While worries and negative thoughts are a normal part of life, they don’t have to be your constant companion. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a solutions-focused treatment to help you change negative thought patterns and behaviors for good. All providers on the Online-Therapy.com platform are CBT-trained, and the program is designed using CBT principles. Our Handbook Team personally tested the platform to find out how its CBT-focused program works. Read our review to find out if this online therapy platform could be right for you.
Online-Therapy.com overview
Insights from our testers
The Handbook Team testers found Online-Therapy.com beneficial for motivated adults and couples wanting to make lasting changes. The platform provides a complete program based on the principles of cognitive-based therapy (CBT), a therapeutic approach designed to help people identify and change negative thinking patterns and unhelpful behaviors. Studies have shown CBT to be an effective treatment for many mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety. Internet-delivered CBT has also been shown to be effective for patients with a variety of psychiatric conditions.
All of Online-Therapy.com’s therapists are trained in CBT methods, and CBT tools like journals and self-reflective worksheets are included in all plans. We like that CBT is integrated throughout the platform, though our testers found the degree to which therapists follow the CBT program may vary.
The individuals who are best served by CBT are the ones who are motivated to improve the habits of thinking and acting that work against them as well as open to seeing faulty patterns. It’s not easy to enter treatment and face things that cause distress, but we often sense that we are capable of more peace, more achievement, more joy, if we do.
Itala Azzarelli, LCSW, ACDCS
Here’s how the Online-Therapy.com onboarding process works:
1. On the website’s main page, click “Individual Therapy (for me)” or “Couples Therapy” (for us).” You’ll then be guided through a series of questions about your areas of concern, your age and gender identity, the therapist identity you prefer, and the type of session you prefer (video, voice only, text messaging, or unsure).
2. Create an account and choose your subscription plan. Plans start at $40 per week for your first month with the platform’s introductory offer (20 percent off your first month). The most affordable plan includes texting with your therapist but no live sessions.
3. Gain access to all of Online-Therapy.com’s therapy tools, including an eight-section CBT program, worksheets, a digital journal, an activity plan accountability tool, and yoga and meditation videos. Once you begin meeting with your therapist, you can continue working with the CBT tools between sessions.
4. Begin communicating with the therapist you were matched with. Sessions can take place via phone, live video, or text. “I had to immediately switch therapists to find one that could offer therapy during a time that worked for me,” says one Handbook Team tester who chose live video sessions. She described the process of switching therapists as “fairly easy.”
The Handbook Team likes the platform’s CBT focus, as did our testers. The eight-section CBT program is self-guided, though you can receive some feedback from your therapist. For example, your therapist is notified when you complete a worksheet and you should receive a reply within 24 hours. It’s worth noting that it may take some motivation to make it through every section of the program. One tester described the sections as “dense, long-form reading” similar to a textbook, though audio and video versions are also available.
A tester also found that the program’s CBT tools weren’t mentioned in any of her sessions, which made her feel less motivated to use the tools on her own. “If you love CBT as part of your therapy,” she says, “bring this up with your therapist so they can direct you to resources and tell you how they recommend you interact with the platform’s tools.”
From our tester
“You also get access to yoga videos and other extras, so it’s worth it to take your time to check out the Online-Therapy.com support materials. Just know that your provider may not assign that material as ‘homework.’ If you want that, you might need to ask for it.”
One of Online-Therapy.com’s best features is how easy it is to start your therapy journey. Within 30 minutes, you can set up an account, get matched with a therapist, and even switch to a new therapist with more compatible availability. We also found the platform easy to use and navigate. “I appreciate that I don’t need to download a specific app to use it. I can just log in from my browser,” one tester notes.
Another benefit of Online-Therapy.com is its affordability. Though the platform doesn’t take insurance, its basic plan is the most affordable of any online therapy platform we’ve reviewed. Also, the platform makes it easy to apply for financial aid—just indicate your need in the sign-up process. One tester received a 30 percent discount after answering a few questions about employment status, dependents, and income. Financial aid approval was immediate.
Handbook tip
Here are our Handbook Team’s tips to help you get the most out of the Online-Therapy.com platform:
- Don’t be afraid to switch therapists if your initial match doesn’t fit your needs or availability.
- Schedule time throughout the week to use the CBT tools included in the program like the digital journal and self-reflective worksheets.
- If you’re not sure how to use the tools included in your plan, ask your therapist for help navigating the self-guided CBT program.
- If financially feasible, complete the full eight-week CBT program. If budget is an issue, Online-Therapy.com provides financial aid.
What other users are saying
In our October 2023 survey of 600 online therapy users, 57 percent of Online-Therapy.com users chose virtual therapy because it offered more flexibility in scheduling, with appointments available on evenings and weekends. Flexible appointment times may make therapy more accessible and possibly even more effective, as session frequency is associated with faster improvement of symptoms.
In the same survey, we learned that 35 percent of Online-Therapy.com users had their first appointment with a provider in less than one day (33 percent reported waiting less than one week for their first appointment). Forty-one percent of users stayed with the same Online-Therapy.com provider for one to six months, while 14 percent stayed with a provider for seven to 12 months.
Our testing experience
Collectively, the Handbook Team has put in more than 7,500 hours of research, testing, and evaluation to review different online therapy and psychiatry platforms, down to the fine print. We write our reviews to guide you in finding a provider who can best fit your mental health care needs.
Our Handbook Team has consulted with more than 60 mental health experts in total. We ask for details on when online therapy can be beneficial and when online mental health care is not appropriate. For example, we learned that in the case of someone suffering from agoraphobia, experts told us that in-person sessions are more meaningful to the individual’s progress compared to avoiding exposure therapy by exclusively attending online appointments.
Our challenge is to test and evaluate the features and experience of the platforms rather than the care from individual providers.
How we tested Online-Therapy.com
Fill out the intake assessment.
Subscribe as a new user and invite their teen to join the platform.
Get matched with a therapist.
Go through steps to change therapists.
Schedule and attend four weeks of appointments.
Contact customer support with questions.
Explore other platform features, including digital journals and worksheets.
Review billing policies and cancel subscription.
Our Handbook Team explored the Online-Therapy.com platform and attended online therapy sessions for four weeks. We instruct testers to try the platform through the lens of a real user, paying attention to how easy or difficult it was to find a therapist they could talk to. They log their experience in a diary and share their findings when testing is concluded. We used these findings and our research into online therapy to write this Online-Therapy.com review.
The Handbook for Online-Therapy.com
Offers therapy for individuals and couples.
All providers are trained in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Self-guided CBT program included in all plans.
Monthly plans start at $200.
Message your provider anytime.
In a mental health emergency:
Online therapists 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 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.
Compare Online-Therapy.com with other online therapy platforms
| Monthly cost for individual therapy | $200–$440 | $260–$400 | $276–$436 | $95–$349 | Varies by provider; typical insurance copay is $30 or less |
| Accepts insurance? | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Can prescribe a controlled substance?* | No | No | No | No | Yes |
*Physician ability to prescribe controlled substances without an in-person visit varies by state. Commonly prescribed psychiatric controlled substances include Xanax, Klonopin, or Valium (sometimes prescribed for anxiety; and Adderall or Ritalin (sometimes prescribed for ADHD).
Online-Therapy.com cost and payment options
The Online-Therapy.com platform offers tiered pricing. Here are its monthly subscription options:
| Online-Therapy.com subscription plan | Cost per month | Included services | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic plan | $200 | Unlimited messaging with provider and CBT plan. | No live sessions included in this plan. For women with anxiety, text-based CBT could help reduce symptoms. |
| Standard plan | $320 | Weekly live video sessions, unlimited messaging with providers, and CBT plan. | This is Online-Therapy.com’s most popular plan. |
| Premium plan | $440 | Two weekly live video sessions, unlimited messaging with providers, and CBT plan. | Twice-weekly sessions could help decrease depressive symptoms, especially in the early months of therapy. |
Insurance and financial aid options
Online-Therapy.com does not accept insurance at this time. It does offer financial aid, and the application process is quick and non-invasive. One Handbook Team tester was approved for a 30 percent discount within minutes of applying.
Our final verdict
We like Online-Therapy.com’s CBT focus and appreciate the bonus features included in your subscription, including yoga videos and a digital journal. Though Online-Therapy.com doesn’t take insurance, its services are affordable with plans starting at $200 per month. This platform is ideal for people who are eager to make positive changes and have the time and motivation to complete the eight-part CBT program in addition to attending live sessions.
Frequently asked questions
To get started with Online-Therapy.com, select the type of therapy you want on its main page (individual or couples). Then, answer a few questions about your identity and preferences, create an account, and choose a monthly subscription. The platform will match you with a provider, though it’s always okay to switch providers.
Online-Therapy.com does not accept insurance, but it does offer financial aid.
Yes. All Online-Therapy.com providers are licensed mental health providers with verified credentials.
- Hofmann, Stefan G., Asnaani, A., Vonk, I. J. J., Sawyer, A. T., & Fang, A. (2012). The Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral therapy: A review of Meta-analyses. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 36(5), 427–440. Link
- Gratzer, D. & Khalid-Kahn, F. (2016). Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy in the treatment of psychiatric illness. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 188(4). Link
- Tiemens, B., Kloos, M., Spijker, J., Ingenhoven, T., Kampman, M., & Hendriks, G. (2019). Lower versus higher frequency of sessions in starting outpatient mental health care and the risk of a chronic course; a naturalistic cohort study. BMC Psychiatry, 19(1). Link
- Da Luz Dias, R., Shalaby, R., Agyapong, B., Vuong, W., Gusnowski, A., Surood, S., Greenshaw, A. J., & Agyapong, V. I. O. (2023). The effectiveness of CBT-based daily supportive text messages in improving female mental health during COVID-19 pandemic: results from the Text4Hope program. Frontiers in Global Women’s Health, 4. Link
- Bruijniks, S. J. E., Hollon, S. D., Lemmens, L. H. J. M., Peeters, F. P. M. L., Arntz, A., Cuijpers, P., Twisk, J., Dingemanse, P., Willems, L., van Oppen, P., van den Boogaard, M., Spijker, J., & Huibers, M.J.H. (2023). Long-term outcomes of once weekly v. twice weekly sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy and interpersonal psychotherapy for depression. Psychological Medicine, (54)3. Link