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BetterHelp vs Talkspace: Which Is Better?

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

Our Verdict

Talkspace scores higher overall in our independent evaluation (75.4/100 vs 54.5/100), leading on trust & safety, value, experience, product range, reputation.

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.

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75
Talkspace
Very Good

Talkspace is a publicly traded (NASDAQ: TALK) telehealth platform offering online therapy and psychiatry, notable among prescribers for declining to prescribe controlled substances.

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Score Breakdown

DimensionBetterHelpTalkspace
Overall Score54.5/10075.4/100 ✓
Trust & Safety30%45/10080/100 ✓
Value25%58/10070/100 ✓
Experience20%70/10078/100 ✓
Product Range15%50/10072/100 ✓
Reputation10%50/10075/100 ✓

At a Glance

Founded20132012
HeadquartersMountain View, CANew York, NY
Publicly tradedYes (TDOC)Yes (TALK)
Treatment categories11
Treatments listed12
Starting price$280/mo$175/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.

CategoryBetterHelpTalkspace
Mental Health$280–$400
Online Therapy (messaging, chat, phone, video)
$175
Psychiatry Follow-Up (Medication Management)

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 →

Talkspace

+Does not prescribe controlled substances, eliminating DEA telemedicine-flexibility exposure that affects most psychiatry peers
+In-network with major insurers including Cigna, Aetna, and Optum, with copays as low as $0
+Strong Trustpilot sentiment (4.4/5, 2,388 reviews) concentrated on therapist and prescriber quality
−Self-pay pricing ($299 initial, $175/follow-up) is high relative to cash-pay peers for patients without insurance
−Recurring Trustpilot complaints about billing and cancellation-fee enforcement (one reviewer cited a $125 charge for cancelling 54 minutes before an appointment)
−Non-controlled formulary means patients needing stimulants or benzodiazepines must seek care elsewhere
Read the full Talkspace review →

BetterHelp vs Talkspace — FAQ

Is BetterHelp better than Talkspace?

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Talkspace scores higher overall in our independent evaluation (75.4/100 vs 54.5/100), leading on trust & safety, value, experience, product range, reputation.

Is BetterHelp or Talkspace cheaper?

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Talkspace has the lower starting price (from $175/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 Talkspace both offer?

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

Still deciding?

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