Teladoc vs Amwell for Mental Health Visits

Teladoc and Amwell are built the same way for mental health: scheduled video visits with licensed therapists and psychiatric clinicians, billed to your insurance as a copay, with a per-visit cash price if you are uninsured. Our verdict: use whichever one your health plan or employer already covers, because that single fact usually decides the cost. If both are covered, Teladoc suits people who want therapy and medication management tied into a wider care setup, while Amwell's credential-based pricing and booking flow suit people who want to choose a clinician more directly.

If neither is covered, both are often more expensive per visit than shopping for an in-network local therapist or a cash-pay alternative, so compare before you book. And if you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or call 911. Neither service is built for crisis care, and an app is not for an emergency.

This comparison draws on our individual reviews of Teladoc Mental Health and Amwell, plus both companies' published information and 2026 third-party pricing reports. Cash prices vary by state and change often, so verify current pricing in each app before your first visit. We are reviewers, not clinicians.

The insurance card decides the cost

Both companies sell mainly through employers, insurers and health systems. When your plan includes one of them, a therapy or psychiatry visit is usually billed like other covered telehealth care, so you pay your plan's copay or coinsurance, or the full negotiated rate until your deductible is met. That last part catches people out: on a high-deductible plan, an in-network visit can still cost close to the full rate early in the year.

The quickest way to find out is to create an account on each and enter your insurance details, or call the member services number on your card and ask whether behavioral telehealth through Teladoc or Amwell is in network, what the copay is, and whether a referral is needed.

Teladoc and Amwell side by side

What the cash prices look like

Third-party reports in 2026 put Teladoc's self-pay therapy at roughly $99 to $119 per session, with psychiatry priced higher for an initial evaluation than for follow-ups. Amwell's reported cash rates for therapy run roughly $112 to $135 depending on whether the clinician holds a master's or doctoral degree, and psychiatry is priced separately and higher for the first visit. Different outlets list different figures, which is itself a sign of how often these change.

At weekly sessions, those per-visit rates add up to more than many subscription services charge per month, which is why our reviews of BetterHelp and Talkspace are worth reading if you are uninsured. Teladoc owns BetterHelp, so the two are siblings, but they work very differently: BetterHelp is a cash subscription, Teladoc Mental Health is a copay service. Talkspace also takes many insurance plans, so check Talkspace coverage too if your plan does not include either telehealth company.

How the visits and matching differ

The day-to-day experience is similar: you book a time, join a video visit, and see the same clinician on a recurring schedule if things fit. Teladoc tends to match you to a therapist after an intake, which saves time but gives you less control. Amwell lets you look through clinician profiles and availability, which helps if you care about a specific specialty, background or approach. In our Amwell review, scheduling reliability and the therapist pool were the strongest points.

Both offer psychiatry for adults, which matters if medication might be part of your care. Neither prescribes every medication, and controlled substances are subject to federal telehealth rules that have been changing, so ask before booking if this applies to you. Your prescribing clinician, not a platform, should guide any medication decision.

Questions to ask before your first visit

A few minutes of checking can prevent a surprise bill or a poor fit. Ask your insurer whether the visit counts as a specialist, primary care or telehealth benefit, since each can carry a different copay. Ask whether your deductible applies, and whether there is a limit on covered sessions per year. If you have a health savings or flexible spending account, check whether you can use it for cash-pay visits.

Then ask the platform how cancellations work, how far ahead appointments are typically booked, and whether you can switch clinicians without starting over. If you are already seeing a psychiatrist or primary care doctor, ask how records are shared so your care stays coordinated. And if you have a particular need, such as trauma, an eating disorder or a child or teen, ask directly whether a clinician with that experience is available before you commit.

Who should pick which

Pick Teladoc if it is in your benefits, especially if you already use it for general medical visits and like having one account. Pick Amwell if it is in your benefits and you want to choose your clinician from profiles. If both are covered with the same copay, try the one with the earliest appointment that suits your schedule; continuity with a clinician you like usually matters more than the platform.

Skip both if you are uninsured and price sensitive, since a local in-network therapist, a community mental health center, a university training clinic or a sliding-scale practice may cost less. Our online vs in-person therapy comparison covers the trade-offs, and how to choose online therapy walks through questions to ask any service.

Telehealth also has limits. Clinicians must be licensed in the state where you are located at the time of the visit, so travel can interrupt care. Severe or rapidly worsening symptoms often need more intensive in-person support than a weekly video session.

The bottom line: choose whichever of Teladoc or Amwell your insurance covers, compare cash rates against local and subscription options if neither is covered, and call or text 988 rather than booking a visit if you are in crisis.