ADHD doesn’t only affect kids, and it’s not something you always outgrow. In the last 10 years, adult ADHD diagnoses have risen by approximately 0.43%, which means about 2.8% of the world’s adult population has ADHD.
That’s a lot of people struggling with symptoms of ADHD, which can include lack of focus, restlessness, hyperactivity, distraction, irritability, and more. This can affect behavioral and cognitive functions, which can lead to a more difficult life, especially in our modern digital age.
If you can relate, you aren’t alone. On the bright side, there are more treatment options than ever, including medication management, specialized coaching, and therapy. All the resources you need to manage your ADHD symptoms are within reach, thanks to telehealth and online treatment, and we’re here to help you find the best ones.
In This Post
Best Online Treatments for ADHD
Click the title for each to jump to that section.
Best Overall: Klarity
- Pricing: $149 for initial visit, $59 per follow-up appointment, $25 per refill
- Accepts Insurance? No, but you may be eligible for reimbursement. Klarity will assist you in preparing out-of-network claims.
- Mobile app available? No
- Platforms available: Live video chatting & messaging
- Pay per appointment instead of a monthly subscription
- You can choose your provider by reading reviews and bios before booking an appointment
- 24/7 access to your provider and support team
- Can prescribe stimulants like Adderal
- Offers refill-only appointments when your treatment has been established
- Doesn’t offer therapy, only diagnosis and provides medication management
- Doesn’t accept insurance, although you could be reimbursed
Table of Contents
Klarity is an online psychiatry for adults with symptoms of ADHD, providing medication management and provider-patient relationships that go above and beyond the competition.
You choose the provider that you work with by reading providers’ bios and reviews before booking an appointment. This offers peace of mind, knowing that you can A. find someone that works best with you and B. switch providers if you find that they aren’t the best match.
Klarity is also transparent in its pricing. Rather than locking you into a subscription, you’ll only pay for appointments as they’re needed, with the ability to switch to a refill-only model once your prescription and treatment are stable.
The only downside to Klarity is that it doesn’t provide therapy, which many people with ADHD find helps them manage their symptoms. Medication is helpful, but it doesn’t teach you the skills and strategies you might need to overcome the challenges of ADHD.
That being said, we love that Klarity makes online ADHD diagnosis more accessible, and they’re crushing the ADHD telehealth game in an ethical and patient-first way (which is hard to come by). If you want to get connected with a psychiatry expert to explore prescription treatment options, this is the place to go.
Check out our in-depth Klarity review.
Compare to: Done $79/mo | Talkspace psychiatry $125/session | Cerebral medication management $99/mo
Best for Medication Management: Done
- Pricing: $199 for first month, $79/mo thereafter
- Accepts Insurance? No, but offers out-of-network insurance support.
- Mobile app available? Yes
- Platforms available: Video consultation and online messaging
- Affordable ADHD medication management with monthly subscription
- Treatments are personalized to ensure you get a prescription that targets your symptoms effectively while reducing side effects.
- Prescribes stimulants in cases where they may be beneficial.
- Delivery or pharmacy pickup of medication, depending on prescription
- Negative online reviews based on nonresponsiveness and lack of follow-up support for patients
- Does not provide therapy for improvement of ADHD symptoms
Done has a lot of mixed reviews, but we’ve monitored their journey closely for several years now. We believe that its medication management platform for ADHD symptoms can be a great first step if you’re connected with the right people.
The whole premise of Done is to provide straightforward steps to getting an online ADHD diagnosis and subsequent prescription. 
If you’re diagnosed, your provider will prescribe a medication combo unique to your health, symptoms, and preferences. If eligible, you can get your meds shipped straight to your door every month. Once again, this is on an as-needed basis.
Not everyone’s symptoms or underlying health conditions qualify them for ADHD medication. In those cases, Done doctors offer non-prescription alternatives, like diet suggestions and vitamin supplements, but it might not be the best platform for everyone.
For someone that wants more comprehensive ADHD medication management, the Done app and overall process is a great tool but is probably best used in combination with ADHD therapy from another platform.
Read our full Done ADHD review.
