8 Online Text Therapy Companies We Tested and Recommend in 2024

We asked ten people to test Talkspace’s text-based services from a variety of different states, including North Carolina, Missouri, and New York, in order to see how useful this messaging-based therapy was for people from different backgrounds and careers. And overall, we were impressed. Every plan we tried at Talkspace—including the couples therapy plan—includes text-based therapy. In fact, when we signed up as an adult or teen, we had the option of signing up for a plan that only includes text therapy (no live sessions) for as little as $69 a week.

In all these plans, we could message our therapist anytime, and we were guaranteed to receive at least one response a day five days a week—though some therapists responded more than once. Usually, it only took a couple of hours to hear back—unless we messaged late on a Friday. This form of therapy was particularly convenient when we were busy: We could write to our therapist during our commute to work or on our coffee break, for example, without worrying about having to carve out 30 to 45 minutes for a live therapy session during the workday.

It is worth noting, though, that we found the quality of our therapists’ responses to vary quite a bit based on who we were working with. For example, a few responses from therapists were somewhat phoned in and even boilerplate, while other therapists (including those that said they preferred this form of communication) seemed to take the time to read our messages and respond with long, thoughtful, and engaging responses that asked us questions and prompted us to do some reflection.

At Talkspace, you also have the option of signing up for live chat sessions (if you pick a plan that includes live sessions). This method of communication works pretty much the same way as the asynchronous messaging except that your therapist and you pick a time to be in the chat portal at the same time. This means that rather than wait a few hours for a response, your therapist will respond in real time. However, this form of chat isn’t for everyone: It can be kind of awkward to type something, then have to pause and wait for your therapist to type a response. At times, we found it difficult to get our thoughts across quickly enough in a live chat format because we wanted to rush to finish typing so our therapist could respond. That said, we found this format to work very well for teens since this is an age group that uses live chat and text more often than older generations. 

Talkspace offers three subscription plans for adults and teens (ages 13 to 19):

• Messaging Therapy (guaranteed responses five days a week) starting at $69 per week
• Video and Messaging Therapy (one video session per week plus messaging) starting at $99 per week
• Video and Messaging and Workshops (everything plus weekly workshops) starting at $109 per week
  

There is only one couples therapy plan, which costs $109 a week and includes one live video session a week as well as messaging therapy. 

You can also add on psychiatry sessions ($249 for an initial evaluation, then $125 for every follow-up visit).

Most of the 105 users we surveyed were satisfied with the care they received at Talkspace. Nine out of ten said their overall experience at Talkspace was generally positive, and 92% were impressed with their therapist’s qualifications. 

Many users also described their experience at Talkspace as user-friendly, with 88% of people reporting that the platform was helpful in connecting them to a therapist and 56% of users saying that Talkspace’s app was easy to use in comparison to its competitors. A little less than half said they’d use Talkspace again if they were starting their therapist search over, and 15% said they made that decision based on whether the therapist was available by text.

We had three people (from New York, North Carolina, and California) test Brightside’s services—and one of our testers was a therapist herself—in order to determine if its specializations in anxiety and depression allowed it to deliver the quality care we were looking for. And we’re pleased to report that it did: We found Brightside’s therapists offered useful, comforting support for anxiety and depression via messaging, in virtual therapy sessions, and with its weekly check-in quizzes. We appreciated that unlimited messaging comes with every plan available, making it an ingrained aspect of Brightside’s approach to care. This allowed us to connect with our therapist in between weekly 30-minute live video sessions for continued emotional support and advice.

We also found that the text-based therapy services at Brightside worked better than most of the 79 other services we reviewed. Our therapists were typically prompt when responding, and never sent canned answers. Our therapists would also routinely assess our progress along the way, providing two-way feedback via message to make any necessary changes to our treatment plan.

The text-based therapy was also supplemented with other online self-care resources, such as self-paced lessons, skill-building exercises, and online worksheets. Our therapist would reference those resources during therapy sessions and would use the chat function to direct us to helpful worksheets that we’d discussed in our session. They could see our check-in quizzes and message us about them via our private portal. 

Brightside has three subscription plans and also accepts insurance (pricing below is based on out-of-pocket costs):

• Medication only: $95 per month, plus your pharmacy copay or $15 for medication; includes an initial 15-minute video consultation with a psychiatrist, ongoing provider care and monitoring, and self-care tools to use at your own pace
• Therapy only: $299 per month; includes unlimited messaging and, after an initial 45-minute session, one 30-minute therapy session per week (additional video sessions can be purchased for $59 per session)
• Therapy + medication: $349 per month; includes everything in the other two plans
  

Nine out of ten of the 105 Brightside users we surveyed rated their experience with Brightside as excellent, very good, or good. 

