Comparison

Talkspace vs Grow Therapy

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Talkspace

Access licensed therapists for online mental health support through text, audio, and video messaging. Receive personalized support and custom podcasts to aid your mental wellness journey. Insurance and employer coverage options are available.

Highlights
  • Licensed therapist matching
  • Unlimited messaging (text, audio, video)
  • Daily responses from therapists
  • Personalized Talkcast podcasts
  • Insurance and employer coverage
  • HIPAA compliant security
Features
Read full description

Talkspace is an online therapy app that connects adults and teens (13+) with licensed therapists in their state for text, audio, and video therapy — covered by many U.S. insurance plans and employers. More than 1 million people have used Talkspace for online therapy. Read member reviews at www.talkspace.com/reviews. Talkspace uses clinician-informed, responsible AI tools to support care that always stays human-first: every member is treated by a licensed therapist. HOW DOES TALKSPACE WORK? Tell us your preferences and get matched with a licensed therapist in your state, often the same day. Send unlimited text, audio, picture, or video messages anytime and receive responses at least once a day, 5 days a week — so you can process things as they happen instead of waiting for a weekly appointment. WHAT CAN TALKSPACE HELP WITH? Talkspace therapists treat a wide range of mental health needs, including anxiety, depression, stress and burnout, relationship challenges, trauma and PTSD, substance use, and grief. Whatever brings you to therapy, you'll be matched with a therapist experienced in your area of need. IS TALKSPACE FOR TEENS? Yes. Talkspace offers online therapy for teens ages 13–17 with therapists specialized in adolescent mental health — including school stress, anxiety, and self-esteem. Parental or guardian consent is required to get started. DOES TALKSPACE OFFER PSYCHIATRY OR COUPLES THERAPY? Yes. In addition to individual therapy, Talkspace offers psychiatry (evaluation and medication management with licensed prescribers) and couples therapy — all online, in the same app. IS TALKSPACE COVERED BY INSURANCE? Yes. Talkspace is in-network with leading U.S. health plans and partners with many employers, so most covered members pay a copay similar to an in-person visit. Enter your insurance or employer details at checkout to check eligibility in seconds. HOW MUCH DOES TALKSPACE COST? Many members pay only a copay through insurance. Without insurance, choose a subscription plan that fits your needs and budget. Visit our Help Center for pricing details. IS TALKSPACE EFFECTIVE? Talkspace has been shown to be as effective as face-to-face therapy: in one study, 81% of participants found Talkspace as effective or better than in-person therapy, and users showed significant improvement in depression and anxiety symptoms within 2 months. Talkspace has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, CNN, and Business Insider. Research: research.talkspace.com | Press: talkspace.com/press WHO ARE THE TALKSPACE THERAPISTS? The Talkspace network includes thousands of licensed therapists across all 50 states, all vetted and credentialed according to NCQA standards. If your first match isn't the right fit, you can switch therapists anytime. IS TALKSPACE SECURE? Your safety and security are our #1 priorities. Talkspace is protected with banking-grade encryption and externally audited for HIPAA compliance. Full Privacy Policy: talkspace.com/public/privacy-policy WHAT IS TALKCAST? To help you stay engaged between sessions, your therapist can create Talkcast personalized podcasts: after your therapist reviews a script based on your therapy goals, our AI engine generates a custom recording you can listen to anytime. WHO IS TALKSPACE BEST FOR? Talkspace is ideal for anyone who wants therapy that fits a busy schedule, prefers messaging a therapist over weekly appointments, wants to use insurance for mental health care, or is starting therapy for the first time and wants a low-pressure way to begin. CONNECT WITH US Questions or feedback? Email support@talkspace.com or visit talkspace.com. Follow Talkspace on X, Instagram, and Facebook.

About

Grow Therapy

Access mental health care that's covered by insurance and fits your life. Find a therapist, book sessions, and get support between visits with an AI-powered tool designed to complement your care.

Highlights
  • Therapy covered by insurance
  • Find therapists by specialty
  • Book and join sessions easily
  • AI-powered support between sessions
  • Secure messaging with provider
  • Access therapy tools and insights
Features
Read full description

