Best Online Psychiatry

Talkiatry is available in 42 states as of February 2023, and it's our pick for the best online psychiatry because it focuses exclusively on providing care to people (over the age of 5) who need a psychiatrist. When you sign up for the site, you’ll be paired with a psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner, a nurse with advanced training who can write prescriptions and works under the supervision of a psychiatrist. 

Talkiatry also offers therapists who are not psychiatrists, but these are only available to those who are already under the care of one of the site’s psychiatrists but are looking for additional talk therapy. The website is very user-friendly and encouraging; it’s easy to navigate both as a new patient and someone returning to the site for online psychiatry appointments.

There are two major drawbacks: First, Talkiatry doesn’t treat some conditions that require in-person psychiatric care, including substance use disorder, eating disorders, or schizophrenia. In addition, the site has no cash-pay option–it only sees patients who have insurance. However, the company accepts many insurance plans, including Medicare, and makes it easy to see if you are in network.

Talkiatry specializes in treating mental health disorders that require psychiatric treatment. The company is focused on allowing people to access medication management and therapy online, emphasizing its goal of bringing an accessible, convenient, and human-centered option to online psychiatry. 

Talkiatry specifically specializes in treating people with:

• Anxiety
• ADHD
• Bipolar disorder
• Depression
• Insomnia
• OCD
• PTSD

Talkiatry lets you book psychiatry appointments as you need them. Once you’re under the care of a psychologist, you can book additional talk-therapy sessions with certified therapists as necessary. 

After an initial screening, Talkiatry allows you to book appointments online and offers flexible scheduling. There’s no ongoing commitment or cancellation process–you simply stop booking. However, there is a $100 fee for cancellations less than 48 hours before an appointment.

Talkiatry only works with patients who have insurance. However, it’s in network with many large insurers, including Medicare and Medicaid, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and more. The cost of treatment is your copay for psychiatry visits, and Talkiatry makes it easy to pay your bill online. On average, our survey found that users paid $279 a month for the service.

In our survey of 105 users of Talkiatry, 100% of people who used Talkiatry had previously worked with a psychiatrist in the past. Eighty-one percent of people saw their psychiatrist once a month or more, suggesting a high level of engagement with the service. Most people were happy with Talkiatry: 96% reported having a good overall experience while 97% reported that Talkiatry’s value was good, very good, or excellent.

Little Otter was founded in 2020 by child psychologist Helen Egger, the company’s chief medical and scientific officer. Egger previously worked at Duke University and New York University. With Little Otter, she wanted to normalize mental health care for the youngest patients and integrate the entire family that may be affected by a child’s mental health concerns. 

Little Otter provides psychiatry services to children who need them. In addition, the service offers talk therapy, parental coaching, and individual or couples therapy for parents and family members. In short, it allows families to get all the mental health support they need in one stop. A care team lead helps coordinate your care plan and communication with different providers. 

The service has a focus on results. After an initial welcome call (a $90 charge), you’ll receive a care plan. You’ll also have access to the Little Otter app, where you can track family a member's well-being with check-ins. According to the company, 85% of families went from having clinical levels of mental health concerns to subclinical levels (meaning not enough to be diagnosed) in just six weeks.

Little Offer specializes in treating children ages 0 to 14. The available psychiatrists and therapists can help infants and toddlers with sleep training and aggression and help older children navigate anxiety, depression, trauma, eating disorders, ADHD, behavioral challenges, OCD, and grief/loss, among other concerns. At the same time, individual or couple’s counseling and parent coaching allow caregivers to develop their own set of tools to meet their child’s needs.

Little Otter offers a free information phone call that you can book online. To get started with the service, you’ll complete a 10-minute quiz online and are then prompted to book a welcome call, which costs $90. After the call, Little Otter creates a care plan. 

If your child needs psychiatric care, they’ll have to complete a $500 general psychiatry evaluation. Then, each psychiatric appointment for medication management costs $250. All charges are processed 23 hours before the session. 

Each talk therapy or parenting coaching session in the care plan costs $200 but can be discounted by purchasing in bulk. Little Otter offers two packages:

• The assessment bundle costs $540. It includes a 90-minute assessment (not for psychiatric needs) and one standard therapy session. This is a $20 discount off the therapy session. 
• A 12-session bundle costs $2,040. This is a 15% discount that drops the total per session to $170. 