About half said they were looking for depression treatment, while 60% reported dealing with anxiety symptoms, and 18% said it was important to have multiple communication options including text. Nearly a third of the Brightside users we surveyed said they were looking for an online therapy platform that accepted their insurance and 62% said they’d use Brightside again if they were starting their therapist search over again.

We had two people test Circles—one was a therapist herself and the other was someone who had recently experienced a loss—and overall, we had positive experiences. We liked that, at the time, we were able to chat via text with both our group facilitators and the other group members. Since we tested Circles, however, the way it operates has changed. When we tried it, there were both paid audio groups and free chat-based groups available; Circles now only offers subscription-based audio groups. However, it still offers unlimited messaging with its mental health experts at any time, meaning that if we tried its groups again, we could access chat-based support between group sessions.  

We found our groups (or "Circles") to be highly effective; our facilitators, who were all licensed mental health professionals, were able to deftly lead our groups, checking in with each member and allowing us to share on our own terms. They were able to establish an atmosphere that was non-judgmental and supportive, and we appreciated that we could chime in via text even if we did not feel like speaking. We also liked how professional yet warm the group facilitators were. After setting the ground rules and reiterating that the group chat is a safe space, one facilitator even shared their own experience with the topic (childhood trauma), which helped establish a sense of trust with us and among the group members.

Circles now promises a customized healing plan to each member (an improvement from when we tested it) and offers dozens of "Circles" that touch on a wide variety of issues, including relationship problems, grief and loss, and divorce. In addition, one thing that stands Circles apart from other online services is that you can remain completely anonymous: this makes for a group support service that is completely on your own terms.

Circles offers two plans: a monthly subscription for $29 per month or a yearly subscription for $15 per month. It also offers a 14-day money-back guarantee if you're not pleased with the service.

More than three-quarters of the 105 Circles users we surveyed had a positive experience with Circles, rating the overall service as good, very good, or excellent. Sixty-six percent of users were satisfied or very satisfied with their facilitators and 62% noted that their Circles facilitator seemed to be more experienced and/or qualified than other mental health providers they’d worked with in online therapy. What’s more, 80% of users said that Circles offered them excellent, very good, or good value for their money.

We had four people test E-Therapy Cafe’s services in Colorado, Michigan, and California to see how well the company delivered therapy across the country, and we were impressed with the sheer number of therapy communication options it offered: We could schedule live video sessions, live e-chats, or an “e-journaling” option, where we could write up to a 700-word "journal entry" to our therapist, to which they'd respond within 24 hours with a more elaborate answer than what we got in the basic chat.

While the chat function is designed more for quick questions and replies, we really liked how easy it was to use via our patient portal and how quickly therapists responded to our messages. And while the e-journaling wasn’t our preferred method of communication—it felt long to have to write out our feelings in 700 words and then tedious to wait for a response—we appreciated the flexibility, because this method might work well if we were on a trip or commuting and didn’t have the time for a live session. We felt the e-journal feature was especially useful for completing the homework our therapist assigned us. That said, while our therapist responded within 24 hours—as quickly as was promised on the website—due to technical difficulties, we couldn’t access her response via the portal. The therapist reached out to customer service on our behalf, and the company was able to correct the error within three days. 

We also appreciated E-Therapy Cafe’s mix of providers: At sign-up, we could choose our own therapist and we had a wide list of options, including licensed therapists, psychologists, and certified life coaches. We could read therapists’ bios directly on the website, which made it easier to pick a mental healthcare provider who suited our needs.

The biggest drawback of E-Therapy Cafe is that its live sessions (both over video call and live chat) are only 30 minutes long. This is on the shorter side compared to the other companies we tested, but the price of therapy at E-Therapy Cafe offsets this downside in our opinion: E-Therapy Cafe offers the least expensive subscription therapy service out of the 80 companies we reviewed. It’s also one of the most flexible in terms of scheduling—therapists were able to meet early in the morning and late into the evening to accommodate us. 

E-Therapy Cafe offers a variety of subscription plans;  

• ETCTrial: $55 (one trial session, valid for 30 days after purchase)
• ETCStraight: $65 (extendable half-hour video, phone, email/chat session)
• ETCFlex: $470 (eight sessions per month, non-renewing)
• ETC90: $440 (90-day pack of 24 sessions)
• ETCReflect: $65 (e-journal)
• ETCPet: $170 (emotional support animal prescription)

When we surveyed 105 E-Therapy Cafe users, most told us they had a good experience, with 82% saying they were very likely or likely to recommend the service to a friend and another 82% saying most or all of their needs were met. Meanwhile, 68% of users thought E-Therapy Cafe was either very affordable or affordable, and nearly nine out of ten said they were impressed with the number of qualified therapists available.

