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The question “Is online therapy better than in-person? “can’t be answered with a simple YES/NO.

However by preceding this question is “Is therapy worth it?,” you answered that question correctly. Searching for this next step in your mental growth journey is the right step.

To find out if online therapy is better for you than in-person therapy, these are the key areas you want to look into:

Do you have a busy schedule 

Are you looking for constant contact with your therapist 

Are you looking for a more cost-effective therapy option

Do you travel often

Is Online Therapy Better Than In-person?

No, online therapy is not better than in-person therapy.

There are two options for seeking out a therapist that does online therapy sessions. One is to sign up for an online therapy platform like BetterHelp, Talkspace, etc. In comparison, the second is to and see if they offer online therapy instead of in-person therapy. 

These two options have subtle differences to them, which may include:

Cost of sessions 

Ability to use insurance

Scheduling options 

Extra services on top of a one-on-one video call 

1. Do you have a busy schedule 

The most common benefit of online therapy, from its users, is how easy it is to set up an appointment with your therapist in a time slot of your choosing. Unlike in-person therapy, the time needed to block off your sessions is cut drastically.

Depending on how long the session is (30 or 60 minutes is the standard two options a service will provide), all you need to do is make sure you have strong wifi or enough data for your phone and a quiet place to talk.

2. Are you looking for constant contact with your therapist

Many online therapy platforms have multiple options for interacting with your therapist and other therapeutic help options once signing up. Other than speaking one-on-one with your therapist over a video call, the opportunity to text with them throughout the day is also commonly used among these services.

These are a few of the services that offer texting:

BetterHelp

Talkspace

Online-Therapy.com

Calmerry

Regain

3. Are you looking for a more cost-effective therapy option

The overall cost across these online therapy platforms is less than what you would pay with an in-person therapist. In general, the platforms charge you monthly and will have a few different plans that vary in price. While an in-person therapy session can range from $75 – $250 ($300 – $1,000 per month), an online monthly bill can be as low as $127 (Online-therapy.com.)

One drawback is that only a handful of online therapy platforms can be covered by insurance. These are the therapy platforms that take insurance:

Talkspace

Brightside

MDLive

LiveHealth Online

4. Do you travel often

For digital nomads, frequent flyers, and business people constantly on the move, you may be only able to see your therapist once every few months or longer. When starting therapy, you will want to see your therapist as often as possible, preferably once a week for the first one to two months. This will only be possible with a therapist using video calls or signing up for an online therapy platform. 

Is online therapy better than in-person: final thoughts

Choosing between seeing a therapist in person or online will not devalue your therapy. Instead, take the time to understand what choice will make you happiest and leave you in a better place to succeed once your therapy sessions are over.

Explore our favorite online therapy apps
BetterHelp
BetterHelp is an online counseling platform connecting individuals with licensed therapists for convenient and confidential mental health support.

Learn More
Calmerry
An online therapy platform offering access to professional therapists for personalized and confidential mental health services from the comfort of home.

Learn More
Online-Therapy.com
Evidence-based therapy support through interactive worksheets, live sessions, and messaging with professionals.

Learn More
FAQ

No, online therapy is not less effective than in-person therapy. The value of these therapy sessions differs between people, depending on what they interact with better.

Therapy in-person and Zoom benefits your overall therapy help and personal growth. However, depending on your desire, each has slight differences that will benefit you.

Two disadvantages of online therapy are that not all online therapy platforms allow for insurance to pay for your sessions and that some people don’t feel the same connection during the therapy session as they would in person.

Yes, virtual therapy is as effective as face-to-face therapy. 

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