other reasons, you can. Unlike most couples therapy sites, you can't see photos and bios of the counselors just by selecting that tab on the Online Therapy website.

Easy and pleasant sign up

Signing up is not only easy, it's almost a pleasure. There are a few short questions to get to know you. What's nice is that they are multiple choice, so click as many or as few that fit your situation; and give Online Therapy your contact number to set up the appointment. With the multiple choice, you're not writing an essay and wondering if you've divulged too much or too little about your personal life and background. Rather, a few good questions, and win/win.

Traditional and well-respected approach

Online Therapy uses CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, which is one of the most commonly used approaches in counseling. It helps you manage your difficulties by changing the way you think and act.

Self-directed approach

It's a little different, but Online Therapy has assignments that they call sections. You read, complete the worksheets, and journal daily. You may message the therapist at any time during the week if you have questions or want to share a moment you just had. Then at the end of the week, you and your partner will have a video session with a therapist. We love all the resources, but the approach is mostly self-directed. Not only that, you'll have a pre-set eight sections total to work through. It seems almost like you're working through a textbook rather than individualized therapy. That said, there really are some great resources that Online Therapy offers that you won't find with the other online couples therapy platforms in our review.

A plethora of resources

You and your partner will work with a therapist and you'll also have access to worksheets, reading sections, and a daily journal. There's also an activity plan to remember to add a little sparkle to your day, while yoga and meditation add a little calm to your day. The most unique thing is that Online Therapy allows unlimited messaging to your therapist while you're working on yourself throughout the week. At the end of the week, you and your partner will have a 45-minute live session via live video, voice, or text chatting. It's a unique approach.

You don't have to talk via video

If it doesn't work for you to do video conferencing, there's an audio-only option, or you could choose to do the live chat. Online Therapy wants to make online couples therapy work for you and your needs.

It might only take a month to feel better

Cognitive behavioral therapy combined with Online Therapy's helpful resources might help you to start feeling like you can handle it on your own in about a month. Other clients recommend sticking with the therapy for months so that you have more time to process all the information and work through all eight sections, and build the foundation for long-term change in yourself and your relationship.

Monthly subscription

When you sign up with Online Therapy, you'll pay for the first month up front, and then your card is kept on file for subsequent months. You'll get one 45-minute video visit per week and all the helpful resources. You'll find that some of the therapy options on our list have the monthly subscription paid up front where others have you pay as you go on a per-session basis. Neither is better or worse.

Photo and bio of your therapist

Your therapist is chosen for you based on the answers to your questionnaire. You'll receive the name and photo of your therapist even before you make the first payment. They, or their photo avatar, will walk you through as you complete the rest of the sign-up process. Once you start therapy, if you find out that this therapist isn't right for you, you can request a change at any time. You can always take a peek at the About Us section of the website if you'd like to see photos and bios of all the staff, including the CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) Consultant and those on the Medical Review Board.

Smaller number of therapists to choose from

It looks like there are about a dozen therapists with Online Therapy, and you can read about their educational history, their specialties, and which language(s) they speak. One caveat: with this smaller number of therapists, there may be a few who specialize in couples therapy; meaning, if you need to change therapists, how many more are left for you to choose from?

Therapists available on weekdays only

Online Therapy's providers are available Monday through Friday and they can extend a bit beyond the typical workday hours depending on your time zone. If, however, your therapist's hours don't work for you, you can request to try someone else. If you still can't get someone to work with your schedule, you might need to consider the other highly-rated online therapy platforms in our review that can meet during extended weekday hours or on the weekends.

Therapy session and tons of materials for $110 per session

You'll receive 45 minutes of therapy for $110 per session, and an available 20% discount will reduce the first month to $88 per week. This is a subscription, so you'll pay upfront for each month. With each month's subscription, you and your partner will receive 45 minutes of counseling, unlimited messaging to your therapist, 25 worksheets, yoga and meditation videos, an activity plan, a journal, and "how am I doing" tests to mark your progress. The sign-up box on their website says there's individual therapy included, but we didn't see anything about that in the written description of the membership.

