Best Online Help for Depression

Brightside offers quality teletherapy and psychiatric services with a strong emphasis on data-driven results. It was founded in 2017 by Brad Kittredge, who formerly served as a 23andMe executive; Mimi Winsberg, MD, who served a stint as Facebook’s in-house psychiatrist; and Jeremy Barth, a former chief technology officer at WellnessFX. The company is backed by experts in the mental health care field. It has a unique focus on depression and anxiety, though it also boasts the ability to treat bipolar II, OCD, phobias, and seasonal affective disorder. 

Brightside offers individual teletherapy and virtual psychiatry services for adults in all 50 states. Something to keep in mind is that its sessions are short. The first therapy session is 45 minutes long with all subsequent sessions lasting about 30 minutes. Psychiatry appointments are just 15 minutes long. Brightside makes up for the brevity of its sessions by offering virtual cognitive behavioral therapy lessons with every subscription plan available. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of therapy recommended for depression that focuses on shifting maladaptive thoughts and coping patterns. 

Brightside says that 85% of users feel better within 12 weeks. While we appreciate its data-driven approach, it is worth noting that healing can be a long-term process and these statistics may feel discouraging to some.

Weekly online therapy sessions and access to the cognitive behavioral therapy lessons cost $299 per month. The medication management plan features monthly check-ins with a psychiatrist and access to the cognitive behavioral therapy lessons. A plan that combines medication management and weekly therapy costs $349 a month. 

Brightside is in-network with Cigna, Aetna, Optum/UnitedHealthcare, Anthem CA, and Allegiance. Payments can also be made using a health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA).

Generally, users are highly pleased with Brightside, with 90% of customers surveyed giving the platform a rating of good, very good, or excellent. Seventy-nine percent of users stated their provider met most or all of their therapeutic needs, and 86% gave the qualifications of Brightside therapists an overall positive rating.

Open Path Collective is a therapist directory, founded in 2012, that provides users with a list of clinicians who offer sliding scale rates. The directory’s low-cost therapy options provide greater accessibility to therapy seekers on a budget. Open Path Collective requires providers to have a graduate degree in counseling, psychology, or a related field, so a variety of mental health professionals are listed in the directory.

While the directory does not specialize in one mental health diagnosis, 49% of users surveyed said they sought services on Open Path Collective for depression.

Therapists listed in the directory agree to offer a sliding scale rate, ranging from $40 to $70 for each individual therapy session and $40 to $80 for couples or family therapy sessions. Open Path also offers $30 sessions led by student interns. Open Path Collective seeks to provide affordable therapy for the underinsured, uninsured, or others with a low socioeconomic status; therefore, its providers do not accept insurance plans.

It is important to note users must pay a lifetime membership fee of $65 to access the affordable session costs.

Of the users we surveyed, 90% rated Open Path Collective as good or very good. Eighty-one percent of users said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the variety of providers, and 61% said they were very likely to still be using the provider they found on Open Path Collective six months from now.

Talkiatry was founded in 2020 by Georgia Gaveras, MD, and Robert Krayn. Dr. Gaveras is a triple board-certified psychiatrist who served an impressive 18-year tenure in the New York hospital system, and Krayn was formerly a vice president and senior analyst at an investment management firm. After Krayn survived a home invasion and sought psychiatric care, he was taken aback by how inaccessible quality psychiatry services were due to cost and a lack of in-network providers. The two found common ground in their dissatisfaction with the current limitations of the psychiatric system and a hope that they could create change, and the result was Talkiatry. 

This company is unique in that it only provides services to those with insurance plans, so it isn’t the best for those who are uninsured or don’t have coverage for outpatient mental health treatment. It isn’t possible to access pricing prior to signing up, since it is dependent upon Talkiatry accepting your insurance plan and your plan’s unique benefits. Talkiatry provides psychiatry and therapy services to children and adults with depression, anxiety, ADHD, bipolar disorder, insomnia, OCD, and PTSD. The variety of conditions treated makes it an excellent option for those who have multiple diagnoses, such as depression and anxiety or depression and OCD.