Compare to: Klarity $59/session | Talkspace psychiatry $125/session | Cerebral medication management $99/mo
Best for Online ADHD Therapy: Talkspace
- Pricing: Therapy ($69/week for messaging, $99/week for video + messaging, $109/week for video + messaging + workshops), Psychiatry ($249 for initial evaluation, $125 per follow-up session)
- Accepts Insurance? Yes
- Mobile app available? Yes
- Platforms available: Messaging, video chats, phone calls, and workshops
- Therapy provides thought & behavior pattern changes to overcome ADHD symptoms
- Flexible packages that help you customize therapy or medication management to suit your budget and preferences
- You can switch therapists anytime at no extra cost.
- Allows you to streamline medication management and therapy on one platform
- Accepts insurance
- Pricey model that may not be less expensive than traditional therapy
- Doesn’t accept Medicare or Medicaid
- Cannot prescribe any controlled substances or stimulants (e.g., Adderall)
If you’ve been around the ADHD telehealth arena, you’ve likely heard of Talkspace, one of the leading providers of online therapy for ADHD, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and more.
Through video chatting and/or messaging services, they’ve made it possible to connect with licensed therapists or psychologists in your state to get the help you need. This means you don’t need to juggle platforms or providers; everything is in one place.
With the ability to access various treatment models, Talkspace helps you get help for ADHD through cognitive behavioral therapy, but they can provide the right therapy approach based on what suits you best – and they’ll do the leg work to help you figure that out. Plus, if you realize you’re not vibing with your therapist, you can switch anytime without paying extra.
Talkspace does not, however, offer medication for stimulants like Adderall, which is a controlled substance. Many people with ADHD benefit greatly from stimulant medication plus therapy, so combining Talkspace’s therapy with another platform for medication management might work best for you. It’s also expensive, with therapy totaling $276-426 for an entire month depending on your communication preferences.
Compare to: BetterHelp $60-90/week | Cerebral therapy $295/mo | Brightside therapy $299/mo
Best for ADHD Coaching: Shimmer
- Pricing: Depends on tier; Essentials (15-min/week, $115/mo), Standard (30-min/week, $230/mo), or Immersive (45-min/week, $345/mo)
- Accepts Insurance? No, but does accept HSA, HRA, and FSA
- Mobile app available? Yes
- Platforms available: Video chat and messaging
- 1:1 ADHD coaching for adults
- Personalized plans to help you reach actionable goals to form new habits & behavior changes
- 5-10x cheaper than traditional therapy or coaching
- Great for those who’ve been newly diagnosed or are unsure if they have ADHD
- Developed by ADHD experts and mental health professionals
- Coaching is not the same as therapy, so it may not be as beneficial for some people or those with comorbidities (e.g. ADHD and depression)
- Doesn’t accept insurance
Shimmer is one of the newest forms of ADHD online treatment that focuses on coaching over therapy. What’s the difference? Coaching focuses more on the future and reaching your goals by developing new skills. Therapy can do that too, but it often involves structuring your care around a diagnosis and exploring how ADHD impacts your life.
Members meet with their coach for a video call once a week, and they can also reach out to them any time via messaging. Your sessions with your personal expert ADHD coach will focus on time management, tasks – starting, following through, and finishing things, and emotional regulation.
Shimmer draws its coaching from ACT—acceptance and commitment therapy. This modality emphasizes action over contemplation. Instead of hashing over your issues as you might with a counselor, you set clear goals and build a path that helps you reach them without seeing your ADHD as ‘a problem to be solved’.
Compare to: BetterHelp therapy $60-90/week | Cerebral therapy $295/mo | Brightside therapy $299/mo
Best App for Meditations/Audio Therapy Sessions: Simple Habit
- Accepts Insurance? No
- Mobile app available? Yes
- Platforms available: Android and iOS
- Cheaper than other meditation apps.
- Offers on-demand help for sleep, meditation, and movement
- Coaching content, motivational talks, and streak tracking helps you build healthier habits
- Can integrate with Apple Health to track your Mindful Minutes
- Not a form of therapy or official treatment for ADHD
- Requires a subscription
Meditation and sleep: these two things should be easy, but they’re often the hardest for a lot of people with ADHD, especially if you’re taking stimulants. Can you even begin to imagine quieting your constantly noisy brain? Simple Habit is an app designed to make it easier for you to adopt a meditation practice.
Their sleep content also helps someone with ADHD fall asleep faster by offering a buffer to all the brain chatter. You can listen to sleep stories and guided meditations that help you gently drift off into a peaceful slumber.