We asked five people to test Online-Therapy.com from California, New York, and South Dakota. Two of our testers were also therapists well acquainted with CBT as a therapy technique. so we could really assess how well the Online-Therapy.com therapists were using the technique with their patients. And of all the companies that utilize CBT (or specialize in it), Online-Therapy.com stood out: It offers live video sessions, live chat sessions, e-journaling, and asynchronous messaging with your therapist, all of whom (in our experience) are knowledgeable and supportive. 

Online-Therapy.com's "online therapy program" consists of 8 sections of CBT exercises, resources, and hands-on tools, as well as unlimited messaging with a provider. One thing to note: A major aspect of CBT is homework outside of therapy sessions. As such, our therapists regularly sent us numerous worksheets to complement our treatment in conjunction with the CBT resources available through our subscription. We appreciated what this aspect of therapy is designed to do, but, at times, the amount of paperwork could feel overwhelming and like we were back in school. That said, we liked that we could use the e-journaling chat function to complete this homework since we could write about two pages' worth in the journal. Our therapist could easily refer to and comment on the work we did, which helped us see where we were making progress.

We appreciated the multitude of text-based communication methods available, and for the most part, they worked well. However, while we could message our therapist at any time, we didn’t always receive a response—even though daily check-ins via text messaging are supposed to be guaranteed. In addition, we had some trouble with the live chat function. When it came time for our session, our therapist didn’t appear to be present, so we messaged her in our patient portal, and she said she was having technical difficulties. We tried to have the chat session, but it was filled with long lags between responses. Our therapist was very understanding, though, and offered us a free video session the make up for the technical issues, which we very much appreciated. 

Online-Therapy.com has four subscription plans, all of which offer messaging with your therapist and daily responses from your therapist. Costs are broken down by week, but you’ll pay an upfront, monthly rate. There is also a 20% discount on your first month.

• Basic: Unlimited messaging + therapy program, $50 per week ($40 first month)
• Standard: One weekly live session + unlimited messaging + therapy program, $80 per week ($64 first month)
• Premium: Two weekly live sessions + unlimited messaging + therapy program, $110 per week ($88 first month)
• Couples Therapy: One 45-minute session per week + unlimited messaging + therapy program, $110 per week ($88 first month) 

Online-Therapy.com does not accept insurance.

Among the 105 users we surveyed, 83% said they were impressed with the therapist options provided at Online-Therapy.com. Over half (52%) of users reported seeking out therapy for help with depression symptoms, while another 35% of users said they were looking for help with stress management. Overall, 85% of surveyed users described their experience with Online-Therapy.com as excellent, very good, or good, and nearly three-quarters found a therapist that met most or all of their needs.

When it comes to free mental health resources—especially those available 24/7 or to people in crisis—most are phone lines where you have to call in and speak to someone. But this is not the case with the Crisis Text Line, which offers free, 24/7, confidential emotional support via text from trained volunteers across the U.S., the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Canada. And while we did not test this service (because we did not think it would be ethical to either try the service if we were not actually in crisis or to have someone actually in crisis test it for a review), we did speak with staff editors who have used it as well as licensed mental health professionals—all of whom recommend it to those in need.

All you have to do to reach the Crisis Text Line is text HOME to 741741 or reach out on WhatsApp. When you do so, you’ll immediately receive a response back letting you know that you have been connected and the service is looking for a volunteer to message you, which generally takes about five minutes (but can be longer). Once you are connected with a volunteer, that volunteer—who is not a licensed therapist but is a trained crisis counselor—will introduce themselves and ask you what is bothering you, sometimes asking further questions or offering support. Text conversations at the Crisis Text Line have no set time limit, though most last between 15 to 45 minutes. If you stop messaging for any reason or step away, they will ask you if you’re still there and wish to continue before disconnecting. They will also help wind the conversation to a close before disconnecting on you to make sure you’re comfortable ending the chat.

One caveat: If your crisis counselor suspects you are an imminent threat to yourself, they have an obligation to call local law enforcement. This is often the case with crisis hotlines, but is something you should be aware of before getting in touch.

