Better U’s strongest documented strength is how satisfied its patients say they are. On Trustpilot, the telehealth company holds a 4.5 TrustScore from roughly 440 reviews, and 90% of them are five stars. Patients most often describe the treatment itself as transformative. “The therapy itself has been life changing,” wrote one reviewer who switched over from a competitor. Another praised the “fantastic, personalized care and concierge level client service,” and a third said she “never felt judged or uncomfortable” from start to finish. Better U is a Los Angeles-based mental wellness platform that connects adults with treatment-resistant depression, anxiety and PTSD to independent licensed clinicians. Those clinicians can prescribe oral ketamine lozenges, which the patient takes at home. What sets Better U apart from many rivals is price. Its session-based “macrodose” programs cost well below in-clinic IV infusions, which the company says can run $3,000 to $5,000 a month. The care model also wraps the medication in integration coaching, a companion app and a 24/7 text concierge.
The core offering comes in four packages. Introduction includes 5 sessions for $500, or $100 a session, plus one integration coaching session. Transformation includes 9 sessions for $792, or $88 a session, plus two integration sessions. A three-month plan includes 15 sessions and 3 integrations for $1,350. The largest plan includes 27 sessions and 6 integrations for $2,076, or
about $76 a session. Every plan starts with a free assessment and consultation, followed by a virtual clinical appointment and a 30-minute treatment-preparation call with an integration guide. Each plan also includes a free “Brain Box” starter kit with a blood pressure cuff, a meditation mask, heart diffraction glasses, a journal and a pen. Insurance does not cover the at-home ketamine. Split-pay financing starts at about $45 a month, and Better U offers guaranteed-approval financing through Denefits. Beyond ketamine, the platform sells holistic psychiatry, including support for tapering off psychiatric medications. It also offers talk therapy, longevity treatments such as NAD+ and glutathione, a ketamine-based pain cream, generic ED medication and GLP-1 weight-loss care. The ketamine program is currently available in about 30 U.S. states.
The honest caveat: about 7% of Trustpilot reviews are one-star, and the complaints are serious. They center on billing, slow communication and the safety of unsupervised at-home use. “Communication is almost non-existent,” one patient wrote. Another said that after the advertised package, “each subsequent follow up for medication refill carries an ADDITIONAL $400/month!” Better U disputes that account. A Wall Street Journal investigation also centered on the death of a Better U patient, and a related lawsuit alleges ketamine was prescribed alongside Xanax.
✅ 4.5 TrustScore on Trustpilot from roughly 440 reviews, with 90% rated five stars
✅ Among the cheapest session-based at-home ketamine programs, from about $76 to $100 per session
✅ Clear package pricing: 5 sessions for $500, 9 for $792, 15 for $1,350 and 27 for $2,076
✅ Free assessment and free virtual consultation before you commit to treatment
✅ Brain Box starter kit included, with a blood pressure cuff, meditation mask, journal and diffraction glasses
✅ Integration coaching built into every package, from 1 session up to 6
✅ Staff are a standout theme: “The staff are very knowledgeable and pleasant to work with.”
✅ A 24/7 secure text concierge relays medical questions to your clinician
✅ The companion app includes structured programs for PTSD, grief, breathwork and meditation
✅ Veteran-friendly: one reviewer called its “appreciation, support, and discount for military veterans” amazing
✅ Split-pay financing from about $45 a month, plus a guaranteed-approval option
✅ Broad wraparound care, including psychiatry, talk therapy and a non-opioid ketamine pain cream
❌ Ketamine is not FDA-approved for depression or anxiety, so this is off-label use
❌ A Wall Street Journal investigation and a lawsuit tied a patient death to the service
❌ About 7% of reviews are one-star, citing slow replies and billing confusion
❌ Patients pay for the whole package up front, before seeing a prescribing clinician
❌ Extra provider or integration calls can cost more, with one reviewer citing $49 per half hour
❌ No insurance coverage for at-home ketamine
❌ Trustpilot notes that Better U hasn’t invited reviews recently, so the score may not be representative
We analyzed Better U’s Trustpilot profile (about 440 reviews, a 4.5 TrustScore, 90% five-star and 7% one-star), the company’s own pricing and program pages, independent editorial reviews from Choosing Therapy, Innerbody and Psychedelic Beacon, and published safety warnings about at-home ketamine. GlossGirly has no commercial relationship with Better U that affects this verdict. Medical disclaimer: This review is not medical advice. Ketamine is a controlled substance with real risks, and it is not right for everyone. Talk to your own doctor or psychiatrist before starting, and never combine it with other medications without their approval. If you are in crisis or having thoughts of suicide in the U.S., call or text 988 right away.
