In the past, the only way to communicate with a therapist was to schedule an appointment and go to their office. Things are different today. Various platforms and apps simplify the whole process and allow you to get mental health support easily, on the go.
Having several providers to choose from can be quite tricky. You want to make the best choice but aren’t sure where to start. To better help you out, we’re going to compare BetterHelp and DoMental, two online therapy platforms that offer a similar service yet have important differences. Read on to learn more.
Pricing
How to pay for BetterHelp or DoMental? And how much? Both have several subscription plans that determine the cost of the therapy. Generally speaking, the higher the level of support you need, the bigger the price.
When it comes to the prices of the plans, DoMental is more affordable. The costs on this platform range from $29 to $47 a week. On the other hand, BetterHelp’s pricing for therapy plans is between $60 and $90 a week.
Both platforms allow users to cancel their membership anytime they want, regardless of the reason.
In either DoMental or BetterHelp, insurance is generally not covered by most providers, though coverage varies from one provider to another. It is always best to ask your provider.
Services
What BetterHelp and DoMental have in common is that they offer a wide range of services to people who need therapy. Video sessions with easy scheduling are available on both platforms, and both allow users to have their sessions via phone or text as well.
Getting matched with your therapist is different between DoMental and BetterHelp. DoMental uses smart matching algorithms to match you with a suitable therapist, which is a very fast process. BetterHelp’s matching process is manual and therefore slower.
In terms of services, DoMental as an alternative to BetterHelp goes one step further and guarantees two messages from a therapist a day, outside of the sessions.
Additionally, DoMental has a wide spectrum of other equally useful features and services, such as a personalized visual therapy roadmap, mental health exercises, guided meditations, and a gratitude journal.
Users of DoMental also have several trackers to use and carefully monitor their mood, activity, screen time, water intake, and sleep pattern. That way, you have the opportunity to improve several aspects of your daily life and improve your mental health as a result.
Therapy Quality
Therapy sessions are provided by licensed professionals with adequate academic backgrounds on both BetterHelp and DoMental. You can learn more about the therapists when you sign up and complete your profile.
When it comes to therapy quality at BetterHelp, users can have live sessions with therapists, and although messaging is available, there is no guarantee you'll receive a reply in between the BetterHelp therapy sessions. BetterHelp reviews found online reflect that.
On the flip side, DoMental as the alternative to BetterHelp guarantees at least two responses per day. This can be particularly useful for people who feel the need for more frequent communication with their therapist.
Therapy sessions on DoMental cover mental health problems such as anxiety, stress, depression, relationships, burnout, family issues, sleep issues, anger issues, LGBTQ+ issues, grief, trauma, emotional abuse, substance abuse, low self-esteem, OCD, and BPD.
Easy access to therapy sessions for different conditions is particularly important if we bear in mind that over 47 million Americans are experiencing a mental illness. The prevalence of mental illnesses has been increasing worldwide, in no small part due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
DoMental Onboarding Process
- Determine what type of counseling you’re looking for
As soon as you open DoMental’s website, you see the question regarding the type of counseling you're looking for. You can select Individual, Couples, or Teen.
Once you select the appropriate category, you will be redirected to a survey. Even if you don't answer right away, as you scroll down the homepage, you will see the Get started button you can click, and it will take you to the survey. - Complete a short survey
Answer all questions of the survey and make sure to provide honest answers. The first question is to determine what mental health problem you are struggling with the most.
Other questions are about the severity, intensity, and frequency of your symptoms, whether you’ve had therapy sessions before, and what kind of therapist you’re looking for. You will also be asked to identify your expectations from the therapy. - Get matched with a therapist – quickly
After the survey, you will be redirected to a page where you will see how many users of DoMental have the same symptoms as you and how effective therapy is in their case. You’ll also learn how you can benefit from therapy.
From this point, an AI algorithm will find the most suitable therapist for you within a few minutes, but you can always change your therapist for free if need be, just in case. - Start therapy
Once you get a therapist, proceed to click the Start therapy button. You’ll have to sign up and download the app. After you set everything up, the therapist will contact you, and you can start communicating with them immediately. - Communicate with a therapist at least twice a week
Users can chat with their therapists every day via audio and video messages. You can send messages 24/7, and the therapist replies twice a day on weekdays to better help you get the most out of your therapy. DoMental recommends communicating with your therapist at least twice a week to ensure the optimal efficacy of your sessions.Beyond the messages, you can also schedule video sessions with your therapist. The amount of sessions you get per month depends on the subscription plan you purchase.
BetterHelp Onboarding Process
- Complete the survey
This process is similar to DoMental’s. Determine the type of counseling you’re looking for and proceed to complete the survey. The questions on BetterHelp are primarily about symptoms you experience and what you expect from your therapist. - Get matched with a therapist – manually
Based on the answers you provide, the platform will find a therapist who’s a suitable match. The process may last from a few hours to 24 hours or a couple of days, depending on the therapist’s availability. A good thing to remember here is that your subscription starts once you start communicating with the therapist. - Get therapy in several ways
BetterHelp users can get their therapy by exchanging messages, chatting live, video conferencing, or speaking over the phone. It all depends on what you find most practical or convenient. “How to use BetterHelp?” is not a question you’ll be asking yourself. - Schedule sessions for immediate response
While therapists typically reply once a day (on business days) on BetterHelp, there is really no guarantee that will happen, unlike with DoMental. If you need an immediate response from your therapist, you will benefit the most from scheduling a therapy session, which won’t be very immediate, unfortunately.
How to Choose
Choosing the best platform or app for online therapy is not the easiest task in the world. You want to make the best decision without feeling like you’re missing out or wasting your hard-earned money.
First, visit both platforms. Learn about their features, services, pricing, and other things mentioned in this article. The reason to do it is simple – to check how easy it is to use the platform. Can you find everything you need immediately?
Take your needs and problems you experience into account. Choose the platform that meets your needs the most.
BetterHelp therapy and DoMental therapy have a lot of similarities as well as differences. Both DoMental and BetterHelp customer service are more or less the same. If you prioritize live sessions, both sites are a good choice. But, if you want to get in touch with a therapist regularly and need more affordable plans, DoMental as the alternative to BetterHelp is a better fit.
Keep in mind that BetterHelp’s cost is higher than DoMental’s.
DoMental is also a better fit for people who lack trust after the BetterHelp controversy that surrounded paid promotions and questionable therapists.
Conclusion
Online therapy platforms and apps simplify the process of getting the much-needed help you need. People can get immediate help without having to schedule an appointment and travel to the therapist’s office.
While BetterHelp is the most popular platform for online therapy, other apps and websites are equally practical.
As seen throughout this article, DoMental outperforms BetterHelp in many aspects, ranging from costs to communication with therapists and additional features. For that reason, this platform is a wonderful alternative to BetterHelp.
The most convenient thing about both platforms is that you can cancel your plan whenever you want, for any reason. This is particularly useful if you want mental health support but don't want long commitment plans.
