Since HelpGuide was founded in 1999 as a nonprofit organization, we have had one mission: to empower people with the knowledge and skills they need to strengthen their mental health and well-being. As part of our mission, a big part of our focus has been to provide trustworthy, well-researched health information that people can actually put into use to improve their lives and the lives of those they care about. Now, we are bringing those same values and principles to our reviews of online mental health services.
HelpGuide’s editors, writers, and other production, social media, and SEO staff spent over 300 hours conducting user surveys, gathering data on 87 online therapy and psychiatry services, and personally testing 14 platforms for at least one month each. We spent many more hours consulting with mental health experts, including members of our Professional Advisory Council, about what to look for and how to best assess the benefits and drawbacks of online therapy and psychiatry sites. There was no outside influence or any testing or assessment not conducted by members of the HelpGuide team.
As noted on our Affiliate Disclosure page, HelpGuide has relationships with a number of online therapy brands and earns a commission when you sign up for therapy using our links. However, when we test, review, and rank online therapy platforms, we do so without bias. Just as the rest of the HelpGuide website is free from outside influence from advertisers, sponsors, or business affiliates, we’ve made sure that our online therapy and psychiatry reviews are, too. That’s what makes us unique: as a nonprofit, you can trust that our mission to help people improve their mental health will always be prioritized over making money.
Of course, no methodology is flawless, and we appreciate that some users’ experiences may be very different from our own or the real users we survey. As always, we welcome feedback from our readers about any review or other piece of content on HelpGuide. You can take our Online Therapy Survey here to let us know your views, what you’d like us to cover in future reviews, or anything that we may have overlooked.
HelpGuide’s methodology for reviewing online therapy platforms
We developed a rigorous, transparent methodology to identify the best online therapy and psychiatry platforms available. Our rankings are rooted in real-world user feedback, hands-on testing, professional input, and deep data analysis. We do not prioritize platforms we have a relationship with and we don’t accept payment or incentives in exchange for rankings. When we test platforms, we do so as “secret shoppers.” We pay for all the services we test—either out-of-pocket or using health insurance—without disclosing who we work for or what our intentions are. When we use a platform’s services, we do so just as any other user would.
For these reviews, HelpGuide’s editorial staff:
- Spent 300+ hours testing and evaluating online therapy and online psychiatry platforms.
- Tested 14 platforms for four weeks each (by at least one member of our staff, sometimes two or more).
- Compiled 1,300+ user survey responses, conducted from May to June, 2025.
- Analyzed 87 platforms for pricing, features, security, and care quality.
What we considered when determining our recommendations
There are many online mental health platforms out there, ranging from regional private practices to international directories. To be considered for top placement in our rankings, we determined that platforms needed to:
- Offer legitimate, licensed therapy (not coaching, unqualified volunteers, or AI-only services).
- Provide access to real-time or asynchronous therapy with licensed therapists.
- Be available in most U.S. states or nationally accessible.
- Have public-facing pricing information and clear service descriptions.
- Demonstrate compliance with HIPAA or equivalent privacy protocols.
- Offer core therapy functions: scheduling, live sessions, therapist matching or selection.
- Show proof of therapist credentials and professional standards.
Additional points were awarded for services that went above and beyond, such as providing financial aid, offering flexible session formats (video, phone, and messaging between sessions), or supporting marginalized communities through inclusivity of care (enabling you to find a therapist who matches your gender or cultural preferences).
Our evaluation criteria
Our methodology combines user survey feedback, firsthand testing, and platform data analysis using a weighted scoring system:
| Evaluation area | Weight |
|---|---|
| User survey feedback | 45% |
| In-house testing and evaluation | 40% |
| Platform features and transparency | 15% |
User survey feedback (45%)
From May to June, 2025, we surveyed over 1,300 real online therapy users from all across the United States about their experiences using different platforms. They were either current users of a platform or had used the platform recently. We asked each user many detailed questions and requested their personalized feedback on specific issues concerning their experiences.
Their insights directly shaped our rankings. The key areas we covered in the surveys included:
- Therapist match quality (12%). Was the user paired with, or able to select, a therapist who fit their preferences and needs? What qualities did the user value most in a therapist? How empathetic and understanding was the therapist they matched with? What approaches or types of therapy did the therapist use?
- Progress toward goals (12%). How satisfied were users with their therapist? Did they report improvement in their mental health? What positive changes or personal improvements did they notice during therapy? Did they wish the therapist had done anything differently?
- Platform responsiveness (11%). Were therapist and customer service communications timely and helpful? Was it easy to switch therapists if necessary? How secure and private did the platform feel when communicating with a therapist?
