The Best Online Psychiatry Services for You and Your Family

Best Overall: Talkiatry

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Key Specs 

• Price: Depends on your insurance 
• Insurance Accepted?: Yes
• Types of Therapy: Individual psychiatry and therapy for adults, teens, and children over the age of five

Why We Chose It

Talkiatry is the psychiatry company on this list that we believe can best assess, diagnose, and treat your child for severe depression, anxiety, OCD, ADHD, or another mental health condition. It accepts patients as young as five years old, as well as adults, and accepts most major insurance plans—which is relatively rare for a psychiatry company.

Pros & Cons

Overview 

Founded in 2020, Talkiatry is among the most expansive online psychiatry companies in the United States. Though not specifically aimed at children, its providers are able to diagnose mental health conditions and prescribe medications for children as young as five. And unlike many online mental health providers we evaluated, Talkiatry can prescribe most mental health medications—including controlled substances such as stimulants for ADHD and benzodiazepines for anxiety—if deemed appropriate for you or your child.

It is true that many online psychiatry services have come under fire recently for the over-prescription of substances to minors or for prescribing medication with serious side effects without proper oversight and unsubstantial follow-ups, but Talkiatry differs from these companies. Its intake appointments are thorough and not short—the psychiatrist might take up to an hour in the first session, rather than the average 15 minutes at other online competitors—and it schedules frequent, 30-minute follow-up sessions to check in on how your child is responding to their medications. This extra time spent with their psychiatrist ensures that their provider can really delve into issues like medication efficacy and side effects that a shorter session might not have time to touch on. 

Overall, this quality of care and oversight gave us the confidence that this company only prescribes medications—especially controlled substances—when it's absolutely necessary. This supervision is especially important for children, who may not be able to self-report any symptoms they’re having as faithfully as adults taking psychotropic medications can. 

We also appreciated that, while Talkiatry doesn’t specialize in talk therapy, if your child’s psychiatrist thinks your kid can benefit from talk therapy alongside their psychiatric treatment, they will provide a referral to a therapist at the company so your child can get all their mental health treatment in one place. 

Areas of Specialization 

Talkiatry stands out from the other companies we evaluated because it is a psychiatry-first medical practice; other companies specialize more in either talk therapy or telehealth and offer medication management or psychiatry as add-on services. 

This is why Talkiatry is staffed with board-certified psychiatrists in 42 states—not just therapists who cannot prescribe medication or general practitioners who do not specialize in psychiatry.  You’re also able to select your own choice of a psychiatrist for your child from a roster that includes professionals with unique experiences and specialties, such as ADHD, OCD, child psychiatry, and working with people or children who identify as LGBTQ+.

However, you should note that the company does not treat some conditions that it believes would be inappropriate for virtual care, such as schizophrenia, eating disorders, or substance use.

Plans & Prices 

The administrative burden of accepting insurance and poor reimbursement rates by insurance companies make it difficult for mental health professionals to accept insurance. Psychiatrists in this country are the least likely type of doctor to accept insurance, making psychiatry services inaccessible to many families that have health insurance but cannot afford to pay out-of-pocket for care. 

This is why Talkiatry stands out in our opinion—it only accepts patients who have health insurance, including Medicare and some Medicaid plans. This does mean, though, that the rate you pay for your sessions varies depending on the copay or coinsurance terms of your plan. If you’re not sure what that amount is, Talkiatry does have a page to help you figure out what your estimated copay will be before you sign up. 

Talkiatry also accepts HSA and FSA payment methods.

It is important to note, though, that this company is not a good option if you are underinsured or uninsured because self-payment is not offered. 

User Survey and Testing Insights  

When we tested and reviewed Talkiatry, we learned that interested patients are led through screening, then matched with a psychiatrist, which is a longer and more detailed intake procedure than many competitors provide. In fact, our tester noted that “It felt like the session was the perfect length and I got to cover everything I wanted to cover and while we finished on time, it still felt like the natural point to end the session. Certainly wasn't one of those ‘look at the clock and say we are out of time’ type endings.” 

Additionally, Talkiatry stood out among the 55 online therapy companies we surveyed, with 96% of the 105 respondents we surveyed rating its services as good, very good, or excellent overall. Additionally, 98% of the Talkiatry users we surveyed stated they were likely or very likely to recommend the psychiatry website to a friend.

Best for Postpartum: Hers

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Key Specs 

• Price: $49 for 3-month subscription, $85 for monthly subscription
• Insurance Accepted?: No
• Types of Therapy: Individual therapy and psychiatry 

Why We Chose It 

While technically not a psychiatry service for kids, we felt like Hers was important to include on this list because postpartum depression and anxiety can not only impact your mental health as a parent but can also affect your relationship with your newborn or older children. Plus, Hers offers an accessible medication management platform that is conducive to treatment for parents who have unpredictable schedules and it includes a staff of clinicians with specialized experience treating postpartum mental health issues. 