All service fees are dependent upon the insurance plan of the client. There are multiple factors to consider. First, the insurance plan needs to be one Talkiatry accepts. Second, it has to offer outpatient mental health benefits. Beyond that, there may be coverage limitations due to a high deductible that therapy seekers need to meet. Finally, the fee for each service will depend on any applicable copays. 

Talkiatry is in-network with major insurers including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Humana, Medicare, Oscar, and UnitedHealthcare.

Talkiatry has a fantastic user rating, with 95% of clients we surveyed giving it an overall positive rating. Another 91% were impressed with the qualifications of Talkiatry providers, citing them as good, very good, or excellent. Diversity is another celebrated aspect of this virtual platform—89% of users were satisfied with the diversity of Talkiatry providers.

Founded in 2017, the National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network (NQTTCN) aims to make mental health care more accessible to queer and trans people of color. It achieves this mission by offering a directory of mental health practitioners that offer therapy, including treatment for depression, for adults, children and adolescents, in individual, couples, and groups settings in addition to medication management and clinical supervision for rising therapists. Aside from the directory, it also features a mental health fund. Those who are struggling to afford therapy can apply to receive $100 towards eight therapy sessions. 

To search for a provider in the directory, you’ll begin by typing in your location to the search bar. From there, providers in your area will populate the web page. From there, you can filter your search further, but the filters are a bit limiting. You can filter your search to find therapists currently accepting new clients, offering telehealth, that have a sliding scale/low fee, or are closer to your home. Unfortunately, you cannot filter by insurance, price range, language, or specialty. You'll have to click on each therapist's profile and read their bio to find out if they treat depression. 

Despite these limitations, 84% of users surveyed gave the directory a positive rating.

Since this is a therapy directory, provider fees vary by therapist, though some therapists on the directory list their rates, accepted insurance plans, and payment options in their bio. There is no fee to search for a therapist.

Of the users we surveyed, 42% used the National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network directory to find a therapist with a culture or identity similar to theirs. Seventy-four percent of users stated they found the experience of finding a therapist that met their needs to be either easy or very easy. Another 68% of users said they were able to find a therapist that met all of their needs, while 31% stated they had to compromise on some of their needs when selecting a provider.

ReGain is a virtual couples therapy platform owned by BetterHelp. Founded in 2016, it prioritizes making couples therapy convenient and affordable by offering virtual sessions for $60 to $90 a week. It provides care in all 50 states and has over 12,000 licensed therapists nationwide. What we find especially unique about ReGain is that it offers both individual and couples therapy. In the case of individual therapy, the focus will still be strengthening the relationship and an individual can later have their partner join them for couples therapy through the platform. 

When navigating depression, it isn’t uncommon to feel the toll in your relationship. Sex, emotional intimacy, and daily life together can suddenly feel shaken up when one or both parties is dealing with the effects of depression. Receiving couples therapy can help a relationship weather the storm. Plus, ReGain makes the process super simple by matching you with a therapist that you can change at any time with the click of a button.

The platform offers weekly sessions for $60 to $90 a week. The exact price depends on your location and the availability of therapists in your area, and you will be billed on a monthly basis. This plan offers one weekly session; the first session is 45 minutes long and all subsequent sessions are just 30 minutes. 

ReGain is not in-network with any insurance providers.

ReGain users are generally satisfied with their experience using the platform—77% of users gave it a rating of good, very good, or excellent. Eighty percent of users stated their ReGain therapist met most, if not all, of their needs. Sixty-two percent of ReGain clients surveyed stated they found the process of finding a therapist through the platform easy or very easy, and another 24% stated the process was neither easy nor difficult.

Founded in 2019, Monument seeks to provide alcohol use treatment to individuals who cannot afford or access traditional addiction treatment programs in person. The comorbidity between alcoholism and depression is high: Those experiencing alcohol dependence are 3.7 times more likely to also have a diagnosis of major depressive disorder. This underscores why it is so important to treat depression when looking at help for substance use disorders.

