Blossom Health vs. Brightside Health: Comparing Two Online Mental Health Options
Author:
Blossom Editorial
Blossom Health and Brightside Health are online mental healthcare platforms that offer therapy and medication. The differences between them come down to how care is structured, how prescribing works, and the day-to-day experience. Here is a clear comparison to help you decide.
Key Takeaways
Both offer therapy and medication: Blossom is psychiatry-first, with every provider able to prescribe, and psychotherapy included as part of the same session. Brightside offers therapy and psychiatry through monthly subscription plans focused mainly on anxiety and depression, and its therapy and psychiatry sessions are held separately. Blossom providers can help assess, diagnose, and treat conditions like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and autism in adults.
Prescribing rules differ: Brightside does not prescribe controlled substances such as stimulants for ADHD or benzodiazepines for anxiety, while Blossom delivers care through psychiatric providers who can prescribe and manage mental health medications as part of your treatment plan.
Cost and support: Blossom is covered by in-network insurance with no subscription, has copays between $0 and $22, offers 24/7 email and text support, and holds a strong 4-star Trustpilot rating. A simple self-pay option is also available. Brightside also accepts many insurance plans, with an average copay of $25 per session. Without insurance, separate monthly subscriptions are required for therapy, medication, and therapy + medication. Brightside providers are available for quick updates via direct messaging.
What is Blossom Health?
Blossom Health is a telehealth platform that puts psychiatry front and center. It connects you with board-certified, licensed psychiatric providers who can prescribe medication and support you with therapy, all covered by in-network insurance and delivered by video from home.
Every Blossom provider is either a psychiatrist (M.D or D.O.) or a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) who can assess your mental and physical symptoms, order blood work or other tests, make a diagnosis, and prescribe medications when necessary. They can also provide psychotherapy (talk therapy) in the same session.
After a quick signup, which usually takes only a few minutes, Blossom matches you with a provider who fits your needs, schedule, and insurance, and most people have their first visit within 2 days.
During the initial session, which typically lasts around 60 minutes, your provider will understand your symptoms, medical history, and any concerns you may have, and work with you to make a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan that can include medication and therapy. Medication is only prescribed when the provider sees a medical necessity and after ensuring you are comfortable with following the treatment plan. You will always meet with the same provider who is aware of your history and progress made up to that point, unless you want to switch providers for any reason.
In follow-up sessions, the provider will review your progress to see how well the treatment is working, provide medication management, and continue psychotherapy.
You can confirm which states Blossom serves and check your insurance in just a few minutes here.
Psychiatry-first care: Every Blossom provider can prescribe medication, and your plan can pair medication with therapy in one place. Treatment is available for conditions including depression, anxiety and panic disorders, bipolar disorder, ADHD, autism, PTSD, OCD, and more.
Covered by insurance: Blossom works with major commercial plans such as UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, Aetna, Anthem, and Blue Cross Blue Shield, so many people pay only a copay, usually under $22. A straightforward pay-per-session option is also available without monthly subscriptions.
Fast, matched access: You are paired with a provider rather than left to search through a vast directory, and most people are seen within days.
24/7 support: Blossom's care team is available by email and text around the clock, so you don't have to wait days for a reply. You can receive quick updates on prescriptions, scheduling, or treatment plans in between appointments.
Trusted by patients: Blossom holds a strong 4-star rating on Trustpilot across hundreds of reviews.
What is Brightside Health?
Brightside Health is an online platform offering therapy, psychiatry, and bundled plans, with a focus on depression, anxiety, and related conditions such as bipolar II, OCD, and insomnia. It serves people aged 13 and up and uses structured, measurement-based care with regular check-ins.
However, Brightside doesn’t offer assessments for neurodevelopmental conditions like ADHD and autism. This means that you need to get evaluated for these conditions elsewhere. If diagnosed with ADHD, for instance, a Brightside psychiatrist can prescribe non-stimulant ADHD medication as part of a treatment plan, which can also include cognitive behavioral therapy.
Brightside accepts many insurance plans, including some Medicare and Medicaid plans, with an average copay of $25/session. It also offers out-of-pocket subscriptions that can come to around $95/month for psychiatry, $299/month for weekly therapy, or a bundled plan of $349/month for both. Its psychiatric providers can prescribe many medications, but do not prescribe controlled substances, so stimulants for ADHD and benzodiazepines for anxiety are not available through Brightside.