Change appointment or cancel altogether with just a click

You can cancel an appointment with your therapist with just a click and you can also cancel your subscription with a click. If you forget to go to Online Therapy's sessions, there usually isn't a refund as the therapists would have been paid for their time.

Discount for everyone

The only discount available is a 20% reduction for your first month.

Reviews are positive overall

Clients of Online Therapy love that it helps keep them calm, reduces their stress, and helps them grow. They say the counselors are easy to talk with and help put them at ease. One noted that it's pricey, but the counselors are so helpful that the price didn't hold them back. Therapy via telemedicine in itself is highly recommended as it is freeing, versus the rigid scheduling of a time where you have enough time to both get there in-person and have the actual session. Only one person we saw said Online Therapy felt a bit impersonal and automated as there are eight set sessions to follow.

It's really unique - in a good way

Not only will you and your partner have time with the counselor together over video chat, you'll take time individually to read and learn more in each "section" text. You'll also work individually on worksheets and journaling. If you have questions, you can message your counselor at any time. Still a bit stressed? Use their meditation or yoga videos to de-stress. These features are unique and we love them.

Good, with room to improve

The biggest issue we had was that Online Therapy seemed a bit programmed with a format of eight sections or units of study/practice. We also wish that it were a bit cheaper and that it weren't a monthly subscription/obligation, but at least you know you've dedicated that amount of time to yourself and each other. We also would like to see the bios and photos of the therapists to round out the "who's who" of the site. Online Therapy comes up a little short of earning our highest ranking, but it's still an excellent resource for couples with some novel features.

Couples Therapy

• From $150 to $300 per 80-minute session
• Practitioners trained in the Gottman Method
• Three-month personalized plan
• 80-minute sessions
• Free course about their therapy

Couples Therapy offers a customized program which is intended to be completed in three months, is science-based, and delivered by their therapists, many of whom have over twenty years of experience in this field.

Qualified therapists

All the therapists at Couples Therapy have completed rigorous post-graduate work specifically for couples therapy, and they have monthly meetings to keep everyone up to date. You can find someone to work with you in any state of your relationship: a potential spouse; relationship coaching; marriage counseling; sex topics; affair recovery; and relationship discernment, which is knowing when to keep and when to leave a relationship.

Take the first BIG step

There's a quite lengthy online assessment they call The BIG BIG Book. When you each complete the Book, you will learn more about yourselves, each other, and the relationship, and so will your therapist. More details about this assessment are available in the free course that Couples Therapy offers.

Pricing and other information is tough to find

Pricing isn't listed on the website so we messaged Couples Therapy for that information. Although they did respond quickly, there still wasn't an answer. They just said it varies by state and therapist. You'll need to email them again by informing them of your state so they could make recommendations for therapists there.

Difficult to get answers

We also contacted them with a list of questions, but they didn't answer any of them. The reply seemed quite stock and frankly, disappointing. They encouraged us via email to call for a phone consultation, but frankly no - please put all pricing information directly on your website. The pricing we posted is based on information we found elsewhere through our research, as it wasn't available from the website or the staff we emailed a few times.

Three-month plan or couples retreat?

You and your partner will receive three months of your personally-designed therapy plan via video conferencing. You can choose instead to attend a couples weekend retreat which costs $3,500.

Why 80-minute sessions?

The traditional 45-60 minute sessions for individual therapy should be enough to work with one person in therapy. When there's a couple, that's not enough time to get to the issues that each one is facing while also assuring time for interactions such as fighting or bickering, silence, and interruptions that may naturally occur with couples in distress. Eighty minutes allows for these relationship factors, and Couples Therapy recognizes that.

When you're available, they're available

With Couples Therapy, more than 25 clinicians are available 20 hours per day, seven days a week.

They say they're culturally diverse

Working with international couples, including military spouses overseas, is something Couples Therapy says is one of their specialties. They recognize and honor cultural variations as many of the therapists have lived abroad or traveled extensively. Some counselors are bilingual or trilingual. Only you can determine if that's enough for you, if you're looking for someone diverse and this company says that's their specialty.

