- We spent more than 10,000 hours researching over 70 online mental health platforms, and our testers signed up for the 20 most popular platforms to bring you our top picks.
- Our testers tested each platform for at least four weeks, focusing on the sign-up process, provider selection, provider session quality, and customer service interactions.
- We surveyed over 2,000 online therapy and psychiatry users, held focus group interviews with both users and therapists, and consulted over 60 mental health experts.
- We interview licensed therapists and board-certified psychiatrists in practice to understand best practices in mental health care and how platforms may support (or not support) their users’ mental health effectively.
- Our pages are updated regularly to reflect our ongoing testing of new online mental health platforms like Hims and to update pricing and service information.
Learn more about how we tested Hims.
Key takeaways
- We would avoid using Hims for mental health medications, especially for those new to psychiatric care, those starting a new medication, or those who haven’t spoken to a psychiatrist in person or through a virtual live session before.
- Hims offers a medication management subscription that includes the cost of medication, including delivery, and access to a messaging portal to connect with prescribers.
- Hims doesn’t take insurance, and plans range from $29–$49 per month, depending on the length of your subscription.
- Our testers had minimal interaction with their prescribers and could only contact their providers via a messaging portal.
- An alternative to Hims is Brightside Health, which offers a subscription that includes an initial evaluation and unlimited online follow-up sessions with psychiatric providers and takes insurance.
Hims is a popular men’s telemedicine platform that offers medications and over-the-counter products for erectile dysfunction, skin health, and mental health. The platform’s subscriptions include the cost of medication, medication delivery, and access to a prescriber messaging portal, but our comprehensive review of Hims revealed some concerns that potential users should be aware of. In this article, we review the platform based on our testers’ experiences, including information about cost, insurance coverage, limitations to its services, and explain why it does not make our list of best online psychiatrist platforms.
Hims highlights
In a mental health emergency
Online psychiatry may not be the most appropriate resource to help in a mental health crisis. If you or someone you know is a danger to themselves or others around them, it is an emergency, and it cannot wait for an online therapist’s response. Don’t wait. You can find help immediately by:
- Calling 911.
- Visiting your local urgent care or emergency room.
- Calling or texting 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
- Chatting online at 988lifeline.org.
- Calling the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)’s Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 or texting your zip code to 435748.
All the above options will connect you with trained professionals who can provide crisis support. You can find even more resources, including international options, on our helpline directory page.
What is Hims?
Hims is a telehealth platform that offers prescription medications and over-the-counter products for specific men’s health concerns. The platform offers subscriptions that include medication treatment, prescriber messaging, and free medication delivery. Hims offers medication for hair loss, erectile dysfunction, weight management, and skin health, and these services are separate from its mental health services. It also offers subscriptions for non-prescription treatments, such as supplement gummies and over-the-counter medicated hair loss shampoos. While we found concerns about Hims for mental health prescriptions, our testing found that Hims can be an appropriate option for ED and hair loss treatments.
Read our take on Hims for erectile dysfunction in our Hims ED review.
How does Hims mental health work?
Hims offers eight types of medication treatment for mental health concerns:
- Bupropion XL (Wellbutrin XL).
- Buspirone HCl (Buspar).
- Citalopram (Celexa).
- Duloxetine (Cymbalta).
- Escitalopram (Lexapro).
- Fluoxetine (Prozac).
- Sertraline (Zoloft).
- Venlafaxine (Effexor).
These medications are commonly prescribed for the treatment of anxiety and depression. Users on Hims take a health assessment, and a prescriber will review their concerns to determine eligibility for treatment. Hims states that not all conditions are treated on its platform, including substance abuse, eating disorders, schizophrenia, and relationship issues.
To get a prescription from Hims, you will first complete a mental health assessment questionnaire online. According to Hims, your responses are evaluated by a psychiatry provider licensed in your state who then determines if a prescription is appropriate.
How to sign up for Hims
To get started with Hims mental health care, you will start the questionnaire on the website by clicking “Start a consultation.”
The mental health assessment goes through basic questions about your personal information and asks about your mental health concerns, lifestyle, medical history, and whether you’re taking other medications, supplements, or recreational drugs.
Once you’ve completed the mental health assessment, the platform shows the severity of your anxiety and depression symptoms based on your answers.
People new to medication therapy will be shown a sample of the medication they may be prescribed. To submit your mental health assessment, you will need to enter your payment information and click submit. The platform verifies your identity by asking you to upload an image of your ID and a photo of yourself (selfie). According to Hims, you won’t be charged unless prescribed medication.
