Which of these Online Therapy Sites is Better? Talkspace vs BetterHelp Comparison
Cost, convenience, and privacy are the three things that keep the nearly 1 in 5 Americans with mental health needs from seeking help. Counseling visits can also be outside the budget of those seeking therapy for marriage counseling or to get through a hard time.
Solving those issues is why Talkspace and Talkspace competitors, like BetterHelp, were started. Founders of both online therapy sites sought to make counseling cheaper, easier to access, and more private by offering it online.
We can do more things that ever before virtually due to faster and more secure connections. Health providers like Bon Secours now offer a cheaper doctor visit via video chat, so it only makes sense that the therapy and counseling field would follow.
But in a review of Talkspace vs BetterHelp, which platform is better? Nobody wants to tell all their deepest feelings to someone that isn’t really going to help or have a hard time cancelling the service when they want.
AdvisoryHQ’s BetterHelp vs Talkspace review we’ll compare their pricing plans, what people say about customer service, the time you get with your counselor for the cost, and what types of ratings their Apps receive.
First, let’s start with an overview of how online therapy sites work and the requirements for the therapists they hire.
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How Do Online Therapy Sites Work?
In looking at Talkspace vs BetterHelp and any other Talkspace competitors, the basics of how they work are very similar. The difference is in the details.
The process is something like this:
- You provide information on your needs
- You sign up for one of their plans (billed monthly)
- You’re matched with a therapist or given a choice from a few
- You can message, call or leave voice messages, or video chat with your therapist
- When you no longer need the service, you can cancel the subscription
Both Talkspace and BetterHelp only use licensed and accredited therapists, and they need to be licensed in your state or area. Talkspace requires 3,000 hours of clinical experience and BetterHelp requires at least 3 years and 2,000 hours of hands-on experience.
BetterHelp vs Talkspace: How You Get Matched with a Counselor
The process of getting matched with a counselor on the two online therapy sites is slightly different.
On BetterHelp, you fill out an online questionnaire and after that you are assigned a counselor. You can request a different counselor at any time for no additional cost.
On Talkspace, you’ll chat with a special “matching therapist” who will ask you questions, then you’ll be given a choice of a few therapists to choose from. One reviewer mentioned they were promised a choice of three, but only got two to pick from. Changing therapists is not as easy on Talkspace as it is on BetterHelp.
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BetterHelp vs Talkspace | How Much Does it Cost?
Pricing is definitely more transparent on the Talkspace website than it is on the Talkspace competitor’s. You can see all the plans up front on the site before needing to create an account.
On BetterHelp, you get an idea of the range, but don’t get to see the actual pricing plans until you’ve already signed up.
Pricing Plans for Talkspace vs BetterHelp
Both online therapy sites bill as a monthly subscription service, and you need to pay for the month in advance. You might think that around $50 for a week sounds good, but just know that means you’ll need to pay $200 up front.
Talkspace Pricing Plans:
- Unlimited Messaging Therapy Plus – $49/week ($196/month) for text, video & audio messaging
- Unlimited Messaging Therapy Premium – $59/week ($236/month) for text, video & audio messaging, and 1 Live Session per month
- LiveTalk Therapy Ulimate – $79/week ($316/month) for text, video & audio messaging, and 4 Live Sessions per month
- Couples Therapy – $79/week ($316/month) or $71/week ($852 every 3 months)
BetterHelp Pricing Plans:
- Between $35.00 to $80.00/week ($140 to $320/month) for unlimited messaging and sessions
- The average when you first start is $65/week ($260/month)
BetterHelp vs Talkspace vs Traditional Office Visits
When comparing the price between online and traditional office visits, it’s easy to see why both platforms have taken off since they first began in 2012 (Talkspace) and 2013 (BetterHelp).
Traditional office visits can cost $150-$250 for a single session, according to BetterHelp. And online therapy costs about 80% less than traditional, according to Talkspace. Both websites also cite independent studies showing that online therapy is just as effective.
Something you need to know when comparing Talkspace vs BetterHelp is that you can’t use insurance at either. Services offered on the sites aren’t generally covered by health insurance, Medicare or Medicaid.
Related: BetterHelp Review | Is it Legit? A Scam? The Truth about BetterHelp’s Online Therapy
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Talkspace vs BetterHelp | How Do You Meet with a Therapist?
Both online therapy sites offer their own mobile apps that work on both Apple and Android devices. When it comes to BetterHelp vsTalkspace apps, BetterHelp comes out slightly ahead.
iTunes Store:
- BetterHelp – 4.3 out of 5
- Talkspace – 4.2 out of 5
Google Play Store:
- BetterHelp – 3.9 out of 5
- Talkspace – 3.5 out of 5
Both sites mention unlimited messaging with your counselor, but that could lead some people to think that means 24/7 even during weekends, when that’s not always realistic for the therapist.
In Talkspace vs BetterHelp on clarity, Talkspace comes out ahead by clarifying therapists respond 5 days per week
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BetterHelp vs Talkspace | How’s their Customer Service?
We saw a big difference when looking over BetterHelp vs Talkspace reviews. BetterHelp had many more positive reviews on sites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
Reviewers of BetterHelp said that when they wanted to cancel the service or asked for a refund, the customer service was excellent and easy to get in touch with.
Talkspace reviewers noted a very different experience. They had trouble reaching anyone or getting a response with customer support, and noted problems with cancelling their subscriptions.
When it comes to the therapists, both online therapy sites had reviews from people that loved their therapist and those that didn’t like them at all. We did not see a huge difference in quality of therapist between Talkspace vs BetterHelp.
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AdvisoryHQ Conclusion | BetterHelp vs Talkspace Review
Both of these innovative online therapy sites have several media articles about them and celebrity endorsements advertised on their site. Each has their pluses and minuses, but in our review of BetterHelp vs Talkspace, we did find a clear frontrunner.
The pricing comparison of Talkspace vs BetterHelp shows that both services have similar pricing, though Talkspace pricing is more up front.
With BetterHelp you get to read bios of all the counselors before signing up and it’s a huge plus that you can change your counselor at any time. Much of a person’s satisfaction with each service depends upon their therapist relationship.
Customer support is hugely important no matter what the business, and BetterHelp comes out the clear winner due to excellent customer service as opposed to not as great support, according to reviewers, from Talkspace.
While Talkspace may have started a year earlier, BetterHelp’s execution of online therapy platform looks to be the better one.
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Image sources:
- https://www.betterhelp.com/
- https://www.talkspace.com/
- https://pixabay.com/en/woman-working-business-woman-laptop-690036/
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