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Anise Health vs. BetterHelp

Which is the better option for lasting, meaningful mental health change?

Platform overviews

If you want culturally-attuned, personalized mental healthcare built for the Asian community, Anise Health is the better fit. Anise is covered by insurance and matches you on several factors to ensure you’re paired with a therapist who is trained to address your unique needs.

If you’re looking for a therapist marketplace where you scroll through a directory, BetterHelp may suit you. BetterHelp relies on a therapist directory, is commonly described as a trial-and-error process, and it is not eligible for insurance coverage in many cases.

Why people choose Anise over BetterHelp for mental healthcare

Fit first, not trial-and-error

The strength of the client-therapist relationship is one of the most important factors for progress in therapy. When people are matched to therapists that don’t fit, it can delay or even stop progress. That’s why, at Anise we prioritize fit right at the beginning, so you can build momentum right away.

Culturally-attuned for Asian identities

Anise’s providers are trained to address family dynamics, minority stress, stigma, and other cultural factors that can influence mental health in Asian communities. You should not have to explain your culture before you can receive effective care.

Integrated support between sessions

Therapy is paired with behavioral health coaching and self-guided tools so insights you learn in therapy turn into actionable daily habits. You get clarity on what to do next week, not just what you discussed last week.

Insurance options and payment flexibility

We accept insurance, provide transparent pricing, and our self-pay monthly subscriptions are also HSA/FSA eligible. BetterHelp is commonly described as not eligible for insurance, which can increase out-of-pocket costs.

Anise’s care model was designed in partnership with Stanford and UC Berkeley

Feature comparison

See how Anise and BetterHelp differ on fit, care model, cultural expertise, and cost so you can choose the support that meets your needs today.

Designed for Asian Americans

Integrated plan: therapy + coaching

Intake appointment before starting

In-network insurance options*

HSA/FSA accepted

Published outcomes data

Providers trained in Asian cultural responsiveness

Structured between-session action plans

Your session costs will depend on your specific insurance plan and benefits.

Who it’s built for

• Adults who self-identify with Asian cultures seeking culturally-attuned care
• Providers trained to understand Asian values and lived experiences

How matching works

• Tailored matches based on goals, preferences, language, and needs shared in intake
• Insurance accepted (with transparent cost estimates); HSA/FSA supported

Care model

• Online therapy + coaching + self-guided tools coordinated in one plan
• Structured action plans and check-in assessments to maintain momentum

Between-session support

Varies by therapist

Insurance/HSA/FSA

Commonly not eligible for insurance coverage; typically out-of-pocket. HSA/FSA supported

Cultural context

Minimize trial-and-error

Fit emphasis

Self-select directory often leading to trial-and-error fit

How Anise works

Tell us about yourself

Fill out a short intake form and get instantly matched to culturally-attuned Anise providers that are recommended for you. With our satisfaction guarantee, you can feel confident that you’ll work with a provider that understands your unique needs.

Meet your match

Book an intake session to confirm fit with your therapist at a date and time that fits your schedule. When you're ready, activate the monthly care plan that is personalized to your needs.

Start your care

Kick off therapy and coaching with clear milestones, between-session actions, and progress tracking. Chat with your care team at any time on our secure online portal and adjust your care plan with your team as your journey progresses.

We proudly accept insurance

Meet some of our culturally-attuned providers

We can’t change the unique stressors we experience as Asian Americans, but Anise’s culturally-attuned providers can help you understand how to respond to them effectively.

What people often ask

• Is “fit” really that important?

Yes. Research and real-world experience show the client–therapist relationship strongly predicts outcomes. If you keep getting matched to the wrong fit and restarting with new therapists, progress slows.

• How do I get started?

Fill out a short intake form and get instantly matched to culturally-attuned Anise providers. Book your first session with no strings attached. Start your 5 min intake here >

• How much does Anise cost?

On average, insurance clients will pay a ~$25 co-pay per session if we’re in-network but we recommend contacting your plan for the most accurate estimate. For self-pay clients, sessions are ~$65 on average (billed monthly). At the end of each month, your care team will help you decide whether to stick with your current care plan or switch to one that better addresses your latest needs.

For self-pay subscriptions, the intake appointment costs $99 and comes with a satisfaction guarantee. That means that if you’d like to try another intake session, we will help you meet with a different provider at no additional cost.

Self-pay subscriptions are eligible for HSA, FSA, and out-of-network benefits.

• What insurance plans do you accept?

We partner with insurance to make mental health care more accessible for our community. We accept the following plans:

California: Aetna, Optum, Anthem Blue Cross of California, Blue Shield of California, Health Net (formerly MHN), Wellfleet
Florida: Aetna, Optum, Carelon, Quest Behavioral Health
Massachusetts: Aetna, Optum, Point32Health
New York: Aetna, Optum, Anthem BCBS (formerly Empire), Carelon, Highmark BCBS of Western NY, Highmark Blue Shield of Northeastern NY
New Jersey: Aetna, Optum, Carelon, Quest Behavioral Health
Washington: Aetna, Optum, Premera Blue Cross, Regence BlueShield, Carelon
Texas: Aetna, Optum, Quest Behavioral Health

Your session costs will depend on your specific insurance plan and benefits.

• How often are the therapy sessions?

It will vary based on the care plan you are on. It could range from having 1 therapy session per month and 1 coaching session per month (Integrated-Lite track) all the way to weekly therapy sessions (Deep-Dive track). It all comes down to what best addresses your needs.

• Is coaching included with the therapy?

Coaching is included with most of our care plans to help you take a more actionable approach to your therapy goals and see progress. The amount of therapy and coaching will depend on the care plan; the Deep-Dive track is the only care plan that does not include coaching and is primarily for clients with more severe needs. At the end of each month, your care team will help you decide whether to stick with your current care plan or switch to one that better addresses your latest needs.

• What does Anise treat?

Anise supports a wide range of emotional and life challenges, especially those shaped by cultural identity. Clients often seek care for stress, anxiety, depression, burnout, family tension, imposter syndrome, and navigating cultural expectations. Our diverse providers offer therapy and coaching that’s tailored to your lived experience.

An integrated approach to mental health that works

Solving the mental health equity crisis requires updating treatment models to account for intersectionality and individualized needs. Prioritizing cultural competence in counseling should be top of mind for every care provider. That’s why we do what we do - and it’s working.

87% completion rate of first 4 weekly sessions vs. 50% BIPOC dropout after session 1

96% of clients felt “heard and understood” vs. 54% with existing standard of care

93% of clients improve by Week 8 vs. 68% using a one-size-fits-all app

10K+ therapy and coaching sessions

We aim to eliminate health disparities in mental health outcomes and our results within the Asian community show that our approach improves engagement rates by 17x!