Discounts? Probably not

There is no mention of discounts for military or others; nor is there a multi-session reduction in rate.

Canceling appointments: more info, please

There's no information on the website about how to cancel an appointment and how much lead time you'll need to do so. There's also no information on what happens if you miss an appointment.

Added resources

There's a free course you can take on couples therapy, but in reality much of it is talking about their company and its offerings. Some of the modules include slightly helpful videos with introspective questions that follow. You can purchase their ebooks on military marriages, infidelity, and spiritual connection. Their blog contains hundreds of articles illustrating science-based couples therapy as well as pragmatic techniques you can use to help strengthen the bond with your partner.

It sounds all well and good, but there's a lot that's missing

Couples Therapy encourages couples with the science-based Gottman Method; reassurance with the three-month therapy window; and the variety of focus, from relationships in the dating phase to marriage, to affairs and affair recovery. While your head is spinning from them selling you on their method and their experienced therapists, there's no mention on their site of actual cost per session, how many sessions you'll need and pay for in three months, how to cancel an appointment, and what happens if you miss a session. That's a lot of key - and potentially expensive - information to exclude.

Customer satisfaction is high

In one survey, almost 2/3 of the participants rated Couples Therapy as good or very good. The same survey had more than 40% say the services ranged from only somewhat affordable to not affordable. Of those who did complete the program, 90% said they were more than satisfied with the program and it was a good value for the money they spent. In another independent survey, over 80% would recommend Couples Therapy to friends or family.

It may be worth the money, if you can figure out how much it costs

If you and your partner are willing and able to commit to the financial and time obligation that a three-month window requires, plus completing The BIG BIG Book questionnaire, Couples Therapy combined with your efforts just might see you through the tough times and leave you as a stronger and happier couple. Be sure to ask about your price per session, any discounts, and their policy on missed or changing appointments when you have your consultation, and we hope they are more direct in their answers with you than they were with us.

Growing Self

• From $65 to $135 for 45-minute sessions
• $210 for a 60-minute session with a doctoral-level counselor
• Sliding-scale pricing available
• Free resources online
• Choice of counseling or coaching
• Easy to get started

Growing Self's name is quite apropos: learn about yourself and your partner and make the commitment to continue growing as individuals and together. Growing Self has been around for more than ten years, and with about 50 counselors and life coaches, there's bound to be at least one that you and your partner will find as a good fit to help you through your journey.

Pricing on a sliding scale

Their pricing is on a sliding scale, where the counselors with the most experience and highest degrees will cost more, and there's a chance to lower prices for those in financial need. Be aware that finding out actual pricing may take some work as it's not readily available on their website nor included with the bios and photos of the therapists. Sessions are available evenings and weekends and last 45 minutes. It's super easy to sign up and get started as the questionnaire may only take a minute.

About the founder

Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby is a licensed therapist and founder of Growing Self and is also a lifelong learner. She's learned about herself along the way, even the parts of her that were a bit unpleasant. She got support, learned more about what she has to offer as a person, that she's a helper, and loves learning about growth. All this and other experiences led her to being a marriage and family therapist and working with so many individuals and couples online. What she wants for you is love, happiness, and success, and she and her colleagues want to support you along the way.

So many coaches and counselors to choose from

Growing Self has more than fifty coaches and counselors to help. You can see their bios and photos online, so you and your partner can choose the therapist or coach that would meet your specific needs. It's nice to be able to choose your couples counselor with your partner and know you both made that decision.

Take the first step

Take a quick survey. They just want to know the type of service you want and a brief description of your situation. They then want to know if you're looking for a counselor who's more experienced or more affordable, or if they should just choose the best fit for you. Give them your email, and you'll hear from Growing Self soon.

Video sessions at your convenience

Begin with a free consultation with the expert of your choice to determine if he or she is a good fit for your goals, then set up your appointments. That's it. Staff are available for video sessions early mornings, later evenings, and weekends to accommodate most schedules.

