Blossom Health vs. Talkspace: Which Online Mental Health Service Fits You?

Blossom Health and Talkspace both offer online mental health care, but they are organized very differently. Blossom is a psychiatry-first practice where every provider can prescribe, and care is covered by insurance. Talkspace is best known for messaging-based therapy, with psychiatry offered as a separate service. Here is how they compare.

Key Takeaways

• Blossom is psychiatry-first: Blossom Health offers an integrated psychiatry approach, where every Blossom provider can prescribe medication and deliver talk therapy, while Talkspace separates therapy and psychiatry into different services, and its therapists cannot prescribe. Talkspace also doesn’t prescribe controlled medications.

• Format differs: Blossom delivers psychiatry and therapy through video visits. Talkspace mainly provides therapy via messaging, with an option to add video and live chats. Talkspace psychiatry consultations are provided virtually via video.

• Cost and coverage vary: Blossom is covered by in-network insurance with no separate subscription fee, while Talkspace requires therapy subscriptions plus separate psychiatry fees, though it also accepts many insurance plans. Most psychiatric copays with Blossom are under $22, and a self-pay option is available if the provider is out-of-network. Out-of-pocket weekly subscriptions for Talkspace therapy via messaging cost $69, and insurance copays for therapy and psychiatry cost $25 and $30 on average, respectively. 

• Support and trust matter: Blossom matches you with a provider, offers 24/7 email and text support, and holds a strong 4-star Trustpilot rating.

What is Blossom Health?

Blossom Health is a telehealth platform that puts psychiatry first. 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.

What sets Blossom apart from a therapy-first messaging platform is its clinical focus. Care is provided by licensed psychiatrists with an M.D. or D.O. Since they are medical doctors, psychiatrists can order tests, diagnose, and treat both psychological and physical concerns related to mental health. They also offer talk therapy as part of the same visit, which means you don’t need to sign up separately for therapy sessions.

After a quick signup that only takes a few minutes, Blossom matches you with a provider who fits your needs, schedule, and insurance, and most people have their first visit within days. 

An initial visit typically lasts up to 60 minutes, as the provider reviews your history, symptoms, current medications, and concerns, and works with you to develop a treatment plan that can include medication and therapy. Follow-up consults typically last under 30 minutes, and the emphasis is always on providing holistic treatment, including medication management and talk therapy.

• Psychiatry-first care: every Blossom provider can prescribe medication, and your plan can pair medication with therapy in one place.

• Covered by insurance: Blossom works with major commercial plans such as UnitedHealthcare, Anthem, Cigna, Aetna, and Blue Cross Blue Shield, so many members pay only a copay, which is usually under $22 and sometimes as little as $0. Self-pay option is also available if your plan is not accepted. You can visit the Blossom Health webpage to check the states served and verify coverage.

• Fast, matched access: you are paired with a provider rather than left to search through a directory, and most people are seen within days.

• 24/7 support: Blossom's care team is available around the clock via email and text for any concerns about treatment plan, prescription, or appointments, so you don’t have to wait days for a response.

• Trusted by patients: Blossom holds a strong 4-star rating on Trustpilot across hundreds of reviews.

What is Talkspace?

Talkspace is one of the largest online therapy platforms. It is built around both messaging sessions and live video sessions, and it offers individual, teen, and couples therapy. You answer a few questions and are matched with a licensed therapist who can either be a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT), licensed professional clinical counsellor (LPCC), or a psychologist.

Talkspace also offers psychiatry as a separate service for adults 18 and older. Its psychiatric providers can prescribe many medications, but they do not prescribe controlled substances such as stimulants for ADHD or benzodiazepines for anxiety. Talkspace accepts many major insurance plans and also offers out-of-pocket plans. 

Talkspace members with insurance pay an average copay of $25 for individual therapy or $30 for psychiatry visits.

How Blossom Health and Talkspace Compare

Both connect you with licensed clinicians online, but the structure of care is where they differ most. Here is how they line up.

Psychiatry and Prescribing

At Blossom, every provider can both prescribe and provide psychotherapy (talk therapy), so therapy and medication are managed as part of a single plan. 

At Talkspace, therapy and psychiatry are separate services: therapists cannot prescribe, and you would sign up for psychiatry separately to get medication. Talkspace psychiatry also does not prescribe controlled substances, so certain ADHD or anxiety medications are not available through it. 

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, medication can be effective for many conditions and often works best alongside therapy. Here’s our guide to understand the difference between a psychiatrist and a therapist.

Cost and Insurance

Blossom is covered by in-network insurance with no subscription, so many members pay only a copay, usually between $0 and $22. 

Talkspace accepts many insurance plans too, but when paying out of pocket, it uses weekly therapy subscriptions plus separate per-session psychiatry fees, which can add up if you need both. Out-of-pocket therapy subscriptions start at $69 per week. For people whose plan covers Talkspace, average psychiatry and therapy copays are typically $30 and $25, respectively. However, these rates apply only if you are a Talkspace member. 

Out-of-pocket Talkspace users pay a weekly subscription fee starting at $69/week for therapy via messaging, $299 for an initial psychiatric consultation, and $175 for follow-up medication management every three months.

Format, Support, and Experience

Talkspace centers on asynchronous messaging, with live video or chat sessions added depending on your plan. Some plans allow 24/7 messaging access to a therapist.

Blossom centers on scheduled video visits with a matched provider and a first visit usually happens within days. Blossom also offers 24/7 email and text support and holds a strong 4-star Trustpilot rating across hundreds of reviews.

Which Option is Right for You?

Both are reputable, and the better fit depends on the kind of care you want.

• Consider Blossom if you want medication and therapy from one provider, you prefer scheduled video visits, and want 24/7 support and a simple insurance copay.

• Consider Talkspace if you mainly want messaging or video-based therapy, do not have conditions that may require controlled medications, and are comfortable with having separate therapy and psychiatry visits.

• Either way, check that your insurance is accepted so you understand your costs up front.

Online care is well supported by research. The American Psychiatric Association reports that telepsychiatry has a strong evidence base and leads to 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

1. American Psychiatric Association. What Is Psychiatry? psychiatry.org

2. American Psychiatric Association. Telepsychiatry Toolkit: Feasibility and Effectiveness. psychiatry.org

3. Comparing the efficacy of telehealth to in-person mental health care. PMC/NCBI. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

4. Sharma G, Devan K. The effectiveness of telepsychiatry: a thematic review. PMC/NCBI. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

5. National Institute of Mental Health. Mental Health Medications. nimh.nih.gov

6. National Institute of Mental Health. Mental Illness Statistics. nimh.nih.gov

7. National Alliance on Mental Illness. Mental Health By the Numbers. nami.org

8. Cleveland Clinic. What Is a Psychiatrist? clevelandclinic.org

9. Blossom Health. About Blossom. joinblossomhealth.com

10. Blossom Health. Get Started. joinblossomhealth.com