Finding an excellent online therapy provider isn’t easy. There are many to choose from and just as many factors to consider – pricing, services offered, counseling quality, etc.
Amwell telehealth is an online healthcare platform with a stellar reputation. But its prices aren’t much lower than in-person therapy, and the website is hard to navigate. DoMental is an alternative to Amwell, making up for what the popular therapy provider lacks.
Below, we’ll explore the features of each online counseling platform. We’ll compare Amwell and DoMental, to see who comes out on top.
Comparing Amwell and DoMental
Amwell and DoMental are online therapy platforms providing mental health support. They make therapy more accessible to everyone; it’s cheaper and easier to fit around your busy schedule.
But there are some fundamental differences between the two. Here’s a quick breakdown.
| Amwell Online Therapy | DoMental Online Therapy | |
| Pricing | Amwell cost $109–129 per session. | DoMental cost $29–47 per week. |
| Services | Therapy and psychiatry via video call. Therapy is available for adults, couples, and teenagers. Staff send prescriptions and recommend over-the-counter medications. | Therapy via audio messaging, video call, and text. Individual, couple, and teen therapy is available. Progress tracker, CBT worksheets, daily guided meditations, a mood tracker, and a gratitude journal. |
| Professionals: experience and qualifications | The staff is licensed therapists, psychiatrists, and MDs. All trained with MA or Ph.D. | All professionals are qualified, licensed, and experienced. |
| How you’re paired to a professional | Amwell doesn’t pair you up with therapists at all. Instead, you choose your availability and browse an extensive list of therapists. You can switch between therapists whenever you want. | You complete a short questionnaire, then DoMental matches a therapist to you based on your answers. Added flexibility to swap therapists whenever you want. |
Next, we’ll take an in-depth look at the differences between these two online therapy providers.
Pricing
Amwell’s payment system requires you to pay on the spot for every session. In contrast, DoMental, the new alternative to Amwell, gives you options and added flexibility, only having to find the money every month, three months, or six months.
Amwell pricing
Most online therapy platforms have different payment plans. But not Amwell – Amwell asks you to pay per session.
45-minute sessions with a professional trained at master’s level at Amwell cost $109. For someone with Ph.D., you’ll pay $129.
Whether the session is a weekday, weekend, or holiday, it doesn't matter. The price stays the same. You’ll pay no more for nighttime appointments, either.
But your initial consultation fee isn’t free – it’ll cost you. That’s up to $129 with no guarantee that you’ll continue seeing that specific therapist.
DoMental pricing
DoMental offers three payment plans:
- Monthly
- Quarterly
- Biannual
You’ll pay $47 per session for the monthly plan, so a total of $188 per month. If you choose the quarterly schedule, you’ll be billed $39 a session, equating to $468 for three months. Biannual plans cost $29 a session; you’ll pay $696 every 6 months.
This is a cheaper and much more flexible alternative to Amwell, don’t you think?
Services
Each provider offers more than just individual therapy. But DoMental is superior in its counseling options – providing a wealth of choice to suit your needs.
Amwell services
With Amwell telehealth, you can access mental health support from therapists and psychiatrists. And it’s not just individual therapy for adults – Amwell also has teen therapy and couples counseling on offer.
Video call is Amwell’s only option for sessions. No live messaging or telephone calls – just video. And, according to Amwell reviews, if the video call fails, your therapist will voice call you back. There’s no possibility to resume the video call.
But Amwell has an added bonus of medication management, as the professionals can provide medication and over-the-counter remedy recommendations.
DoMental services
DoMental also provides psychological support by trained counselors to teens, couples, and individuals.
This online therapy platform has all the options, giving you the choice of texting, audio messaging, and video calls. So, you can engage in psychological support wherever you are, whenever you want.
DoMental guarantees you’ll receive 2 messages from your therapist every day at the very minimum.
You’ll gain greater independence over your mental health with DoMental’s interactive resources, including a gratitude journal, daily meditations, and a mood tracker.
Therapy Quality
Amwell’s professionals are well-trained, but you may have to wait for them. You’ll pay more, too.
