Tending the chair
Tending the chair
7 Cups gives millions of people a free listener at any hour. Here is what it offers, the reasons people look for something else, and the alternatives side by side.
If you are in crisis, start here. In the US and Canada call or text 988. In the UK and Ireland, call Samaritans on 116 123. In an emergency, call 911 or 999. More numbers on our crisis page.
If you want the same trained person every time, Hearth matches you by hand with one Keeper for a video or audio call every one or two weeks, from $39 a month. If you want to book peer specialists yourself, try ShareWell or The Peer Network. For free groups, NAMI Connection.
Hearth (dearhearth.com) is our service, so it comes first and we say so. Facts about 7 Cups and the others come from their own websites.
7 Cups connects people with trained volunteer listeners for free, anonymous emotional support by online chat, available 24/7. It also has forums and chat rooms on topics such as depression, anxiety, relationships and LGBTQ+ life, scheduled group sessions, self-help growth paths, an AI chatbot called Noni, and listeners for teens aged 13 to 17.
Prices are from 7cups.com, checked 25 October 2026. For a free conversation right now, 7 Cups is a reasonable place to go, and many people stay with it.
| Alternative | Same person every time? | Format | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HearthOur service | Yes. One Keeper, matched by hand within 72 hours, kept for years | 35–60 minute video or audio call every one or two weeks, messages in between, a note every Friday | $39 a month or $99 for weekly. Cancel any time | Ongoing support from one person who knows your story |
| ShareWell | You can keep booking the same Peer Specialist | Peer-led groups and private 1-on-1 video | Up to 4 groups a month free; 1-on-1s $40 each without a plan; plans $25 to $110 a month (checked 25 October 2026) | Groups, plus a specialist when you want one |
| The Peer Network | You choose a specialist and can switch any time | Booked video sessions with certified peer specialists | $30 for 30 minutes or $60 for 60 minutes (checked 25 October 2026) | Paying by the session |
| HeyPeers | You choose a peer supporter from profiles | Video groups, chatrooms, booked 1on1 | Most groups free; 1on1 rates set by each supporter (checked 25 October 2026) | Topic-specific groups |
| WEconnect Health | Yes, assigned if your membership includes peer support | Phone, video and app messages, plus free daily online meetings | Depends on your membership; not listed (checked 25 October 2026) | People whose plan includes it |
| Togetherall | No, a community | Anonymous online community moderated by licensed clinicians, 24/7 | Free through many universities, employers and health services (checked 25 October 2026) | Staying anonymous |
| NAMI Connection | Same group, not one-to-one | Free peer-led groups for adults with a mental health condition, many online | Free (checked 25 October 2026) | A regular group |
For eleven services compared in more detail, including Supportiv, TalkLife and Peer Collective, see our online peer support services comparison.
| Feature | 7 Cups (free chat) | Hearth |
|---|---|---|
| Who you talk to | An available trained volunteer listener | One Keeper, a trained peer listener, matched to you by hand |
| Same person? | Not promised on its public pages | Yes, kept for years; free change after your first Sit |
| How you talk | Anonymous text chat, 24/7 | A 35–60 minute video or audio Sit every one or two weeks, plus the Long Talk message thread |
| Between conversations | Forums, chat rooms, growth paths, an AI chatbot | Replies within a day (4 hours on the weekly plan) and a note every Friday |
| Price | Free; Premium $7.99 to $12.99 a month | $39 a month or $99 for weekly |
| Therapy? | Separate paid therapy, $159 or $299 a month | No. Peer support only; your Keeper helps you find a therapist if you need one |
Many people combine them: a free group for shared experience, and one person at Hearth for the long run. Read more about how one-to-one peer support works or cheap therapy options.
At Hearth you are matched with one Keeper, a trained peer listener. You talk in a Sit, a 35–60 minute video or audio call, and in between you write in the Long Talk, a message thread with your Keeper.
Hearth is peer support, not therapy, and not a crisis service. How Hearth works · Pricing
It depends on what you want that 7 Cups does not give you. If you want the same trained person every time, Hearth matches you by hand with one Keeper, a trained peer listener, for a video or audio call every one or two weeks from $39 a month. If you want to book a peer specialist by video, ShareWell and The Peer Network let you choose one. If 7 Cups' free chats already work for you, they remain a good free option.
The core service is. 7 Cups describes its chats with trained volunteer listeners as anonymous and completely free, with a limited number of chat requests a day on the free plan. Premium costs $7.99 a month billed yearly or $12.99 monthly, messaging therapy with a licensed therapist costs $159 a month, and weekly live video therapy costs $299 a month (checked 25 October 2026).
7 Cups' public pages describe free chats with available volunteer listeners and do not promise the same listener each time. If talking to one consistent person matters to you, a service built around continuity, such as Hearth, is designed for it.
7 Cups' paid therapy plans match you with a licensed therapist, either by daily messaging on weekdays ($159 a month) or a weekly 45-minute video or audio session ($299 a month). That is therapy rather than peer support. For peer support with the same person, Hearth costs $39 a month for a Sit every two weeks or $99 for weekly.