Helpful info on the website

There's a free "How Healthy is Your Relationship" quiz, personal questionnaires, dating and marriage questionnaires, info on life coaching, their podcast and blog, and a whole library of relationship advice (located on the blog).

Help from dating to marriage and beyond

Whether you are at the beginning of a relationship, about to make that big commitment, are newly married, or have been married for many years, Growing Self's counselors can help. If you're not quite sure if you're ready for this, there's basically a FAQ for each type of counseling to learn more about it, and find out which is right for you. There's dating coaching, premarital counseling, relationship counseling and coaching, and parent coaching. There's even breakup/divorce recovery if you end up at that point.

Relationship coaching vs. couples therapy?

Therapy is for one's behavioral health; in other words, helping you look introspectively at yourself so you can work to change your behaviors or help you heal. The goal is insight. Coaching is for personal growth. You're not looking inside and trying to fix or heal something; you're looking forward, getting a plan of action to achieve your personal goals. The goal is achieving. Growing Self has both therapists and coaches, and you could work with one or the other - or both.

Frustrating to navigate the site and get a clear price

Finding out the price of sessions through Growing Self is a huge headache. You'll scroll to the bottom of the page to click on pricing. Then there are pages and pages of motivation, like just as a wedding is an expensive investment, keeping your marriage with marriage counseling is also a financial investment; there's quite a long story about a man named Patrick who asked about pricing but learned that therapy is so much more than dollars yada yada yada, how keeping a marriage with counseling isn't as expensive as the alternative, and how marriage counseling is priceless. Good gracious, get to the point. If you have the patience to keep looking, and frankly, we almost lost interest, you may actually find the price.

Finally, the price

Pages and pages down in the pricing section, you'll find that depending on the level of experience of the therapist, you can pay between $65 and $135 per 45-minute session. $65 is for someone early in their career, working on their Masters, who works closely with someone licensed in marriage and family counseling. With their income-based sliding scale, you might be able to qualify for the $65 rate. Growing Self's advanced clinicians will charge $135; they have been in practice for a while and might be working on advanced degrees at the same time. These advanced clinicians are the ones we would suggest. You can also get someone with a doctorate who might be worth the money at $160 for 45 minutes and $210 for a 60-minute session.

Start out weekly

If you're looking for a short-term plan, consider weekly sessions. Once you're in it for eight to ten weeks, they might suggest meeting every two weeks at that point; then, make it once a month as the changes you're working on become solidified. One other point they make is that those who find significant changes in their relationship usually have dedicated themselves to attending twelve to sixteen sessions.

Discounts aren't offered

There's no mention of discounts, whether for military or other professions, nor is there mention of multiple-session discounts.

Customer satisfaction is decent

Growing Self has an "A+" rating with the Better Business Bureau. Their rating is not coupled with customer reviews, positive or negative, or complaints to the BBB. Client comments beyond the BBB indicated that they found a therapist to meet their needs, and most projected they would continue with their therapist for six months or even more than a year. Another survey found that 90% gave it a thumb's up and a majority would choose Growing Self if they were to do it all over.

We like their approach, but wish they would have more information

With about fifty counselors and coaches, you're bound to find someone that you and your partner can work with at Growing Self. You can choose that person or let them choose for you. They have extended hours including weekends, and there are several free sources available on their website. When you contact them, be sure to ask about possible discounts and what their cancellation policy is. And of course, be sure to ask about the price per session. We wish that this platform was much more upfront with the details, but Growing Self still ranks as above-average among online couples therapy options out there.

Relationship Hero

• From $80 to $250 per session
• Message a coach at any time of day or night
• Focus forward, not on past issues
• Coaches undergo 160 hours of training by Relationship Hero
• Option for group coaching sessions

Relationship Hero offers coaches who will help you work through your relationship issues. It's not therapy, where the therapist might delve into your past to work on issues that affect your life and couplehood; it's coaching, where coaches help you with issues you or your relationship face today and how to work through them to have a better tomorrow.

