Best Online Therapy That Takes Insurance and Meets Family Needs

Co-founded in 2012 by married couple Roni and Oren Frank, Talkspace has become one of the world’s largest and most popular online therapy platforms. The company is in-network with a number of major insurers—including private insurance providers as well as schools and employers—which can make your online mental health care more affordable and accessible. All providers are licensed in their chosen field and have 7-10 years of experience on average.

Talkspace offers more variety, choice, and flexibility than many other telehealth companies. After a brief initial online assessment about what you’re looking for, you’ll be matched with a therapist who meets your needs. 

From there, you can choose from several different subscription plans at a wide range of price points. The least expensive plan is a messaging-only plan that allows for unlimited asynchronous messaging with your therapist, with guaranteed responses five days a week. Other plans include at least one live video, audio, or chat session with your therapist per week. 

If you ever want to switch therapists, you don’t have to fill out any lengthy forms or contact anyone directly. Just tap a few buttons in the app, and Talkspace will match you with a new provider.

In addition to individual therapy for adults, Talkspace offers couples therapy with marriage and family therapists and talk therapy for teens ages 13-17. Psychiatric care and medication management services with licensed prescribers (including board-certified psychiatrists) are also available for adults. The platform boasts a unique eight-week sleep therapy program for people with insomnia, which is one of the only programs of its kind in the online therapy space.  

Talkspace works with many commercial insurance providers, schools, educational programs, employee assistance programs (EAPs), and private employers to accept insurance. Talkspace’s full partner list includes over 100 insurance providers, such as:

• Aetna
• Allegiance Benefit Plan Management
• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Cigna
• Cigna + Oscar
• Gatorcare
• Optum
• Partner Insurance
• Premera

If your insurance doesn’t cover your care, you can also pay for your care at Talkspace with an HSA/FSA card. 

Even without insurance, Talkspace tries to make therapy financially accessible. Its subscription plans are billed on a monthly, quarterly, or biannual schedule. You can receive a 10%-20% discount if you opt for quarterly or biannual billing.

The subscription plans currently offered by Talkspace include:

• Messaging-only: $69+ per week 
• Therapy and messaging: $99+ per week
• Therapy, messaging, and workshops: $109+ per week

Except for the messaging-only plan, Talkspace subscriptions include one live online therapy session per week. You can purchase an additional live session for $65.

Meanwhile, an initial psychiatric evaluation at Talkspace costs $249 for self-pay clients. Each follow-up session costs $125.

According to our user survey results, Talkspace users were satisfied with the platform’s quality and user-friendliness in comparison to similar services. 

In fact, 97% of the users we surveyed thought Talkspace was superior (a little better, better, or much better) to similar services they’d tried in the past. Fifty-six percent of users thought the Talkspace app and site were easier to use than those at other online therapy platforms, and another 32% thought the company’s therapists were more qualified and had more specialized training. If they were looking for a new therapist, 75% of users said they would begin their search at Talkspace all over again. Our reviewers said scheduling was easy but worried the appointments were a bit too short. 

Founded in 2020, Talkiatry is a telehealth company that offers psychiatric care and medication management to people ages 5 and up. Its sound history of responsible prescribing practices makes us feel confident in recommending it to families. In an effort to offer more affordable and accessible care, Talkiatry only accepts clients via insurance. The platform’s website states that it’s “committed to providing in-network care” and “partner with nearly every major insurer out there.”

Talkiatry’s clinical team includes over 300 board-certified psychiatrists. Most specialize in treating mental health conditions like bipolar disorder, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use disorder (SUD), among others. Your care team may also include psychiatric nurse practitioners and a therapist if requested. However, you can’t see a Talkiatry therapist if you aren’t already regularly visiting with one of the platform’s psychiatrists. 

After an online assessment, Talkiatry clients are matched with a psychiatrist who is licensed to practice medicine in their state. Most patients can meet with their provider for the first time in less than a week. Then, they’ll be issued a personalized care plan, which may include a diagnosis and prescription for medication, if necessary. 

