The Best Alternatives to Lyra Health– Lyra Competitors Compared
Employee mental health benefits are becoming increasingly popular, yet, it’s hard to sift through all of the different options. Lyra is one of the most popular options but it’s built as an enterprise solution which means unaffordable prices for small and midsize businesses. Below is our review of our favorite alternatives for teams with under 1,000 employees.
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Choosing Valuable & Affordable Mental Health Benefits
Before diving in, we recommend reading our guidelines on how to chose valuable mental healthcare programs below!
When looking for a mental health benefit, there are a few important variables to consider. These are:
Team Size - If you are a team with 1,000+ employees, the world is your oyster! If you have fewer folks (and especially 600 folks or less) you’ll want to look for benefits that offer usage-based rates that don’t have restrictive headcount minimums!
A Diverse Network of Providers - You want to make sure you’re providing a solution for your entire workforce, not just a select few.
A Digital Interface - Speaking of modern day benefits, people want digital interfaces that are easy to use. If employees have to jump through hoops to access a provider (we’re talking phone calls or self-help modules) they’re less likely to engage.
Personalized Care - Mental health is personal. Cookie cutter options just don’t help a workforce unless you are simply looking for general tips & tricks to send to the entire team!
Data Privacy - A shocking amount of benefit programs sell user data. You always want to ask about your employee’s data to make sure you are not unknowingly selling their personal information & exposing it to other players across the internet.
Ginger & Headspace
In October of 2021, Ginger & Headspace combined forces to offer mental health services for employers. Ginger was primarily focused on chat-based solutions. Headspace is a leader in the mindfulness meditation space. Now, they offer both on their combined platform, Headspace Health.
Pros:
Chat-based options - Headspace Health offers text-based behavioral health coaching.
Mindfulness Meditations - Headspace Health also offers mindfulness meditations.
24/7 Care - Coaches are available around the clock with their app. However, note that this is for coaches only, not therapists.
Cons:
Subscription Rates - Headspace Health doesn’t offer usage-based rates, resulting in higher costs for employers.
Online Only - Headspace Health doesn’t offer any services that allow for in-person meetings.
Free Alternatives are Easy to Find - The thing is, Headspace offers many free meditations on their YouTube channel. And there are lots of other great, reputable sources out there with free content. For example, the Calm App is free!
Lower Efficacy - While chat-based treatment is better than nothing, it is still less effective than traditional talk therapy.
Impersonal - Because all of the hallmarks of face-to-face communication (including inflection, voice, and body language) are missing, text therapy can feel very impersonal. It can take a long time — if ever — to develop rapport with a therapist you never see.
Modern Health
Modern Health is an alternative option to Lyra. Modern Health primarily offers assessments & stress management support with a network of coaches & therapists.
Pros:
Real, Live Providers - Unlike chat-based apps, Modern Health has a network of coaches & therapists that meet face-to-face with users (albeit virtually).
Cons:
High Subscription Rates - Modern Health doesn’t offer usage-based rates, resulting in higher costs for employers unless you have ~1,000+ employees.
Coaching ≠ Therapy - Modern Health has a network of coaches & therapists. The major difference between therapy and life coaching is the focus of the work: therapy focuses on mental health and emotional healing, while life coaching focuses on setting and achieving goals. This is a con because:
Coaches do awesome work, but they’re not trained, licensed, and regulated in the same way therapists are. They’re also not trained in mental healthcare. This means that anyone can call themselves a coach, whereas therapists must hold a graduate degree & pass credentialing by different government boards.
Coaches are a lot less expensive & easier to access, so people aren’t struggling to find coaches that meet their needs. Therapists, however, can be harder to find (especially since less than 50% of them take insurance) and so employees are looking towards their employers to help them find therapists through their benefits.
Lack of Available Therapists - Given the information above, those looking for mental healthcare might be stuck on a wait list if they want a therapist or pushed towards coaching instead of psychotherapy.
Online Only - Modern Health only offers telehealth. Some folks needs in-person options in order to have a private space to attend sessions.
Headcount Minimums - Depending on your team size, you may not be eligible for Modern Health!
Samata Health
Samata Health is a great alternative to Lyra Health, Modern Health, & Spring Health.
Pros
Usage-Based Rates - Unlike the other services, Samata Health only charges for sessions your employees actually use. No subscriptions, no minimums.
Real, Live Providers - Unlike chat-based apps, Samata Health has a network of expert, licensed therapists that meet face-to-face with users.
Telehealth & In-Person Options - Clients can choose between in-person or telehealth sessions!
No Waitlists - There’s nothing worse than being stuck on a waitlist when we’re not doing well. If you see a provider you like in the Samata Health network, they’re open & taking new clients!
High Engagement Rates - The average engagement for traditional EAPs is 2-4% vs. Samata Health’s 21% rate of employees actually completing therapy sessions.
Continuity of Care - If your employees use all of their employer-sponsored sessions, they won’t be cut off from their therapist. Instead, they can keep booking through the platform through their HSA, FSA, and personal cards.
A Diverse Network of Therapists - One of the missions of Samata Health is to have a diverse network of therapists to match all of your clients needs.
An Option for Smaller Teams- Samata Health works with teams with as few as 20 employees!
Data Privacy - Samata Health never sells user data.
Cons:
No chat-therapy options - If you’re looking for an option where employees can receive therapy over chat services. Employees can, however, chat with their therapist using the HIPPAA compliant messaging feature to ask questions, deal with logistics, and more.
Spring Health
Spring Health is another alternative option to Lyra. Spring Health provides mental health solution for employers and health plans.
Pros:
Real, Live Providers - Unlike chat-based apps, Spring Health has a network of coaches & therapists that meet face-to-face with users.
Telehealth & In-Person Options - Clients can choose between in-person or telehealth sessions!
Cons:
High Subscription Rates - Spring Health doesn’t offer usage-based rates, resulting in higher costs for employers unless you have ~1,000+ employees.
Lack of Independence - Spring Health chooses the care provider for employees. While personalized care is a huge plus, we’re more than a set of data points. Most employees want to be able to shop around before committing to a specific provider.
Overwhelming Resources - Spring Health offers coaching sessions, self-help resources, and self-guided therapy. While these things are cool tools, there are so many more affordable (even free) alternatives to these that employees can easily access on their own. People are struggling to find a therapist and don’t want to jump through hoops first!
Headcount Minimums - Depending on your team size, you may not be eligible for Spring Health!
Better Help
BetterHelp is an online counseling platform that connects its users to licensed therapists (both users on employer sponsored plans and those looking for treatment on their own). While Betterhelp offers an alternative EAP to Lyra Health, it is also an consumer facing platform!
Pros:
Real, Live Providers - Unlike chat-based apps, Betterhelp has a network of therapists that meet face-to-face with users.
Usage-Based Rates - Unlike the other services, Betterhelp offers usage-based rates.
Cons:
Online Only - Betterhelp only offers telehealth. Some folks needs in-person options in order to have a private space to attend sessions.
Lack of Independence - Betterhelp chooses the care team employees work with. While personalized care is a huge plus, we’re more than a set of data points. Many want to be able to shop around before committing to a specific provider.