Apps and online care
Teen Counseling vs Talkiatry
They differ on 9 of 10 things we check. No winner here: the better one is the one that fits what you need and how you'd pay.
Teen Counseling
A parent signs up and consents, then the teen is matched with a licensed therapist and talks with them by messaging, phone or video in a private room parents can't read.
Talkiatry
You fill in an online assessment, get matched with a psychiatrist, and meet by video for an evaluation and then medication follow-ups.
Where they differ
- Kind of help
- Teen Counseling: A therapist
- Talkiatry: Medication
- Good for
- Teen Counseling: Teens 13–19 with stress, anxiety or low mood who would rather message or talk from home; Families who can pay out of pocket
- Talkiatry: Adults and children 5+ with commercial insurance or Medicare who need a psychiatrist for medication; People who can't find a local psychiatrist with openings
- Probably not for
- Teen Counseling: Teens in crisis: call or text 988
- Talkiatry: Anyone in crisis: call or text 988
- Cost
- Teen Counseling: $60–$90/week, billed every 4 weeks
- Talkiatry: Copay with insurance; self-pay price not published
- How you pay
- Teen Counseling: I'll pay myself
- Talkiatry: Insurance
- Where
- Teen Counseling: iPhone, Android, Web
- Talkiatry: iPhone, Web
- Research
- Teen Counseling: Early research
- Talkiatry: Limited research
- Privacy
- Teen Counseling: Grade D
- Talkiatry: Grade C
- HIPAA
- Teen Counseling: Not stated
- Talkiatry: Yes
The same for both: sells your data (yes).
In crisis or thinking about suicide? In the US, call or text 988. This page is information from our reviews, not medical advice.