Key Takeaways
If you’re interested in online therapy, Rula and BetterHelp can be great options. Learning more about these platforms can help you determine which one might be best for you.
Rula is in-network with 100+ insurance plans, and patients pay an average of $15 per session using insurance. BetterHelp doesn’t accept insurance, but they offer a subscription that you can cancel anytime.
Rula and BetterHelp both offer individual therapy from licensed, vetted providers. With Rula, you can also access couples, family, child, and teen therapy, along with psychiatric services.
In recent years, access to online therapy and psychiatric care has expanded. For many individuals, couples, and families, teletherapy provides an affordable, convenient way to access support. But with all the different platforms to choose from, how do you know which one is right for you? That answer depends on a number of factors, from what kind of insurance you have to the type of support you’re looking for.
In the following guide, we’ll compare two teletherapy companies, Rula and BetterHelp. Understanding their offerings can help you make a more informed decision about your mental health.
Differences at a glance
Average cost per session
Practicing therapists
Rula: Over 21,000
BetterHelp: 32,000
Modes of communication
Rula: Video software, messaging through the portal, in-person sessions
BetterHelp: Live chat, messaging, phone calls, and video sessions
Services offered
Rula: Individual, couples, family, child, and teen therapy, as well as psychiatric care (medication management)
BetterHelp: Individual therapy, support groups, and psychoeducation
Insurance acceptance
States covered
Rula: All 50 states, plus Washington, D.C.
BetterHelp: All 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Number of specialties offered
Rula: Over 180 clinical specialties and modalities
BetterHelp: BetterHelp doesn’t share the exact number of specialties their therapists offer. They mention providing clients with a “diversity of live session modality options.”
Inclusivity and patient focus
Rula: 51% of providers in Rula's network are Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC), and the providers in Rula's network speak over 40 different languages.
BetterHelp: BetterHelp’s therapist matching process meets over 93% of client preferences. Patients can indicate a preference for therapist gender, race, religion, age, and LGBT+ identity.
Access and flexibility
Rula: Rula helps thousands of people access affordable, quality mental healthcare every week, with online video appointments available as soon as tomorrow.
BetterHelp: As the world’s largest therapy service, BetterHelp has helped over five million people access care. Once you sign up, the therapist-matching process can take a few hours or a few days, depending on provider availability.
Rula at a glance
Rula is on a mission to create a world where every person can access high-quality mental healthcare. Their nationwide network consists of 21,000 licensed mental health providers representing over 180 clinical specialties and modalities. So no matter the issue you’re facing, Rula can help connect you with the right care for your needs. They provide a wide range of services, including individual, couples, family, child, and teen therapy. They also offer psychiatric services, including medication management. Some Rula providers offer in-person support, but most meet with patients remotely via Zoom.
If you have health insurance through a major company, you can likely use it with Rula. They’re in-network with 100+ insurance plans, meaning patients pay an average of $15 per session using insurance.* In addition to making care more affordable, Rula is also committed to driving measurable results. Outcomes data show that 93% of patients report feeling better about their symptoms after receiving care through Rula.
Here’s how it works to sign up:
To begin, Rula will verify your insurance coverage. Within seconds, you’ll get a personalized estimate of your cost per session with insurance.
Then, you’ll provide your age, location, contact information, and the type of care you’re interested in.
Next, you can begin browsing a list of personalized provider matches. To narrow down your options, you can filter by specialty, gender, availability, treatment approach, language, race, identity, and more.
Once you make a selection, you can schedule your first appointment for as soon as tomorrow.
*Actual cost may vary based on your insurance benefits and deductible. Rula will provide you with a personalized cost estimate prior to your first appointment.
BetterHelp at a glance
BetterHelp is the world’s largest therapy platform, and their services are 100% online. Since 2013, they’ve been working to remove barriers to care and make mental healthcare more accessible to everyone. BetterHelp uses an intensive therapist-matching program to connect patients with licensed mental health professionals. Unlike other teletherapy platforms, BetterHelp doesn’t accept insurance at this time. Instead, they use a subscription model that ranges from $70 to $100 per week.
In addition to weekly therapy, BetterHelp offers other opportunities to connect with your therapist and access support. For example, you can message your therapist between sessions (live, if scheduled, or asynchronously), join a support group, attend a psychoeducational class, or access BetterHelp’s expansive resources library. About 69% of BetterHelp clients use one or more of these self-care or clinical tools.
Here’s what you can expect when you sign up:
The first step of the therapist matching process is to indicate the type of therapy you’re looking for. BetterHelp only provides individual therapy.
You’ll provide your country, gender identity, age, relationship status, and other personal details like religion and spirituality, plus your previous experience with therapy (if any).
