Amy Morin, LCSW, is the Editor-in-Chief of Verywell Mind. She's also a psychotherapist, the author of the bestselling book "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," and the host of The Verywell Mind Podcast.
Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital.
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Amwell
Appointments can be scheduled quickly
Video chats offer live interaction with a therapist
Psychiatry services are available
Physical healthcare is available
Services may be covered by insurance
Phone appointments available when technical difficulties arise
Able to choose a therapist from a list
Services are available to children and teens
Two out of three testers experienced technical difficulties
Fewer therapists available than other competitors
Fewer communication options available compared to most online therapy sites
Appointments must be in real-time
No subscription services offered
Picking a provider can be a little confusing
Amwell allows you to attend a virtual appointment with a psychiatrist or therapist but technical difficulties seem to be a common issue for them.
Five individuals attempted to test Amwell for one week to assess the site’s functionality and to evaluate how well-qualified therapists were able to deliver on-demand behavioral healthcare evaluation and treatment. Two of the testers were unable to complete the task due to living outside of the United States (services are only available to U.S. customers).
Two of the three remaining testers experienced technical difficulties that didn’t allow video therapy appointments to occur. Both were given the opportunity to chat with the therapist over the phone when the video sessions couldn’t occur.
Overall, testers were impressed that appointments were able to be scheduled within a few days. But, they were disappointed with the technical difficulties and the inability for individuals from outside the United States to access services.
Creating an account takes only a few steps and can be completed in under a couple of minutes. Your information is then stored securely for all future online visits.
Once you create an account, you’ll be given a menu of therapists to choose from. You’ll see the therapists’ pictures and you can read a short biography about them and their areas of expertise. You’ll also have access to their ratings from other users.
You can pick the therapist that you’d like to work with or you can pick the person based on what works best for your schedule and their availability.
It’s unlikely that an appointment will be available immediately. You may need to schedule an appointment several days in advance.
One tester said, “I had to schedule an appointment, but there was an appointment as soon as the next day, with a variety of times offered.”
Another individual expressed disappointment at being asked to complete paperwork during the one-hour appointment. The tester said it delayed the appointment by about 10 minutes and added, “It’s unclear why forms like this couldn’t be filled out before the meeting took place.”
The web-based and mobile app visits use secure, high-quality streaming video. Two out of the three testers experienced technical difficulties that made the video appointments impossible.
One tester said, “I could see the therapist but couldn’t hear her. We weren’t able to hold the appointment.”
Another tester said, “I had technical issues during the session with the video chat not working. The entire thing had to be done via phone only.”
Amwell offers physicians and specialists in many areas, which can make it a bit confusing to find a therapist at first.
All of the sessions with therapists are booked for one-hour time slots. Amwell makes it simple to sign on during your scheduled appointment, but clearly, technical difficulties may be an issue for them.
Amwell’s licensed therapists are on call to provide treatment for anxiety, social anxiety, depression, stress management, LGBTQ counseling, bereavement/grief, OCD, PTSD/trauma, couples therapy, panic attacks, insomnia, and life transitions.
None of the testers signed up for psychiatric services, but Amwell does offer psychiatrists who are able to write prescriptions.
Amwell’s team of experienced psychiatrists provide psychiatric assessments, evaluations, and treatment for anorexia, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, bulimia, cognitive disorder, depression, insomnia, OCD, panic attacks, social anxiety, PTSD, and general anxiety.
Amwell’s online therapy services are available nationwide and include a network of more than 350 psychologists, social workers, and other mental health disciplines with a wide variety of specialties.
The professional therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists have been hand-selected, trained, and certified in telehealth to deliver you the best care possible.
One tester who was able to access services via the phone (after technical difficulties with the online video session), said, “I felt the help I received vastly outperformed other, similar services.”
Another tester said: "[His therapist] didn't try to 'solve' anything — she offered methods I could use to improve my issues, but always seemed to empathize and understand the gravity of what I was saying. Compared to some services, which were quick to downplay some of my emotions, this was a breath of fresh air."
The sign-up process was a little confusing as Amwell lists a variety of therapists and services. It appears they contract with some individuals in private practice as well as other agencies so there’s an extensive list of service options available.
Amwell’s therapists offer a variety of different treatments, depending on each individual’s training and area of expertise.
They offer therapy for adults as well as children and teens.
Unlike many other online therapy sites that allow you to communicate with a therapist via messaging or live chat, Amwell provides live video sessions only. When the testers experienced technical difficulties, they were offered telephone appointments as an alternative. You must provide a phone number before scheduling the appointment.
In addition to talk therapy, Amwell offers:
You can schedule an appointment with one of the providers online, or schedule by calling the dedicated phone number. Scheduling can be done 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Amwell states it is of utmost importance to maintain patient privacy and keep information secure. It is designed to be a private, secure, HIPAA-compliant tool that allows you to safely communicate with a doctor online.
Many people prefer the anonymity of online therapy. Sites that allow for messaging services allow users to create a nickname and their faces are never seen. Since Amwell only offers video chat services, it’s not as easy for users to conceal their identities.
The cost of a one-hour appointment ranges from $99 to $110 based on the experience and credentials of the therapist.
The cost of an appointment with a psychiatrist is $269 for the 45-minute initial visit. Follow up appointments cost $99 and typically last for about 15 minutes.
Amwell accepts payment from most major health insurance providers. They also accept payment via credit card.
They do not offer a subscription service. Appointments must be purchased one at a time.
Amwell is similar to Doctor on Demand. Both services offer access to physicians, therapists, and psychiatrists.
Doctor on Demand seems superior in terms of their technical abilities. None of the testers experienced technical difficulties when using their service.
Amwell, however, edges out Doctor on Demand in terms of price. Amwell’s one-hour therapy sessions cost $110 or less, while Doctor on Demand costs $179.
Doctor on Demand only provides services with psychologists and psychiatrists. Amwell offers access to master’s level therapists, which may be why the cost is lower.
Overall, testers were happier with Doctor on Demand since there were fewer technical glitches. But, Amwell appears to be a more affordable option for those who are willing to give them a try, which is why it scored higher.
Only three of the five testers were able to review Amwell, and two of the testers were unable to video chat due to technical difficulties. However, two of the testers were happy with their therapist's feedback and approach and felt the service is worth using. We also think the price makes it a huge bargain for someone just dipping their toes into the therapy space.
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