Best Online Therapy for Teens

What separates the best online therapy for teens on this page?

Score, price and who actually treats your teen. Talkspace scores 8.3 and takes insurance from most large insurers, with testers paying $0–$25 copays. Talkiatry scores 8 and is psychiatry-first: 60-minute intakes with employed psychiatrists, insurance only. Open Path Collective scores 7.6 at $40 a session with a licensed therapist. BetterHelp scores 7.2 at $70, no insurance, cash runs $280–$400 a month. 7 Cups scores 6.9, free chat with volunteer listeners, therapy tier $150/mo.

The split that matters: Talkspace, Talkiatry and BetterHelp are platforms that match you. Open Path is a directory you work yourself. 7 Cups is support, not treatment.

What should you check before buying?

Insurance first, because it decides half this list. Talkspace and Talkiatry are in-network with most major insurers; Talkiatry has no cash option at all, so without qualifying insurance you cannot use it. BetterHelp takes no insurance. Open Path has an income cap and is not for people with good insurance.

Then session length and format. Talkspace video sessions are 30 or 45 minutes, not 50. Open Path gives full 50-minute sessions, in person if you want. 7 Cups therapy tier is messaging only, no video. BetterHelp includes unlimited messaging plus one live session a week.

Then privacy. BetterHelp carries a 2023 FTC order over sharing health data for ads. 7 Cups listeners are volunteers, not clinicians, and quality varies widely.

Finally, speed. BetterHelp matched all three testers within 24 hours. Talkiatry took a week to the first appointment in our tests.

Which one for whom?

• Talkspace — teens who need therapy, psychiatry and messaging under one account, especially with insurance.
• Talkiatry — teens who need a psychiatrist and have qualifying insurance, including some Medicare.
• Open Path Collective — families without adequate insurance who will contact and schedule therapists themselves.
• BetterHelp — fast matching and a specific specialism, paid in cash.
• 7 Cups — a teen who needs someone to talk to within minutes, any hour, free.

Talkspace suits teens who want therapy, psychiatry and messaging in one account, particularly with insurance. Talkiatry is for families who need a psychiatrist and have qualifying insurance. Open Path Collective fits families without adequate insurance who will handle contacting and scheduling themselves, while BetterHelp suits cash payers who want a fast match. 7 Cups is for a teen who needs someone to talk to within minutes, free.