We contacted Hims customer service to find out if medications prescribed on the platform can be picked up at a local pharmacy instead of being delivered. Our testers learned that Hims prescriptions can be sent to a local pharmacy upon request, but the cost of filling the medication and any applicable delivery fees from the pharmacy aren’t covered by the Hims subscription.
How to match with an online prescriber
Once you submit your health assessment on Hims, the platform will send it to a prescriber licensed in your state for review. They will determine if a prescription is appropriate based on your responses. You can ask questions about your prescription through the messaging portal on Hims. Experts in psychiatry told us that this process may exclude a key component of initial psychiatric evaluations called a mental status exam. During a live interview, providers are trained to look for things like a person’s manner of speech, mood, body language, and other physical indicators of their mental status. This is important because not all patients have the insight necessary to self-report their symptoms or mental health concerns. Filling out an online questionnaire may not be an adequate replacement.
Our experience with Hims online therapy
As of January 31, 2024, Hims no longer offers online therapy sessions on its platform. It only offers medication therapy and prescriber consultations.
Alternative options for online therapy
There are many other options for online therapy. For example, BetterHelp offers messaging with providers anytime in addition to four monthly live sessions with a therapist and many other extras. Read about other options for online therapy and why we chose it in our review of the best online therapy platforms.
Our experience with Hims online prescribers
When our testers signed up for Hims, they became suspicious when their prescriptions were approved within minutes of submitting their health assessment.
From one of our Hims testers
“I also received a confirmation email … and four minutes later, another saying, ‘Your prescription has been approved.’ It definitely felt automated and not like an actual person was reviewing it.”
None of our testers across three states were asked to schedule a video consultation before receiving their prescriptions or medications. Hims suggests seeking in-person treatment for some cases on its FAQ page. Testers who indicated severe symptoms of substance abuse or psychiatric symptoms were told that they weren’t eligible for Hims’ mental health services at the end of their mental health assessment. Testers who indicated some red flag symptoms like alcohol use (which can be dangerous to combine with some mental health medications) were given a warning about the possible effects but weren’t offered any video consultations before getting their medication. We spoke with experts who explained that if a provider cannot treat someone because of their condition, they are normally obligated to refer patients to another provider or form of treatment that can help them. The experts were concerned by the possibility that a user would fill out the questionnaire only to be told that Hims could not help them with further information or resources.
Being prescribed medication solely based on a questionnaire is a big concern. Individuals should receive a thorough evaluation by a licensed professional and a review of their treatment options before starting treatment, including the risks, benefits, and alternative treatments. For the prescriber, a live assessment (in-person or virtually) is an opportunity to objectively evaluate an individual’s symptoms, mood, body language, speech, and other factors that may not be reported by a self-assessment form. For the patient, a live psychiatry visit is an opportunity to ask their prescriber clarifying questions or discuss any potential side effects before starting treatment. Hims states: “In some states, a video visit with a healthcare provider is required. If you reside in one of these states, you will be prompted to schedule a video visit after submitting your online intake form.”
What’s a typical in-person psychiatry visit like?
In-person psychiatry evaluations can give providers more information about your overall health so that they can offer the best treatments tailored to your health concerns. Brian Wu, director of psychiatry at the behavioral healthcare team of Executive Mental Health, explains what individuals can expect from a typical in-person first visit: “[It usually] entails a one-hour intake with a full [medical] history gathering, current symptoms, and then plans for treatment, [for example] ongoing therapy, medications, or other options (including levels such as journaling, exercise, diet changes, etc.).”
Another reason Hims may not be right for people who are starting a new medication is that its “Starter Plan” offered to new users dispenses a 90-day supply of medication treatment. Though our testers received instructions along with their medication shipment that detailed how to start on a lower dose and work up to the intended dose, our experts caution that a 90-day supply isn’t typical of psychiatric care. Sean Conrin, a psychiatrist at Cook County Health in Chicago, Illinois, shares that a 90-day supply is not an appropriate way to start a new medication. Prescribers typically start a new medication at a lower dose and follow up frequently until the patient achieves a stable and effective dose, and may change medications if the patient can’t tolerate the initial prescription (for example, because of medication side effects).
Though Hims has prescribers in all 50 states, our testers noted that it doesn’t offer medication management in all states. As of June 2024, users in Alaska, Arkansas, Kansas, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Washington, DC won’t be able to use Hims for online medication management.
Alternative options for online psychiatry
Though Hims offers messaging anytime with a prescriber, users aren’t guaranteed that they will speak to their original prescriber. Our choice for online psychiatry is Brightside Health because they include an initial live psychiatric evaluation with your provider, they accept many major insurance providers, and allow you to request video consultations and message your provider anytime. Read more about other options for online psychiatry in our review of the best online psychiatry platforms.
