ReGain is a legitimate online therapy platform specializing in couples and relationship counseling. It’s owned by BetterHelp, which itself falls under the health services company Teladoc. The platform has been operating since 2016 and connects couples with licensed therapists through video, phone, and messaging. That said, “legitimate” covers a spectrum, and ReGain has real strengths alongside some notable drawbacks worth understanding before you sign up.
Who Owns and Operates ReGain
ReGain was founded in 2016 and is a subsidiary of BetterHelp, the largest online therapy platform in the United States. BetterHelp is itself owned by Teladoc Health, a publicly traded telehealth company. This corporate backing means ReGain isn’t a fly-by-night operation. It has significant infrastructure, a large therapist network, and an established billing system. The therapists on the platform are licensed professionals, vetted for credentials and clinical experience before they can see clients.
One credibility flag worth noting: ReGain does not hold accreditation with the Better Business Bureau, which currently gives the company an F grade. That rating reflects unresolved complaints rather than fraud, but it signals that customer service issues exist and aren’t always handled smoothly.
How Sessions Work
ReGain offers three ways to connect with your therapist: live video sessions, phone calls, and text-based chat. You also get unlimited messaging between sessions, meaning you can send questions or updates to your therapist throughout the week without waiting for your next appointment. Both partners in a couple can participate from separate devices or locations, which makes it practical if you’re in a long-distance relationship or have conflicting schedules.
After signing up, you fill out a questionnaire about your relationship concerns, and the platform matches you with a therapist based on your answers. You can switch therapists at no extra cost if the match doesn’t feel right.
Does Online Couples Therapy Actually Work
The core question behind “is it legit” is really whether therapy delivered through a screen can help your relationship. The clinical evidence is encouraging. A randomized study published in the National Institutes of Health’s PubMed Central tested 30 couples, splitting them between in-person and videoconferencing therapy using the same structured program. Improvements in relationship satisfaction and mental health were comparable across both groups. The therapeutic alliance (basically how connected and trusting you feel with your therapist) also didn’t differ between video and face-to-face sessions, and it strengthened over time in both formats.
This doesn’t mean every couple will have a great experience on ReGain specifically. The research validates the format, not the platform. But it does mean that video-based couples therapy is a viable alternative to sitting in an office together, particularly if access, cost, or scheduling would otherwise keep you from getting help at all.
What It Costs
ReGain charges between $70 and $100 per week, billed monthly. Your exact rate depends on your location and therapist availability. That works out to roughly $280 to $400 per month. The platform does not accept insurance, so this is entirely out of pocket.
For context, traditional in-person couples therapy typically runs $100 to $250 per session, with most couples attending weekly or biweekly. ReGain’s pricing includes messaging access between sessions, which adds value beyond the live appointments alone. Still, the inability to use insurance is a significant limitation, especially for couples who need longer-term support.
Common Complaints From Users
Positive reviews consistently highlight ease of use and improved communication skills. Many couples credit the platform with helping them work through issues they’d struggled to discuss on their own. The app and website are straightforward, and the flexibility of scheduling sessions around your life is a frequent selling point.
The negative reviews cluster around a few recurring themes. Slow therapist response times are the most common frustration, with some users reporting that their counselor took days to reply to messages. Others found it difficult to book urgent sessions when they needed them most. A more serious concern: some users reported being matched with a therapist who wasn’t licensed to practice in their state. This is a regulatory issue that can affect the validity of your care, so it’s worth confirming your therapist’s licensing status early on.
What ReGain Is Good For (and What It’s Not)
ReGain works well for couples dealing with communication breakdowns, trust issues, life transitions, or general relationship dissatisfaction. The convenience factor is real. You don’t need to coordinate childcare, commute to an office, or sit in a waiting room together. For couples where one partner is reluctant to try therapy, the lower barrier of logging in from home can make a meaningful difference.
It’s less suited for couples in crisis. If there’s active domestic violence, substance abuse requiring immediate intervention, or a mental health emergency, an online platform with asynchronous messaging isn’t the right level of care. ReGain therapists can help with many serious relationship problems, but the format has inherent limitations when urgency or safety is involved.
The platform also isn’t ideal if you strongly prefer a specific therapeutic modality. You can state preferences during matching, but the algorithm doesn’t always deliver a specialist in Gottman Method, Emotionally Focused Therapy, or other structured approaches. If a particular framework matters to you, searching for a credentialed specialist independently may be a better route.
How to Get the Most Out of It
If you decide to try ReGain, a few practical steps can improve your experience. Verify your matched therapist’s license through your state’s licensing board before your first session. Take the initial questionnaire seriously, since vague answers lead to vague matches. Use the messaging feature between sessions to flag issues as they come up rather than waiting for your next live appointment. And if your therapist’s style or responsiveness isn’t working, switch early. Many users report that their second or third match was significantly better than their first, and there’s no financial penalty for making the change.