Welcome to Grow Therapy – mental health care that’s easy to start, covered by insurance, and flexible enough to grow with your life. Whether you're working through anxiety, stress, burnout, relationships, or life’s ups and downs, Grow helps you find the right provider, book quickly, and stay supported before, during, and after your sessions. With over 1 million clients served and 10 million+ sessions delivered, Grow has built trust the old-fashioned way – one session at a time. Now with the Grow Therapy app, your care can move with you. Because life doesn’t pause between sessions, and now, neither does your care. The support you need. The way you need it. * Therapy that fits your schedule: Evenings, weekends, no waitlists * Thousands of therapists who get you: Search by identity, specialty, language, and more * Covered by insurance: 100+ plans accepted—some sessions cost as little as $0 * Clear cost estimates: No subscriptions. No hidden fees * All-in-one care: Therapy and medication support in one place Say hello to coach At the heart of the Grow app is coach, a conversational AI tool built specifically to support your mental health between sessions. With more than one-third* of Americans already comfortable using AI for mental health support, we wanted to build an alternative that keeps a clinician’s expertise and training front and center. Most AI tools aren’t designed for therapy and they don’t integrate with your provider. We built coach to be different. Grow’s coach is an AI-powered, guided support tool built with clinical input, privacy, and safety at its core. It’s designed to help you reflect, build on your sessions, and keep growing between visits. Grow’s coach is fine-tuned to complement your care, not replace it, working in alignment with your provider and care plan, never independently. Do the work with your therapist. Practice it between sessions with coach. The Grow App: Stay connected and supported—anytime, anywhere. Book and join sessions, message your provider, and grow between visits with guided support, reflection, and practice from coach. Here’s what you can do in the app: * Book and join sessions in one tap * Message your provider anytime, securely * Use pre-session check-ins and post-session tools to stay on track * Get guided support between sessions with coach * Access handouts, worksheets, and therapy tools * Track your progress with session insights and reminders * Manage therapy and medication in one place The Grow app brings therapy into real life. Whether you’re prepping for a session, navigating a tough moment, or reflecting on progress, your care stays with you, wherever you are. Feeling better starts easier at Grow. Download Grow Therapy and take the first step. Note: coach is available to eligible clients in select U.S. states. Grow’s coach is AI-powered and designed to support you between sessions. It doesn't replace therapy, isn't monitored in real time, and isn't a crisis tool. Grow’s coach is not a replacement for any medical diagnosis or treatments; likewise, it cannot, and does not intend to, provide medical advice or diagnosis. If you’re in a crisis or emergency, call 988 or 911. CONNECT WITH US! We’re always happy to hear from you! Check out our website: growtherapy.com Follow us on TikTok: tiktok.com/@growtherapy Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/growtherapy Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/joingrowtherapy * Bansal, Bhavika. “Can an AI Chatbot Be Your Therapist? A Third of Americans Are Comfortable With the Idea.” YouGov, May 17, 2024.

Screenshots

Talkspace4 screens
Grow Therapy4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Grow Therapy at free with in-app purchases against Talkspace's subscription. Grow Therapy also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 6 weeks) and review sentiment (44% vs 27%). Talkspace's advantage is ratings volume (47K vs 11K) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Talkspace against 4.8 for Grow Therapy. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 47K and 11K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 27% of Talkspace's written reviews are positive against 44% of Grow Therapy's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Talkspace ships an update every 6 weeks, Grow Therapy weekly. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Talkspace versus Grow Therapy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTalkspaceGrow Therapy
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (47K ratings) — better4.8 (11K ratings)
Positive reviews26.5% of reviews44.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings47K — better11K
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationSubscriptionFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank—#108 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS14.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size19 MB261 MB
Age rating12+17+
DeveloperGroop Internet Platform inc.Grow Care, Inc.

Customer experience

Talkspace

All ratings46,721 ratings
Positive96.2%
Neutral0.8%
Negative3.0%
Written reviews490 reviews
Positive26.5%
Neutral4.3%
Negative69.2%

Grow Therapy

All ratings10,902 ratings
Positive93.9%
Neutral1.6%
Negative4.5%
Written reviews300 reviews
Positive44.0%
Neutral8.7%
Negative47.3%

User reviews

Talkspace

From 47K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Convenient online therapy
  • 👍 Helpful therapists
  • 💡 Innovative concept
  • 🔒 Secure platform

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Unresponsive customer service
  • 💰 Expensive pricing
  • 🕰️ Slow therapist response times
  • 🔀 Difficulty switching therapists
  • 🚫 Lack of in-network insurance coverage

Grow Therapy

From 11K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great service
  • 👍 Really great experience so far

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Almost no features
  • 🐛 Bugs encountered when opening app
  • 🤖 AI chatbot is concerning
  • 🤖 AI not necessary, dislike it being the opening page

Bugs and requests

Talkspace

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Technical issues with app and website
  • Glitches in booking and rescheduling appointments
  • Inconsistent therapist availability and communication

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to schedule live sessions
  • Option to extend session credits beyond monthly cycle
  • Improved user interface and navigation
  • More transparency around billing and cancellation policies

Grow Therapy

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Not available due to age or location restrictions
  • Login fields not editable
  • Can't log in

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add appointment to calendar
  • Join telehealth session and test video/audio
  • Google sign-in option in settings
  • Dashboard view instead of AI chat
  • Option to disable AI completely

In-app purchases

None

Talkspace

No in-app purchases

None

Grow Therapy

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Talkspace free?
Talkspace is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Grow Therapy free?
Grow Therapy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Talkspace or Grow Therapy?
Talkspace is rated higher. Talkspace averages 4.8 out of 5 from 47K ratings, while Grow Therapy averages 4.8 from 11K ratings.
Do Talkspace or Grow Therapy have ads?
Neither Talkspace nor Grow Therapy shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Talkspace or Grow Therapy?
Talkspace ships an update every 6 weeks, and Grow Therapy weekly. Most recently, Talkspace was updated on November 1, 2026 and Grow Therapy on November 1, 2026.

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