Unlike many similar platforms, Talkiatry offers only virtual care. All aspects of your psychiatric care—from billing and payment to messaging with your providers and video sessions—take place online. If you message your psychiatrist or therapist, they’re guaranteed to respond within 48 hours. Along the way, Talkiatry’s care coordinators can help with refills and scheduling.

Talkiatry is in-network with over 20 major insurers (and hundreds of plans), including: 

• Aetna
• Beacon
• Bind
• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Cigna
• ComPsych
• Geisinger
• Humana
• Kaiser
• MVP HealthCare
• Medicare
• NYSHIP
• Northwell Health
• Optum
• Oscar
• Tufts Health Plan
• United Healthcare
• VNSNY Choice

From the Talkiatry homepage, just click “Check my insurance” and enter your insurer and plan to see if you’re covered. Currently, Talkiatry doesn’t accept Medicaid. 

Because Talkiatry only works with clients whose insurance it accepts, the platform doesn’t have any self-pay options or set prices. Prices vary by insurance plan, but you can put in your insurance information before signing up to get an estimate of what your copay will be.

According to our user survey, Talkiatry clients were overwhelmingly satisfied with the care they received. 

An impressive 87% of the Talkiatry users we surveyed said they were very likely or likely to recommend the platform to someone else, and 78% said they were likely or very likely to recommend the company’s medication management services in particular. Moreover, 81% of users said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the provider options on the platform, and 95% said their overall experience was excellent, good, or very good. Our reviewers said Talkiatry’s intake sessions were long and thorough. According to our survey, the company typically doesn’t prescribe medication until you have had two to four appointments.

Providing online and in-person therapy, psychiatric care, and medication management to children, teens, and adults alike, Thriveworks offers an especially flexible approach to mental health care. With 24/7 customer service, a wide range of accepted insurance plans, and availability on nights and weekends, the platform manages to address many of the common pain points families have when it comes to accessing therapy.

Unlike many online therapy services, Thriveworks also offers family, group, and couples therapy. Families can focus on topics like differences in parenting styles, sibling conflicts, blended family issues, and more. Many families can get in to see their first provider—whether online or at a Thriveworks location—for a same- or next-day appointment rather than ending up on a waitlist. Sessions are 50-60 minutes long, and you can see the same provider each time.

Meanwhile, Thriveworks’ therapy groups often deal with issues like divorce, grief, and loss. Some Thriveworks locations also offer specific in-person groups aimed at helping adolescent girls build self-esteem and manage peer relationships.

Finally, at Thriveworks’ 19 TherapyLand locations in 14 states, children under 12 can access behavioral health care from qualified play therapists. TherapyLand providers specialize in assisting younger kids with issues like emotional instability, trauma, bullying, and behavioral concerns, as well as the symptoms of developmental disabilities, learning disabilities, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

The Thriveworks website states that it accepts “most insurances,” in addition to taking on self-pay clients. Some major insurance plans accepted at Thriveworks include:

• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Anthem
• Optum
• United Healthcare
• Aetna 
• Cigna
• Humana

To find out if your insurance is accepted, you’ll have to contact Thriveworks directly or reach out to your local Thriveworks location.

If your sessions at Thriveworks are covered by insurance, costs will vary based on your plan. For self-pay therapy seekers, sessions start at $99 each.  

In our user survey, 90% of Thriveworks users reported that they had an overall positive (good, very good, or excellent) experience with the service. 

Many therapy seekers appear to especially appreciate the platform’s convenience and reliability. For example, 73% of Thriveworks users thought the sign-up process was easy or very easy. Clients who used Thriveworks’ psychiatry and medication management services had a similar experience, with 68% of users reporting that their prescriber was available whenever they needed them. Thanks to its wide range of appointment times, our reviewers said they thought Thriveworks was a great option for busy parents who need flexible scheduling.

