Is online therapy cheaper than in person?

In light of how expensive life is these days, therapy can seem especially expensive. Most people I work with tend to find it worthwhile and go for investing in long-term care.

However, when assessing whether going to therapy will be viable, many of us are looking for lower-cost options or trying to see where we can cut corners. 

Another consideration is whether to do therapy in person or online. It might make you wonder – is online therapy cheaper than in person?

So, what’s the answer?

Is online therapy cheaper?

The short answer is, sometimes. 

Because therapists are not always paying a rental fee (usually at least 15 quid per hour), sometimes fully online therapists are able to charge less. For myself, if I were working in person, I would definitely need to raise my rates. 

However, some still have per-hour overhead regardless of where you meet – for example for childcare, or if their home space is not suitable and they are still using an office. 

Other therapist costs persist like clinical supervision, licensure, insurance, and taxes, no matter where they meet.

You may find therapists that can work with you on cost, be cautious though as haggling with therapists tends to send the signal that our work isn’t all that valuable. 

Here’s something to think about: is online therapy more cost-effective for you?

Is online therapy right for me?

When you think about time costs like commute, transition time like leaving the house or decompressing, or time off work, does that factor in? 

Do you find that there is a social energy cost to the commute or to physically showing up somewhere? If you struggle to turn off masking in in-person sessions, is the spoons cost worth it?

These may be a few things to consider. If you live rurally with few attuned therapists or in an overseas place where you’ve struggled to find a specialist, the answer may be clear.

For myself, I’m a better, calmer therapist because I don’t get in traffic on my way to see my clients. I’m the same way as a therapy client. It could be that there is a similar aspect for yourself. 

Or maybe, it could go either way and it just depends on who you connect with.

“Is YOUR online therapy cheaper than going in person?”

Hey, valid question. It’s really going to depend on what you are looking for. If you are able to get sessions through the public healthcare system or through an NGO for serving a demographic you are part of, you may be able to get a limited amount of lower cost or even free sessions.

What people often find after using these services is that, if they are part of a specialised group like autistics, ADHDers, queer/trans people, or lefties, sometimes public and agency work don’t get them. 

So if you look in Ireland for neurodivergent, queer therapists, either in person or online, you’ll find that they’re charging about what I charge most of the time, sometimes more.

The thing that often sends people online when they would typically be looking for something in person first is the need for specialty expertise and lived experience, which I have when it comes to the intersection of queerness and neuroqueerness.

However, many neurodivergent people find online therapy suits them well when they get here.

So why is that?

Benefits of Online Therapy

There are many benefits to online therapy. I’ll just cover a few.

Benefits of Online Therapy: Flexibility

One benefit is obvious: the flexibility of scheduling. It may be easier if you have a tight schedule or parenting duties to meet online. You can also meet from many locations, including your car or the park. You may not have to have as much as a preparation routine if you’re not leaving the house. And the transitions might not be as long.

Benefits of Online Therapy: Your Environment at Your Fingertips

If you are autistic, ADHD, or just a homebody, having your daily creature comforts nearby can help make therapy a more accessible space. Imagine being able to sit on your favourite sensory rug or cushion, reach for your teddy, have full control over the lighting, or easy grab a favourite blanket or set or art supplies. In-person neuroaffirming offices should have stim toys and comfortable surroundings, but for having a smorgasbord of stim offerings there’s no place like home.

Benefits of Online Therapy: Time to Unmask

One reason in-person therapy is not always as accessible to neurodivergent people is: the horrors of being perceived. If having your mannerisms inspected and your facial expressions incorrectly interpreted is a source of social anxiety, it can be incredibly soothing to have your hands out of sight or your camera off so you can just focus on words, feelings, and ideas. 

For some folks, autistic folks in particular, online therapy seems to feel like less of a social task. That can make the experience feel even more deep, connected, and real than the in-person therapy which for the neuronormative population may be preferable in terms of connection. Read more about what makes neuroaffirming therapy here.

To follow up on the expense question: if therapy takes less out of you socially, will you be able to get more out of it psychologically? This is worth considering.

Is Online Therapy Cheaper? Hourly Cost Isn’t Everything

Considering per-hour cost when it comes to therapy is important. After all, it is what you’ll be paying each time.

However, many neurodivergent clients tell me they have gone through at least two or three neurotypical or straight/cis therapists before they found one that they felt understood them. 

Being understood is one of the primary predictors of therapy actually working. If you spend four sessions with therapist A trying to feel understood, then three sessions with therapist B trying to feel understood, and neither of them really got you, even at a discounted rate (say 50 quid) you’ve already spent 350 quid striking out with therapists.

The general impression I get from people who are ready to pay the full rate for neuroaffirming therapy is that they wish they had found that therapist sooner. It would have saved them both time and money. 

And often, when you get what you need from therapy, you have the liberty to end it or reduce sessions if you so choose. That won’t happen if you’re sticking with a therapist you don’t jive with, hoping that at some point you’ll feel more connected with them. For neurodivergence and queerness, lived experience is so important. 

That’s why I think that whether or not they are offering low-cost sessions, my colleagues at Violet Psychology are worth a look if you are seeking neuroaffirming, queer-affirming therapy.

The Bottom Line: Is Online Therapy Cheaper than In Person?

Online therapy is sometimes cheaper, sometimes about the same – however a therapist that truly gets you is worth the extra money you may end up paying.

Remember that you are investing in yourself – and if the fit is right and you put the work in, you are likely to find the expenditure very worth it. Good luck!