8 Online Text Therapy Companies We Tested and Recommend in 2024

Guide to Choosing the Best Text-Based Therapy Services

Here are some factors to take into consideration when choosing a text-based therapy service :

• Pricing: Look for a service that fits within your budget and preferred payment model. Most services are offered via weekly or monthly subscriptions. Some platforms offer free trials or discounts for your first session. Take note of how easy or difficult it is to switch therapists or cancel your subscription if you're unsatisfied.
• Therapists: Available mental health providers may include licensed therapists, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, psychiatrists, and clinical social workers, to name a few. Some text-assisted therapy platforms also offer peer support and counseling with life coaches. When signing up for a text therapy service, one of the first steps you'll likely take is to answer a questionnaire that collects your preferences and needs in order to match you with a compatible therapist. Make sure to respond to all questions and add details that can ensure a good match.
  
• Therapy types: What are you hoping to find in a therapist in terms of technique, focus, and modality? Are you looking for cognitive behavioral therapy, traditional talk therapy, emotional support, or help with stress management?
• Live vs. 24/7 messaging: Are you looking for live one-on-one chats with a therapist, or is asynchronous messaging acceptable?
• Insurance: Some text therapy platforms accept major insurance plans and providers. Ask your insurance provider or contact customer service to discuss potential insurance coverage.
  

Who Are Text Therapy Services or Apps Right For?

Text-assisted therapy may be right for you if you:

• Have a busy or unpredictable schedule
• Need affordable mental health services
• Live in a remote or rural area
• Are an English language learner
• Don't want other people to overhear your therapy sessions
• Feel more comfortable writing about your concerns than talking about them
• Experience anxiety about live video or phone sessions
• Are Deaf, have a sensory processing disorder, and/or have any other disability or condition that affects communication
• Use an augmentative and alternative communication device (AAC) to communicate with others

Text-assisted therapy services may not be suitable for you if you:

• Have been diagnosed with a serious or complex mental health condition
• Don't have reliable access to the internet
• Have been ordered to undergo therapy as part of a court proceeding

If you have an urgent mental health need, you shouldn't rely on text-assisted therapy. Please call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, text "HOME" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741, or seek emergency medical help right away.

How We Tested and Reviewed Online Text Therapy Services

We evaluated 80 online therapy companies and therapist directories in order to compile this list.

Firsthand Experience

As part of our research, we signed up for talk therapy at all 55 online therapy companies we reviewed. We tested each company's therapy services, and if the company offered other services (such as couples therapy and child or teen therapy), we tested those too. Our testers are located all across the United States and abroad, meaning we have extensive information about each company's services in a variety of areas.

User and Brand Surveys

In addition, we surveyed more than 8,000 therapy users: 100 at each of the 55 online therapy companies and the 25 therapist directories we researched and tested. We collected over 100 different data points in which we asked users to evaluate each company's services, from their therapist's qualifications to whether they found a therapist who met all their needs to how they'd rate the company overall. We also sent questionnaires to each company we considered, asking for their perspectives on the services they provide, and we interviewed former patients and therapists at the companies where possible.

Research

In addition to the extensive research we performed on each of the 55 online therapy companies we reviewed, we also researched dozens of therapy directories. We tested each by searching for appropriate therapists for 37 hypothetical scenarios that might lead someone to search for a mental health provider across 18 ZIP codes. We then rated the results by how well the therapists we found in each directory could address each scenario, looking into whether it had competent, licensed therapists who were qualified to treat these issues.

Expert Recommendations

Once we completed this testing and these surveys, we evaluated our findings with the help of three licensed therapists-Amy Marschall, PsyD; Nic Hardy, PhD, LCSW; and Hannah Owens, LMSW-in order to make our recommendations. These therapists provided extensive insight into the ethics and efficacy of online therapy as well as information about relevant therapeutic modalities and approaches.

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