Crisis Text Line is best for immediate crisis support due to its free and 24/7 availability. Cups Online Therapy is more suitable for individuals seeking ongoing therapy with licensed professionals, offering a range of communication methods and additional mental health resources, but at a monthly cost.
| Attribute | Cups Online Therapy | Crisis Text Line |
|---|---|---|
| Therapy Modality | Text-based messaging, video, and audio sessions | Text-based support and crisis intervention. Web chat is also available. |
| Cost per Session/Month | Unlimited messaging: around $159 per month; Unlimited messaging plus one live 45-minute video or audio session per week: around $299 per month; Premium: $7.99 monthly (billed yearly), or $12.95 (billed monthly) | Free. |
| Insurance Coverage | 7 Cups accepts some insurance plans, but major carriers may not be in their network. Check your insurance plan on their website. | Not applicable as it is a free service. |
| Therapist Qualifications and Credentials | Licensed therapists are experienced and licensed mental health professionals. 7 Cups verifies their licenses. Some reviews express concern about the qualifications and location of therapists. | Crisis counselors are trained volunteers. They complete 30 hours of training. They are supervised by staff with Master's degrees or equivalent experience. |
| Specialization Areas | General mental health, including anxiety, depression, relationships, and LGBTQ+ issues. Specializes in mindfulness techniques, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and interpersonal exercises. | Crisis support for various issues, including anxiety, stress, bullying, depression, eating disorders, gender and sexuality, grief, isolation, relationships, self-harm, substance use, and suicide. |
| Response Time (for Crisis Support) | Volunteer listeners are available 24/7, but cannot provide crisis support. For therapy subscriptions, therapists should reply at least once daily, Monday through Friday. | Aims to respond in under 5 minutes. Wait times may be longer during high-volume periods. |
| Availability | 24/7 access to trained listeners for emotional support. Licensed therapists are available during working days. | 24/7. |
| User Privacy and Data Security | Uses reasonable security measures, encryption, and firewalls. May review chat transcripts for quality control and safety. HIPAA-compliant. Users can remain anonymous. Privacy evaluation gave a 'Warning' rating, noting unclear personalized advertising or data profiles. | They use encryption and other security measures to protect Personally Identifiable Information (PII). Users can request to delete their data by texting "DELETE". |
| Ease of Use (App/Website Interface) | Generally considered intuitive and easy to navigate. | Accessible via text message. Also available via web chat. |
| Accessibility | Support is offered in 140 languages. | Available in the United States, Canada, UK, and Ireland. Support is offered in English and Spanish in the United States and Puerto Rico. |
| Anonymity Options | Users can remain anonymous. | The service is confidential, and users can remain anonymous. Texts may not appear on phone bills. |
| Additional Resources | AI counselor (Noni), community-led chat rooms and forums, self-help guides and 'growth paths', mental health articles. | Provides referrals to further help and resources. They offer articles and other resources on their website. |
| Price | See specs for cost per month | Free |
| Ratings | Not available | Overall: 86.5% of texters found the conversation helpful. Performance: Crisis Text Line aims to respond to every texter in under 5 minutes, but wait times may be longer during high volume times. |