This app allows you to send unlimited messages to your therapist — but at $260 a month, it’s pricey.
Explore this practice if you want to mostly communicate with your therapist by text message.
Choose something else if you want to book phone or video consults lasting more than 30 minutes.
How does Talkspace work?
Talkpace is an online therapy app that allows users to communicate with licensed therapists via text messages, phone or video sessions. It operates on a subscription model, though some services — like the insomnia program — are purchased separately.
The app’s primary offering is text-based therapy, where patients leave messages for their therapists to respond to when they’re online. While individual adults use the app the most, Talkspace also caters to teenagers and couples who are looking for counseling, as well as those who need psychiatric care.
Members can choose their therapist, and switch at any time.
What qualifications do Talkspace’s therapists have?
All therapists are qualified psychologists, counselors or licensed clinical social workers with at least 3,000 hours of experience. They’re trained in several approaches to treatment, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, psychodynamic therapy and mindfulness.
Is Talkspace effective?
There are a few published studies that support Talkspace’s success. These are some of the key takeaways:
80% of users thought Talkspace was as effective or more effective than traditional therapy, according to a study in the Journal of Telemedicine and eHealth.
Users reported a 57% drop in their anxiety levels after using the app for four months, according to a Columbia study.
Talkspace is available nationwide, and you’ll only be connected to therapists who are licensed to practice in your state.
The app is compatible with the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, and requires iOS 10.0 or later. It also works with Android devices.
Pros and cons of Talkspace
Pros
Choice of communication methods. Depending on your plan, you can speak to your therapist via text, phone or video.
Guaranteed response time. Your therapist will let you know when to expect a response based on their working hours and time zone.
Ability to track progress. The Clint Journey feature lays out your goals and next steps.
Discounts available. Talkspace has a financial assistance program and offers a discount to healthcare workers and first responders.
Additional therapy tools. Access exercises to reduce stress, boost awareness and overcome fears.
Stringent requirements for therapists. Along with having at least 3,000 hours of experience, therapists have to undergo teletherapy training before they can see patients on the app.
Cons
Inconsistent service. According to users, some therapists don’t offer video sessions, and others write short or general responses.
Requires a month-long commitment. There’s no free trial, so new members need to sign up for at least a month. This excludes the psychiatry offering, which is sessions-based.
Poor customer reputation. While the team is quick to respond to complaints, many users believe the app doesn’t offer value for money.
How much does Talkspace cost?
There are three subscriptions to choose from, as well as specialized programs. You’ll be charged on the first day you join, then billed monthly, quarterly or biannually after that for most plans.
Type of plan
What’s included
Price
Unlimited Messaging Therapy Plus
Unlimited text, video and audio messages to your therapist five days a week.
$260 per month
$708 every three months
$1,248 every six months
Unlimited Messaging Therapy Premium
Unlimited text, video and audio messages to your therapist five days a week.
One live, 30-minute session a month.
$316 per month
$852 every three months
$1,512 every six months
LiveTalk Therapy Unlimited
Unlimited text, video and audio messages to your therapist five days a week.
Four live, 30-minute sessions a month.
$396 per month
$1,068 every three months
$1,896 every six months
Online Therapy for Teens (ages 13 to 17)
Unlimited text, video and audio messages to your therapist five days a week.
$260 per month
Couples Therapy
Unlimited text, video and audio messages to your therapist five days a week.
Four live, 30-minute sessions a month.
$396 per month
$1,068 every three months
Insomnia Therapy
An 8-week program including daily exercises and support from a therapist
$520, charged in two monthly installments of $260
Psychiatry
One live session with a psychiatrist
$199 for initial consultations, and $125 for follow-up sessions
Members can also purchase 30-minute live video sessions à la carte for $65.
Does Talkspace accept insurance?
Yes. Talkspace works with most major health insurance companies — though it doesn’t accept Medicare or Medicaid at this time. To check whether you’re covered, call your insurer or go to Account Settings > Eligibility & Coverage.
Many employers offer a subscription as part of their healthcare benefits. Find out whether your workplace participates by speaking to your HR department or searching the Partners section on Talkspace’s site.
