The real cost breakdown, the FTC settlement you should know about, and an honest look at whether $300–$400/month is working for you.
BetterHelp is the largest online therapy platform in the US - over 30,000 licensed therapists and more than 4 million users as of 2026. Your subscription covers unlimited text messaging with your therapist, one live session per week (video, phone, or chat), and access to group webinars on specific topics.
Pricing ranges from $240–$360/month ($60–$90/week), billed every four weeks. The price varies based on your location, therapist availability, and sometimes factors BetterHelp hasn't fully disclosed - which is part of why the platform has had regulatory attention.
BetterHelp does not accept insurance. Full stop. This is the most important thing to understand about the cost equation, and it's the primary reason people cancel.
In March 2023, the FTC reached a $7.8 million settlement with BetterHelp over sharing user mental health data with Facebook, Snapchat, Pinterest, and Criteo for advertising purposes - despite explicitly promising not to do so. The data shared included information users provided when answering intake questions about depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions.
If you used BetterHelp between August 2017 and December 2020, you may have been eligible for a refund from that settlement. The settlement funds have been distributed, but the underlying issue is worth knowing: BetterHelp made privacy promises and broke them. They've since updated their data practices, but this history shapes how some users think about the platform.
Data privacy note: When you complete BetterHelp's intake questionnaire, you're sharing sensitive mental health information. Review their current privacy policy at betterhelp.com/privacy-policy before signing up or continuing your subscription.
The honest answer is: it depends on what you're comparing it to.
Compared to no therapy: For most people experiencing manageable anxiety, depression, or life transitions, BetterHelp is meaningfully better than nothing. The research on text and video therapy is real. The question is whether it's the best use of that $300–$400.
Compared to in-network therapy with insurance: If you have mental health benefits and can find an in-network therapist, your cost per session drops to your copay - typically $20–$50. One session per week at a $35 copay is $140/month, less than half of BetterHelp. The tradeoff is availability and wait times.
Compared to out-of-pocket therapy: A private-pay therapist in most US cities charges $120–$200 per session. Weekly therapy would cost $480–$800/month - more than BetterHelp. Monthly therapy would be $120–$200. BetterHelp's value proposition is strongest here: more access for less money.
The hidden variable: Therapist quality varies enormously on BetterHelp. The platform's matching algorithm doesn't always produce good matches, and you may go through two or three therapists before finding one who fits. Every re-match resets the progress you've made.
Free or very low cost: Your employer's EAP (Employee Assistance Program) likely covers 6–12 free sessions - check your HR benefits portal. Community mental health centers offer sliding-scale fees based on income. The 988 Lifeline offers crisis support at no cost.
$30–$80/session: Open Path Collective connects people with therapists who offer reduced rates to clients who qualify financially. Psychology Today's therapist directory lets you filter by insurance, sliding scale, and availability.
$100–$200/month: Cerebral and Brightside offer medication management combined with therapy at lower price points than BetterHelp for users who primarily need prescription management. Talkspace has similar pricing to BetterHelp but a different therapist pool.
Similar price to BetterHelp: Talkspace and Cerebral are the main direct competitors. Neither is clearly superior - it often comes down to which platform has a better therapist match for your specific situation.
Before canceling BetterHelp, do three things. First, download your session notes and message history - once you cancel, access to this is limited. Second, if you're in an active therapeutic relationship that's working, consider pausing rather than canceling - BetterHelp allows 1–4 week pauses at no cost. Third, if your reason for canceling is a poor therapist match rather than the platform itself, try one more re-match before leaving. Request specifically: a therapist who uses CBT (or whichever modality fits you), who has experience with your specific concern, and who is available for the session times that work for you.
You can cancel BetterHelp online, though the process involves a few screens designed to encourage you to pause instead. Here's the direct path:
Charged unexpectedly by BetterHelp? If you were billed for a period after you believed you'd canceled, generate a dispute letter for your bank. BetterHelp's auto-renewal practices have generated significant complaints.
Get a dispute letter →