Cerebral vs BetterHelp

Quick Verdict

Cerebral: Full-service mental health platform with therapy, psychiatry, and medication management. Insurance-accepted with copays as low as $30/month. Best for users needing medications alongside therapy ($99-325/month, or $30-60 with insurance).

BetterHelp: Therapy-only platform with weekly live sessions and unlimited messaging. No insurance but straightforward out-of-pocket pricing. Best for therapy-focused care without medication needs ($260-400/month).

Bottom Line: Choose Cerebral if you need or might need medication (antidepressants, anti-anxiety, ADHD meds) or have insurance. Choose BetterHelp for therapy-only care with longer sessions.

Detailed Comparison

Medication Management - Cerebral’s Biggest Advantage

Cerebral offers full psychiatric medication management:

• Prescribers evaluate you for medication needs
• Can prescribe antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs)
• Anti-anxiety medications (buspirone, hydroxyzine)
• ADHD medications (stimulants, non-stimulants)
• Sleep medications
• Monthly medication management visits ($30-60 with insurance)
• Medications mailed directly to you
• Ongoing monitoring and dose adjustments

BetterHelp does not offer medication services:

• Therapists cannot prescribe medications
• Must see separate psychiatrist/PCP for medications
• Focus solely on talk therapy
• Refer out for medication needs

If you need medication for depression, anxiety, or ADHD, Cerebral is the only option between these two.

Insurance Coverage

Cerebral accepts many insurance plans:

• Aetna, Cigna, Anthem, United, and others
• Typical copays: $30-60 per therapy session
• Medication management copays: $30-60/month
• Prescriptions billed through your pharmacy benefit
• Significantly reduces out-of-pocket costs if covered
• Check Cerebral website for your specific plan

BetterHelp does not accept insurance:

• All out-of-pocket payment
• Can request receipts for insurance superbill submission
• FSA/HSA cards accepted
• Most insurance won’t reimburse online therapy
• Predictable monthly cost but no coverage help

Pricing Comparison

Cerebral with insurance: $30-60/session copay

• Therapy + medication management: Often $60-120/month total
• Much cheaper than BetterHelp if you have coverage

Cerebral without insurance: $99-325/month

• Therapy-only: $99/month (messaging) to $249/month (weekly sessions)
• Therapy + medication: $325/month
• Still competitive with BetterHelp for combined services

BetterHelp: $260-400/month ($65-100/week)

• Includes weekly 30-45 min live sessions
• Unlimited messaging
• No insurance, straightforward pricing
• 7-day free trial

Therapy Quality & Session Structure

Cerebral:

• 30-minute weekly live video sessions
• Unlimited messaging between sessions
• Licensed therapists (LCSW, LMFT, etc.)
• Shorter sessions but integrated with medication care
• Care team approach (therapist + prescriber)

BetterHelp:

• 30-45 minute weekly live sessions (longer)
• Unlimited messaging
• Licensed therapists with same credentials
• Therapy-focused without medication distraction
• More session time to go deeper

BetterHelp provides more live session time. Cerebral compensates with medication management integration.

Prescriber Access & Psychiatric Care

Cerebral includes psychiatric care:

• Initial evaluation with prescriber (45-60 min)
• Monthly 15-minute medication management visits
• Prescribers are MDs, DOs, NPs, or PAs
• Can adjust medications as needed
• Integrated with therapy for comprehensive care

BetterHelp has no psychiatric services:

• Therapists discuss issues but can’t prescribe
• Must arrange separate psychiatry if needed
• Costs extra ($200-400/month for separate psychiatry)
• No integration between therapy and medication

Treatment Conditions

Cerebral treats with medication + therapy:

• Depression (with antidepressants)
• Anxiety (with anti-anxiety meds)
• ADHD (with stimulants/non-stimulants)
• Insomnia (with sleep aids)
• PTSD, OCD (with appropriate medications)

BetterHelp treats with therapy only:

• Depression (therapy-based)
• Anxiety (CBT, other talk therapies)
• Relationship issues
• Stress management
• Grief and trauma

Cerebral handles medication-responsive conditions better. BetterHelp works for therapy-responsive issues.

Platform & Experience

Cerebral has medical platform feel:

• Comprehensive intake and health history
• Medication tracking features
• Prescription management
• Insurance billing integration
• More complex but thorough

BetterHelp has consumer-friendly platform:

• Simple, intuitive interface
• Easy scheduling
• Clean messaging system
• Focus on therapy relationship
• Less complex, easier to navigate

Our Recommendation

Choose Cerebral if you:

• Need or might need medication
• Have insurance that covers them (huge savings)
• Want psychiatry + therapy integrated
• Have depression/anxiety needing medication
• Have ADHD requiring stimulants
• Want comprehensive mental health care
• Prefer shorter sessions with medication support

Choose BetterHelp if you:

• Want therapy only (no medication)
• Don’t have compatible insurance
• Prefer longer session time (30-45 min)
• Want simpler platform and pricing
• Have therapy-responsive conditions
• Don’t want medication-focused care
• Value 7-day free trial

Both are excellent platforms. Cerebral is the full-service medical option with medications. BetterHelp is the therapy-focused option with more session time. Your choice depends on whether you need medication management.