Home›Compare›BetterHelp vs Headspace

BetterHelp vs Headspace: Which Is Better?

Head-to-head comparison of BetterHelp and Headspace based on our independent scoring across trust, value, experience, product range, and reputation — plus real pricing for the treatments they both offer.

Our Verdict

Headspace scores higher overall in our independent evaluation (64.3/100 vs 54.5/100), leading on trust & safety, value, product range, reputation. BetterHelp comes out ahead on experience.

55
BetterHelp
Below Average

BetterHelp is Teladoc Health's online talk-therapy platform, matching users with licensed therapists for messaging, chat, phone and video sessions; it does not prescribe medication and operates under a 2023 FTC order over sharing health data with advertisers.

Visit BetterHelp
64

Meditation app turned mental-health provider offering coaching, therapy and non-controlled psychiatry, largely insurance-billed, and pending acquisition by Sword Health.

Visit Headspace

Score Breakdown

DimensionBetterHelpHeadspace
Overall Score54.5/10064.3/100 ✓
Trust & Safety30%45/10068/100 ✓
Value25%58/10064/100 ✓
Experience20%70/100 ✓62/100
Product Range15%50/10062/100 ✓
Reputation10%50/10062/100 ✓

At a Glance

Founded20132010
HeadquartersMountain View, CASanta Monica, CA
Publicly tradedYes (TDOC)No
Treatment categories11
Treatments listed14
Starting price$280/mo$0/mo

Pricing Where They Compete

Prices shown are based on our most recent research and may not reflect current pricing. Telehealth providers update their pricing frequently. Always verify pricing directly with the provider before purchasing.

CategoryBetterHelpHeadspace
Mental Health$280–$400
Online Therapy (messaging, chat, phone, video)
Free–$149
Therapy (self-pay or insurance)

BetterHelp

+Large licensed-therapist network with messaging, live chat, phone and video in one membership
+Therapist switching is self-serve and frequently praised in reviews
+Weekly price range ($70–$100) published on the FAQ; insurance accepted in a growing number of states (average $23 copay)
−2023 FTC order: shared users' mental-health data with Facebook, Snapchat, Criteo and Pinterest for advertising despite privacy promises; paid $7.8M in consumer refunds
−No medication management: therapists cannot prescribe or formally diagnose
−Cash price of about $280–$400 per month is high relative to per-session pay-as-you-go therapy
Read the full BetterHelp review →

Headspace

+Therapy in all 50 states, in-network with 45+ plans; most insured members pay $0-35 per session and see an estimate before booking
+Meditation, sleep and coaching content bundled alongside clinical care in one app (4.8/5 on iOS)
+Self-pay therapy is priced per session ($149) with no membership required
−Psychiatry is generally unavailable to cash-pay members, and prescribers cannot issue controlled substances
−Consumer billing sentiment is poor (Trustpilot about 1.4/5), citing auto-renewal and web-only cancellation
−$125 fee for cancellations inside 48 hours or no-shows
Read the full Headspace review →

BetterHelp vs Headspace — FAQ

Is BetterHelp better than Headspace?

▾

Headspace scores higher overall in our independent evaluation (64.3/100 vs 54.5/100), leading on trust & safety, value, product range, reputation. BetterHelp comes out ahead on experience.

Is BetterHelp or Headspace cheaper?

▾

Headspace has the lower starting price (from $0/mo vs $280/mo for BetterHelp). Starting prices are for the cheapest treatment each offers — compare the specific treatment you need, and check what each price includes.

What do BetterHelp and Headspace both offer?

▾

Both platforms treat Mental Health. BetterHelp covers 1 treatment category total and Headspace covers 1.

Still deciding?

BetterHelp alternativesHeadspace alternativesTake the Match Quiz