Better U’s model is simple. You start with a short online assessment and a free consultation. If you qualify, you buy a package. A licensed clinician then holds a virtual appointment to review your health history and set a personalized plan. The ketamine lozenges, which some reviewers call troches, arrive by mail from a partner compounding pharmacy, along with the Brain Box. Before your first dose, you complete a 30-minute preparation call with a certified integration guide. Sessions happen at home on your own schedule. Better U says you must follow the safety protocol in its member portal, which includes having a peer support person present. Editorial roundups note that a sitter is required and that a registered nurse can provide virtual peer support for about $59 extra per session. After your sessions, integration coaching helps you work through what came up. Better U calls this the difference between a one-time experience and lasting change. The company’s own internal, self-reported data claims that 84% of anxiety patients and 81% of depression patients reported fewer symptoms after their first session. These figures are not independently verified and should be read as marketing claims, not clinical trial results.
Better U says its clinicians trained at institutions including Stanford, Harvard, Johns Hopkins and Mayo Clinic. Its medical director is a psychiatrist who trained in geriatric psychiatry at Mayo Clinic. The company is careful to point out that it is a platform: affiliated medical practices are independently owned, and Better U does not direct the clinicians who provide care. Editorial reviewers have noted that, as with Mindbloom and Joyous, you may see different prescribers over the course of your treatment rather than a single doctor. The companion app is a real asset. It offers guided programs called Heal, Grow, Love and Transcend, along with tracks for sexual trauma, PTSD and grief, plus a mood and symptom tracker. One patient praised the resources, noting they “work with both Spotify and Youtube Premium.” Outside of ketamine, the platform has grown into a broad wellness storefront. It offers holistic psychiatry for tapering off medications, talk therapy using CBT, DBT and EMDR, and longevity treatments with peptides and NAD+. It also sells generic ED medication and GLP-1 weight loss care. Some of these services now accept insurance. Innerbody also reports in-clinic options in New York, California and Florida.
This is where readers need to slow down. In a formal warning, the FDA said that at-home use of compounded ketamine carries extra risk because no healthcare provider is onsite to monitor for serious reactions. The Wall Street Journal published a front-page investigation centered on the death of a Better U patient. A related lawsuit alleges the client was prescribed ketamine while also taking Xanax, a combination the FDA warns can cause dangerous breathing problems. These are allegations, and as far as we know they have not been decided in court. Separately, federal officials have reportedly opened investigations into online ketamine sellers more broadly. Day-to-day complaints are less dramatic but consistent. One reviewer said “the ketamine medication I was expecting was not in the box,” and Better U replied that it investigates every shipment concern with its pharmacies. Another described feeling sick after a session: “I took the anti-nausea medication beforehand, but still felt quite nauseated.” That reviewer also reported a two-week pharmacy delay on the Brain Box. Better U answers most negative reviews publicly, and Trustpilot shows replies to about 85% of them.
On price alone, Better U is hard to beat. Psychedelic Beacon called it the most affordable macrodose option, and Choosing Therapy rated it 4.5 out of 5, listing the lower cost as a key pro. Choosing Therapy’s reviewer did wish for more integration calls. Returning clients can reportedly continue treatment at around $79 a session. The trade-offs lie in how you pay. You buy the whole package before meeting the prescribing clinician, and one frustrated reviewer wrote that “you have to pay for all of your sessions up front.” She described receiving a partial refund minus a $100 clinician fee and a 3.5% deduction after a clinician asked for clearance from her own psychiatrist. Better U says that there is no required ongoing monthly commitment and that it explains package pricing during the free consultation. Still, refills and extra provider calls are billed separately. Ask exactly what is included, what happens if you’re not approved, and what continuation costs before you pay. HSA and FSA funds may be accepted, according to one editorial roundup.
This is Better U’s entry point, and it suits people whose symptoms started within the last year. You get a ketamine consultation, a virtual clinical appointment, a 30-minute preparation call, 5 at-home ketamine sessions, one integration coaching session, member portal access, 24/7 text concierge support and the free Brain Box. At $100 a session, it’s a lower-commitment way to see whether you respond. That matters because some people don’t. One two-star reviewer felt worse after a session and said they “might have wasted $500.” Buy this package if you want to test the waters first. Then complete the preparation call, set up a calm space, arrange your sitter, and keep the journal close by for integration work.
Transformation is designed for people whose symptoms have lasted longer than 12 months, and it’s the package reviewers mention most. You get 9 sessions at about $88 each, two integration coaching sessions, the preparation call, app access, the Brain Box and home delivery of all medications. Several long-term patients say they bought a second round. One reviewer singled out the integration coaching, calling the sessions with Alejandro “really eye opening.” The value case is strong compared with IV clinics, but you still pay the full amount up front. Split-pay financing starts at about $49 a month, and guaranteed-approval financing through Denefits is also available for this package.
This is the biggest commitment Better U offers, and the cheapest per session at about $76. It is built for people with long-standing symptoms who want a structured three-month course. Medications are released based on provider approval and prescription windows, so you won’t receive all 27 doses at once, which is a sensible safeguard. The plan includes six integration coaching sessions, which is a meaningful step up from the smaller packages, plus the Brain Box, concierge texting and app programs. Split pay starts at about $72 a month. The honest trade-off is that you lock in a large sum before you know how your body responds. Most people should start with Introduction or Transformation and move up only if a clinician recommends continuing.