Additional features
Hims has a messaging portal where subscribers can message a psychiatric prescriber at any time. The platform details common situations when users may reach out to a provider:
- When starting a new medication.
- If experiencing new allergies or side effects.
- If they’ve had a recent hospital admission.
- If they’re concerned about a medication’s effectiveness.
The messaging portal connects users to a health care provider that is able to review their concerns and offer a response, but users aren’t guaranteed to have their questions answered by their original prescriber. We don’t like the fact that Hims doesn’t allow users to receive continued care from a specific provider. This is different from platforms like Brightside and Talkspace, which allow users to choose and continue care with a single provider.
Chris Pagnani, a psychiatrist in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, says patients need to exercise caution when choosing platforms for their mental health services. “With online platforms, I recommend making sure that you’ll meet with the same practitioner for all of your visits. Long-term continuity of care has advantages, and multiple providers can slow down a patient’s progress,” he says.
Our testers’ Hims medication shipments were delivered sooner than expected. Though the platform says delivery can take two to five business days, we received our deliveries within two business days of placing the orders. Delivery speed depends on your location. When we interviewed a Hers user (a women’s health platform owned and operated by the same parent company as Hims), we learned that they waited five business days to receive their medication. In contrast, users who filled their prescriptions at a local pharmacy can sometimes get their prescriptions sent, filled, and picked up as soon as the same day.
What other users are saying
In our June 2024 survey of 600 online psychiatry users, 75 percent of Hims and Hers users said they did talk to a psychiatrist over a video or phone visit before receiving their prescription. In the same survey, 46 percent of Hims and Hers users stated that they chose the platforms for easy medication management and because they could receive their prescription without meeting with a virtual psychiatrist. None of our testers spoke with a provider live when they signed up for Hims and were prescribed medication. These results indicate that users on the platform may have an inconsistent experience and level of engagement on Hims compared with other online psychiatry services. Experts we spoke with found this inconsistency extremely concerning and explained the importance of having frequent follow up appointments scheduled for anyone starting a new mental health medication. These experts specifically pointed to the risk of antidepressants causing suicidal ideation in those under the age of 25 and the risk of antidepressants to unmask an underlying condition, like bipolar disorder, when taken for the first time. They emphasized that it is not safe to start an antidepressant medication without regular monitoring and follow up appointments.
How much does Hims cost?
Hims offers a “starter plan,” a subscription that delivers a 90-day supply of its mental health medications for $147, billed every three months ($49 per month). All mental health medications on the platform cost the same, and users new to the platform won’t be charged unless prescribed medication.
One of our testers was offered not only a quarterly payment option but also biannual and annual options that made treatment more affordable:
- Six-month plan: Pay for a six-month supply at $39 per month ($234 billed every six months).
- 12-month plan: Pay for a 12-month supply at $29 per month ($348 billed every 12 months).
Hims is more expensive than typical insurance copays and out-of-pocket prices for the mental health medications they offer. For example, a 30-day supply of duloxetine starts at $49 on Hims but can start at about $6 without insurance on other telehealth sites (more than eight times cheaper). You could also potentially get it for free with some insurance plans (for example, Medicare Advantage or Medicaid plans), depending on your coverage.
Is Hims covered by insurance?
Hims doesn’t take insurance for its mental health medication subscription, nor does it accept Medicare or Medicaid. Users can only pay out-of-pocket for Hims subscriptions.
Users who want to use their insurance benefits to help pay for their prescription medication may request to send their Hims prescription to their local pharmacy.
If you want to use your insurance benefits for online mental health care, check out our roundup of the best online therapy that takes insurance.
Are there other ways to pay for Hims?
Hims only has one subscription for its mental health medications, paid every 90 days, six months, or 12 months.
It doesn’t accept other payment forms, such as flexible spending account (FSA), health reimbursement account (HRA), or health savings account (HSA) funds. The platform also doesn’t offer itemized receipts for insurance reimbursement. As of June 2024, the platform does not offer discounts or financial aid.
Our experience with Hims customer service
The Hims site has a comprehensive and searchable FAQ page, but we noticed that they removed the live chat feature that connected our testers with customer service agents. Instead, Hims customer service can only be contacted via email at [email protected] or by filling out the contact form on this page. This is similar to other online mental health platforms like BetterHelp and Talkspace that can only be contacted via email. According to the platform, Hims customer service team is available 24/7.
