BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy service, providing professional, affordable, and personalized mental health care in a convenient, digital format. Founded in 2013 and a subsidiary of Teladoc Health, the platform connects users with a vast network of over 30,000 licensed, accredited, and experienced mental health professionals, including psychologists, clinical social workers, and counselors. The service operates on a subscription model, offering a comprehensive package that typically includes one weekly live session (via video, phone, or live chat) and unlimited asynchronous messaging with the matched therapist.
Key features include a proprietary therapist matching algorithm, access to interactive group webinars (Groupinars), a private in-app journaling and mood tracking feature, and the ability to easily switch therapists at any time for free.
BetterHelp is designed to remove traditional barriers to therapy, making it accessible for individuals seeking support for a wide range of issues like stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and relationship problems. The platform is suitable for individuals, couples (via Regain.us), and teens (via TeenCounseling.com).
While it generally does not accept direct insurance payments, it is often more affordable than in-person therapy for those paying out-of-pocket and accepts Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) cards.
For security, the platform utilizes banking-grade 256-bit encryption for data in transit and at rest and is HITRUST Risk-based, 2-year (r2) Certified. However, it's important to note the 2023 Federal Trade Commission (FTC) settlement regarding past deceptive practices concerning the sharing of non-session health data for advertising purposes (2017-2020), which the company has since addressed with new policies and a commitment to privacy.