Pros & Cons

Overview 

Although postpartum problems like depression and anxiety are experienced by parents, these issues can also affect children. If you are suffering from these conditions, it can affect your day-to-day and your relationship with your family, including your ability to bond with or care for your newborn. After all, being a new, sleep-deprived parent is already hard—and postpartum mental health issues can only make it more difficult. 

The good news is, treatment for PPD can really help—and Hers excels in this type of care. After launching Hims in 2018, the company’s founders went on to launch Hers, a telehealth platform exclusively for female-identifying patients and patients with uteruses. Then, in 2020, they added mental health care and medication management.

As a telehealth company, Hers focuses heavily on mail-order prescriptions for postpartum depression and anxiety, and other mental health conditions, as well as sexual health, and dermatology. Medication for postpartum issues is prescribed by a Hers provider and is purchased on a subscription, pay-per-month basis. In addition to medication management, Hers offers individual therapy through a pay-per-session model with providers who specialize in postpartum problems. This model, which allows for virtual-only appointments and receiving medication through the mail, might be a good fit for new parents dealing with postpartum issues who have less flexibility in their schedule. 

Areas of Specialization

Hers specializes in mental health care for women-identifying, LGBTQIA+, and non-binary folks, specifically stating it offers treatment for postpartum depression as well as anxiety, depression, insomnia, worry, stress, and difficulty focusing. Hers providers who specialize in PPD are available in all 50 states. That being said, some states may have fewer providers than others. Its service provides video sessions for both psychiatry and therapy. Medication management isn’t available for controlled substances, but patients can receive medication for depression and anxiety through a mail-order subscription. 

Hers is considered to be an inclusive healthcare provider, making a point to state that it is LGBTQIA+ friendly in more than one blog post. This means that parents who are LGBTQIA+ can feel comfortable and safe accessing postpartum-centered services from Hers. It is important to note that transgender men do also get pregnant, and research shows that pregnant trans men need more mental health support and care than pregnant cisgender women—however, the name “Hers” might be a deterrent for someone with this identity, despite the company’s inclusive mission.

Plans & Prices

Hers offers a free, initial consultation for its medication management services. From there, patients are required to sign up for mail-order medication on a subscription model costing $85 a month (or $49 per month if you sign up for the three-month subscription), for both the medication itself and the medication management services. The fact that Hers delivers medication straight to your door is a huge advantage for someone postpartum—going to the pharmacy when you are already sleep-deprived and taking care of a newborn, never mind dealing with postpartum depression on top of that, can feel impossible. With its shipping service, Hers makes it easy to get the medication you need.

Hers does not accept insurance or payment through HSA, FSA, or HRA accounts. That being said, Hers does offer discounts including a promotional first month for $25 and discounts on certain medications when you pay for multiple months upfront.

For patients interested in therapy, these services cost $99 a session and there is no required subscription plan. Users can simply schedule as needed based on their availability or budget.

User Survey and Testing Insights

Our tester of Hers reported that she “found the platform very easy to use” and that her therapist was “very attentive and compassionate.” Our user survey respondents felt similarly. Overall, Hers scored well among the 105 users we surveyed, with 81% saying they are likely or very likely to recommend the service to a friend or someone like them. After using Hers, 89% of users said they found provider qualifications to be good, very good, or excellent. Thirteen percent of Hers users sought psychiatry and medication management services specifically, and 91% of those users rated those services from good to excellent.

Best for Accessibility: Thriveworks

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Key Specs 

• Price: Varies based on provider and insurance
• Insurance Accepted?: Yes
• Types of Therapy: Telehealth and in-person therapy and psychiatry 

Why We Chose It 

Parents looking for accessible psychiatric treatment for their teens can look to Thriveworks. This telehealth company offers both online and in-person therapy and psychiatry for anyone over the age of 14.

Pros & Cons

Overview 

Finding mental health care for minors can be challenging, with affordability and location being common hurdles getting in the way. Thriveworks was named the most accessible because of its partnership with hundreds of insurance providers, along with its unique approach of providing both telehealth and in-person treatment options.

Thriveworks is a mental health care provider that has built its reputation on hiring qualified health professionals. This company offers both therapy and medication management to its patients. It’s built an affordable model with two approaches. First, it’s partnered with a large number of insurance providers, including United Healthcare, Aetna, Blue Cros Blue Shield, and Medicare. Additionally, it offers a competitive self-pay rate that begins at $99 for therapy sessions. Psychiatry costs are determined by individual providers and the services offered.