While the volunteers at Crisis Text Line aren’t medical providers or licensed mental healthcare professionals, it stood out to us that all volunteers must pass a multi-stage application process, background check, and training program (200 hours) to become a volunteer. They’re also guided by a group of supervisors (all of whom have relevant Master’s degrees or crisis intervention experience). As such, they can provide key support, advice, and information about resources in your area. We also appreciate the Crisis Text Line’s international availability and bilingual services—this made it stand out among other similar crisis helplines we evaluated.

The Crisis Text Line is free to use anytime and as often as you’d like. 

We did not survey users of the Crisis Text Line, but we did speak with editors who shared they had used the service and with three licensed therapists about the service’s value to people in need of emotional support as soon as possible. 

“Sometimes, in moments of crisis, a connection of any kind—even through text—is enough to keep someone from hurting themselves,” explains Owens. “Texting is also a great option for someone who does not have the privacy you’d need for a phone call or who does not feel comfortable talking on the phone, especially about something as personal and serious as self-harm.”

To test Teen Counseling, we asked five parents and their teenagers to sign up from different states, including Michigan, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. We and our teens were pleased with our experiences: the therapists were adept at working with and connecting with adolescents and handling issues many teens face, such as bullying, depression, anxiety, stress, self-esteem, body image, issues with school and relationships, and eating disorders. We felt our therapists were good listeners and validating (they often repeated what we said to make sure they understood), and the text-based therapy was easy to use (and popular with our teens). 

We could message our therapist asynchronously through the app or our portal anytime, day or night, and we heard back from our therapists at least once a day, five days a week. We found the therapists responsive, as advertised, and the responses were engaged and thoughtful. The text-based format also seemed to be appealing to our teens who preferred to message about their feelings as needed rather than at a scheduled time. We could schedule live chat sessions, too, which again seemed to be a good format for teens who don’t like speaking on the phone, though we did find that the flow of conversation was disjointed in this format because we were constantly waiting for our therapists to type a response. This meant that, in the end, we covered less ground in a session. 

However, we especially appreciated the way the service handled parental involvement in the process. When we signed up with our teen, both of us got our own online “room” to message our therapist. This meant that neither we nor our teens could see what the other person said to our therapists, which built trust in the process (especially for our teens) pretty quickly.

Teen Counseling’s subscription prices range between $260 to $360 per month ($65 to $90 per week), depending on your location, preferences, and therapist availability. A monthly subscription includes four live sessions in the format of your choice (live chat, phone, video chat), plus 24/7 messaging with your teen's therapist. 

The company does not accept insurance. 

In our survey, anxiety was the most common concern reported by Teen Counseling users, with about two-thirds saying they were seeking help for anxiety symptoms. Eighty-five percent of users had a positive experience with the service, rating it as excellent, very good, or good. Additionally, 88% of users said the platform was better than similar ones they’d used in the past. More than three-quarters felt that all or most of their needs were met by their therapist, and 85% reported that their therapist’s qualifications were good to excellent.

We tested 7 Cups' peer support services from Missouri, and found both its peer support and text-based therapy services to be affordable and accessible. We appreciated that if we needed support right away, we could message one of 7 Cups’ trained “active listeners” for free at any time to discuss any problems we were having. Our listeners were warm and empathetic; and although one of them shared more about her own personal experiences than we were comfortable hearing, we could still see how that might benefit others who were specifically looking to relate to someone who had faced similar challenges.

We found that, along with the listener chats available, the company also has a wide variety of free peer-based group chats. Common chat room topics include grief, loneliness, breakups, chronic illness, and caregiving. Other free resources at 7 Cups include self-help and mental health guides. But while we appreciated the number of chat rooms available, considering there are literally millions of users, going in and out of chat rooms felt overwhelming and impersonal at times. Still, we couldn't overlook the convenience and assistance that comes with being able to connect with peers going through similar experiences and challenges as you at any time through 7 Cups.

If you’re looking for text-assisted therapy services from a qualified mental health provider, you can sign up for a monthly text-based subscription for $150 per month, which provides chat-based therapy sessions. But remember, 7 Cups only offers only text-based therapy rather than live chat, video, or audio sessions.

7 Cups is free to use if you just want to use it for group chat rooms, private peer chats, and access to “active listeners.”

A monthly subscription costs $150 and gives you access to a therapist you can live-chat with in scheduled therapy sessions. 

Although we don't have user survey information regarding 7 Cups' peer counseling services specifically, we found that 66% of the 105 users we surveyed felt that 7 Cups was a good value for the cost, and three-quarters said their therapist’s qualifications were good to excellent. Seventy-four percent were pleased with their therapist’s response times, but 32% said they switched therapists at least once. About two-thirds said the service was better or much better than similar services they’d used in the past.