Another perk of Simple Habit is its Movement feature. Participate in easy exercises like Pilates or yoga to focus your mind and reconnect with your body in the present. When you have ADHD, finding your center can be a challenge. These gentle movements are presented through easy, step-by-step instructions that make them almost therapeutic.
If you’re trying to build a healthier life through short, concentrated actions, Simple Habit is a great way to do it without spending a fortune on coaching or therapy. Likewise, it can be a great supportive tool that supports any work you’re doing with a coach or mental health professional.
Best FREE Resources and Communities
Best YouTube Channel: How to ADHD
“How to ADHD” is a self-described “ADHD toolbox” run by Jessica McCabe, an actress who has lived with ADHD as an adult for years. Her videos center around tools, skills, and strategies you can use to make life with the condition more manageable.
Jessica offers tips on major struggles people with ADHD face, like accomplishing long-term goals, dealing with impulsivity, and how to manage if you can’t get your medications. This channel is also a fantastic resource to send friends and family members who may not understand your diagnosis; it can help answer many questions while painting a more accurate picture of what it looks like to live with ADHD from an insider’s POV.
What’s more, you’ll likely find that reading through the comments of people who have ADHD/ADD is beneficial too. Sometimes, we just need to be reminded that despite how personal our struggles are, we aren’t alone in our battles.
Best Community: r/ADHD
Ah, Reddit. Where would the world be without it?
tl;dr: The ADHD community on Reddit offers up plenty of #relatable stories, personal tips from people living with the condition, and suggestions for apps and other resources.
Now, we all know the internet isn’t a place to seek free therapy. Asking for personal advice on your life is usually a recipe for disaster. But sharing your experiences, getting support, and learning about others’ lives with ADHD is another story.
That’s why the Reddit ADHD community is such a great recommendation. It offers a place for you to learn about the challenges other people go through, how they’re overcoming them, and get some tips for dealing with your own struggles from others who have gone through them.
Just make sure you don’t use Reddit as a replacement for therapy. Lived experience is valuable, but it’s still not a substitute for professional credentials.
The challenges of traditional treatments: The benefits of getting ADHD treatment online
While in-person therapy can be great, we know that telehealth is a blessing for a lot of people.
Convenience and increased accessibility: ADHD telemedicine helps you receive care from qualified professionals from anywhere with internet connection. This saves you the time, hassle, and stress of finding a therapist near you and lets you skip the wait periods and get care when needed. Most platforms, like Klarity, offer same-day appointments, unlimited messaging, and don’t require a referral.
Improved continuity of care: Building long-term relationships with your providers helps you improve your care and achieve greater outcomes. When you get online ADHD treatment, it’s easier to maintain a personalized care plan in one easy-to-use platform. Plus, you have the ability to message your provider at any time for fast feedback, so you can more easily tweak your treatment for efficacy. Alternatively, you can combine services (like therapy and medication) with platforms like Done combined with Talkspace.
Holistic care: Another benefit of ADHD telehealth treatment platforms are the wide range of mental health services. Patients who choose online therapy can enjoy a comprehensive care model that tackles all their struggles in one place. This one-stop-shop approach makes managing your mental health much less stressful, with treatment for comorbidities like depression, anxiety, insomnia, and more. Learning disorders and sleep disorders are especially prevalent among people with ADHD.
Affordability: ADHD telehealth services usually cost much less than traditional therapy. Many platforms are also integrated with major insurers, labs, and pharmacies. The price plans are designed to be affordable, even if you don’t have insurance. Klarity even offers a medication refill-only plan for $25 each (once treatment is established). This means you can cut your costs down drastically once you’ve found a prescription that works well for you.
How does conventional ADHD treatment work?
Getting started
When someone thinks they might have ADHD, the first step is to find a licensed mental health therapist. You can also look for a psychologist (someone with a Ph.D. or Psy.d credentials). Alternatively, you can book an appointment with your primary care physician, who may also offer screenings for mental health disorders.
Realizing that you might have ADHD/ADD can be a bit nerve-wracking. That’s why finding a professional to make a formal diagnosis is important. The sooner you know whether you have ADHD/ADD, the sooner you can get the proper treatment.
What types of medical professionals can treat ADHD?
