Thriveworks
Depends
Confidence: Medium
Buy if you have insurance and want fast therapy or psychiatry appointments online or nearby.
New check
Comparison
Thriveworks vs BetterHelp
Thriveworks and BetterHelp both land on Depends.
BetterHelp
Depends
Confidence: Medium
A reasonable buy if you want fast, affordable access to a licensed therapist without insurance or local options.
| Compare | ||
|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Depends | Depends |
| Best for | Insured clients needing fast appointments | Uninsured buyers wanting weekly sessions under ~$90 |
| Who it's not for | Uninsured cash-pay shoppers . membership fees add cost | Privacy-sensitive users . FTC documented data sharing with advertisers |
| Privacy | No known public vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.13 | Flagged: FTC consent order (2023) over sharing users' mental health data with advertisers; $7.8M settlement, refunds from 2024. |
| Support quality | Billing and cancellation complaints on Reddit | Therapist-switching and billing complaints recur. |
| Public sentiment | Feedback is mixed: many clients praise therapist matches, while Reddit threads flag billing, cancellation, and impersonation-scam complaints.⁵ | Sentiment is polarized: users praise convenience and access, while therapists and critics flag quality, matching, and privacy problems.16 |
| Biggest gotcha | Reports of charges arriving after cancellation . get cancellation terms in writing⁹ | 2023 FTC order bans sharing health data for ads after a $7.8M settlement; refunds mailed 2024. |
Pick Thriveworks when
- Insured clients needing fast appointments
- People wanting therapy and psychiatry together
- Those preferring in-person sessions nearby
- Employers buying mental health benefits
When Thriveworks is not a fit
- Uninsured cash-pay shoppers . membership fees add cost
- Anyone who wants no-commitment therapy or easy cancellation
- People wanting text-only or async therapy . BetterHelp fits better
- Privacy-focused users wanting published security practices
Pick BetterHelp when
- Uninsured buyers wanting weekly sessions under ~$90
- Rural or underserved areas with few local therapists
- Busy people who prefer messaging-based support
- First-time therapy users testing the waters
When BetterHelp is not a fit
- Privacy-sensitive users . FTC documented data sharing with advertisers
- Anyone needing diagnosis, medication, or crisis care
- People who want insurance to cover sessions
- Security clearance holders and sensitive-job applicants
Sources
- Thriveworks homepagethriveworks.comofficial
- Thriveworks Review: Tried and Tested (HelpGuide)helpguide.orgreview
- I'm a Therapist Who Tried Thriveworks (Everyday Health)everydayhealth.comreview
- Thriveworks Review 2026 (ChoosingTherapy)choosingtherapy.comreview
- Trustpilot reviewstrustpilot.comreview
review
- Reddit r/Scams thread on Thriveworksreddit.comreview
review
- Indeed . therapist employee reviews (72)indeed.comreview
- New Thriveworks CEO bullish on enterprise agreementsbhbusiness.comnews
- NJ telehealth in-person requirement (LinkedIn)linkedin.comnews
- Thriveworks security page checkthriveworks.comsecurity
review
- BetterHelp Review: Our Experience . HelpGuidehelpguide.orgreview
- Trustpilot . BetterHelp customer reviewstrustpilot.comreview