Brightside also offers a messaging service to contact a psychiatrist or therapist between appointments for updates on treatment progress or related concerns.
How Blossom Health and Brightside Health Compare
Because both offer therapy and medication, the comparison is about structure, prescribing, and experience. Here is how they line up.
Psychiatry and prescribing
Blossom offers integrated psychiatry, and every provider can prescribe, so medication and therapy are coordinated as part of one plan. This means that you will receive medication management and psychotherapy in the same session. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, medication can be effective for many conditions and often works best alongside therapy.
Brightside also offers medication, but it organizes therapy and psychiatry into separate or bundled subscription tiers, and it does not prescribe controlled substances. If your care might involve medications that Brightside does not offer, a psychiatry-first practice can be a better fit. Brightside also doesn’t perform evaluations for conditions like ADHD and autism.
Cost and insurance
Blossom is covered by in-network insurance with no subscription, so many people pay only a copay, typically between $0 and $22.
Brightside accepts many insurance plans as well, but its out-of-pocket option is a monthly subscription, with separate pricing for therapy, psychiatry, or the two bundled together.
For more information on how insurance works for online psychiatry, our guide can be helpful.
Experience and support
Both use a structured approach to track progress. Blossom matches you with a provider based on your needs, and a first visit usually happens within days. You can get in touch with the team 24/7 via text or email for quick updates or concerns. It has a strong 4-star Trustpilot rating across hundreds of reviews.
Brightside provides an assessment and allows you to view the results and choose a psychiatrist, therapist, or both. It also offers between-visit messaging, though response times depend on whether you are reaching a therapist or a prescriber.
Feature | Blossom Health | Brightside Health |
|---|---|---|
Main focus | Integrated psychiatry (therapy and medication) for a wide range of mental health conditions | Therapy and psychiatry mainly for anxiety and depression disorders |
Can prescribe | Yes, every provider | Only under a psychiatry subscription; no controlled substances |
Pricing model | In-network insurance; no subscription; copay under $22 | Insurance, or separate monthly subscription tiers for psychiatry, therapy, or a combination of both |
Getting started | Matched provider, seen within days | Assessment first, view results, then choose a psychiatrist, therapist, or both from a list of options |
Support | 24/7 email and text | Between-visit messaging |
Patient reviews | Strong 4-star Trustpilot rating | 4-star rating in independent reviews |
If you want care from a provider who can prescribe and is covered by your insurance, you can check your coverage and book a first visit with Blossom Health in just a few minutes.
Which Option is Right for You?
The right choice for you is a personal decision that must be made after considering the differences between the two services.
Consider Blossom if you want a psychiatry-first practice that matches you with a provider, where every provider can prescribe and offer psychotherapy for a range of mental health conditions, you prefer in-network insurance with a copay instead of a subscription, and you value 24/7 support.
Consider Brightside if you would like to choose your provider, understand whether you need a psychiatrist or therapist or both, are focused on anxiety or depression, you like a structured subscription program, and a non-controlled-substance medication approach fits your needs.
Either way, make sure your insurance is accepted and confirm the medications a platform can prescribe before you commit.
Both deliver care that research supports. The American Psychiatric Association reports that telepsychiatry has a strong evidence base and produces outcomes equivalent to in-person care for most conditions, with high patient satisfaction.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.
Sources
American Psychiatric Association. What Is Psychiatry? psychiatry.org
American Psychiatric Association. Telepsychiatry Toolkit: Feasibility and Effectiveness. psychiatry.org
Comparing the efficacy of telehealth to in-person mental health care. PMC/NCBI. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Sharma G, Devan K. The effectiveness of telepsychiatry: a thematic review. PMC/NCBI. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
National Institute of Mental Health. Mental Health Medications. nimh.nih.gov
National Institute of Mental Health. Mental Illness Statistics. nimh.nih.gov
National Alliance on Mental Illness. Mental Health By the Numbers. nami.org
Cleveland Clinic. What Is a Psychiatrist? clevelandclinic.org
Blossom Health. About Blossom. joinblossomhealth.com
Blossom Health. Get Started. joinblossomhealth.com