Coach training

Each coach with this organization goes through extensive Relationship Hero training to both ensure cohesiveness among coaches and gain your confidence. You'll meet via video, phone, or messaging, and their coaches are available any time you need to reach out via messaging. Pricing varies quite a bit between coaches, and the price range for these coaches can be similar to actual therapists who have university degrees and certifications in their area of practice.

This is couples coaching, not therapy

Therapy is typically designed to work with the individual as well as the couple to look at their life history and experiences which might affect what's happening today between you both. Couples coaching, like what's offered through Relationship Hero, aims to help the couple pinpoint the dynamics each person brings to the relationship as well as identify their relationship goals and to then move forward to a new level of behavioral patterns or a peaceful way to separate amicably. The coach looks at your "sticking points," such as repeated arguments over the same thing or arguments over a new, upsetting event. The goal is not to focus on the sticking point, but rather to shift the thinking through exercises and contemplation.

Coaching certification

Most of us know that therapists need to have degrees and certification in order to practice, but many of us don't know what certifications, if any, a life coach might have. Relationship Hero has their own 160-hour training program to be sure that their coaches meet the expectations of the organization. They complete modules, take written exams, and participate in mock coaching sessions with their staff. If you're interested, the curriculum they have to follow is right there on the website, including the objectives of each of the nine modules, or units, that they study and practice.

They offer both individual sessions and couple sessions

Relationship Hero suggests signing up for both individual sessions as well as couple sessions in order to identify and work through specific patterns that you might have, both as individuals as well as both of you in partnership, to work forward to build a stable foundation of successful communication.

How long are the sessions? We don't know

There's a mention on the Relationship Hero site that the sessions are an hour, but that may be for the first session only. Reviewers have said they have had both 30- and 45-minute sessions.

They offer group coaching, which is unique

What seems distinct to Relationship Hero is that they offer group coaching, a concept that's been trending over the past few years. It's a way to not only share your experiences but also learn from others' stories. Between two and twelve people from anywhere in the world will meet virtually to talk about a certain topic. You'll address key issues, gain an awareness around emotions and accountability, and set goals. It's motivational to have people with situations in common in one room to share and be guided together. Research says that when we're in a group situation and we observe others being coached, our brain is more receptive to the suggestions made to other people, since when people address us personally, a part of us may shut down from being on the defensive.

So many (young) coaches

There are almost 80 coaches to choose from, and you can see their photo, bio, level of coaching (master coach, senior coach, and so on), applicable university degrees if any, fluent languages, and their pronouns. If you're a person who's a bit, well, seasoned age-wise, these coaches might seem a bit young and may not relate to the lifelong experiences you have had. If that's not an issue for you, or if you are younger yourself, you should definitely find someone compatible on the Relationship Hero roster.

They come up with a plan for you as the very first step

When you're ready to get started, there's a profile questionnaire which lets the coach know about your personalities and your relationships. From there, the coach applies their Relationship Profiling Framework to determine the core issues. After that, the coach will ask more about your relationship situation on a deeper level and the goals you wish to achieve. Next, they will indicate potential roadblocks they can work with you on overcoming, perhaps some roadblocks you may not have even recognized. Finally, they will communicate what they believe should be attainable in the next few weeks or months, as well as what you could do right away to help you take a step toward meeting that goal, perhaps journaling, meditation, or something different. Yes, this is all done in the first step.

Connect how you like

You can have a video, phone, or messaging session. Relationship Hero wants to meet you where you are.

Always available

When things come up as you're working on your goals, you'll have access to Relationship Hero's 100+ coaches at any time of the day or night.

Accountability and adaptability

Your coach will hold you accountable for any actions you may have made that aren't aligned with your goals, and as your situation unfolds with ongoing coaching, your coach may adapt and change the path a bit to accommodate this.

Pricing varies depending on the coach

The price can vary quite a bit from coach to coach: $80 - $250 per hour. There are applicable discounts if you sign up for "larger purchases" , but they don't define what they mean by that.

You can cancel the subscription

You can cancel your Relationship Hero subscription at any time with a click on your settings page. Since this is all the information they offer on their page, we don't know if you'll receive a refund for any pre-paid sessions with this subscription.