Luckily, there are a lot of great professionals who are legally qualified to treat and manage ADHD. These include:
- Nurse practitioners
- Primary care physicians
- Psychologists
- Psychiatrists
- Mental health therapists
Note that you usually can’t get an appointment with a psychiatrist without a referral. Your doctor or therapist can write you one once they diagnose you and you both agree medication could be beneficial.
Only doctors, psychiatrists, and nurse practitioners can prescribe medications. Psychologists and therapists must refer you out to someone else. However, they are just as capable as managing your care with customized plans.
The road to successful outcomes
The most common treatment for ADHD in adults is behavioral therapy with medication. However, medication isn’t mandatory. It’s perfectly okay if you don’t want to take any meds immediately. For many people, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and occupational therapy work wonders.
Every therapist has their own approach, so it’s a good idea to research both ADHD treatments and individual counselors before booking a session. We suggest finding a professional who specializes in helping adults with ADHD/ADD and any comorbidities you might have (like depression or anxiety).
Online ADHD Prescription: What’s their approach to treatment?
Some online platforms are able to prescribe controlled and uncontrolled medications for ADHD after carefully considering each person’s case. The majority of online ADHD treatment is medication management. While you will have access to a licensed healthcare provider, they won’t offer you any therapy. Instead, their role is to make a diagnosis and/or manage your prescription.
An online platform like Klarity or Done can give you round-the-clock access to a provider, along with easy messaging and video appointments. This can help ensure you receive the best dose of your medication while minimizing any side effects.
For example, Klarity providers always verify that your medication is working well and can modify your dosage during routine follow-up sessions. Once your prescription is steady, they can switch you to a refill-only plan.
Some platforms also offer both medication management and therapy together, which is the most well-rounded approach to ADHD treatment.
| Best Online ADHD Treatment | 
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Treatment approach | Medication management | Medication management | Medication management, therapy, combination | ADHD Coaching | Medication management, therapy, combination |
| Pricing | Initial visit: $149 Follow-up appointments: $59 each Refills: $25 each | First month: $199 Subscription thereafter: $79/mo | Medication: $99/mo Therapy: $295/mo Medication + Therapy: $365/mo | 15 min/week: $115/mo 30 min/week: $230/mo 45 min/week: $345/mo | Therapy: $69-109/week Psychiatry initial evaluation: $249 Psychiatry follow-up sessions: $125 each |
| Can prescribe ADHD medication? | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ✔ |
| Can prescribe stimulants (like Adderall)? | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Therapy component | ❌ | ❌ | ✔ | ❌ | ✔ |
| Eligibility | 18+ | 18+ | 18+ | 12+ | 13+ |
| Choose your provider? | ✔ | ❌ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Offers a diagnosis report? | ✔ | ❌ | ✔ | ❌ | ✔ |
| Delivery or pick-up of medication? | Pick-up | Both | Delivery | N/a | Both |
| 24/7 access to providers? | ✔ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Accepts insurance? | ❌ may be eligible for reimbursement | ❌ offers out-of-network support | ✔ | ❌ | ✔ |
| Which areas do they service? | 30+ states | 37 states | All 50 U.S. states | All 50 U.S. states | All 50 U.S. states |
| Website |
Guide for Choosing the Best ADHD Treatment for You
What is ADHD?
ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It is a neurodevelopmental disorder, not a mental illness, affecting millions of adults and children worldwide. ADD, or attention deficit disorder, is similar to ADHD, minus the hyperactive component.
People with ADHD/ADD often struggle with concentration and motivation. They can quickly become overwhelmed by tasks that don’t have clear steps and objectives. They’re prone to daydreaming, impulsivity, high levels of boredom, and trouble staying on task.
If you have ADHD/ADD, you may have often been described as talkative or even lazy. Your chronic procrastination could really just be a hallmark symptom of the disorder. You yourself may be frustrated by your inability to see things through, but this is just a problem people with ADHD have.
There are three presentations of the condition:
- Predominantly Inattentive (Formerly known as ADD): You are easily distracted and tend to forget everyday routines.
- Predominantly Hyperactive-Inattentive: On top of the distractions, you also have difficulty waiting your turn, holding conversations, and controlling your emotions.
- Combined: You display both inattentive and hyperactive characteristics.
Types of Online ADHD Treatments: Which resources are effective for treating ADHD?
- Healthcare professionals like doctors, nurse practitioners, and psychiatrists can make diagnoses for adults with ADHD. They can also write prescriptions and develop treatment plans to help you reach your goals.