When we emailed our questions to Hims customer support, we received a reply within three business days. Based on our experience with Hims customer support email, we prefer phone or live chat to answer our questions. One of our testers had to go through multiple messages to clarify their original question, which took days to fully address. For more responsive customer support and other methods of contact, we liked Brightside Health because of its customer support phone line, responsive email customer support, and messaging portal with a care team.
Our Hims testing experience
Our Handbook Team testers continually consult with online therapy and psychiatry users and experts to better understand the platforms and best practices. We spend thousands of hours researching and testing online therapy and psychiatry platforms to give our readers an inside look at how these platforms can support people’s mental health.
Our testers researched and tested both Hims and Hers, its sister platform for women’s health. Our testers went through the process of signing up for the service, evaluating how thoroughly the screening process felt, seeing whether they would be prescribed medication, and timing how long it took the platform to ship and deliver any medication. We tested the platforms’ messaging portal to communicate with prescribers and clarify questions regarding treatment and contacted customer service via email. Finally, we compared the payment plans to other online psychiatry options, including medication costs with and without using insurance.
Fill out the intake assessment.
Subscribe as a new user.
Get matched with a prescriber.
Communicate with prescriber through messaging portal.
Receive medication and note dosage instructions.
Contact customer support with questions.
Explore platform features such as treatment guides and extra resources.
Compare Hims to other online psychiatry platforms
Compared with other online psychiatry platforms we researched, Hims does not offer a thorough evaluation or consultation before prescribing medication. While Hims is less expensive than platforms like Brightside and Talkspace, they include an initial evaluation with a provider and offer the option to sign up for online therapy in addition to online psychiatry sessions. In addition, Hims charges more for mental health medications than typical pharmacies do, even without using insurance.
Although Hims doesn’t take insurance, any potential visits with a psychiatric provider are included in the monthly cost. Sesame, another telehealth platform, also doesn’t accept insurance but costs much more—an average of $200 per online psychiatry consult. For pay-per-session online psychiatry from a psychiatric provider who takes your insurance, you may want to try using Zocdoc, where you can search by provider, insurance, and other preferences.
| Monthly cost for online psychiatry | $49† | $95–$349 | $299 for initial online psychiatry evaluation; $175 for follow-up online psychiatry sessions | Varies by provider | Varies by provider |
| Monthly cost for online therapy* | – | $299 | $276–$436 | Varies by provider | Varies by provider |
| Cost of medication included? | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Insurance accepted? | No | Yes, including Medicare and Medicaid in some states | Yes, including Medicare in some states | No | Yes, including Medicare and Medicaid |
| Services | Medication management and delivery | Individual therapy; Psychiatry | Individual adult and teen therapy; Couples therapy; Psychiatry | Individual therapy; Couples therapy; Family therapy; Psychiatry | Individual therapy; Couples therapy; Family therapy; Psychiatry |
* Cost for four live online therapy sessions a month without using insurance.
† Charged as $147 every 90 days. Costs per month may be lower if you pay for a six month or one year subscription upfront.
Our final verdict
Hims is a telehealth platform that offers support for men’s mental health, in addition to things like hair loss and erectile dysfunction, by providing access to prescribers and medication delivery. However, based on our testing experience and research, we had serious concerns about Hims for mental health medication management. The experts we spoke with emphasized the importance of a live initial evaluation and consistent follow up appointments for anyone starting a new medication, and these are not always included with Hims. Especially if you haven’t seen a psychiatric provider before, are experiencing new symptoms, or are new to medication therapy, we suggest looking into another online psychiatry platform or finding an in-person provider.
Mental health support on Hims is limited, so know that you have other options from both in-person and other online providers. Primary care providers are also able to diagnose and treat mental health concerns using the same medications offered on Hims and would potentially accept insurance coverage or HSA and FSA funds.
Although messaging with providers and medication delivery may be convenient, the lack of regular live sessions with the same prescriber may affect your overall care. In fact, it may be unsafe to start a new mental health medication with a 90 day supply and limited follow up support, according to the experts we spoke with. Consider looking somewhere other than Hims for online mental health medication management and psychiatry services.
Frequently asked questions
Hims can only prescribe and deliver eight medications: bupropion XL (Wellbutrin XL), buspirone HCl (Buspar), citalopram (Celexa), duloxetine (Cymbalta), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), and venlafaxine (Effexor).
Yes, Hims is an online telemedicine platform with licensed providers who can prescribe medications for men’s health issues including hair loss, erectile dysfunction, and mental health. They also offer certain over-the-counter products and supplements.
Hims online therapy sessions are no longer offered on the platform as of January 31, 2024. For people seeking mental health support, Hims offers subscriptions to mental health medication prescription and delivery only.