People love it

Clients of Relationship Hero seem to be quite satisfied with the online couples therapy they receive. On Trustpilot, over 90% of those surveyed gave them five stars, with only 2% giving them one or two stars. Of the few that were dissatisfied, one asked for a coach at least 40 years of age so they could relate to the client (remember, it seems most of the coaches are quite young), and the client was accused of asking for a dating site. Two others said they had challenges with refunds.

It's good for coaching but not for therapy

We like that these coaches have gone extensive training with Relationship Hero ensuring consistency and confidence. We also like that you can message back and forth with a coach whenever you need it. As long as you understand that Relationship Hero offers only coaches and no counselors or therapists as well what that means for you and their approach, and you're aware that their coaches may charge as much as a therapist does, you might be as satisfied as so many who have loved this organization. If you'll want to delve into your past issues or traumas that affect your relationships today, check out the other highly-recommended providers on our list with counselors or therapists who can do that.

Ritual

• $260 per month
• $663 for a 3-month subscription ($221 per month)
• $1,170 for a 6-month subscription ($195 per month)
• Trained therapists and social workers
• Clear pricing and discounts for multi-month subscriptions
• Seven sessions per month, both individually as as a couple
• Readings and daily activities provided

Ritual calls their therapists and social workers "experts," and they will guide you and your partner in your work individually and together to improve yourselves and your relationship.

Pre-set curriculum can be good and bad

You'll spend a month or more on each Pathway that you are assigned, where you'll read and do daily exercises before you meet weekly one-on-one with your expert for 20 minutes and then once per month as a couple for an "extended session." The advantage to the Pathway is that there's a set curriculum and homework, if you will, that the company has researched and approved. The disadvantage is that you might feel put into a box rather than feel like people as individuals and a unique couple.

Their "experts" are trained therapists and social workers

Ritual calls their session-leaders experts. Some digging found that they are actually trained therapists and not coaches, but that key information isn't found at the onset. The team consists of psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and clinical social workers. They use the science-backed methodology of Emotionally Focused Therapy, which is a method of strengthening the bond between couples, as well as the Gottman Method where the focus is to build the relationship while decreasing conflict.

First step is... a surprise?

When you show interest in signing up, Ritual will give you the pricing, and you can choose the per-month method or the discounted, multiple-month subscription. You'll fill out a survey, but it's kind of a surprise as to what they will ask you, since they don't tell you about it at all ahead of time.

How it works

First you'll get a session with one of Ritual's experts to explore your needs and goals, to make sure their guidance is fitting and effective for you. Based on that, you'll get a personalized plan. You'll work daily to move forward on your own and then have weekly sessions with your expert. The personalized plan is actually one of their units or Pathways which they'll choose to match your needs. Each Pathway can take one to two months to complete before you move on to the next one. Weekly, you'll meet individually for 20 minutes with your expert and once monthly as a couple for an extended session.

You can remain anonymous

You don't need to include your real name for your profile. If keeping your personal information safe is important to you, they won't pressure you to share it. You will know the real names of the Ritual staff, though, and that's important to them.

Both individual and couples sessions each month

In each month, you'll receive three private, twenty-minute sessions for each of you and there will be one extended joint session. We find that the price per month isn't expensive per session when you realize that there are seven sessions per month. You'll need to realize that each individual session is only 20 minutes. They're meant for you to check in with your progress on your daily assignments, and that's why they're so short. If you want to delve in, you'll probably find that the allotted time will definitely cut you off.

You have two weeks to decide if it works for you

There's a 14-day money-back guarantee. That's a big win over many of the online couples therapy providers we reviewed.

Discount for a longer subscription

There's a discount for a three- or six-month subscription to Ritual.

