Brightside review

Brightside suits adults who expect to need medication as well as therapy and want both billed to insurance. The homepage says it is in-network with all major insurance carriers plus Medicare and Medicaid, that 67% of patients paid $25 or less out of pocket and 37% paid nothing, and that appointments are available the same day, in the evening and on weekends. You can choose your provider based on gender, specialty and more, then meet over 1:1 video and message the care team between sessions. Beyond standard therapy and psychiatry, Brightside lists teen care for ages 13 to 17, a suicide prevention program and intensive outpatient care, which few online services offer. Interactive lessons and measured progress tracking fill the time between visits. The homepage mentions a low cash price for people without coverage but does not state it, so our price check is pending.

Who it is for

adults who want therapy and medication from one insured provider

Price

See vendor pricing (USD check pending).

US price check pending. See the vendor pricing page.

Key features

• 1:1 video sessions with messaging between sessions
• Choose a provider by gender, specialty and more
• Psychiatry with AI-assisted prescribing, therapy or both
• Interactive lessons and progress tracking
• Same-day, evening and weekend appointments

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: In-network with all major carriers plus Medicare and Medicaid
• Strength: Brightside says 67% of patients paid $25 or less out of pocket
• Strength: Teen care for ages 13 to 17 and an intensive outpatient program
• Weakness: Cash price is not shown on the homepage
• Weakness: Messaging is described as between sessions, not live chat
• Weakness: Services and coverage can vary by state

Key facts

• Out-of-pocket: 67% paid $25 or less, 37% paid $0, per Brightside
• Sessions completed: 3,000,000+
• Provider rating: 4.9 out of 5 average, per the vendor
• Care levels: Therapy, psychiatry, teen care, suicide prevention, intensive outpatient

Where it ranks

Brightside is No. 3 in our Best Online Therapy Services verdict.