Due to limited financial resources and busy schedules, in-person mental therapy might seem inaccessible and less convenient nowadays. Moreover, it is costly and, therefore, hard to come by for many of us, including me.
But now, thanks to modern e-therapy and psychiatry platforms, it has become way easier and quicker to get low-cost, high-quality counseling for all kinds of psychological concerns of people worldwide.
If you have reached the end of your rope struggling with psychological issues; and wish to get out of the rut without burning a mighty big hole in your pocket or sacrificing convenience, I will help you find the right online therapy platform.
BetterHelp and its sub-company, Regain, are two of the leading platforms for online mental therapy in the emerging field of e-counseling. Both these platforms target different audiences or types of patients.
While BetterHelp caters to individual virtual therapy, Regain markets itself as a relationship counselor for couples. Let’s look at who wins!
BetterHelp or Regain: Detailed Comparison
In this article, I am going to provide an in-depth comparison of these globally recognized online mental therapy platforms. I have analyzed multiple aspects to help you get the big picture and decide which platform is best suited for you. Let’s go!
1. How Does it Work?
BetterHelp
As soon as I was taken to the official BetterHelp website, I was first evaluated based on my responses to a questionnaire. I am automatically matched to one of the licensed therapists in about 24 hours.
Since Regain is BetterHelp’s sister company, the modes of communication with the counselor are more or less the same. I could interact via unlimited text messages, live chat, video calls, and phone calls.
Finding the match is, however, a semi-automatic process. I was supposed to shoot a message to the assigned therapist requesting their availability. It depends on the counselor whether or not to accept your request.
I was initially paired with a therapist who rejected my request as her calendar was completely booked. So, I went on to pick up the next best match, which worked well for me.
There could be several other factors, like emergencies, personal reasons, or the personal preference of the counselor to provide therapy to up to 10 clients per day in different time slots to maintain efficiency and work-life balance.
BetterHelp offered a thought diary/journal on the special features front to help me record and reflect on my thoughts. It also provided over 150 digital worksheets and modules to measure my progress and understand the impact of counseling.
As a part of the package, I also got free access to valuable insights from more than 20 interactive group seminars conducted by experts in the field.
Regain
The process of signing up on Regain is the same as BetterHelp.
I was requested to take a quick assessment. The platform was pretty simple to use, and the initial questionnaire tried to understand the following things about my relationship with my partner:
- Relationship status to know whether you are dating, living in, married, separated, etc.
- List of requirements for seeking couples therapy such as improving communication, sex and intimacy, overcoming adultery, preventing divorce, resolving conflicts, fair sharing of workload, questions over raising children so on and so forth.
- My financial situation.
- My therapist preferences that is your location and the need for a specific therapist, such as a male or female, a biblical therapy provider, a counselor specializing in LGBTQ+ therapy, etc.
- My primary expectations from my counselor such as whether I want my therapist to simply listen or I want him or her to mediate in difficult situations, explore relationship dynamics, be more proactive, and so on.
Once I completed the questionnaire, the platform asked me to sign up and create an account depending on whether I wanted a single profile account or a joint couple account. Joint couple counseling was, however, optional.
I had the option to sign up as an individual or enroll along with my wife.
But here is what I observed. The questionnaire is more or less the same for couples and individuals. For example, if your relationship status is single, you would still get an irrelevant follow-up question that asks if you live with your partner.
I was assigned the right therapist in a little less than 48 hours. This process can take a few hours or days, depending on the availability of counselors in the network. The subscription starts only after you are matched with the therapist.
After being paired with a therapist, I was given a private room to communicate 24×7, where my counselor and partner were able to read all my messages. And you or your partner can request a separate live session with the therapist if they feel the need for more individualized attention.
The confidential online chatroom is available for asynchronous chatting 24X7, where I could share my life updates and discuss serious psychological concerns affecting my relationship with my partner.
The protected conversations in the chatroom helped my counselor assess my relationship better. The advice included tips to overcome relationship hurdles and improve my bonding with my partner.
I was satisfied with our therapy discussions with my partner and our counselor. And I could easily switch to another counselor in case the insights or sessions did not add enough value.
2. Pricing/Affordability
BetterHelp
The weekly counseling sessions at BetterHelp are very affordable and cost between $60 and $90 USD billed every four weeks. However, BetterHelp has a slight competitive edge over Regain as it offers a free trial before purchasing membership plans.
Regain
Being a sub-company of BetterHelp, the pricing at Regain is exactly the same as BetterHelp, costing $60 to $90 USD on a weekly basis and billed every four weeks.
Both platforms do not showcase their pricing upfront on their website. According to them, the cost varies as per your location, mental therapy requirements, and other preferences.
There is a lack of transparency as both companies follow the dynamic or surge pricing model. However, they still offer pocket-friendly therapy compared to in-person consultations.
My monthly counseling spend on either Regain or BetterHelp was at most $360 USD which is quite affordable.
3. Insurance Coverage And Financial Aid
BetterHelp
BetterHelp does not provide insurance coverage. But the cost of therapy could be around the same as insurance co-pays. The subscriptions are, therefore, far more cost-effective than paying out of pocket.
In my opinion, BetterHelp is a better option when it comes to budget-friendly talk therapy. I liked it better because it accepts HSA/FSA cards so you can get tax benefits, and the platform also provides financial aid to low-income groups, students, and veterans.