There are so many unanswered questions

Let's start with how long the sessions are. You have to dig to find that the individual check-in sessions are 20 minutes, which is the shortest length we've ever seen. We didn't see how long the "extended'' joint sessions are, when you meet as a couple. We don't know if you meet live via video, phone, or live chat during these sessions. There is a cancellation policy, but it's not clear if you'll get any money back if you haven't used the month's worth of sessions. Ritual also doesn't make it clear if you can switch experts midstream or how many experts there are to choose from.

And the questions keep coming

It doesn't state the days and times the therapists are available and if you can meet outside the normal workday, such as early morning, late evening, or even on weekends. You don't see bios or photos of the experts on Ritual's staff to get to know them a bit before you are assigned or meet them. We don't know what languages they speak or what their area of expertise is. We also don't know if you can only meet via video, or if there's a phone or chat option available for the live sessions. What's really sad is that we feel that we're on a need-to-know basis with Ritual, and they're telling us there's not much we need to know. We disagree.

Are clients satisfied? We don't know

We couldn't really find any reviews on Ritual, and we're not sure why, so an additional unanswered question is if their clients rate them as excellent and if they would highly recommend them. Add that to the list of unanswered questions.

Room for improvement

If Ritual were to update their site and include major pertinent information, we could consider what they offer in making our rating decision. That said, there really are some benefits to Ritual. The Pathways are predetermined and approved by the administrators, they provide daily work to help you meet your goals, and there are seven live sessions you'll get per month, which you won't see with any other program - just keep in mind that the individual sessions are 20 minutes and only meant as a check-in.

We can't rate them highly

There are just too many unanswered questions here. If you want time for real therapy or if you want therapist platforms with clearer information, we have several highly-rated services for online couples therapy we'd recommend before choosing Ritual.

Talkspace

• $436 per month for four sessions
• $396 per month if you pay quarterly for the weekly sessions
• Multiple therapists selected for your choice
• Communicate via text, voice, or video messaging at any time
• Unlimited texting to your therapist
• Some insurance accepted

With Talkspace, there's couples counseling for couples in any stage, from premarital to long-term relationships and married couples. Talkspace is the only company we saw that offers psychiatry as well as therapy in their online care, and they even take insurance, which is also quite rare.

About the therapists

You and your partner will have four live sessions together per month with your therapist, and you can message your therapist as many times as you need. What's also nice is that they'll match you up with more than one therapist to choose from, and that's unusual. Therapists with Talkspace are only available on weekdays, both for appointments and for replying to your texts, so if you need to hear from them or see them on the weekend, you'll have to choose a different service.

Talkspace started about ten years ago

About ten years ago, Roni and Oren Frank created Talkspace. Its goals are to make therapy more convenient, accessible, and affordable for everyone. They started by offering in-person group therapy and now clients can choose to send a video, voice message or text to their therapist at any time, any day of the week (though replies are limited to weekdays).

There's a plan to get you on the right track

Talkspace wants you to know what you'll get from couples therapy. You'll identify the issues to work on, rediscover the strengths of your relationship, gain insight into patterns that cause problems in your relationship, practice strategies for solving problems and resolving conflict, learn communication tools to restore trust, and feel supported with the offer of messaging your therapist at any time.

Wherever you are in your relationship, they can help

Talkspace offers relationship counseling. Wherever you are in your relationship, married or not, there may be bumps in the road to overcome. They offer you support and structure as you learn conflict resolution, communication techniques, and to build a healthier and more loving relationship. There's marriage counseling to allow you to take on the tough times in a safe and loving space, getting to the root of the issues and strategies for working through them. There's also premarital counseling as preparing a wedding can be quite stressful. The therapist can help you to start out your married life on a solid foundation by learning to communicate, identify values, and match expectations about major life decisions such as having children.

Create an account then talk with someone who matches you with your therapist

First, you'll create an account. Afterwards you'll have a free consultation with a therapist on staff who matches you with a provider by asking you various questions. They'll also let you know how Talkspace works. You can ask whatever questions you like and have an immediate answer since this conversation is live.

They match you with more than one therapist

With most agencies, you'll get matched with one therapist or life coach, and if after trying them, you'd like to switch, you can. With Talkspace, you start out with more than one therapist match, and you can choose whomever, or ask for someone different. Give them a few days to get that list out to you.