Monument offers comprehensive, personalized online care plans to adults who want to improve their relationship with alcohol. Some Monument users have a diagnosis of alcohol use disorder or are experiencing signs of alcohol dependence, while others simply want to cut back on how much they drink. We especially like that you can also participate in Monument’s therapist-moderated online peer support groups for free and that there are parent-focused sobriety groups.

Peer support is a key component of Monument’s approach to online alcohol treatment. All users get access to a 24/7 anonymous forum, where people in the recovery community—including people focused on moderation as well as those on a sobriety journey—can support each other, offer motivation, and trade advice. 

Paid subscriptions to Monument start at $10 per month, plus $45 for every doctor’s visit. After meeting with one of Monument’s licensed physicians via video, they can prescribe you disulfiram or naltrexone—two medications that help to manage the symptoms of alcohol use disorder. Your medication can be shipped directly to your home.

Finally, both of Monument’s “Total Care” packages include both medication management services and sessions with a licensed therapist trained in drug and alcohol counseling. Through therapeutic approaches like motivational interviewing, your provider can help you build a healthier relationship with alcohol, resist cravings, set positive goals, and take the steps necessary to reach them. 

Monument accepts many different major insurance plans. Before signing up for a Monument subscription plan, you can enter your insurance details on the company’s website to receive confirmation of your coverage from an insurance specialist within 24 hours.

Monument is in-network with the following insurance plans (among others):

• Aetna
• Anthem
• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Cigna
• Medicare
• Optum
• United Healthcare

Monument has several plans available at a variety of price points, each with different features. Options and prices (without insurance) include:

• Physician Care: This plan offers medication management services, unlimited messaging with a physician, and a monthly virtual visit with a doctor for $10 per month and a per-session doctor’s fee of $45. You can meet with a provider more than once per month for an additional $45 per visit. 
• Total Care (Biweekly): For $149 a month, the Total Care Biweekly plan offers two 45-minute sessions with a licensed therapist, unlimited doctor’s visits, and medication management services (if needed), as well as unlimited messaging with both your therapist and physician. 
• Total Care (Weekly): The Total Care Weekly plan provides all the same features as the Total Care Biweekly Plan, plus two additional therapy sessions each month, for a monthly out-of-pocket fee of $249.

If you’re not ready to select a plan yet, community membership—which includes access to Monument’s support groups and online forum—is free. 

The vast majority of Monument users (97%) reported on our survey that the platform was a little better, better, or much better than similar services they’d used in the past. 

Over half (51%) of these users thought Monument’s app was easier to use, and 40% thought Monument’s providers were specially qualified or had more specialized training in a certain area. Another 34% thought the company’s additional free mental health resources made it stand out from its competitors, and 20% reported that Monument’s providers were particularly culturally supportive when working with LGBTQIA+ clients. 

Brightside is one of the only online therapy platforms that accepts insurance and focuses solely on evidence-based treatment for anxiety and depression. Founded in 2017 and available in all 50 states, Brightside offers medication management and therapy to people ages 18 and over with mental health conditions like major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), postpartum depression, panic disorder, phobias, social anxiety disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), among others. 

After completing an in-depth assessment of your symptoms, medical history, and current needs, you’ll be matched with one of Brightside’s licensed and/or board-certified mental health care providers. Your provider will work one-on-one with you to create a customized care plan, which may include cognitive and behavioral therapy sessions, prescription medications, or both. Alongside live therapy sessions and unlimited messaging with your provider, you can complete Brightside’s free self-care audio sessions to help you improve your coping and problem-solving skills. Brightside also uses AI-powered assessment tools to monitor your progress and adjust your treatment goals as you proceed with your care plan.

