Blossom Health vs. Grow Therapy: Which Online Mental Health Option Fits You?
Author:
Blossom Editorial
Finding mental healthcare online can feel overwhelming, especially when platforms work in different ways. Blossom Health and Grow Therapy are two mental healthcare platforms that help you access licensed providers covered by insurance, but they take different approaches. Knowing how each works can help you pick the path that feels right for you.
Key Takeaways
Two different models: Blossom Health is an online psychiatry platform that matches you with a psychiatric provider and delivers therapy and medication together. Grow Therapy is a large marketplace where you search thousands of profiles and pick your own therapist or prescriber.
Both ware built around insurance: Each platform is built around in-network coverage, so your cost depends on your plan. Grow uses a pay-per-session model with no subscription, and many Blossom members pay only a copay, sometimes as little as $0 depending on their plan.
Your goal decides the fit: If you want care coordinated for you, with psychiatry and therapy in the same session, Blossom is built for that. If you want to browse and choose your own provider, find couples or pediatric care, or meet in person, Grow is worth a look.
What is Blossom Health?
Blossom Health is a telehealth practice built around psychiatry. It pairs you with a board-certified, licensed psychiatric provider — covered by in-network insurance — who treats you from the first visit through every follow-up, all by video from home. Because the same provider handles both therapy and medication, your care stays coordinated in one place.
There is no directory to dig through. Blossom matches you with a provider who fits your needs, schedule, and insurance, usually within minutes of signing up, and most members have their first visit within 2 days. At that visit, your provider reviews your history, symptoms, current medications, and goals, then builds a plan around what you actually need — therapy, medication, or both.
Visits are not rushed. An initial consultation usually runs about 60 minutes, with follow-ups around 30, though your provider gives each session the time it needs. Throughout, you get a holistic approach: targeted medication management and supportive psychotherapy in the same session, from the same person who knows your story.
Because Blossom is in-network, your cost tracks your plan, and many members pay only a copay — typically between $0 and $22. You can check the states Blossom serves and confirm your insurance in just a few minutes here.
What is Grow Therapy?
Grow Therapy is an online marketplace that connects you with independent, licensed providers — thousands of therapists and prescribers across the country. You can filter by specialty, experience, language, identity, availability, and insurance to find someone who fits.
Grow covers both therapy and psychiatry, and its providers see individuals, children, teens, and couples, by video or in person depending on the provider. It works with insurance and shows your estimated cost before you book.
There is no subscription — you pay per session, with no recurring fees. Once you find a provider, you book straight from their profile and complete a short check-in before your first visit.
How Blossom Health and Grow Therapy Compare
Both platforms solve the same problem — affordable, in-network care online — but they take different routes to get there. Here is how they stack up on the questions people ask about most.
Finding a provider
When it comes to finding a provider, the two platforms work differently. Grow is a self-serve marketplace: you browse profiles and choose your own provider. That is a lot of control, which some people love — but with numerous providers to sort through, it can also be a lot of work, especially if you are not sure what you are looking for.
Blossom matches you with a provider based on your needs, schedule, and insurance, so you can skip the search and start care sooner — a real advantage if it is your first time seeking help online.
The two also differ in how care is structured. On Grow, your medication and therapy usually come from different people — psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) handle prescribing, while licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) and licensed mental health counselors (LMHCs) provide therapy.
Blossom's providers are board-certified psychiatric clinicians — a mix of psychiatrists (M.D.s and D.O.s) and psychiatric nurse practitioners — and the same provider manages both your therapy and your medication, so your care stays with one person who knows your full history.
New to online psychiatry? Here’s a guide to choosing an online psychiatrist and what to expect.
Type of care offered
Both offer therapy and medication, but they package it differently. Grow spans a broad marketplace, from talk therapy to psychiatric medication management, plus couples counseling and care for younger clients. You can choose between talk therapy and medication management on their website and enter your state and insurance details to see a list of providers.
Blossom takes a more integrated approach. With one matched provider, you get both psychotherapy and medication management, coordinated in the same sessions rather than split between separate clinicians. That provider may be supported by a wider team of psychiatrists and board-certified nurse practitioners (PMHNPs).
As the National Institute of Mental Health notes, medication often works best alongside therapy — which is exactly what coordinated care is built to deliver. Understanding the difference between a psychiatrist and a therapist can help you decide which type of provider you may need first.
Cost and insurance
Both are built around in-network insurance, so your real cost comes down to your plan. Grow charges per session with no subscription and shows an estimated cost up front; because each provider sets their own rates and accepted plans, cost and coverage can vary from one to the next, and cash pay is available.
Blossom keeps it simple: many members pay only a copay, typically between $0 and $22. Either way, confirm your coverage before your first visit so there are no surprises. Blossom works with major plans, including UnitedHealthcare, Oxford, Cigna, Aetna, Anthem, and Blue Cross Blue Shield.
Visit format and flexibility
Blossom is fully virtual, which keeps things simple — no commute, easy scheduling, and therapy plus psychiatry in a single session. Your first visit usually runs about 60 minutes, so your provider can really understand your history and build a plan; follow-ups are typically shorter.
Grow offers video with every provider and in-person visits with some, so if meeting face to face matters to you, it may have that option depending on where you live.
Feature | Blossom Health | Grow Therapy |
|---|---|---|
Model | Matched, provider-led platform | Browse-and-choose marketplace |
Care offered | Therapy and medication together, coordinated by one psychiatric provider (supported by a team of psychiatrists and PMHNPs) | Therapy and medication management offered separately: PMHNPs prescribe; LCSWs and LMHCs provide therapy. |
Who it serves | Adult Individuals | Adults, kids, teens |
Visit format | Fully virtual | Virtual, with some in-person options |
Insurance | In-network; often just a plan copay, typically $0–$22. Self-pay available | In-network; pay-per-session, no subscription; cash pay available |
Finding a provider | Matched to your needs and schedule | You search and select your own provider |
If you would rather be matched with a provider than search on your own, you can check your coverage and book with Blossom Health in just a few minutes.
Which Option is Right for You?
Both platforms deliver real, insurance-covered mental health care. The right one comes down to how you want to find help and what you need.
Consider Blossom Health if you want psychiatry and therapy handled together by one provider, you would rather be matched than browse, and you want a fast, fully virtual start.
Consider Grow Therapy if you want to pick your own therapist or prescriber, you are looking for couples or pediatric care, or you would like the option to meet in person.
Either way, confirm that the provider you connect with is licensed in your state and takes your insurance, since that affects both your access and your cost.
Whichever route you choose, virtual care is a well-supported way to get help. The American Psychiatric Association reports that telepsychiatry has a robust evidence base, with outcomes equivalent to in-person care for most conditions and high patient satisfaction. The hardest part is usually just starting.
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