Little Otter is only in network for Kaiser Permanente and only with pre-authorization from a local clinic. If you have another insurance provider, you can submit your payments for reimbursement. According to Little Otter, most people who submit their claims for reimbursement have 40%-70% of the cost covered after they meet their deductible. 

People looking for child psychiatric services online seem to like Little Otter: Seventy-five percent of users we surveyed gave the service a positive overall rating and 65% were satisfied with the therapist options that the service provided. 

Many users found Little Otter to be effective. We found that 41% of past users who were no longer using Little Otter had stopped therapy altogether. Of those, 48% said they had reached their therapeutic goals or were feeling better and no longer needed therapy.

Thriveworks is a hybrid provider of psychiatric and counseling services. You can meet with a provider online or at more than 380 in-person locations around the country. We like this option for teens who may not be sure whether they’ll want in-person or remote psychiatry services. While many other providers offer short sessions for online psychiatry, Thriveworks emphasizes that you’ll get access to a full 50-60 minute session which may better help your teen establish a rapport with their provider. 

Thriveworks can provide psychiatric services for anyone who is 14 and older. Since the platform also has individual, family, and couples counselors, you can supplement your teen’s psychiatric treatment with therapy to help the whole family communicate better and manage any mental health conditions. 

With Thriveworks, you’re able to see a professional quickly–often within three to five days of starting the process. Once your teen realizes that they need help managing their mental health, you can help them connect with professionals quickly.

Thriveworks offers counseling, psychotherapy, and medication management for people with certain psychological conditions. The online psychiatry service providers are able to prescribe medications to help treat depression, anxiety disorders, and more. 

Thriveworks doesn’t see patients who have schizophrenia, bipolar disorder with thoughts of self-harm, active psychosis, or substance use disorder. Clinicians will see patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) but are unable to prescribe stimulant medications like Adderall that are commonly used to treat ADHD. They also can’t prescribe benzodiazepines like Xanax or Ativan which are sometimes used to treat anxiety disorders.

Thriveworks advertises that visits start at an out-of-pocket cost of $99 per session. However, its prices are not widely advertised online, and it emphasizes that the cost of treatment will vary depending on your provider and your insurance. 

Thriveworks accepts major insurance providers including Blue Cross, Anthem, and Optum. However, insurance coverage depends on your provider, so you’ll have to check the specifics with your provider. In most cases, they don’t accept Medicaid, but Thriveworks says it will help you find a provider who does take Medicaid if you call them (855-579-7105).

Cancellations must be processed 23.5 hours before your session, or you’ll be responsible for the cost of the session (even if you typically pay with insurance).

The users that we spoke to were very satisfied with Thriveworks. Ninety percent of them gave Thriveworks an overall positive rating. Eighty-two percent of people were satisfied or very satisfied with the therapist options available through Thriveworks. Importantly, 88% of users had a positive view of the diversity of therapists on the platform, which could help teens connect with their provider if they share certain identities such as ethnicity, culture, and gender.

Postpartum and perinatal mood disorders are different from other mental health conditions that require psychiatric treatment. While symptoms–including depression, anxiety, and psychosis can be similar, there are also extenuating factors including the physical, mental, and emotional toll of giving birth and/or caring for a newborn that can compound psychiatric illnesses. Postpartum Support International aims to provide education and resources to people who are experiencing postpartum mood disorders.

Postpartum Support International does not connect you directly with providers who can provide psychotherapy and medication. Rather, the organization maintains a directory with providers who self-identify as working with postpartum or perinatal patients, including psychiatrists who can prescribe medication. There’s also a directory of local volunteers who are trained to help people navigate these conditions. 

There are lots of online resources available through Postpartum Support International, including written information in English and Spanish about these conditions and treatments. Through the website, you can chat with a professional in a support group setting. The helpline, which is available 24/7 in Spanish or English, provides resources to help connect you with treatment. All calls are returned within 24 hours, but the helpline is not a crisis line and should not be used in emergencies. 

Postpartum Support International specializes in providing resources and expert care to people dealing with postpartum and perinatal mood disorders. It focuses on connecting people with experts and peer volunteers who can help them get treatment and support. There are also specific resources for birth parents who are not parenting their child.

