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Healthcare · head to head

BetterHelp vs Lyra Health

BetterHelp logo

BetterHelp

Healthcare

Online therapy and counseling services

From
$50/week
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lyra Health logo

Lyra Health

Healthcare

Employer purchased mental health benefit with a curated provider network and measurement based care

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: BetterHelp pricing from $50-$90 per week billed every 4 weeks with location and therapist availability variations; Lyra Health covered sessions per member per year are set in the employer contract and vary widely between clients, so employees at two companies both using Lyra can receive very different benefits and the number is never published.
  • They diverge on capability: BetterHelp covers Video Sessions, Lyra Health covers Curated provider network.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BetterHelp and Lyra Health actually diverge.

Attributes where BetterHelp and Lyra Health differ
AttributeBetterHelpLyra Health
Starting price$50/weekOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Founded2013Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Healthcare).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in BetterHelp

  • Video Sessions
  • Phone Sessions
  • Messaging
  • Journaling
  • Worksheets
  • HIPAA
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support

Only in Lyra Health

  • Curated provider network
  • Measurement based care
  • Self guided digital programmes
  • Coaching tier
  • Dependant and household coverage
  • Higher acuity pathways
  • Employer reporting
  • Global delivery

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

BetterHelp

  • Online therapy with licensed mental health professionalsnot Lyra Health
  • Flexible scheduling with messaging, video, phone, and live chat optionsnot Lyra Health
  • Access to 150+ worksheets and therapy support modulesnot Lyra Health
  • Weekly free group seminars with expert therapistsnot Lyra Health

Lyra Health

  • An employer whose legacy employee assistance programme has utilisation in the low single digits and cannot demonstrate any clinical outcomenot BetterHelp
  • A company with a distributed workforce needing therapist availability outside major metropolitan areas where the health plan network is thinnot BetterHelp
  • An employer wanting behavioural health outcomes measured with validated instruments so the benefit can be evaluated rather than merely offerednot BetterHelp
  • A multinational standardising mental health support across several countries under one contract and one reporting viewnot BetterHelp

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

BetterHelp

  • Pricing from $50-$90 per week billed every 4 weeks with location and therapist availability variations
  • Not suitable for minors or those under legal guardianship
  • Cannot provide official diagnoses, fulfill court orders, or prescribe medication
  • Requires reliable internet access; not appropriate for emergency or crisis situations

Lyra Health

  • Covered sessions per member per year are set in the employer contract and vary widely between clients, so employees at two companies both using Lyra can receive very different benefits and the number is never published.
  • When a member exhausts the employer funded session allowance, care transitions to the health plan network with its deductibles and copayments, or ends, and this handover is the most common source of employee dissatisfaction with the benefit.
  • The per employee per month fee is charged across the whole eligible population regardless of use, so an employer with low utilisation pays for the entire workforce to serve a small fraction of it.
  • Lyra costs materially more than a traditional employee assistance programme, and the business case depends on utilisation rising enough to justify the difference, which is not guaranteed by the contract.
  • International coverage is real but uneven, and a multinational will find provider depth and language availability in secondary markets well below what is available in the United States, which undermines the single global standard the contract implies.

Pricing, plan by plan

BetterHelp

$50/week
  • Standard$50/week
    • Messaging, live chat, phone sessions, video conferencing
    • 150+ digital worksheets
    • Access to 20+ weekly group seminars

Lyra Health

On request
  • Lyra Health$undefined/year
    • Per employee per month fee across the eligible population, quoted not published
    • Covered sessions per member per year negotiated separately and varying widely by client
    • Dependant and household eligibility affects the rate

Which should you pick?

Choose BetterHelp if

  • You need video sessions.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want phone sessions.
BetterHelp review

Choose Lyra Health if

  • You need curated provider network.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want measurement based care.
Lyra Health review

Questions people ask

Is BetterHelp or Lyra Health better?
Neither clearly leads. BetterHelp starts at $50/week and Lyra Health at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, BetterHelp or Lyra Health?
BetterHelp starts at $50/week and Lyra Health at On request.
Does BetterHelp or Lyra Health run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is BetterHelp best used for?
BetterHelp is most often used for online therapy with licensed mental health professionals, flexible scheduling with messaging, video, phone, and live chat options, access to 150+ worksheets and therapy support modules, weekly free group seminars with expert therapists. Of those, online therapy with licensed mental health professionals and flexible scheduling with messaging, video, phone, and live chat options are not what Lyra Health is typically brought in for.
What can BetterHelp do that Lyra Health cannot?
BetterHelp covers Video Sessions, Phone Sessions, Messaging, Journaling. Lyra Health covers Curated provider network, Measurement based care, Self guided digital programmes, Coaching tier.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

BetterHelp: How much does BetterHelp cost per week?

BetterHelp costs between $50 and $90 per week, with the actual price determined by your location, therapist availability, and therapist preference. Charges are billed every 4 weeks rather than weekly despite per-week pricing.

Source
Lyra Health: How is Lyra priced?

Per employee per month across the eligible population, billed to the employer. The rate is quoted, never published, and depends on headcount, dependant eligibility and the contracted session allowance.

BetterHelp: What does BetterHelp subscription include?

BetterHelp includes access to therapy via messaging, live chat, phone sessions, and video conferencing. Subscribers receive 150+ digital worksheets and free access to 20+ weekly group seminars led by expert therapists on various mental health topics.

Source
Lyra Health: How many therapy sessions do employees get?

It depends entirely on what the employer bought. Session allowances vary widely between clients, so ask your benefits team for the contracted number rather than assuming a standard.

BetterHelp: Can you cancel BetterHelp anytime?

Members can cancel their BetterHelp subscription at any time without penalties or restrictions. Cancellation is flexible with no long-term commitment required.

Source
Lyra Health: Who pays, the employer or the health plan?

The employer pays the per employee per month fee and funds the covered sessions. After the allowance is exhausted, cost typically shifts to the health plan and the member.

Lyra Health: Is there a minimum headcount?

Lyra does not publish one, but it sells primarily to mid sized and large employers and the commercial model does not suit small companies.

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