Then you’ll be asked to indicate the issues you’d like to explore. You can choose from options like feeling depressed, anxious, or overwhelmed, grief, trauma, and more. You can also skip this question if you’re not sure what you want to focus on.
At this point, you’ll be asked about what kind of therapist you’re looking for and your preferred therapy style
From here, you’ll answer a few questions about your physical health, including your eating habits and what medications you’re taking. You’ll also be screened for symptoms of depression, and later, for anxiety, panic, and phobias.
The next few questions revolve around employment, how your symptoms affect your life (if at all), alcohol use, and intimacy. You’ll also be asked if you have a history of suicidal thoughts, about your financial stability, any chronic pain (if present), sleep habits, and the types of resources you might be interested in.
Next, you’ll indicate your state, preferred language, and email address.
Finally, you’ll receive a set of personalized questions based on all the information you’ve already shared. Answering them will help your therapist provide targeted support.
Once you receive a personalized therapist match, they will review what you've shared and reach out to you to begin your therapy process.
Rula clinical outcomes vs. BetterHelp
Both Rula and BetterHelp share outcomes data, demonstrating their commitment to helping patients get better. Here’s a bit of what we know about the measurable impact of the services they provide.
Rula’s clinical outcomes are 10%+ better than other national groups, on average.
93% of patients report feeling better about their symptoms after receiving care through Rula.
Rula patients typically report starting to feel better after just 3 sessions.
About 74% of Rula patients (compared to 69% with BetterHelp) experienced a clinically meaningful improvement on the PHQ or GAD within 12 weeks. These assessments are used to measure anxiety and depression.
As of 2024, 72% of BetterHelp clients experienced a reduction in symptoms, with 69% achieving reliable improvement and 62% reaching symptom remission.
A recent study found that users of BetterHelp experienced significantly reduced depression symptom severity after engaging with the platform.
Cost and insurance coverage
You can pay for Rula or BetterHelp’s services with an HSA, FSA, or via self-pay. You can use your health insurance with Rula, but not with BetterHelp. Instead, BetterHelp offers therapy through a subscription model. According to their website, the cost of their subscription ranges from $70 to $100 per week.
Using health insurance can make mental health support considerably more affordable. Rula patients pay an average of $15 per session using insurance because they’re in-network with 100+ insurance plans, including those listed below. Keep in mind that your final out-of-pocket cost* for therapy or psychiatric services will depend on the details of your plan. So it’s always a good idea to call the number on the back of your insurance card or contact your insurer to verify your coverage.
Insurance accepted by therapists on Rula
*Actual cost may vary based on your insurance benefits and deductible. Rula will provide you with a personalized cost estimate prior to your first appointment.
Mental health services offered
Rula
Rula providers offer a broad range of mental health services. At Rula, you can access psychiatric services (including medication management) along with individual, couples, family, teen, and child therapy. This care is delivered by:
Marriage and family therapists (LMFTs)
Clinical social workers (LCSWs)
Clinical psychologists (LCPs)
Professional clinical counselors (LPCCs)
Psychiatric nurse practitioners (NPs, APRNs, or PMHNPs)
Psychiatrists
Rula’s licensed providers offer over 180 clinical specialties and undergo a thorough vetting process. They treat a broad range of concerns including anxiety, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), substance use disorder (SUD), schizophrenia, and more. The therapies a provider uses will vary based on your needs, goals, and preferences.
Some of the modalities you can access via Rula include:
Most common approaches
Behavioral therapy
Insight-oriented
Relationship-based
Experiential therapy
Humanistic therapy
BetterHelp
Providers on BetterHelp focus on individual therapy, but they can direct clients to their sister sites if they need different kinds of support (i.e. couples or teen therapy). Every therapist on BetterHelp is required to be licensed and credentialed (as applicable) in each location they serve. When you join BetterHelp, you have access to:
PhDs
PsyDs
Marriage and family therapists (LMFTs)
Clinical social workers (LCSWs / LMSWs)
Board-licensed professional counselors (LPCs)
BetterHelp does not provide a list of the modalities these providers offer. But given their extensive network, it’s likely that you can be matched with a therapist who offers the kind of care you’re looking for. This might include:
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behavioral family therapy (CBFT)
Person-centered therapy (Rogerian / client-centered therapy)
Emotion-focused therapy (EFT)
Imago relationship therapy
Exposure therapy
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
BetterHelp therapists use these modalities to treat depression, anxiety, grief, panic, anger, abuse, parenting challenges, relationship issues, emotional regulation, panic disorder, eating disorders, trauma, and other common concerns. In addition to weekly therapy sessions, they offer additional supports like group therapy or classes. However, they do not offer psychiatric services. You can’t get a prescription for medication or medication management services through BetterHelp.
