Brightside and Online-Therapy.com both offer weekly therapy online, but they differ on insurance, medication and the tools you get between sessions. Brightside is built around evidence-based care for depression and anxiety, with psychiatry and insurance. Online-Therapy.com is a self-pay CBT program with a therapist, worksheets and messaging. Prices below are from each company’s website in September 2026.
OUR PICK
Quick verdict
- Choose Online-Therapy.com if you pay out of pocket and want a full CBT toolkit, text/voice/video sessions, or two sessions a week (Premium).
- Choose Brightside if you want to use insurance, need a psychiatrist, or are looking for care for a teen (13+).
- Online-Therapy.com: 20% off your first month with code THERAPY20.
Sponsored link · 20% off your first month with code THERAPY20
Online-Therapy.com vs Brightside at a glance
| Online-Therapy.com | Brightside | |
|---|---|---|
| Main focus | Therapy + structured CBT program | Therapy and/or psychiatry for depression and anxiety |
| Self-pay therapy | Standard: $72/week first month, then $90/week (1 live session/week) | $299/month for 4 therapy sessions |
| Medication | Not offered | Psychiatry: $95/month self-pay; therapy + psychiatry $349/month |
| Insurance | Not accepted; HSA/FSA accepted | Accepted (Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, BCBS plans, Medicare, Medicaid and others); Brightside cites a $25 average copay |
| Session format | Video, voice or text chat, 45 min | Video; follow-up therapy sessions 55 min |
| Extras | Worksheets, journal, activity plan, yoga videos, unlimited messaging | Messaging, self-guided lessons, mobile app |
| Ages | Adults | 13 and up |
Ready to talk to a licensed therapist?
Online-Therapy.com pairs you with a licensed therapist, weekly live sessions by video, voice or text (Standard plan and up), and a step-by-step CBT program. Use code THERAPY20 for 20% off your first month.
Get started with Online-Therapy.com →Sponsored link · Cancel anytime · Not an emergency service — in crisis, call or text 988
Price comparison
Paying out of pocket, the two are close. Four weekly sessions on Online-Therapy.com’s Standard plan cost about $288 in the first month and about $360 after that, including unlimited messaging and the CBT program. Brightside lists $299 per month for four therapy sessions. So Online-Therapy.com is slightly cheaper in month one, and Brightside is somewhat cheaper after that.
If you have insurance that Brightside accepts, it will usually be the cheaper option, since you pay a copay instead of the full price. Online-Therapy.com does not take insurance; see does online therapy take insurance? for HSA/FSA and reimbursement options.
Medication and psychiatry
Brightside offers psychiatry, with a prescriber who can manage medication. According to its FAQ, it does not prescribe benzodiazepines or Z-drug sleep aids, and offers ADHD stimulants only in some states for insured members. Online-Therapy.com does not prescribe at all. Whether medication is right for you is a question for a doctor.
What therapy looks like
Online-Therapy.com
- A licensed therapist plus an 8-section CBT program with worksheets your therapist reviews.
- Sessions by video, voice or text chat: flexible if you’re not comfortable on camera.
- Premium adds a second live session each week; Basic is messaging and the program only.
- No mobile app; it runs in the browser on phone or computer.
Brightside
- Weekly video therapy, messaging with your provider, and self-guided lessons.
- A mobile app for scheduling, messaging and progress tracking.
- A specialized program for people with suicidal thoughts (for members with accepted insurance). If you are in crisis, call or text 988.
Ready to talk to a licensed therapist?
Online-Therapy.com pairs you with a licensed therapist, weekly live sessions by video, voice or text (Standard plan and up), and a step-by-step CBT program. Use code THERAPY20 for 20% off your first month.
Get started with Online-Therapy.com →Sponsored link · Cancel anytime · Not an emergency service — in crisis, call or text 988
Who each one fits best
| Your situation | Better fit |
|---|---|
| You pay out of pocket and want the most tools for the price | Online-Therapy.com |
| You’d rather do sessions by text or voice | Online-Therapy.com |
| You want two sessions a week | Online-Therapy.com (Premium) |
| You want to use insurance, Medicare or Medicaid | Brightside |
| You want a psychiatrist | Brightside |
| Care for a teenager (13–17) | Brightside |
Want more detail? Read our Online-Therapy.com review or the Online-Therapy.com pricing guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Brightside cheaper than Online-Therapy.com?
Without insurance they are close: Online-Therapy.com’s Standard plan runs about $288 for the first four weeks and about $360 afterward, while Brightside lists $299/month for four sessions. With accepted insurance, Brightside is usually cheaper.
Does Online-Therapy.com offer psychiatry?
No. It is therapy only. Brightside offers psychiatry and medication management.
Which is better for anxiety?
Both use evidence-based approaches such as CBT. Online-Therapy.com’s worksheet-based CBT program suits people who want to practice skills between sessions; Brightside suits people who may want medication or to use insurance.
Can I cancel anytime?
Both services let you cancel from your account settings.
Ready to talk to a licensed therapist?
Online-Therapy.com pairs you with a licensed therapist, weekly live sessions by video, voice or text (Standard plan and up), and a step-by-step CBT program. Use code THERAPY20 for 20% off your first month.
Get started with Online-Therapy.com →Sponsored link · Cancel anytime · Not an emergency service — in crisis, call or text 988
Sources
- Online-Therapy.com: Pricing
- Online-Therapy.com FAQ: Does Online-Therapy.com accept insurance?
- Brightside: Cash pay pricing
- Brightside: Frequently asked questions
- Brightside: Insurance coverage
- American Psychological Association: Cognitive behavioral therapy
- SAMHSA: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline