TherapySites reviews and pricing
TherapySites gives you a website.
WebsiteTherapy gives you a marketing engine.
TherapySites was built for a world where therapists just needed a basic web presence. That was enough in 2015. But today, clients ask ChatGPT for recommendations, Google surfaces AI Overviews, and your competitors are showing up in places TherapySites can't reach. An affordable website with outdated templates isn't enough anymore.
Is TherapySites any good? The short answer.
TherapySites is one of the lowest-rated therapist website platforms among independent reviewers — ChoosingTherapy's editorial review scores it 2.0 out of 5 stars, citing dated templates and limited features. Advertised pricing starts at $69/month plus a $199 setup fee, but SEO needs the $99/month Advantage plan and HIPAA email is an add-on (from $15/mo), which puts the realistic total at $114/month. It can work as a basic “credibility” site; it is not built for Google rankings or AI-search visibility.
Third-party rating: ChoosingTherapy independent review of TherapySites (choosingtherapy.com, updated 2026). Pricing from TherapySites' published pricing page, checked September 2026.
What is TherapySites?
TherapySites is a therapy-specific website platform founded in 2001, owned by Internet Brands and based in Downers Grove, Illinois. It offers hosted websites for mental health private practices starting at $69/month (Core). SEO starts on the $99/month Advantage plan, and “AI search optimization” on the $207/month Premium Plus plan. Add-ons include social media management (from $59/mo), reputation management (from $40/mo), and HIPAA-compliant emails and forms (from $15/mo). TherapySites is endorsed by APA, CAMFT, and ACA. Their platform provides therapy-specific templates with pre-written copy and a DIY editor described as “as simple as Microsoft Word.” Website design with concierge onboarding is a $199 one-time fee. Plans include unlimited live support and a phone line.
What TherapySites does not list on any plan: structured data (JSON-LD schema markup), a visitor chat agent, or autonomous blog drafting. SEO, AI search optimization and reputation management cost extra: they come with higher plans or paid add-ons, not the base price.
What therapists outgrow about TherapySites.
TherapySites deserves credit for making therapy websites accessible. At $69/month with therapy-specific templates, pre-written copy, and partnerships with APA, CAMFT, and ACA, they lowered the barrier for thousands of therapists. But there are real limitations:
Pricing and feature details based on TherapySites publicly listed plans as of 2026. Verify current pricing at therapysites.com.
The designs haven't kept up.
TherapySites templates are frequently described as outdated — sites built today look like they were designed 10 years ago. Worse, because customization is so limited, your site looks nearly identical to other TherapySites clients in your area. Potential clients notice.
SEO costs extra — and it's still basic.
The base $69/month plan includes no SEO optimization. SEO starts on the Advantage plan at $99/month — and even then, it's basic meta tags and keyword targeting. No structured data, no schema markup, no GEO optimization for AI search engines.
Everything after the website is missing.
No blog automation. No visitor chat. No AI assistant. No structured data. Reviews and AI search are extra-cost (reputation management from $40/mo; AI search optimization on the $207/mo plan). TherapySites gives you a static web presence and stops there. In 2026, a website without active content marketing is invisible.
Technical performance: what TherapySites sites actually score.
Beyond features and pricing, therapists switching from TherapySites frequently raise three technical concerns: page speed, mobile experience, and accessibility compliance. Here's what the evidence shows.
Page speed: TherapySites vs modern platforms.
TherapySites sites are server-rendered PHP with WordPress-era architecture. Google PageSpeed Insights scores for a sample of TherapySites client sites show mobile scores in the 35–65 range (out of 100). Load times of 3–5 seconds on mobile are common. Google uses Core Web Vitals as a ranking signal — slow sites rank lower, all else equal. WebsiteTherapy sites are statically generated and served from a global CDN; mobile scores typically land 85–95+. Speed alone won't rescue a site from bad content, but it's a compounding disadvantage for TherapySites users competing for local search rankings.
Mobile experience.
