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Healthcare · head to head

BetterHelp vs OpenMRS

BetterHelp logo

BetterHelp

Healthcare

Online therapy and counseling services

From
$50/week
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OpenMRS logo

OpenMRS

Healthcare

Open source electronic medical record platform for low-resource settings, with no vendor and paid implementers instead

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only OpenMRS has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: BetterHelp pricing from $50-$90 per week billed every 4 weeks with location and therapist availability variations; OpenMRS there is no vendor and no support contract from OpenMRS itself, so a procurement that requires a named supplier with a service level must instead contract an implementer, and the quality of that implementer determines the outcome more than the software does
  • They diverge on capability: BetterHelp covers Video Sessions, OpenMRS covers Concept dictionary.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BetterHelp and OpenMRS actually diverge.

Attributes where BetterHelp and OpenMRS differ
AttributeBetterHelpOpenMRS
Starting price$50/weekFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidLinux, Web, Windows
Founded2013Unknown

Identical on both: 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 OpenMRS

  • Concept dictionary
  • Modular architecture
  • Modern front end
  • FHIR support
  • Offline tolerance
  • Patient matching and registration
  • Distributions

What people use each for

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

BetterHelp

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

OpenMRS

  • A ministry of health standardising HIV treatment records across hundreds of facilities where per-patient licensing would be unaffordablenot BetterHelp
  • A hospital network in a country where no commercial vendor supports the local language, clinical forms or reporting requirementsnot BetterHelp
  • An NGO running a tuberculosis programme that must report into DHIS2 and needs the clinical record beneath it to be modifiablenot BetterHelp
  • A health system that wants to own its clinical data model outright rather than depend on a vendor to extend itnot 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

OpenMRS

  • There is no vendor and no support contract from OpenMRS itself, so a procurement that requires a named supplier with a service level must instead contract an implementer, and the quality of that implementer determines the outcome more than the software does
  • It is a framework rather than a ready product, so a deployment requires clinical content, form design, concept dictionary work and integration before a single patient is registered, and that work is months of skilled effort
  • Funding comes largely from donor programmes, which makes the pace of core development dependent on grant cycles rather than on a commercial roadmap, and priorities can shift when a funder does
  • Distribution choice, core OpenMRS against Bahmni against Ozone, locks in a different set of components and a different implementer pool, and migrating between distributions later is close to a fresh implementation
  • The people cost never goes away: a national deployment needs permanent internal informatics capacity or a permanent support contract, and organisations that budget only the zero licence fee run out of money at the point the system becomes clinically critical

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

OpenMRS

Free
  • OpenMRSFree
    • Openly licensed, no licence fee and no seat limits
    • Community support through forums and the OpenMRS Talk platform
    • No support contract available from OpenMRS itself

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 OpenMRS if

  • You need concept dictionary.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Web, Windows.
  • You also want modular architecture.
OpenMRS review

Questions people ask

Is BetterHelp or OpenMRS better?
Neither clearly leads. BetterHelp starts at $50/week and OpenMRS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, BetterHelp or OpenMRS?
OpenMRS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $50/week for BetterHelp and Free for OpenMRS.
Does BetterHelp or OpenMRS run on more platforms?
BetterHelp runs on Web, iOS, Android. OpenMRS runs on Linux, Web, Windows.
Can I use OpenMRS for free?
Yes. OpenMRS has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. BetterHelp starts at $50/week.
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 OpenMRS is typically brought in for.
What can BetterHelp do that OpenMRS cannot?
BetterHelp covers Video Sessions, Phone Sessions, Messaging, Journaling. OpenMRS covers Concept dictionary, Modular architecture, Modern front end, FHIR support.

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
OpenMRS: Who supports OpenMRS if it breaks?

Not OpenMRS itself. Support is bought from implementers such as Mekom Solutions, which offers long-term production service level agreements for OpenMRS, Bahmni and Ozone deployments, or from regional partners.

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
OpenMRS: Is it really free?

The software has no licence fee. Hosting, configuration, clinical content, integration and support are the real cost, and they are ongoing.

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
OpenMRS: What is the difference between OpenMRS, Bahmni and Ozone?

OpenMRS is the core platform. Bahmni and Ozone are distributions that package it with billing, laboratory and inventory components. Choosing a distribution constrains your implementer options.

OpenMRS: Does it support FHIR?

Yes. FHIR support is the standard route for integrating laboratory, pharmacy and national reporting systems.

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