Monument provides physician appointments and individual therapy services, as well as medication management for users at a monthly subscription price. That being said, Monument only prescribes disulfiram or naltrexone, which specifically treat alcohol use disorder.

Multiple subscription plans are available to access Monument services. The most affordable plan, Physician Care, costs $14.99 per month, plus a $45 initial fee. The plan includes one physician appointment each month plus unlimited messaging with your physician. Monument physicians can prescribe medication to help you reduce or stop your drinking. This plan also includes unlimited therapist-moderated support groups, plus the option to schedule extra appointments with your doctor for $45 each.

The second plan, Total Care (Biweekly), includes everything in the Physician Care plan plus biweekly 45-minute therapy sessions. It costs $35 per week, for a total of $149 per month. 

The Total Care (Weekly) plan includes everything in the Physician Care plan plus weekly 45-minute therapy sessions. This plan costs $58 per week ($249 per month). 

Insurance coverage varies by state, but includes major plans like Optum, Cigna, Blue Shield, Aetna, Anthem, Medicaid, and Medicare.

Monument maintains high levels of customer satisfaction. Seventy-eight percent of Monument users surveyed rated the company as excellent, very good, or good. Forty-two percent of users said they are likely or very likely to be seeing their same therapist within 12 months from now.

Users looking for affordable emotional support for their depression might consider Peer Collective, a platform that focuses on peer-to-peer counseling. Its peer counselors complete a vetting process to ensure they are providing quality support. However, it is important to note that peer counselors are not licensed mental health professionals, and peer counseling is not an appropriate substitute for mental health care from a licensed provider. While the peer counselors aren’t licensed professionals, Peer Collective does require each counselor to have experience and training in a variety of mental health struggles, including mild to moderate depression. 

The company allows you to pay by session, so you can choose the frequency of sessions and adjust it based on your budget. Users can decide whether to chat online with their peer counselor for 30 minutes or one hour. Users can also access Peer Collective’s informational blog to receive additional, free education on mental health topics.

Thirty-minute sessions cost $14 each while hour-long sessions are $28 each. The company provides immediate refunds should users not be satisfied with their sessions. Since these are peer support sessions and not formal therapy, Peer Collective is not in-network with any insurance providers and is unable to provide a superbill for reimbursement.

While this was not a company whose users we surveyed, many people highlight the straightforward setup and affordable prices in customer reviews for Peer Collective. Users understand they are signing up to speak with peer counselors rather than licensed mental health professionals, and reap the benefits of its affordability and accessibility.

Founded in 2017, TherapyDen is a fast-growing therapist directory with a strong social justice mission: “to be as inclusive and representative as possible.” The company’s expansive search filters include specialty (such as depression), therapeutic methods, insurance plans, price ranges, and whether or not the therapist offers free consultations. TherapyDen also allows users to filter results based on the language, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation of the therapist, helping therapy become more comfortable for members of marginalized populations.

With the large range of inclusive search filters, users are sure to find the right match for their needs. Forty-five percent of users surveyed stated they sought a therapist on TherapyDen to cope with their depression.

The directory is free to use for therapy seekers. Users can adjust their search results based on price range and accepted insurance plans. However, cost per session and insurance coverage varies based on the therapist.

Although the directory is newer, user satisfaction with TherapyDen is high. Of the users we surveyed, 80% rated TherapyDen as very good or good. Many approved of the directory’s mission statement, with 70% rating it as good or very good. However, despite its strong social justice ethos, 12% of users surveyed said they hope to see more therapists from a background/culture similar to theirs.

7 Cups began in 2013, providing a free online chat for users led by volunteer “listeners.” The chat is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which makes it highly accessible to those struggling with low mood or depression. There are also forums and private chat rooms available to help you connect with peers facing the same mental health struggle. 7 Cups is available via app or web browser.