Many people look for a therapist on their phone, and Google uses mobile-first indexing — it evaluates the mobile version of your site, not desktop. Many TherapySites templates use fixed-width layouts and small tap targets that predate Google's mobile-first era. The limited editor means you can't fix mobile layout issues without escalating to their support team. WebsiteTherapy uses Next.js 15 with Tailwind CSS — every breakpoint is responsive by default and passes Lighthouse mobile audits.
ADA / WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility.
The ADA and Section 508 apply to therapy practice websites — therapists who work with disabled clients have a particular obligation to ensure their sites are accessible. TherapySites doesn't document WCAG 2.1 AA compliance or provide accessibility audit results. Older templates often fail contrast ratio requirements and lack proper ARIA attributes. WebsiteTherapy uses React Aria components with WCAG 2.1 AA baked in and runs automated axe-core accessibility checks on every build. Accessibility is also an indirect SEO signal — screen-reader-friendly markup helps search engine crawlers parse your content correctly.
What happens when a client asks ChatGPT for a therapist.
In 2026, a growing share of therapy clients begin their search with an AI query: “Find me a trauma therapist in Austin” or “Who is a good anxiety therapist near me?” ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews answer these queries by crawling therapist websites and extracting structured information. What they look for:
- Structured data (JSON-LD schema) — specifically
MedicalBusinessandPersonschema that explicitly identifies you as a licensed therapist, your specialty, your location, and your credentials. AI engines use this to confirm they have the right professional before citing you. - AI crawler access — your robots.txt must explicitly allow GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot, and ChatGPT-User. Without this, AI engines can't reliably index your content, regardless of how good it is.
- GEO-optimized content — content structured to answer the specific questions AI engines ask: What does this therapist specialize in? Who do they serve? How do potential clients reach them? Where are they located?
- Entity consistency — your name, address, phone, and specialties matching across your website, Google Business Profile, Bing Places, Yelp, and Apple Maps. Mismatches cause AI engines to distrust a listing.
TherapySites now sells “AI search optimization” on its Premium Plus plan ($207/month); its pricing page doesn't say what that includes. On the plans most practices buy, the platform generates no structured data, doesn't configure AI crawler access. Its templated content is not structured to answer AI queries about your specific credentials and approach.
The result: therapists on TherapySites are largely invisible to AI-driven referrals — even when they rank well in traditional Google search. A TherapySites site at Google position 4 for “anxiety therapist in Denver” still won't appear in ChatGPT's answer to the same query if the site has no structured data for the AI to parse. Traditional SEO and AI discoverability are related but separate systems. TherapySites was built for one; it wasn't built for the other.
How big is the AI referral channel in 2026?
More than 40 million people ask ChatGPT healthcare questions every day, according to OpenAI's January 2026 report. Google AI Overviews and Perplexity answer health questions too. These are no longer niche tools — they're where a meaningful share of prospective therapy clients now start their searches.
Side by side. Feature by feature.
| Feature | TherapySites | WebsiteTherapy |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost (base) | $69/mo + $199 one-time setup | $99/mo (Growth) |
| SEO included | Not on the base plan — SEO starts on Advantage ($99/mo) | Yes — automatic on every page |
| Site management | DIY (limited editor, “as simple as Word”) | Chat with AI assistant, live in seconds |
| Design quality | Outdated templates — cookie-cutter look | We clone your existing design or build custom |
| Customization | Very limited — can’t swap design elements independently | Full control — tell your assistant, preview, approve |
| AI discoverability | “AI search optimization” on Premium Plus ($207/mo) | Built in — schema markup, AI crawlers, GEO optimization |
| Structured data (JSON-LD) | None | Auto-generated from practice identity |
| Blog | Basic — you write everything yourself | AI writes posts in your voice, on your schedule |
| Social media | Add-on from $59/mo | Optional add-on — $99/mo done-for-you (Facebook + Instagram) |
| Visitor chat / AI agent | No | 24/7 AI visitor agent — answers questions, captures leads, books appointments |
| Reputation management | Reputation management add-on from $40/mo, sold to “generate client reviews” | Included, the ethical way: review replies that never confirm a client, an active Google profile, no review requests to your clients |
| Entity graph | No | entity.json — single source of truth powers website, schema, Google Business Profile, AI visibility |
| HIPAA-compliant email | Secure emails & forms add-on from $15/mo | PHI scrubbing built in — no email add-on needed |
| Data portability | Limited — rebuild needed if leaving | Full export anytime — GitHub repo, CSV, JSON |
| Version history | No | Git-backed. Undo any change instantly. |
| Contract | Month-to-month | Month-to-month. Cancel anytime. |
What you gain beyond a website.
TherapySites gives you a website. WebsiteTherapy gives you everything a modern therapy practice needs to get found:
- AI assistant — manage your entire site through conversation. “Update my hours.” “Write a blog post about managing burnout.” “Add my new EMDR certification.” Done in seconds.
- 24/7 visitor agent — answers questions, captures leads, books consultations while you sleep. Crisis protocol built in with 988 + Crisis Text Line.
- AI discoverability — JSON-LD structured data, AI-friendly robots.txt, GEO-optimized content. Built so ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI can find and recommend you.
- Blog automation — your AI writes posts in your voice, formats them for human readers and AI engines. You spend 15 minutes reviewing. 3+ posts per week is achievable.
- Social media management — an optional $99/mo add-on. Our team handles done-for-you Facebook and Instagram posting so your practice stays active where clients scroll.
- Reputation, the ethical way — TherapySites sells its reputation add-on to “generate client reviews.” We won't put your license at risk: your ethics code bars asking clients for reviews. Instead we keep your Google Business Profile complete and active, draft review replies that never confirm someone is a client, and correct what AI answers say about you.
- Entity graph — your practice defined once in entity.json, consistent everywhere. Website, schema, Google Business Profile, AI visibility — all from one source of truth.
The real cost when you add up the add-ons.
TherapySites advertises $69/month. But most therapists need SEO, and many need HIPAA email. Here's what it actually costs (TherapySites' published pricing, checked September 2026):
| Service | TherapySites | WebsiteTherapy |
|---|---|---|
| Base website | $69/mo (Core) | $99/mo (Growth) |
| SEO optimization | +$30/mo (Advantage plan, $99/mo) | Included |
| AI search optimization | Premium Plus plan ($207/mo) | Included |
| Social media management | From +$59/mo | Optional add-on — +$99/mo (done-for-you) |
| HIPAA-compliant email | From +$15/mo (secure emails & forms) | PHI scrubbing included (no add-on) |
| Blog automation | Not available (DIY) | Included — AI writes, you review |
| AI visitor agent | Not available | Included |
| Reputation management | From +$40/mo (reputation management) | Included |
| Concierge setup | $199 one-time | $0 — we clone your site free |
| Total for comparable features | $154/mo (Advantage + secure email + reputation), or $262/mo with AI search optimization (Premium Plus); plus $199 setup | $99/mo (Growth) or $199/mo (Concierge) |
TherapySites at $69/month is genuinely affordable — if all you need is a basic website. But the moment you need SEO or HIPAA email, the add-ons push the price past WebsiteTherapy, which includes both from the start. If you're evaluating managed agencies as well, see how Hibu ($500–1,000/mo) compares. Or compare Brighter Vision's managed service model.
How TherapySites compares to other platforms.
TherapySites is rarely evaluated in isolation — therapists usually compare it to Brighter Vision, SimplePractice's free website, or DIY builders like Squarespace. Here's how the comparison actually plays out.
TherapySites vs. Brighter Vision
Both are done-for-you therapist website platforms with similar limitations: no structured data and no content automation, with AI search sold as an upgrade (TherapySites' Premium Plus plan; Brighter Vision's “AI-powered enhancements”). TherapySites is cheaper: its base plan is $69/mo. Brighter Vision's entry plan lists at $99/mo (currently shown at $79/mo on monthly billing), but Brighter Vision offers better design quality and multi-page site structure. If cost is the only factor, TherapySites wins on price. But many therapists are now looking beyond both platforms entirely because neither builds AI search into its base plan.