Amwell therapy quality
Amwell hires a total of 350 mental health professionals, including master’s-level therapists and doctorate-level psychologists.
The therapists are licensed to practice therapy in their state and are adept at telehealth techniques. Amwell also includes physicians who can manage medication requirements.
But this level of expertise comes at a cost – literally and time-wise. Acquiring sessions with psychologists will cost you more money.
Also, it could take a couple of weeks to secure an appointment! This makes repeat sessions with the same therapist much more difficult.
DoMental therapy quality
DoMental guarantees that all of its therapists are qualified and experienced professionals, but it doesn’t divulge the details of their education or experience.
You’ll get a response, whether it be day or night. And what’s more, you’ll hear from your therapist at least twice a day, every single day.
Sign-Up Process
So, you’ve plucked up the courage to scour the internet for therapy providers. Congrats! The last thing you want now is a complicated sign-up process that leaves your head in a spin.
Amwell’s website is confusing. It’s challenging getting past the irrelevant information to find the important stuff.
DoMental’s website, however, offers a sign-up process that’s easy.
Amwell’s sign-up process
Amwell is a big website with many telemedicine options. And this shows. The website is highly complex, so it’s difficult to find what you need right away.
On Amwell’s homepage, hover over “Services” in the top options bar and choose “Therapy.”
You’ll scroll past information on therapy specializations and some general statistics about Amwell. You’ll be shown the price of the sessions ($129 or less), and underneath, you’ll have the option to “Get Started.”
You’ll then be redirected to a page asking you for your insurance information and email address. Once you’ve confirmed your email, you can log into the portal and book a session.
When booking a session, you can browse therapists’ bios and choose one that’s right for you. Their bios contain their qualifications, therapy specifications, and previous client reviews.
Unfortunately, the sheer number of therapists can be overwhelming, according to Amwell reviews.
Amwell can’t guarantee it’ll connect you to your therapist on the same day, either. It does nearly half the time, but it can take as long as 14 days in some cases.
DoMental’s sign-up process
DoMental offers a necessary alternative to Amwell’s convoluted website design. Click here to visit DoMental’s homepage.
First, you choose between Individual, Couple, or Teen counseling. DoMental’s homepage instantly provides 3 choices to immediately set you on the right track.
Once you’ve chosen the therapy type, you’ll be redirected to a short questionnaire. Here, you’ll answer questions on your motivation for starting therapy and your general mood.
DoMental will take this information and find therapists that suit your needs. A vibrant welcome page is presented to you, containing personalized statistics and your very own therapeutic aims.
At the bottom of the page, you can choose between DoMental’s payment plan options.
DoMental’s straightforward layout and personal touches ensure signing up for therapy is an easy process. Anyone can do it, regardless of your technological prowess.
Additional Features
Besides Amwell’s medication management, its additional features are shockingly nonexistent. DoMental, on the other hand, is brimming.
Amwell’s additional features
The Amwell app is available to download to your devices so you can access mental health support at any time, in any location.
Other than the app, which is pretty standard for any online therapy platform, Amwell doesn’t provide any additional features. The one exception is the previously-mentioned medication management system.
It’s just a straightforward telemedicine site.
DoMental’s additional features
DoMental can also be accessed via an app. But DoMental has heaps of resources as well as this. As it specializes in mental health support, you can find all sorts of worksheets and activities specific to your mental health difficulties.
To keep an eye on your therapeutic progress and overall health, use DoMental’s trackers. These monitor your mood, screen time, activity level, sleep pattern, and water consumption.
For quick behavior-changing strategies, take a look at DoMental’s CBT worksheets. And if you’re looking to achieve a more mindful lifestyle, check out DoMental’s daily meditations and gratitude journal.
How to Choose?
The information is all yours. Now, you can decide between the two. What will it be – Amwell or DoMental?
This article has shown that DoMental isn’t just an alternative to Amwell and other therapy platforms. Its lower price and additional options and features make DoMental the prime choice for anyone seeking online mental health support.
All that’s left to do is look at their websites and pick your favorite. You’re not obligated to stay at one; you can always try one and then switch to the other if it’s not to your liking.
Just get the help you need; the rest is less important.