It is worth noting that Thriveworks isn’t available in every state and some of its in-person locations don’t offer medication management.

Areas of Specialization 

Thriveworks specializes in mental health care for children, teens, and adults. It offers individual, kids, teens, and couples therapy online and in person. It also offers medication management to teens over the age of 14 and adults. 

The professionals working with Thriveworks are highly qualified in their areas of expertise. In fact, Thriveworks takes pride in working with the best healthcare providers, only hiring from the top 4% of providers. The psychiatrists at Thriveworks treat patients with a variety of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, bipolar, and other mood disorders. 

Plans & Prices

Thriveworks is in-network with a large number of insurance providers, making it one of the more accessible options for insured patients. For those without insurance, its services aren’t out of the question, either. Self-pay costs vary depending on the service and the provider but begin at a competitive rate of $99.

Thriveworks doesn’t offer discounts or free assessments.

User Survey and Testing Insights

Ninety percent of surveyed users gave Thriveworks a rating of good, very good, or excellent. Additionally, 80% of users said they were likely or very likely to recommend the company’s service to friends or someone like them. Among the users who tried out the medication management services at Thriveworks, 98% gave the company a rating of good, very good, or excellent. One reviewer of Thriveworks appreciated that most insurance plans were accepted by the company and felt the scheduling system was efficient. 

Best for Young Children: Little Otter

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Key Specs 

• Price: Initial psychiatric evaluation is $500, follow-ups are $250 each
• Insurance Accepted?: No
• Types of Therapy: Individual therapy and psychiatry for children and their parents, family therapy

Why We Chose It 

If you’re looking for a telepsychiatry service that specializes in treating younger children, Little Otter is the obvious pick because, even though it’s on the pricier side, it offers specialized psychiatric care for children, along with therapy for children and their families.

Pros & Cons

Overview 

With the onset of mental health issues like ADHD coming as early as four years old, having an online mental health company that can treat young children is an important resource for families needing early intervention. “The sooner you can get your child help for the challenges they are facing, the better,” explains Hannah Owens, LMSW and subject matter expert. “Getting proper treatment for young children who are facing mental health challenges can mean the difference between struggling in school, at home, and with other kids and growing up with resources and skills that will help them succeed.” 

Little Otter has built its telehealth services around its mission of providing “whole family” mental health care. Its providers focus largely on coaching, therapy, and medication management for children from birth to 14. It also offers parents couples and family therapy, as well as parenting coaching in order to help you—and the whole family—support your child’s treatment.

Interested families can complete a free, 30-minute consultation to determine if Little Otter is a good fit for their needs or they can complete an online assessment. After that, they can move forward with scheduling a session or completing a more thorough assessment with an expert. 

However, it is worth noting that as of February 2023, Little Otter is only available in 12 states. It did tell us, though, that it has plans to quickly expand to other states.

Areas of Specialization 

Little Otter specializes in treating mental health disorders in children and its areas of focus include anxiety, depression, OCD, ADHD, eating disorders, and grief. However, at this time, it is not offering assessments for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). 

Therapy providers at Little Otter are licensed therapists, and Board Certified Behavior Analysts offer specialized behavior-analytic interventions. Board-certified psychiatrists can assess and diagnose pediatric mental health conditions and prescribe the appropriate medications.

Plans & Prices

Little Otter is in-network with only one insurance provider (Kaiser Permanente) and its out-of-pocket psychiatric services are on the high end of telehealth costs. An initial psychiatric evaluation costs $500 for a 75-minute appointment and each follow-up appointment for medication management costs $250. 

Given its relatively high out-of-pocket price, Little Otter does provide a 10% to 15% discount to families bundling multiple appointments to try to lower costs a bit. Additionally, it accepts payment through HSA and FSA accounts and provides a superbill to patients, which can be submitted to out-of-network insurance providers for reimbursement up to 70%.

While Little Otter doesn’t offer free assessments, it does offer a free, 30-minute consultation for families trying to determine if its services are a good fit for their children.

User Survey and Testing Insights

Seventy-five percent of Little Otter users felt the company was good, very good, or excellent overall, and 78% felt the same about the qualifications of Little Otter’s providers. When asked to rate its psychiatry and medication management services, 75% of surveyed users reported that they found these services to be good to excellent. Four percent of users said they specifically sought out psychiatry services for their child through Little Otter. 