Postpartum Support International is a resource that doesn’t connect people directly with care. Therefore, it doesn’t have any prices or plans; payment will vary depending on the provider you choose. However, if treatment cost is a concern, the experts at Postpartum Support International may be able to find resources that are specific to your budget or insurance coverage.

Postpartum Support International was not included in our user survey and testing. However, because of its niche services and specific resources, including the ability to search for psychiatrists, we felt it was important to include.

LiveHealth Online provides telehealth care for physical and mental health problems. The company divides its practice into four areas: medical, allergy, psychology, and psychiatry. The psychiatry services allow you to meet with a doctor for an initial consultation, then schedule follow-up visits within the LiveHealth Online app. 

Overall, LiveHealth Online provides easy-to-understand information that normalizes the need for mental health care. The company advertises its prices prominently, which can remove some of the stress or worry about the cost of seeking psychiatry services online. 

One notable downside for people with anxiety is that LiveHealth Online can’t prescribe controlled substances. Those include benzodiazepines, like Xanax, that are commonly used to treat anxiety, especially in severe cases.

LiveHealth Online treats many physical and mental health conditions, including anxiety. Its psychiatric services are available to help treat:

• Stress
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Bipolar disorder
• Panic attacks
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Note that LiveHealth online cannot treat people who are experiencing suicidal ideation.

LiveHealth Online charges $175 for an initial consultation with a psychiatrist. After that, follow-up visits cost $75. If you’re looking for counseling, you’ll pay $95 per visit with a psychiatrist, or $80 to meet with a therapist who is not able to write prescriptions. 

The company works closely with some insurers including a variety of BlueCross BlueShield plans. When you put in your plan information the website provides your pricing, so it’s easy to predict your cost before you sign up for any visits.

The users we surveyed were very happy with LiveHealth Online: Ninety percent of them rated the services as good, very good, or excellent, and 91% had a positive view of the providers' qualifications listed online. Notably, 87% would recommend LiveHealth Online to a friend, and 67% would use it again in the future.

Brightside specializes in treating depression and anxiety. The service is structured around packages that are meant to be affordable, and many of them are less expensive than comparable packages from other online psychiatric providers. You can choose between a medication package, a therapy package, or a combination. With unlimited messaging and additional sessions available for purchase, you can create a monthly subscription that meets your needs. 

Brightside has an emphasis on results. The company claims that 86% of people improve within 12 weeks. In addition to medication and talk therapy, all members get access to a free self–care program. 

One major difference between Brightside and its competitors is that Brightside offers crisis care for people with an elevated risk of suicide. This is often imperative when treating people who are experiencing depression, as suicidality is a common depressive symptom. However, the company doesn’t provide many details about this service on the website and it’s not clear exactly what crisis care entails. In its frequently asked questions section, it refers people in crisis to the Crisis Text Line (741-741) or the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.

Brightside specializes in treating depression and anxiety, along with other mental health conditions such as bipolar disorder and PTSD. However, the company can’t treat people with an ongoing history of suicidal ideation. In addition, Brightside doesn’t treat schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, substance use, ADHD, or some other severe forms of mental illness. 

Brightside builds its membership around three plans that are charged monthly:

• Brightside Medication Plan ($95): This covers basic medication management and psychiatric care.
• Therapy ($299): This plan includes four video therapy sessions and unlimited messaging with your provider. Additional therapy sessions cost $59 each.
• Medication + Therapy ($349): This plan provides medication management, four video therapy sessions, and unlimited messaging. 

Brightside advertises its plans as affordable to people paying out-of-pocket. In addition, it accepts the following five insurance plans:

• Cigna
• Aetna 
• Optum/United Healthcare (in select states)
• Anthem CA
• Allegiance

Brightside offers a free online assessment to people considering signing up, and you’ll enter your insurance information in order to understand whether your insurer will cover services. Students can get a month of Brightside for $57 using a student discount.

You can cancel your Brightside plan at any time through the patient portal. However, keep in mind that packages are charged once a month, and you won’t get a refund for any unused therapy sessions.

Ninety percent of the users that we surveyed said they had a positive experience with Brightside. Eighty-six percent of them had a positive view of the qualifications of the therapists that are available on Brightside and 85% thought that the diversity of therapists on the platform was good, very good, or excellent. If they needed a therapist again in the future, 62% of the users we surveyed would return to Brightside, and 75% would recommend it to a friend.