Most online therapy services aren’t suited for people experiencing acute mental distress. Brightside is one exception, offering a specialized crisis care treatment plan in select U.S. states. While you can pay for Brightside’s other services either out of pocket or with insurance, crisis care is available only through insurance. Brightside’s program is based on the research-backed collaborative assessment and management of suicidality (CAMS) framework. While it’s best for those in crisis to seek in-person care, virtual care hopes to increase access. A January 2023 study shows that online programs can be effective and provide people in crisis—especially at-risk, hard-to-reach populations—with a way to access the help they might not otherwise have sought. 

Brightside users can choose to pay either out of pocket or with insurance. Brightside is in-network with the following five insurance carriers:

• Cigna
• Aetna
• Allegiance
• Anthem CA
• Optum/United Healthcare

Treatment at Brightside is also HSA/FSA eligible. 

Brightside’s out-of-pocket prices depend on the type of care you’re looking for. The platform’s plans include:

• Medication: Evaluation, diagnosis, customized treatment plan, and prescription (if applicable) for $95 a month
• Therapy: Unlimited messaging and weekly video sessions with a therapist for $299 monthly 
• Medication and therapy: A comprehensive plan for $349 a month
• Specialized crisis care: Only payable through insurance 

Ninety-three percent of the Brightside users in our survey rated the company’s psychiatry and medication management services as good, very good, or excellent. 

Many users rated the platform’s care providers highly. Seventy-nine percent of users said they found a clinician who met all or most of their needs, and 75% percent were satisfied or very satisfied with the available provider options. Meanwhile, 86% of users thought Brightside’s therapists were highly qualified, rating their level of experience and education as good or better. 

Finally, 85% of the users we surveyed also thought the level of therapist diversity on the Brightside platform was good to excellent. One of our reviewers said that both therapists they worked with were kind, responsive, and offered outstanding care.

With a network of about 5,400 qualified providers, LifeStance Health offers both in-person and online therapy at around 600 centers in 32 U.S. states. If you are experiencing symptoms of depression either during or after pregnancy, LifeStance Health may be a good fit since several of the company’s licensed providers have specialized training and experience in treating postpartum depression, perinatal depression, or both. 

LifeStance Health’s providers accept most insurance plans (including Medicaid, Medicare, and Tricare in some locations) and are qualified to practice individual therapy for adults as well as couples therapy, family therapy, and therapy for children and teens of all ages. Psychiatry and medication management with licensed prescribers are also available. You can choose to visit one of the company’s centers for in-person treatment, have only online sessions, or adopt a hybrid approach.  

LifeStance Health’s care options include many specialties not offered by other telehealth platforms. For example, some of the company’s care providers are qualified to treat more complex, serious mental health conditions, such as personality disorders and psychotic disorders. Others specialize in structural, systemic, or strategic family therapy, as well as play therapy for younger children. 

LifeStance Health’s website states that the company accepts “most insurance plans,” including: 

• Aetna
• Anthem
• Beacon
• Cigna
• Kaiser
• Medicaid
• Medicare
• Prime
• Triad
• Tricare
• Veterans Choice Program

You can find out whether LifeStance Health works with your insurance provider by clicking “Insurance” on the company’s homepage and providing your location. Insurance coverage varies by state.

The prices at LifeStance Health vary widely by provider, location, and therapy type. Without insurance, therapy sessions range from $75-$300. Psychiatric evaluations typically cost $200-$300 out of pocket, while psychiatric follow-ups cost $150-$250 on average. 

Overall, 88% of the LifeStance Health users we surveyed rated their experience with the company as good, very good, or excellent. Many users cited the company’s affordability and transparency in their survey responses. 

Most users (57%) described their treatment at LifeStance Health as affordable or very affordable, and only 3% thought it was not at all affordable. Only 5% of LifeStance Health users said they didn’t have any form of insurance; 72% said that insurance helped to cover the care they received through the company. 

Meanwhile, 91% of LifeStance Health users told us they understood the company’s terms of service before signing up for therapy. Sixty-six percent thought the sign-up process was easy or very easy.