Inclusivity and specialized care
Historically, it’s been harder for underserved groups (i.e. women, BIPOC, and LGBT+ people) to access mental health support due to bias and discrimination. To combat these barriers, both Rula and BetterHelp emphasize the importance of culturally competent, inclusive care. Their providers recognize the role that a person’s race, ethnicity, gender, religion, etc. can play in the healing process.
Rula has diversified their provider network to make it easier to find a therapist who understands your culture and identity. Their providers speak over 40 different languages, and 51% of their provider network identifies as BIPOC.
BetterHelp’s thorough therapist matching process is designed to help you find a therapist who understands your background and preferences. They ask a long series of upfront questions to get a deeper understanding of your identity before you begin treatment. This has resulted in a client preference fulfillment rate of over 93%.
Provider access
Teletherapy platforms like Rula and BetterHelp can make it more convenient to contact your provider between sessions and fit therapy into your routine. With Rula, you can schedule an appointment in as little as 3 minutes, and online appointments are available as soon as tomorrow.
Both companies have a nationwide presence and utilize HIPAA-compliant video software for remote sessions. Rula uses Zoom, and BetterHelp has their own secure video platform. Rula recommends downloading the Zoom app to your phone, tablet, or computer before your first session. But you will also have the option to join your session from your browser.
In terms of provider access, Rula has slightly more flexibility. Some providers on Rula offer in-person services, while BetterHelp’s support is strictly online. However, in addition to video sessions on BetterHelp, you can exchange messages, therapist, chat live, or speak with your therapist over the phone. At Rula, you can contact your provider via the patient portal. Other methods, such as email or phone calls, are based on provider availability and preference.
Embracing flexibility
A major advantage of teletherapy is flexibility. Since they don’t need to travel to an office to deliver care, some providers may offer sessions outside of the typical 9-5 window. This can make it easier for working people, caregivers, and others with non-traditional schedules to access support. And with Rula and BetterHelp, it’s also easier to switch providers if you’d like to try working with someone else. Both platforms offer support to streamline this process.
Rula and BetterHelp allow you to cancel an appointment if something comes up. Just be sure to familiarize yourself with their policies ahead of time. For example, Rula will apply a fee to your account if you miss an appointment (i.e., a “no-show”) or cancel an appointment within 24 hours of the appointment start time (i.e., a late cancellation). At BetterHelp, late cancellations (within 24 hours of the session time) and missed sessions may incur a $15 fee.
Summary: Is Rula or BetterHelp right for you?
Rula and BetterHelp both offer convenient, effective digital mental healthcare. Their services overlap in some ways (i.e. individual therapy), but there are also some important differences between these platforms.
BetterHelp has a massive network and an intensive therapist-matching process. If you don’t need to use health insurance or you prefer to self-pay, their subscription model could be a great option. However, if you need psychiatric services and/or couples, child, teen, or family therapy, and you want to use your insurance to reduce the cost of care, Rula might be a better fit.
Rula FAQs
How do I know if Rula will work for me?
There’s no mental health treatment that’s right for everyone. But according to their outcomes data, Rula patients typically report starting to feel better after just 3 sessions, and 82% of Rula patients report making meaningful progress within 8 weeks.
Will Rula take my insurance?
Likely! Rula is in-network with 100+ insurance plans. This includes Anthem, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Kaiser Permanente, Medicare, United, and more.
What’s the cost of care with Rula?
With Rula, patients pay an average of $15 per session using insurance. Actual cost may vary based on your insurance benefits and deductible. Rula will provide you with a personalized cost estimate prior to your first appointment.
How soon can I see a therapist or psychiatrist with Rula?
Once you sign up with Rula, appointments are available as soon as tomorrow, and most Rula patients meet with a provider within five days.
Finding care
Rula and BetterHelp are nationwide teletherapy platforms that help people access mental health support online. Both companies partner with licensed and vetted providers and publish data to demonstrate the impact of their services.
Rula offers a wider variety of services than BetterHelp, and they’re in-network with 100+ insurance plans. Rula provides individual, family, couples, child, and teen therapy along with psychiatric services. Their outcomes data is 10%+ better than other national teletherapy platforms, on average.
BetterHelp is the world’s largest online therapy platform. They have a diverse network and a rigorous therapist-matching process. Their focus is on helping people access individual therapy via a subscription model. However, they don’t provide psychiatric care or accept insurance. Depending on your needs and preferences, both Rula and BetterHelp can be great options for digital mental healthcare.