This is the biggest commitment Better U offers, and the cheapest per session at about $76. It is built for people with long-standing symptoms who want a structured three-month course. Medications are released based on provider approval and prescription windows, so you won’t receive all 27 doses at once, which is a sensible safeguard. The plan includes six integration coaching sessions, which is a meaningful step up from the smaller packages, plus the Brain Box, concierge texting and app programs. Split pay starts at about $72 a month. The honest trade-off is that you lock in a large sum before you know how your body responds. Most people should start with Introduction or Transformation and move up only if a clinician recommends continuing.
“The staff is extremely nice and they explain everything well. Very affordable also!” — Gary S, Trustpilot reviewer (US, 5 stars, Ketamine therapy program)
“The support I’ve received here is exceptional.” — Phaedra, Trustpilot reviewer (US, 5 stars, Ketamine therapy program)
“Any time I attempt to communicate with them, they get back to me promptly.” — Scott, Trustpilot reviewer (US, 5 stars, Ketamine therapy program)
“You have to pay for all of your sessions up front without even speaking with a clinician.” — Bethany Buehler, Trustpilot reviewer (US, 1 star, Ketamine therapy onboarding)
“The ketamine medication I was expecting was not in the box.” — Lisa, Trustpilot reviewer (US, 1 star, Ketamine therapy package)
Better U is worth considering if you are an adult with depression, anxiety or PTSD that hasn’t responded to standard treatment, you can’t afford IV clinics, and your own doctor agrees that ketamine is appropriate. It is not a good fit for anyone who takes benzodiazepines or other sedating medications without medical sign-off, has uncontrolled blood pressure, or has no trusted sitter at home. Start with the 5-session Introduction package. Ask in writing about refund terms and continuation costs, and give the clinician your full medication list. If you’d rather have someone monitoring you in the room, look at an in-clinic option such as Spravato.
Feature | Better U | Mindbloom | Joyous | Kalm | Discreet Ketamine | Spravato (in-clinic) |
Treatment model | At-home macrodose sessions | At-home session-based program | Daily low-dose at home | Low-dose at home | Single physician, at home | Supervised in-clinic nasal spray |
Medication format | Oral lozenges | Tablets, lozenges or injectables | Oral low-dose | Oral low-dose | Oral ketamine | Esketamine nasal spray (FDA-approved) |
Price level | $76–$100 per session | $129–$215 per session | From $129 per month | Check site | Check site | Varies; insurance may apply |
Availability | About 30 states | 20+ states | 20+ states | Check site | FL, NJ and CA only | Certified clinics nationwide |
Integration support | 1–6 coaching sessions plus app | Structured guide program | Check site | Check site | Physician continuity | On-site monitoring |
Trustpilot rating | 4.5 (about 440 reviews) | 4.0 (about 810 reviews) | 4.6 (about 2,000 reviews) | 2.0 (21 reviews) | Not checked | Not applicable |
Yes. Better U is a real telehealth platform that connects patients with independent licensed clinicians. It holds a 4.5 TrustScore, though it also faces serious safety allegations that you should weigh.
Packages run $500 for 5 sessions, $792 for 9, $1,350 for 15 and $2,076 for 27. Extra provider calls, peer support and continuation refills can cost more.
No, at-home ketamine is self-pay. Some other Better U services, such as psychiatry and talk therapy, may now accept insurance.
The FDA warns that at-home use carries added risk because no provider is there to monitor you. Ketamine can be dangerous when combined with sedatives such as Xanax, so get your own doctor’s approval first.
About 30 states, including California, Texas, New York, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Washington. Check the site for your state before you pay.
Better U delivers what many patients can’t find elsewhere: clinician-guided ketamine therapy at a fraction of IV clinic prices. Thousands of dollars become a few hundred, and the service comes with integration coaching, a thoughtful companion app, a useful Brain Box and a care team that reviewers repeatedly praise by name. Its 4.5 TrustScore and 90% five-star share reflect real enthusiasm, especially from people who spent years on antidepressants without relief.
The weaknesses are just as real. Paying up front before seeing a prescriber, extra fees for added support, and gaps in communication drive most complaints. More importantly, the at-home model itself is under scrutiny, following an FDA warning, a Wall Street Journal investigation and a lawsuit tied to a patient death. Treat Better U as a medical decision, not a wellness purchase. Involve your own doctor, disclose every medication, never skip the sitter, and start small. With those guardrails in place, it is a cautious recommendation for the right adult.
Category | Score |
Treatment Value | 8.6/10 |
Customer Satisfaction | 8.8/10 |
Clinical Support & Integration | 7.0/10 |
Safety & Oversight | 5.5/10 |
Pricing Transparency | 6.5/10 |
Customer Service Responsiveness | 6.8/10 |
Program Range | 8.2/10 |
Accessibility & Financing | 8.5/10 |
Overall | 7.2/10 |