Amwell (previously American Well), first launched in 2006, is one of the largest telemedicine companies in the world. Offering therapy to individuals, couples, families, teens, and children ages 10 and up, as well as psychiatry and medication management services to adults ages 18 and over, Amwell is a versatile telehealth platform with a flexible approach to online mental health care. Each provider at Amwell is licensed in their state and has received specialized training in providing online therapy. 

Amwell has a number of providers who specialize in treating symptoms of ADD and ADHD, both with and without medication. A licensed therapist or board-certified psychiatrist can work with you and/or your child to prescribe medication (if needed), establish healthy routines and boundaries, and provide targeted advice about improving eating habits and sleep patterns.

Parents will find it easy to schedule their child’s first appointment with an Amwell provider. Just sign up and set up a sub-account for your child and select a therapist based on their bio, availability, and specialty. After you give your permission during their first appointment, your child or teen can attend their 45-minute video therapy sessions either with you or without you.

Amwell accepts the most insurance plans of any online therapy company we assessed. Self-pay clients can choose to work with a provider who has a master’s degree rather than a doctoral degree for a lower per-session fee. 

Amwell accepts some Medicaid and Medicare plans and works with 126 insurance plans, including:

• Aetna
• Anthem
• Beacon
• Benovate
• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Broadspire
• CorVel
• Emblem Health
• Health Tradition
• Highmark
• iCare
• Medica
• MHBP
• United Healthcare

Without insurance, care through Amwell costs:

• $109 per session to meet with a master’s-level provider
• $129 per session to meet with a doctoral-level provider
• $279 for an initial psychiatric evaluation
• $109 per psychiatric follow-up visit 

Mental health care at Amwell is also HSA/FSA eligible.

Many of the Amwell users we surveyed thought the platform was particularly user-friendly and straightforward. Seventy-three percent of users described the website as easy or very easy to navigate, and 68% thought it was easy or very easy to look for a provider through the company. Similarly, 79% of Amwell users thought the sign-up process was easy or very easy.

Amwell customers were also impressed with the overall quality of care they received. Eighty-six percent of the users in our survey said they were able to find a provider who met most or all of their needs through the platform, and 91% of users rated Amwell’s psychiatry and medication management services as good or better. Our reviewers said Amwell is a great option for couples and new parents, as well as people dealing with stress, depression, or anxiety.

Founder and CEO Yuri Tomikawa came up with the idea for Zencare—a therapist database focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion—after she had a hard time finding a provider who met her own needs. Now available in all 50 states, this BIPOC- and women-led company makes inclusivity a priority throughout the process of finding the right therapist or therapy group.   

The therapist selection filters at Zencare are particularly detailed, offering a wide range of choices to help you tailor your search. You can look for a provider according to factors like their location, scheduling availability, languages spoken, specialty, professional title, therapy type, cost per session, accepted insurance, office accessibility, and whether or not they meet with clients online or in person. You can also filter clinicians by their identity, such as their race, ethnicity, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, and neurodivergence. After you find someone you like, you can book a free initial call to make sure it’s a good fit. 

Zencare’s affiliated providers work independently, each setting their own fees and deciding whether or not to work with insurance. Available clinicians include individual, couples, child, and family therapists as well as licensed prescribers and marriage counselors. Many of the platform’s providers accept insurance; others offer sliding-scale fees. Expert-led therapy groups are also available to help you manage stress, relationship issues, symptoms of depression, and many other common mental health concerns.  

All therapists on the platform undergo a vetting process, which involves an extensive background check and ongoing monitoring of feedback from clients. Some clinicians also provide professional references. Providers with a “verified” badge on their bio have also passed a clinical standards quiz.

Zencare’s providers accept over 100 kinds of insurance, including:

• AARP
• Aetna
• Amerigroup
• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Cigna
• Kaiser Permanente
• Medicaid
• Medicare
• Optum
• United Healthcare

To search for providers who accept your insurance, just click “Find Therapists” on the Zencare homepage. Next, find your insurance plan in the dropdown menu under the “Insurances” tab. You’ll need to talk with the provider directly about the billing and payment process. 