- Ease of use and satisfaction (10%). Was the platform intuitive, and were users happy overall? Did they experience any technical difficulties that impacted their therapy experience? Would they use the platform again in the future or recommend it to someone they care about? If the user switched to another online therapy platform, which one did they choose and why?
In-house testing and evaluation (40%)
Our editorial team tested the top 14 platforms firsthand for one full month. At least one member of our staff tested each platform; sometimes two or more staff members tested the same platform to confirm or contrast experiences.
For each platform we tested, we went through the intake and matching or selection processes, then booked and attended regular therapy sessions. We contacted customer support to gauge their helpfulness and response times, and assessed how well a platform was protecting the privacy of our health information. If a platform offered extra features, such as worksheets, journals, or meditations, we tested them all.
Since finding the right therapist can often involve some shopping around, we also went through the process of switching providers. Finally, we closed our accounts, noting any billing and refund issues, surprise extra charges, or obstacles to protecting our private information.
During our testing, each member of the HelpGuide staff kept a weekly journal recording our experiences on the different platforms. We considered not just how we responded to a platform’s features, but how that response may be different if we were dealing with a notable mental health issue. Would the intake process feel overwhelming to someone struggling with depression? Would the technical issues feel unmanageable to someone dealing with anxiety or prone to panic attacks?
Our staff also completed detailed questionnaires so we could accurately compare and contrast the different platforms and see how our experiences matched or contrasted with our survey responses. At the end of testing, we shared notes and experiences as a team to help inform our choices for the best online therapy and online psychiatry platforms.
During our exhaustive testing, we assessed:
- Intake and matching experience (8%). Was onboarding clear, timely, and relevant? How many providers were offered, how soon were appointments available, how clearly were provider qualifications displayed?
- Therapy session quality (12%). We rated structure, empathy, and therapist engagement. We presented therapists with real issues and assessed their feedback and helpfulness.
- Platform usability (10%). Across mobile and desktop, apps and websites, we rated ease of use and accessibility. We noted any navigation issues, features that were hard to find, or technical issues that impacted our care.
- Emergency response protocols (5%). Did the platform provide appropriate resources for users in crisis? What protocols are in place if a user experiences a crisis mid-session or between sessions?
- Follow-up and continuity (5%). Was there consistency in care and check-ins? When possible, we messaged therapists between sessions to gauge their response times and level of involvement.
Platform features and transparency (15%)
Our online therapy and psychiatry analysis began by researching 87 reputable platforms. Our team analyzed pricing models, cancellation policies, platform certifications, and HIPAA compliance to help identify which services offer the best value and safest user experience.
We considered:
- Pricing clarity and value (5%). Are costs clear and is the service good value for money?
- Therapist flexibility and information (5%). Can users view credentials, switch providers, or choose therapists?
- Support tools (5%). Did the platform offer journals, exercises, assessments, meditations, or other add-ons to enhance care?
Platforms we considered
In total, we reviewed 87 online therapy and psychiatry services during our research phase. These platforms were evaluated on over 100 criteria points across user experience, service offerings, and transparency. While only the top-scoring platforms were tested and featured in-depth, all 87 platforms underwent a baseline review for inclusion. The following were our highest scorers:
| Platform Name | Average Score (out of 100) |
|---|---|
| BetterHelp | 88 |
| Brightside Health | 81 |
| Online-Therapy.com | 79 |
| Talkspace | 74 |
Why some platforms didn’t make the cut
While we researched 87 platforms, not all were included in our final testing phase or ranked list. Platforms were excluded if they:
- Did not provide access to licensed therapists or offered only peer support.
- Had insufficient public information on services, pricing, or therapist credentials.
- Were inaccessible to most users (e.g., limited to specific employer or university networks).
- Focused solely on psychiatric prescribing without offering talk therapy.
- Had limited reach, serving only specific states and not available nationwide.
We continue to monitor these platforms and will include newly eligible or improved services in future updates.
Licensed clinical oversight
HelpGuide is fortunate to have access to many different mental health experts who offer their services and insights to our editorial staff. For our online therapy and psychiatry reviews, we consulted with licensed therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists to shape our criteria and validate our scoring. This ensured our rankings reflect what actually matters in therapy outcomes, not just marketing claims.
Why you can trust our testing and reviews
- As a nonprofit organization, we are genuinely motivated by providing people with the most honest and accurate information we can, not by making money.
- We test as real users, not as press or partners.
- We emphasize long-term therapeutic value, not just sign-up flow.
- We’re transparent about our weighting system and invite ongoing user feedback.
- Our data sample is one of the largest in the industry for online therapy rankings.