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Cerebral vs Headspace: Which Is Better?

Head-to-head comparison of Cerebral 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 55/100), leading on trust & safety, product range, reputation. Cerebral comes out ahead on value, experience.

55

Mental health telehealth platform offering therapy and medication management, rebuilding trust after a DOJ investigation.

Visit Cerebral
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

DimensionCerebralHeadspace
Overall Score55/10064.3/100 ✓
Trust & Safety30%45/10068/100 ✓
Value25%70/100 ✓64/100
Experience20%65/100 ✓62/100
Product Range15%50/10062/100 ✓
Reputation10%35/10062/100 ✓

At a Glance

Founded20202010
HeadquartersAustin, TXSanta Monica, CA
Publicly tradedNoNo
Treatment categories11
Treatments listed34
Starting price$60/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.

CategoryCerebralHeadspace
Mental Health$60
Medication Only
Free–$149
Therapy (self-pay or insurance)

Cerebral

+Flat $60/mo medication plan with prescription costs included through their own pharmacy
+Remediated the conduct behind the 2024 judgment, including reinstating a simple cancellation mechanism
+Flexible scheduling for therapy sessions
−Publishes out-of-network caps if an insurance claim is denied: up to $290 for a medication intake and $250 for a therapy intake
−Consented to a federal court judgment in June 2024 over patient-data use in advertising and cancellation practices, paying about $7M including more than $5M refunded to consumers
−Limited to mental health only
Read the full Cerebral 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 →

Cerebral vs Headspace — FAQ

Is Cerebral better than Headspace?

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Headspace scores higher overall in our independent evaluation (64.3/100 vs 55/100), leading on trust & safety, product range, reputation. Cerebral comes out ahead on value, experience.

Is Cerebral or Headspace cheaper?

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Headspace has the lower starting price (from $0/mo vs $60/mo for Cerebral). Starting prices are for the cheapest treatment each offers — compare the specific treatment you need, and check what each price includes.

What do Cerebral and Headspace both offer?

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

Still deciding?

Cerebral alternativesHeadspace alternativesTake the Match Quiz