The Zencare database is free to use. Each care provider has different prices, depending on their specialty, expertise, and location. Some providers offer sliding-scale fees and financial aid, and most offer a free introductory call to find out if you’re a good match. Instead of filtering by your insurance, you can choose to view providers within a certain price range (from $0-$600 per session).  

In general, the Zencare users we surveyed thought the database was helpful in matching them with the best therapist. Ninety percent of the Zencare users we surveyed rated the directory as good or very good overall, and 89% rated the available therapists’ qualifications positively. 

Zencare users were especially satisfied with how easy the service was to use. Eighty-six percent reported that the app or website was easy to use, and 74% described the process of finding the right provider as easy or very easy.

TherapyDen offers a free online therapy directory where you can connect with individual, couples, family, group, child, and adolescent therapists, as well as licensed prescribers for medication management. The site specializes in offering affirming therapy to the LGBTQIA+ community, and you can specify whether you’d like a provider who is trained in providing care to trans therapy-seekers.

The search filters at TherapyDen cover the basics, such as therapy type, location, cost, and insurance accepted, as well as by therapist treatment techniques, online availability, and languages spoken. You can also look for a provider based on their gender identity, race, ethnicity, religion, and whether or not they are part of the LGBTQIA+ community themselves. 

In addition to the usual filters, there are also a number of unique options that can help you hone in on the best therapist for you. For example, you can search for a therapist who specializes in working with polyamorous couples or who approaches mental health care with a racial justice-oriented, body-positive, and/or kink-positive framework. You can also look for therapists who focus on specific concerns, such as miscarriage and pregnancy loss, caregiving stress, foster care issues, co-parenting, infertility, adoption, and more.

Some providers affiliated with TherapyDen only accept out-of-pocket payments. However, many of the available therapists are in-network with major insurers, such as:

• Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
• AultCare
• Beacon
• Cigna 
• Cleveland Clinic EHP
• Humana
• Optum
• Oscar
• Paramount Advantage
• SummaCare
• Tricare

There are some TherapyDen providers who accept Medicare and Medicaid. 

To find a clinician who accepts your insurance, enter your ZIP code and look for your insurance plan under “Insurance.” 

Each therapist listed on TherapyDen works independently, so they set their own prices. During your search, you can choose to see only therapists that work within a certain price range (from $0-$500+). 

Our user survey found that TherapyDen users were generally satisfied with the database: Over 74% of users said they would begin their search for a therapist at TherapyDen if they were looking for a new provider again, and over 65% said the directory was better or much better than similar ones they’d used in the past. Meanwhile, many users (over 78%) were able to find a provider at TherapyDen who accepted their insurance.

Wellnite focuses on offering quality online mental health care at an affordable price. While the platform currently only works with PPO insurance plans, subscription costs are still lower than the prices at many of Wellnite’s competitors. Sliding-scale fees are available for people who may have trouble paying for therapy. You can contact Wellnite directly via text or phone (available every day of the week) for a free consultation to discuss your treatment needs, insurance coverage, and financial situation before signing up. 

The treatment options at Wellnite include online psychiatry, medication management, and talk therapy for individuals, families, couples, and teens. Wellnite’s providers—including board-certified physicians and licensed therapists—offer cognitive-behavioral therapy, feminist therapy, mindfulness therapy, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. 

Wellnite is an especially good choice for teens who are struggling with peer relationships. There are many providers at Wellnite who specialize in helping teens ages 13 and up who are having trouble navigating friendships or bullying. Users can choose from six 30-minute sessions, four 45-minute sessions, or three 60-minute sessions per month, which can be helpful for adolescents with busy or unpredictable schedules. If you’re looking for therapy for your teen, you’ll have to provide Wellnite with written consent before their first session. 