Adults and teenagers can use 7 Cups to boost their mental well-being. It provides a community for people who understand the nuances of depression and other mental health issues.

The forums, private chat rooms, and online volunteer chat are free to use. If you want traditional therapy, 7 Cups offers an online chat option with a licensed mental health professional for $150 per month.

We did not survey users of this company, but there is a pattern of positive customer reviews for 7 Cups, with users praising the company’s ease of functionality as well as efficient mental health support.

After noticing the demand among Black women seeking a provider who shares their racial identity, Joy Harden Bradford, PhD, created the Therapy for Black Girls directory in 2016. It came about just two years after she created a blog by the same title. Along the way, she also launched a Therapy for Black Girls podcast that explores mental health and self-care while centering the experience of Black women. If you’re a Black man or non-binary person that is open to seeing a Black woman for therapy, don’t be put off by the name of this directory—you can certainly use this as a resource to find your next therapist, and many specialize in depression treatment.

To use the directory, you just enter your city, state, or ZIP code into the search navigation. From there, you will see a list of providers in your area. You can further filter your search by selecting the desired therapist specialty (such as depression), your insurance plan, the state you’re licensed in, and if you’re seeking someone who prescribes medication. We’d love to see the ability to filter based on fee and the requirement that all providers list their fee range on their bio.

It is free to find a therapist through the Therapy for Black Girls directory. Therapist fees vary based on provider, as do the insurance plans accepted.

Therapy for Black Girls has great user ratings, with 91% of users surveyed giving it a positive rating of very good or good. Forty-seven percent of clients surveyed used this directory to find a therapist that treats depression and 80% of all users were satisfied with the therapists presented in the directory.

Headquartered in Denver, GoodTherapy is one of the largest therapist directories. Since its founding in 2007, GoodTherapy has grown to serve all 50 U.S. states as well as over 20 additional countries. Users can input their ZIP code and adjust search results based on the filters provided. These filters include the therapists’ specialties (including depression), treatment orientations, gender of the therapist, and accessibility features of the office, as well as whether or not the therapist offers a free consultation or sliding scale option.

GoodTherapy also has a substantial amount of informational content on its blog, such as posts titled What Is Self-Help in Mental Health? and What Is Smiling Depression?.

GoodTherapy is free to use for therapy seekers. Users can adjust their search results based on price range and accepted insurance plans. However, cost per session and insurance coverage vary by therapist. GoodTherapy also allows users to filter their results according to which therapists offer sliding scale options or free initial consultations.

The directory stood out among competitors in our user results. Of the 180 individuals we surveyed who used GoodTherapy, 62% said the therapist qualifications were very good. Furthermore, 95% of users rated the directory overall as good or very good.

Teladoc is a telehealth company that offers general medical care, wellness support, and mental health care. You’ll notice that its website feels much more clinical than some of the other companies featured due to its broad medical focus. Don’t be deterred by this—Teladoc offers quality care for individuals and couples seeking talk therapy and medication management that is in-network with a range of insurance companies. 

Teladoc features therapists who specialize in treating depression. Unfortunately, it isn’t possible to view therapists until after you sign up for services. Additionally, you can’t see if your insurance plan is covered until you sign up. If your insurance isn’t accepted, sessions start at $99 per visit and can cost as much as $299 for a psychiatry intake session.

If using insurance to fund your treatment, your fee per session will vary based on your insurance coverage. If paying out of pocket, therapy sessions begin at $99. Psychiatry intake sessions can cost up to $299, with follow-up sessions costing $119. 

However, Teladoc is in-network with over 60 insurance plans, including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare, and even some Medicare and Medicaid plans, making the likelihood of Teladoc accepting your insurance quite high.

Teladoc has an excellent user rating, with 97% of users describing it as good, very good, or excellent. Half of Teladoc users surveyed stated finding a provider that accepts insurance was a key priority in their search, and 80% of users stated they found a provider that met most or all of their needs. Another win: 94% of Teladoc users were pleased with their therapist’s qualifications.