Regain
Regain services are neither covered by insurance plans nor by HSA/FSA dollars. My partner paid half the amount charged, which helped bring down the overall treatment cost.
Regain provides Federal Student Aid for college or vocational course students. As a student, you will need to maintain a certain GPA to be eligible for this aid. You can also contact your college to discuss your appeal options.
But unlike BetterHelp, there is no financial aid for veterans or low-income communities.
4. Accessibility
BetterHelp
BetterHelp is great when it comes to providing a wide range of general online mental therapy services to adult individuals. Also, the services are available across all 50 states in the US as well as around the world in about 200 countries, along with support for multiple languages.
Regain
The services of Regain are also available around the world, similar to its parent company, BetterHelp So, and there is not much difference between the two when it comes to accessibility.
From the inclusivity perspective, Regain’s platform is compatible with the most recent version of WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) of W3C (World Wide Web Consortium), ensuring seamless access to online mental therapy for differently-abled couples as well.
5. Privacy
BetterHelp
Despite controversies, BetterHelp claims to fully comply with HIPAA guidelines and secure all sessions via industry-standard encryption technology. However, I got the option to stay anonymous throughout the treatment sessions with my therapist.
Regain
To protect the privacy of couples, Regain also allows using a nickname for communication with the therapist. I maintained a nickname throughout my therapy sessions to ensure complete anonymity.
All therapy interactions/messages are encrypted with banking-grade technology similar to the one used by BetterHelp.
Additionally, I also had the alternative of deleting my messages sent to the therapist at my discretion.
6. Available Treatments
BetterHelp
BetterHelp covers a wider range of mental illnesses and has dedicated websites catering to different categories, such as couples, teens, and the LGBTQ community. The one that specializes in couples therapy is Regain.
BetterHelp’s community of over 30,000 licensed mental healthcare professionals has the expertise to provide mental or talk therapy online for the following mental disorders:
- Depression
- Family problems
- Anxiety and stress
- Insomnia
- Bipolar disorder
- Eating disorder
- OCD and more
Regain
Regain is owned by BetterHelp, specially created to provide couples therapy. So, the platform is limited to only talk therapy and is dedicated to couples.
Therapists at Regain focus on a wide variety of issues, including but not limited to:
- Depression
- Anxiety and stress
- LGBTQ issues
- Self-esteem problems
- Addiction and trauma
- Eating, sleeping disorders, and more
7. Pros And Cons of BetterHelp
Pros
- Easy-to-use, user-friendly app interface with faster & simple navigation.
- Online mental therapy is available individually for adults, teenagers, couples, and LGBTQIA+ members.
- Very affordable counseling and mental support are available starting at $65 per week.
- Flexible subscription-based pricing allows you to pause, renew or modify your subscription anytime.
- Anytime, anywhere e-counseling is available through 30,000+ licensed therapists specializing in providing therapy for a wide variety of mental conditions, serving from different countries worldwide.
- Highly accessible, as you can message your therapist anytime and schedule counseling sessions at your convenience from the comfort of your home or office.
- Option to switch therapists for free for better counseling.
Cons
- No insurance coverage is available.
- Surge or dynamic pricing causes the cost to fluctuate depending on your location, availability of the counselor, your specific set of requirements, and a lot of other factors.
- You can message your counselor anytime, but you cannot expect them to respond whenever you want.
- Neither medications are prescribed, nor any assistance with diagnosis & psychiatric treatment is offered.
- You do not get to choose your own therapist. You’ll be matched with one based on your needs.
- Even if you are matched with a counselor, you are required to discuss the availability of the assigned therapist so that the counselor can deny your request, and you might be needed to look for another therapist match.
- Every therapist offers his or her services independently and follows their own ways of consulting, so some counselors might not willingly provide video sessions. It’s, therefore, advisable to clarify these doubts with your therapist beforehand.
8. Pros And Cons of Regain
Pros
- Affordable couples therapy and individual counseling are available, with the option to add your partner later.
- Your partner can join sessions from anywhere in the world.
- 24×7 private messaging room to regularly discuss your relationship issues with the concerned therapist.
- Financial aid is available for individuals.
- In-app journal and activities to foster effective progress tracking.
- You can easily switch therapists as per your needs.
- Complete privacy is offered, and your sensitive information is protected.
Cons
- No insurance coverage.
- Lack of multiple subscription plans.
- The cost of treatment/therapy will vary based on your location and other factors.
- No free trial.
- There is little human interaction or support except for the conversations with your therapist.
Conclusion
So, both BetterHelp and Regain are excellent platforms serving the mental therapy needs of different audiences. In the end, it is up to individual preference.
BetterHelp has been awarded an A rating by the Better Business Bureau, and my overall experience on the platform was much smoother than Regain. So I would more likely prefer opting for BetterHelp’s services to address a wide range of mental health concerns in general.
The company’s extensive network of licensed therapy professionals is trustworthy, and every therapist has a different approach to resolving your concerns which brings in a lot of flexibility and experimentation in terms of treatment approaches.
Regain is only dedicated to couples therapy, so the scope is restricted, but the platform is great if you want to get specific and sort out your relationship issues together. According to the detailed analysis, BetterHelp is the winner for individual adult counseling.
She is an experienced Clinical Psychologist and Mental Health Writer with a decade of expertise in psychology. Skilled in assessment, therapy, and patient care. Committed to helping individuals through clinical practice and mental health writing at Therapyjourney.co. Passionate about promoting mental well-being and awareness. Open to aligned opportunities.