Wellnite currently only partners with preferred provider organization (PPO) insurance plans. If you have a PPO plan, your subscription costs may be lower. 

Wellnite subscription plans include:

• Medical care: One consultation with a physician and wholesale pricing on medication and free delivery for a one-month period for $95 per month
• Therapy: Six 30-minute sessions, Four 45-minute sessions, or three 60-minute sessions per month with a therapist for $450 per month
• Medical care and therapy: One consultation with a physician and two 30-minute sessions or one 60-minute session with a therapist for $245 per month

Wellnite users can choose from monthly, biannual, or annual subscription plans. You can get a significant discount if you choose a biannual or annual subscription plan. 

In our survey, 78% of Wellnite users reported that they were likely or very likely to recommend the platform’s medication management services to someone like them. Nearly half (47%) of those users said this was because Wellnite was more affordable than its competitors. 

Similarly, 73% of the Wellnite users in our survey rated the company’s overall value for money as good, very good, or excellent. Over half of the users we surveyed (51%) reported that they paid a discounted rate for their Wellnite subscription with insurance. Our reviewers noted that Wellnite was one of the most affordable, yet comprehensive, online therapy companies out there.

Alma is a free online platform that can help you find the therapist who best fits your needs. The extensive directory includes providers that offer individual, couples, family, child, and teen therapy as well as licensed prescribers offering medication management services. 

Alma’s directory allows you to search for therapists based on their identity (such as gender identity or sexual orientation), location, degree, specialty, language, and approach to therapy, as well as the insurance plan(s) they accept. Many of the platform’s providers offer both in-person and online therapy, while others offer only one or the other. 

Or Alma’s free matching service can do the hard work of searching for a therapist for you by referring you to a provider who fits your preferences and requirements for mental health care. You can also meet individually with different therapists for free consultations before selecting one to move forward with.

Each provider affiliated with Alma works independently and will negotiate the details of payment, scheduling, and other logistics with you directly. However, Alma partners with several major insurance providers, including Cigna and Aetna, to make it easier for the clinicians they work with to accept insurance. According to Alma’s FAQ page, most of its available providers accept insurance. Many of the therapists in Alma’s directory also offer sliding scale fees, especially if they only accept out-of-pocket payments.

In addition to Alma’s insurance program, therapists at Alma have access to a variety of resources that can improve the quality of care you receive. These include continuing education courses and workshops, an active community of providers, and ongoing feedback from clients. 

Each therapist at Alma decides whether or not they accept insurance. When you start your search, you can select your insurance plan from the dropdown menu to filter for providers that accept it. Alma partners directly with the following insurance providers:

• Aetna
• AllSavers UHC
• Cigna
• Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Harvard Pilgrim
• Health Plans Inc.
• Meritain
• Nippon
• Oscar
• Oxford Health Plans
• Surest
• UHC Student Resources
• UMR
• UnitedHealthcare

Alma also works directly with 35 different Blue Cross Blue Shield Plans through the BlueCard network. 

Finally, some individual therapists on the network accept other forms of insurance, including Medicaid and Medicare. 

Alma is a free resource. Each provider sets their own session fees, so costs vary widely. You can also schedule a free 15-minute consultation with a therapist (or multiple therapists) to make sure they’re the right fit before committing to a session. 

Most of the Alma users we surveyed reported that they were happy with the service. Seventy-seven percent of users said they were likely or very likely to recommend Alma to a friend. Users seemed especially impressed with the quality and diversity of Alma’s therapist options, with 89% rating the qualifications of available providers as good or very good. Similarly, 81% of users described the diversity of therapists as good or better.

The majority of Alma users also appeared to be satisfied with the directory’s insurance partners. Most Alma users (93%) reported having health insurance, and 77% said they were using insurance to pay for the therapist they found through the platform. Thirty-five percent of users said that insurance coverage was one of the top factors they took into consideration when selecting a therapist directory.