Who are the therapists?

There are many therapists in the Talkspace network, but you'll have to choose someone who is licensed in your state. You can go to the website to find therapists, click on your state, and see who's available. They provide their photo, degree, a bio, their specialties, and what methods of communication they use. Most use live chat, video, phone, and messaging. You can also find out how long they have been practicing, when they joined Talkspace, and what language(s) they speak. You can only see the therapists who are licensed in your state.

Start your first session

Once you choose your therapist, you can message them at any time, any day of the week. They are asked to respond twice a day, weekdays only, so don't expect an immediate message back.

Both live sessions and unlimited messaging

With couples therapy, you'll get four live 45-minute sessions with your therapist. You can also message them via text, audio, or video message as many times as you need.

Their therapists are more than qualified

Each Talkspace therapist must have one of four qualifying degrees in their field, and each of those degrees requires a Masters. There are some who have a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. All of them have at least 3,000 hours of clinical experience completed.

Sometimes you need some help just for yourself

As you work on your relationship via the online sessions with both your partner and you, you might discover that you want time alone with a therapist to work on some issues. You and the therapist can talk about that as there are therapists who could do individual therapy with you or your partner. The fees are different for individual therapy, so be sure to inquire.

Psychiatry is available

Talkspace is the only online couples therapy platform we have seen with a psychiatrist on staff to see you. You can see them on an individual appointment basis; it's not part of the subscription plan. They charge $249 for the initial evaluation and $125 for sessions after that.

They take insurance

When you have the initial appointment for matching with a Talkspace therapist, they'll ask you if you want to use insurance. There are a few caveats on this that we're sure they can address, one being that couples therapy may not be included in your plan.

Unlimited messaging

You can message your therapist as many times as you need, and you can expect one or more responses per day, as long as it's a weekday. There is a "reply-by" button that the clients can see when they might expect a reply by the therapist. This way you won't need to keep checking back to find out if the therapist has responded.

Change or cancel appointment

You can cancel your subscription online at any time. That said, any time not used during the time you have paid for is non-refundable, so you might want to start with the monthly plan before you jump into the cheaper, quarterly plan, just in case.

Initial discount

There's a $100 discount taken off your first month. That might not combine with any insurance benefits you're using to cover your Talkspace fees.

Is it love...

Clients are happy that they can text their therapist at any time and look forward to the notification that there's a response waiting for them. One survey found that a third of the users felt that the therapists at Talkspace were more qualified than therapists at other places, and more than 85% rated the quality of their therapist anywhere from good to excellent. In the same survey, no one rated them worse than other therapists. More than 80% would recommend them to friends or family. The Better Business Bureau has given Talkspace a "B" rating and has 65 reviews.

...or is it hate?

However, we also found quite a few complaints about Talkspace. Issues include being billed yet not having a therapist, taking weeks or more before getting a therapist, if at all, and lack of communication from Talkspace when a problem arose, especially when they didn't get a refund for services not rendered. Talkspace has a 1.3 average on Trustpilot, and the main complaint is that the therapist has either canceled or rescheduled at the last minute and that they couldn't receive a full refund (Talkspace says they will not give a refund, but come on).

Looks great on paper

You will see that Talkspace's goal is to provide accessible and affordable care for all. However, we're not finding it as affordable as rivals who offer online couples therapy. You do get more services than just four sessions per month with your therapist. You get unlimited messaging to them, and they will reply back to you when they can Monday through Friday. For the degrees that Talkspace says that their therapists have, those degrees require at least a Masters and they are required to have 3,000 hours under their belt. In other words, on paper, Talkspace is great.

Customer complaints killed their rating

The problem is that users have found that if the therapists have canceled appointments or changed last minute, Talkspace won't give a refund or extention. And if you communicate when there's a problem, Talkspace doesn't answer, nor do they offer to help. So this program is great as long as you don't encounter a problem. But since it's definitely within the realm of possibility that you'll have an issue at some point, Talkspace's rating reflects that reality.