Best for Older Kids: Teladoc

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Key Specs 

• Price: $0 to $209
• Insurance Accepted?: Yes
• Types of Therapy: Psychiatry and talk therapy

Why We Chose It

We found Teladoc’s service to have the best overall availability for parents and older teens looking for mental health medication management online because of how easy it is to schedule and its expansive provider list.

Pros & Cons

Overview 

Teladoc is an online healthcare provider with a mission to make getting the health care you and your family need more accessible. It accomplishes this by providing general health, sexual health, dermatology services, and mental health services via phone or video sessions. Psychiatry and medication management are available for those 17 and up—since most online psychiatry companies only offer services to adults ages 18 and older, that one extra year could make all the difference for an older teen in need of psychiatric treatment.

At Teladoc, both psychiatry and therapy are available through its mental health providers. In our review of Teladoc, we found scheduling and availability to be one of this company’s strong points. When it comes to setting up a session, it asks patients for their first, second, and third preference for a date and time and then the provider chooses from those times—this can be especially helpful for a teenager who has a busy schedule juggling school and extracurricular activities. Among surveyed Teladoc users, 84% reported that therapists' availability in their state was good, very good, or excellent. 

Areas of Specialization 

At Teladoc, mental health providers have a wide range of qualifications and areas of expertise. Therapy is provided by licensed social workers, therapists, and psychologists. Psychiatrists at Teladoc provide medication management services and prescribe most mental health medications except for controlled substances.

Teladoc specializes in the treatment of anxiety, depression, OCD, relationship issues, and PTSD. Though its psychiatrists are able to provide medication management for anyone over the age of 17, its therapy services are available for anyone over the age of 13.

Plans & Prices

At Teladoc, patients can submit their insurance information or choose a self-pay model. For self-pay patients, the initial psychiatry appointment costs $209 and all follow-up visits cost $109. Teladoc accepts a number of insurance providers, including some Medicaid and Medicare plans. Patients are also able to pay using an HSA, FSA, or HRA card. Teladoc doesn’t offer free consultations or assessments, and it doesn’t provide discounted bundles.

User Survey and Testing Insights

Teladoc stood out in our user survey, with 97% of our 105 surveyed users stating they were satisfied or very satisfied with their experience and 95% stating they were likely or very likely to recommend Teladoc to someone like them. Fourteen percent of our users reported that they received psychiatric or medication management services from Teladoc, and 91% of those users rated the company’s psychiatry services as good, very good, or excellent.

Best Online Directory: Alma

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Key Specs 

• Price: Varies from provider to provider
• Insurance Accepted?: Yes
• Types of Therapy: Individual and couples therapy, medication management

Why We Chose It 

Alma is an online therapy directory connecting parents and their kids with mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, who meet their needs. We chose Alma because of its functionality, allowing users to find professionals based on services provided, insurance accepted, and more.

Pros & Cons 

Overview 

The actual process of finding a psychiatrist, much less one who treats kids, can seem like an insurmountable feat in and of itself—reaching out to unknown providers can be scary, especially when your child’s mental health is on the line. Alma is an online directory of mental health care providers offering a variety of services throughout the United States, including psychiatrists who work with children and can prescribe medication. This website allows you to search out professionals based on your and your child’s specific treatment needs, and the fact that you can search for psychiatrists or medication prescribers differentiates it from most online therapy directories. While Alma does not provide the services, it simplifies the search by gathering details on the providers it’s partnered with, including services provided, insurance accepted, and identity. This means you can specifically search out a professional that is a good match with your insurance and schedule, along with your and your child’s identifying demographics such as gender, sexuality, race, and religion so you can find the most inclusive and empathetic care from psychiatrists.

Areas of Specialization 

Because Alma is a directory, not a service provider, you can search for a mental health professional with training and experience that is specific to your and your child’s needs. On Alma’s directory, you can find therapists and psychiatrists who treat children, teens, individual adults, and couples. It is also possible to seek out someone who offers medication management or diagnosis of mental health conditions for you or your child.

Plans & Prices

Since Alma is a directory, prices and payment policies vary depending on the provider. That being said, its website states that most of its providers do accept insurance. Alma’s website also has a cost estimator tool, allowing therapy seekers to enter their insurance information to get an idea of what they can expect to spend on therapy and medication management.

User Survey and Testing Insights

When we tested Alma’s providers across numerous hypothetical situations that therapy seekers might find themselves in, Alma did particularly well when searching for a provider who treats children and is familiar with neurodivergences such as autism. Seventy-seven percent of the 180 Alma users we surveyed said they were likely to recommend the service to a friend or someone like them. When it comes to the therapist users were matched with, 75% said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the therapist they found in Alma’s directory. Fourteen percent of users turned to Alma to find psychiatry services specifically.