Can I use my FSA/HSA to pay for membership?
Yes. You can use your Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA) to pay for your Talkspace subscription.
Does Talkspace offer any discounts?
Yes. Talkspace regularly runs special promotions with discounts and referral benefits.
It also offers financial assistance to those who need it. To apply, email support@talkspace.com or start a chat with your agent via the app.
Did Talkspace make any changes during COVID-19?
Yes. Along with launching a comprehensive COVID-19 resource center, Talkspace added a few features to help its members during this trying time.
These include:
A 16-day anxiety relief program for all new and current members to manage their fear around the pandemic.
Free Facebook support groups led by therapists.
Regular Instagram lives to give members the chance to ask therapists questions in real-time.
Daily mental health tips and guidance on how to cope with strain.
At the onset of the pandemic, Talkspace offered a free month of therapy to all healthcare professionals and first responders. The company now offers 50% off the first month of any plan.
Talkspace is accredited with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). It has a B rating because of the volume of complaints filed against the company: 180 in the past three years. Most were promptly resolved, but customers still award the company 1.2 out of 5 stars based on 30 reviews.
On the App Store, Talkspace has 4.1 out of 5 stars based on over 14,700 reviews. However, nearly 3,000 Android users give the app 2 out of 5 stars and say the app is glitchy. Apparently, it often charges users twice or crashes unexpectedly.
Across review forums, users appreciate the convenience of the app and how they can communicate with therapists via chat, phone or video. However, many users complained that they had a hard time carrying on a conversation with their therapist, with some taking days to reply to a message. Others said their therapist didn’t seem engaged.
How to sign up for Talkspace
You can download the app or create an account on Talkspace’s site. Either way, these are the steps:
Choose Get Started.
Enter your email address, username and password.
Answer a few questions about your preferences and why you’re seeking therapy.
You’ll be matched with three therapists. Select one, or ask for a new set of matches.
Once you’ve chosen a therapist, confirm the plan you want.
Add your payment details.
What happens after I sign up?
Your membership starts as soon as your payment is processed. At that point, you can start messaging your therapist and exploring the other features on the app.
Frequently asked questions about Talkspace
You can reach the customer support team by:
Online chat. Open up the app to speak to a help agent in real-time.
Social media. Connect on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
Yes. The platform is compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which means therapists must protect your privacy and confidentiality and only communicate via the app or desktop.
All data is encrypted and stored on Talkspace’s servers. This includes your chat history, which isn’t immediately erased if you cancel your subscription. That’s because federal law mandates therapists keep those on record for a set amount of time.
Yes — but in most US states, your teen will need to give their therapist consent first.
Under HIPAA, all private conversations must happen over the phone. So once your teen has approved the request, their therapist will call you on the number provided.
Yes. To put your subscription on hold for seven days, log into the app or site and select Manage Subscription > Pause Therapy.
And to cancel, go to Manage Subscription > Stop Subscription Renewal at least one day before your monthly membership is set to renew.
Talkspace issues refunds on a case-by-case basis, though credits are more common. Typically, the company can accommodate unique or legal circumstances for refunds, such as a medical condition or a court order for disability.
Katia Iervasi is a staff writer who hails from Australia and now calls New York home. Her writing and analysis has been featured on sites like Forbes, Best Company and Financial Advisor around the world. Armed with a BA in Communication and a journalistic eye for detail, she navigates insurance and finance topics for Finder, so you can splash your cash smartly (and be a pro when the subject pops up at dinner parties).
Expert review
At its core, Talkspace focuses on text-based therapy for adults, teenagers and couples. Most of its plans offer unlimited messaging with your therapist five days a week, though some plans offer limited phone and video consults lasting 30 minutes.
At $260 a month for the most basic plan, Talkspace is pricey — though the app accepts insurance as well as HSA and FSA accounts. It also has a financial assistance program, which opens up access to those who otherwise couldn’t afford the price tag.
However, you have to commit to a month-long plan, and users say some therapists aren’t as engaged as expected. If you’d prefer phone and video sessions with your therapist, compare teletherapy apps.
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