We researched over 35 mental health platforms and narrowed down 6 options for affordable online therapy. Follow our testers as they sign up and try the platforms to see if one could be a fit for you.
Therapy costs vary widely. In-person therapy in the United States costs an average of $174 per 1-hour session when paid out of pocket, according to a 2023 Milliman report. With commercial health insurance, the average cost is $23 for an in-network visit and $53 for an out-of-network visit.
Online therapy is a convenient alternative. While it can be less expensive than in-person therapy when paying out of pocket, it’s still pretty pricey. However, some online therapy services also take insurance — or are specifically geared toward people who are uninsured or underinsured — bringing the cost to $40, $20, or even free.
To help you find accessible therapy, we vetted and tested affordable mental health platforms. These are our picks as of January 2025.
In case of a mental health emergency
Some of the mental health care options listed in this article may not be suitable in an emergency. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis and is at immediate risk of self-harm or hurting another person, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988.
*Some names have been changed at the request of testers.
You can find free or low cost therapy in a number of different places. The following list includes resources for one-on-one appointments, group therapy, online offerings, and more.
- Community clinics and resources: To find a clinic in your local area, contact the National Alliance on Mental Illness HelpLine or go to
MentalHealth.govTrusted Source . Places like community centers, hospitals, and schools may run free programs, like support groups. Publicly funded state-run services may be another option for free or low cost therapy. - Sliding scale therapists: These professionals adjust their hourly fee to make therapy more affordable for the client. Finding this therapist may be a good option if you need to pay out of pocket, but make sure to check if the therapist is accepting sliding scale clients, and search by specialty if you’re looking for something particular.
- Local colleges and universities: Many colleges and universities with mental health practitioner programs may have clinicians in training who offer reduced rates. These clinics are usually open to the public, and they offer sliding scale fees that can be as low as $1. These clinicians-in-training typically work under the supervision of experienced professionals.
- In-network mental health professionals: If you have health insurance, call your insurance to find out whether they cover mental health service. If they do, ask for the contact information of local professionals who accept your insurance plan. Many online therapy services take insurance, but it’s important to double-check if everything is covered, or if there are copays or deductible amounts.
- Employee assistance programs: Your employer may offer therapy services for free through an employee assistance program. This voluntary program is set up by a workplace to provide a number of confidential services. These are intended to help with any issue that affects your mental or emotional health that may also affect your work performance. To find out what services are available, contact your human resources department.
Our Medical Standards and Insights team has carefully researched and vetted over 11,000 products and services. We evaluate services for consistency with standards of care and best practices, and we look into each brand’s reputation before sharing products and services on Healthline.
To choose the online therapy platforms on this page, we considered all the platforms that passed our vetting process. Then, we personally tested some of them to narrow down our list even further.
Even if you find a platform or mental health professional in your budget, they might not be the best fit for you.
It’s important to know this is completely OK and actually quite typical. It can take some time to find someone who is a match for you, whether that means they’re culturally competent, are a person of color, are familiar with specific traumas, or have different specialties.
You’ll know your therapist is a good match when they consistently make you feel comfortable and welcomed.
If you don’t think they’re a good match, communicate that to them by asking them not to schedule another appointment. This can be done face-to-face or over a text, call, or email.
If you want or need to talk with a mental health professional but are worried about being able to afford it, you do have options.
Low cost therapy may be available through social services, nonprofits, and universities, while some platforms offer financial aid or sliding scales.
If you’ve found a therapist you’d like to start seeing, you can contact them to see whether they accept your health insurance. Some of these costs may be covered through your insurance.
If you have health insurance, there’s a chance your plan may cover some or all therapy costs.
To find out whether your insurance covers therapy or mental health care, you can log in to your plan’s website, which should contain information about your coverage. You can also call your insurance company or even chat with your company’s HR department.
If you find a therapist you want to talk with, you can also ask whether they accept your insurance.
The frequency of your therapy appointments depends on your goals, why you’re in counseling, and what your therapist thinks.
You may see your therapist once a week, biweekly, or even once a month, but you can always talk with them about increasing or decreasing the frequency of your appointments.
If you can’t afford therapy, there are other low or zero cost options available in many communities. For example:
- Sliding scale therapists are psychotherapists, psychologists, and social workers who change their hourly rate according to what their clients can afford.
- Post-secondary institutions that offer mental health practitioner programs may offer reduced rates to the public to see their clinicians-in-training.
- Community mental health clinics are often low cost or free.
The main reason for this is that therapists must have a master’s or a PhD, which requires years of costly education and training. The out-of-pocket costs that often go into running a practice add up quickly. For example:
- office space
- licensing fees
- insurance fees
- professional association fees
- marketing
- continued education
- administration and prep time
- vacation, sick, and parental leave
Online therapy has various meanings. Sometimes, it refers to in-person therapy in which the therapist also offers online access. This type of therapy usually costs the same online as in person, and is often referred to as “teletherapy” or “telepsychology” services.
But the therapy providers listed in this article are virtual platforms that, for the most part, only offer online services. This type of online therapy, especially when covered by a health insurance plan, can be cheaper than seeing a traditional therapist in person.
Also, with online therapy, you might save additional money by not having other costs involved when seeing a therapist in person, like transportation or child care.
Finding low cost mental health professionals can be a challenge at first, but there are plenty of resources available. Remember that your mental health is just as important as your physical health, and it shouldn’t have to take a toll on your finances.
If you need help right away, consider looking for a local or online support group. If you have a digital device and an internet connection, telehealth services may also be available to you.
Choosing the right mental health professional doesn’t have to be expensive, and the benefits of having support will be well worth it in the long run.