Amwell is a telehealth platform that treats mental and physical health conditions, including ADHD. The best online treatment for ADHD provides medication oversight and therapy. You’ll need two different providers for that, but both are available through Amwell. With a variety of clinicians available, Amwell can help you establish a comprehensive plan for treating ADHD that includes medications, therapy, lifestyle changes, and other adjustments. 

When considering online ADHD treatment, it’s important to recognize that stimulants commonly used to treat ADHD can’t be prescribed online. Amwell is very clear about this and lists the medications that its providers can prescribe, including Strattera and clonidine.

Amwell provides treatment for a host of physical and mental health conditions. While it doesn’t specialize in ADHD, it does provide a page with information about its treatment approach for ADHD.

Amwell charges per visit. Each 45-minute session costs $109 if you’re meeting with a therapist who has a master’s degree. The more training a therapist has, the most expensive their sessions are, up to $129 per session for therapists who have a doctorate. Amwell accepts many insurance plans.

People who have used Amwell are very happy with the service: Eighty-eight percent of them had a positive overall impression of the service and 97% found a therapist that met most or all of their needs. Eighty-eight percent of people who used the service said it was better than other telehealth services they had used in the past.

Teladoc provides treatment for physical and mental health conditions, including mood disorders like depression and mood swings. Like many other online providers, Teladoc doesn’t treat schizophrenia or those experiencing suicidal ideation, since these conditions often require in-person care. However, Teladoc’s option of phone or video visits, ability to provide therapy and prescriptions, and email notification system for when your prescription is ready make this a good choice if you’re treating mood disorders. Since Teladoc also provides couples and relationship counseling, it's a helpful platform for addressing the impact that mood disorders can have on your relationship.

Teladoc is a general telehealth practice. It provides mental health care for conditions including mood disorders like depression, anxiety, and more.

Appointments at Teladoc are made one at a time, and there’s no ongoing subscription. Therapy visits cost $99 a session for people who aren’t using insurance, and meeting with a psychiatrist costs $299. 

Teladoc works with lots of insurance companies, including some Medicare and Medicaid plans. Unfortunately, you need to sign up for Teladoc and enter your insurance information to see whether you're eligible for coverage.

Our survey showed that 92% of users had a positive view of Teladoc's medication and psychiatry services, and 83% of users said it was easy or very easy to sign up for Teladoc. That can be important when you’re coping with a mood disorder that may impact your ability to follow through on signing up. In addition, 87% of users said Teladoc provided good, very good, or excellent value for the money.

Talkspace is a subscription-based service for online mental health treatment. The platform offers plans for individual therapy, couples therapy, teen therapy, and psychiatry. Once you put in some personal information and the type of treatment you’re looking for, Talkspace matches you with three providers. From there, you’re able to choose which provider to work with, and you can see the same provider every time. 

Talkspace’s psychiatry services are able to treat a wide variety of mental health conditions, including bipolar disorder, which some other online psychiatry services cannot treat. Being able to opt into a subscription allows you to create an ongoing mental health care routine.

Unlike other providers, Talkspace doesn’t explicitly state that there are any mental health conditions their providers cannot treat; instead, the site notes that they will make a plan that works for you. Thus, Talkspace may be a good option for people with serious mental illnesses to explore.

While Talkspace offers text-only and text and video session online therapy subscriptions, psychiatry sessions can be purchased as an addition to these plans. An initial psychiatric consultation through Talkspace costs $249. Follow-up visits are $125. In order to get subscription pricing, you must enter some personal details. When we did this, we received the following pricing options:

• $365 for an initial evaluation and one follow-up session
• $565 for an initial evaluation and three follow-up sessions

In addition, Talkspace regularly offers promo codes of $50 or more on its website. Talkspace works with some insurance companies, but you’ll have to put in your insurance plan information to get more details on whether you are eligible for coverage.

Our survey found that 90% of users say Talkspace’s psychiatry services are good, very good or excellent. Depression (56%) and anxiety (39%) were the most common reasons people used Talkspace. Ninety-seven percent of people who used Talkspace liked it better than other online psychiatry services that they had used in the past.