- Communities and support groups can connect you with people going through similar struggles. Here, you can learn from other people’s stories and experiences and share your own challenges and triumphs.
- ADHD medications like Adderall, Ritalin, Vyvanse, and Concerta are some of the most widely used and effective treatments that improve your ability to concentrate and help reduce impulsive behaviors. Any prescription must be written and managed by a licensed professional – you should never take any medication that was not prescribed to you directly.
- Therapy and counseling can help improve your symptoms, learn new skills, and unpack any trauma you have. It’s also a great way to treat co-occurring problems like depression and anxiety.
- Personal ADHD coaching helps people dig deeper into their disorder with qualified professionals. Using lifestyle changes and mental health monitoring, coaching is a good tool for someone that wants to kick their ADHD management into high gear.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy believes that thoughts influence actions and vice-versa. The goal is to interrupt that feedback loop by addressing any unhelpful thoughts or behaviors you might have and replacing them with more beneficial alternatives.
There is no single treatment that can guarantee any outcome. That’s why a combined approach to managing ADHD is often recommended. Don’t be afraid to work with a professional (or more than one) to find what works for you.
Is online ADHD treatment right for you?
Online treatments for ADHD can be more affordable, accessible, and convenient. But these aren’t the only factors to consider when deciding between virtual or in-person treatments. Take a look at these criteria when building your personalized ADHD care plan:
Cost
Costs for ADHD treatment online are often cheaper than in-person options. However, many platforms aren’t covered by insurance. You’ll have to take this into consideration as you explore your choices. There are free, scalable resources like YouTube channels and support groups, but these aren’t substitutes for professional mental health guidance, nor should they be considered “free therapy.
ADHD coaching, therapy, and medication management will cost more, usually depending on how much 1:1 human contact is involved. Most coaching and virtual therapy programs cost around $100 a week. Sometimes, you can save by bundling payments into quarterly or annual bills.
Expertise
For a medical condition as stigmatized and polarizing as ADHD, it can be tempting to listen to a source that speaks loudly and from a place of passion. Whenever you’re evaluating a platform, make sure you look into its background. What credentials does the staff hold? How are the providers chosen? Are they experts in their field, and do they have the education to back that claim up?
Reputation
Reviews online are mixed for most ADHD treatment platforms. You shouldn’t let a few negative experiences dissuade you from trying a provider, but be mindful of the overall content. If many people report the same issues, you may want to investigate further or even bring up these concerns directly with the business before you become a customer.
Ongoing support
Quality patient care requires continuous connection. Your journey with ADHD treatment might just be starting, so you’ll want someone who can walk with you from diagnosis through treatment. If you’ve been on medications for a while, you’ll need someone who can understand your experience and help make any necessary adjustments without disrupting your life.
Furthermore, you may benefit from a platform offering therapy and prescriptions. Medication can benefit many people, but it isn’t a cure-all for some of the behavioral, occupational, and emotional struggles folks with ADHD often deal with daily.
What’s this all mean for you? That you have nothing to lose by giving ADHD online treatment a shot. Since you can screen platforms and connect with experts virtually before even submitting payment, you can save time and money while still getting professional service.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Absolutely. There are a lot of platforms available to not only make a diagnosis but offer therapy and even medication management. You can successfully treat your ADHD without ever leaving home. All of the platforms listed in our article offer varying forms of treatment for ADHD symptoms, so it’s up to you to decide which you think will suit you best.
It all depends on what you’re looking for out of a provider. Some patients want in-depth online therapy (like Talkspace), while others are happy with online medication management and self-managing their symptoms (as provided through Klarity). Others want an ADHD coach to help them stay on track with their goals (like Shimmer). The beauty of online treatment is that it’s flexible and easy to access, no matter what you’re after.
Coverages vary by provider; some offer coverage with co-pays while others only have out-of-network support. Other platforms accept HSAs, HRAs, and FSAs but don’t take insurance. The good news is that most online platforms are still 30-50% cheaper than traditional therapy.
Therapy is the standard intervention for mental health disorders and neurodevelopmental disorders; getting therapy online (through a platform like Talkspace) doesn’t impact your outcomes, either. A 2019 study in the Journal of Attention Disorders found that ADHD telemedicine was beneficial to patients, though further research is needed to further evaluate the current findings.
Matt Oney