TherapySites vs. SimplePractice's website builder
SimplePractice's built-in website is free if you're already paying for the EHR ($49–99/mo; the website is included on every plan). It produces a basic one-page presence with no blogging and no SEO controls beyond title and meta description. TherapySites offers more pages, more customization, and actual SEO management (as an add-on) — but neither platform is built for AI search visibility. If you're already on SimplePractice and just need a credibility page, the free builder is fine. If you need a site that actually generates leads, both platforms fall short.
TherapySites vs. Squarespace or Wix
Squarespace ($23–49/mo) produces better-designed sites than TherapySites and gives you full design control. The tradeoff is time: Squarespace requires you to build and maintain the site yourself. TherapySites includes setup and support as part of its managed service. If you want a professional-looking site without doing it yourself, TherapySites is more convenient — though its designs have fallen behind the modern, responsive templates Squarespace and Wix provide.
Who should stay on TherapySites.
We're a comparison page, so we have a bias. Here's an honest assessment of when TherapySites is actually the right call:
You already have a full caseload.
If you're consistently full and getting referrals through word of mouth or Psychology Today, your website is a credibility-checker, not a lead source. At that point, $69/month for a basic presence is fine. The AI discoverability gap only costs you if you need new clients.
You're close to retirement.
If you're winding down your practice in the next 1–2 years, switching platforms isn't worth the transition effort. Keep what's working.
You need APA or CAMFT member discount pricing.
TherapySites partners with APA, CAMFT, and ACA, and some association members receive discounted pricing. If your association deal brings TherapySites under $50/month and you only need basic web presence, that math works in their favor.
Everyone else — especially therapists who want more leads, want AI to recommend them, or want a website that works while they're with clients — will outgrow TherapySites.
How to switch from TherapySites without losing your Google rankings.
If your TherapySites site ranks for any local search terms, that authority is worth preserving. Here's the exact sequence therapists use to migrate without a rankings drop.
- 1
Copy all your content before canceling.
Screenshot every page. Copy all text into a document. Download every image. TherapySites won't give you your files after you cancel — you need to capture everything first. Visit
yoursite.com/sitemap.xmland save the list of all URLs. - 2
Verify you own your domain.
Check who registered your domain. If TherapySites registered it on your behalf, request a transfer authorization code (EPP code) before canceling — most registrars require the account to be active to initiate a transfer. Your domain carries your search authority; never let it lapse.
- 3
Set up and review your new site before going live.
With automated migration (WebsiteTherapy) or manual rebuild (Squarespace, WordPress), have your complete new site ready on a staging URL before touching your domain. Never cancel TherapySites while your domain is pointing to their servers — even 24 hours with no site hurts your rankings.
- 4
Set up 301 redirects for any URL changes.
If
/servicesbecomes/therapy-services, a 301 redirect tells Google the page permanently moved and transfers its authority. Without redirects, Google sees a broken page — you lose the ranking. Any good platform handles this automatically. - 5
Switch your DNS and submit your new sitemap.
Point your domain to your new host. Then immediately submit your new sitemap to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools. Google re-crawls quickly after a sitemap submission; Bing submission matters for ChatGPT Search visibility.
- 6
Monitor Search Console for 30 days.
Check weekly for crawl errors, 404s, and indexing drops. Most well-executed migrations see a 1–2 week fluctuation followed by stabilization at the same ranking level or better — because your new site is faster and has richer structured data than TherapySites could provide.
The typical timeline: 2 hours of prep, 15 minutes of active migration, 30 days of monitoring. Your TherapySites content migrates intact. Your domain stays. Your search authority follows.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are good alternatives to TherapySites?
It depends on how much of the work you want to do. Brighter Vision is another therapy-specific website platform, listed from $99/month. SimplePractice includes a website builder in every plan, from $49/month, if you already use it as your EHR. Squarespace and Wix are do-it-yourself builders. WebsiteTherapy is $99/month with no setup fee: we build the site, keep it updated, and optimize it for Google and AI answers.
TherapySites is only $69/month. Why should I pay $99?
TherapySites at $69/month gives you a basic website with outdated templates and no SEO, plus a $199 one-time setup fee. SEO starts on their Advantage plan ($99/month); add secure email and forms (from $15/mo) and you’re at $114/month. Their “AI search optimization” needs the Premium Plus plan ($207/month), and none of their plans lists blog automation or a visitor chat. WebsiteTherapy’s Growth plan at $99/month includes SEO, AI discoverability, blog automation, a visitor agent, and structured data from day one, with no setup fee. (Social media management is an optional add-on on either platform: from $59/mo at TherapySites, $99/mo done-for-you at WebsiteTherapy.)
TherapySites partners with APA, CAMFT, and ACA. Does that matter?
Those partnerships give TherapySites credibility, and they’ve earned trust in the therapy community over the years. But partnerships don’t determine the quality of your website or whether clients can find you. What matters is whether your site is optimized for how people actually search in 2026 — and increasingly, that means AI search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. Association partnerships don’t help with that.
TherapySites includes a free Psychology Today listing. Isn’t that valuable?
A 6-month Psychology Today enhanced listing (normally ~$30/month) is a nice perk. But a directory profile is a page you rent, on the directory’s template, beside other therapists. WebsiteTherapy puts the effort into the two places you own: your website, built to be the page AI answers cite, and your Google Business Profile, kept complete and current.
TherapySites has therapy-specific templates with pre-written copy. That saves time, right?
It saves time on initial setup, yes. But pre-written copy means your site sounds exactly like every other TherapySites client in your area. Google and AI engines increasingly penalize thin, duplicated content. WebsiteTherapy’s AI assistant writes content in your voice, based on your specialties, your approach, and your community — unique content that signals expertise to both human visitors and AI.
Can I migrate from TherapySites to WebsiteTherapy without losing my SEO?
Yes. We extract all your content, clone your design, set up proper redirects, and connect your domain — same URL, zero downtime. Keeping every URL (or 301-redirecting the few that change) is what carries your existing rankings across.
Is TherapySites a bad platform?
No. TherapySites has served the therapy community well for years. They offer affordable, therapy-specific websites with HIPAA considerations and association partnerships. For therapists who just need a basic web presence and don’t mind a dated design, it works. But the world has changed. AI search, content marketing, social presence, and structured data now determine who gets found. TherapySites gives you a website. WebsiteTherapy gives you a marketing engine.
What about TherapySites’ HIPAA-compliant email?
TherapySites offers HIPAA-compliant emails and forms as an add-on starting at $15/month. WebsiteTherapy takes a different approach: your visitor agent never asks for health details, and contact forms ask for a name and contact details with a note not to share clinical information. Clinical communication belongs in your EHR (SimplePractice, TherapyNotes, etc.), not your website. The inquiries your site does receive are stored in a separate encrypted database under AWS's Business Associate Agreement with us. WebsiteTherapy is HIPAA-aware, not HIPAA compliant yet; a Business Associate Agreement we sign with you is in progress.
TherapySites charges $199 for website design with concierge onboarding. What does WebsiteTherapy charge for setup?
Nothing. We clone your existing site for free during migration — your design, content, and images are extracted and rebuilt automatically. No setup fee. Your site looks the same on day one, but with better architecture, structured data, and an AI assistant managing it going forward.
Can I keep my custom domain when I switch from TherapySites?
Yes. If you own your domain (registered through GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains, etc.), you keep it. We point it to your new site in minutes with zero downtime. If TherapySites registered your domain for you, you’ll need to request a transfer authorization code from them before canceling. Either way, your URL stays the same and your SEO is preserved.
My TherapySites site still ranks on Google. Won’t switching hurt my rankings?
It shouldn’t. We migrate your content with the same URLs and proper 301 redirects for any that change, which is what carries existing rankings across. The new site is also fast (static generation, global CDN), has structured data (JSON-LD that TherapySites doesn’t generate), and keeps adding fresh content through your AI assistant. We don’t promise a ranking change either way.
Your practice deserves more than a template from 2015.
$99/month. No setup fee. No contract. We clone your existing site, add AI discoverability, and give you an assistant that manages everything — for less than TherapySites with add-ons.