HelpGuide

What HelpGuide does

HelpGuide.org (legally HelpGuide.org International) is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit founded in 1999 and headquartered at 515 S Flower St, Los Angeles, operating with a lean team of 1–10 employees. It runs a free, web-based mental health and wellness platform organized into five content verticals — Mental Health, Health & Wellness, Children & Family, Relationships, and Aging Well — covering conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, addiction, grief, and dementia, plus wellness topics including sleep, nutrition, fitness, and stress management. The platform's core technology is a content publishing stack that supports evidence-based editorial articles, a DSM-5-based Depression Screening Test, an Audio Meditations library, a therapist matching directory, a global helplines index, and a bi-weekly email newsletter; editorial credibility is anchored by an exclusive content partnership with Harvard Health Publishing and a Professional Advisory Council of named clinicians from Harvard Medical School, UCLA, UCSF, and LA County WDACS.

The organization serves individual consumers globally seeking trustworthy, no-cost mental health information, with named user segments including the general public, older adults, caregivers, and parents of teens. It does not charge users for content and does not sell subscriptions; instead, it monetizes through disclosed affiliate commissions from online therapy platforms (primarily BetterHelp, plus Online Therapy.com) and tax-deductible donations processed via a dedicated giving page. Go-to-market is product-led: the site acquires users primarily through organic SEO on high-intent mental health queries and re-engages them via email newsletter, with third-party trust certifications (HONcode, GuideStar Platinum Transparency, Great Nonprofits Top Rated) reinforcing conversion. The site is multilingual to a limited degree (an active Spanish edition) and distributes exclusively through self-serve web and email channels — there is no mobile app, no API, and no disclosed AI/ML features.

Name

HelpGuide

Legal name

HelpGuide.org International

Website

https://helpguide.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

HelpGuide.org is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1999 that operates a free, web-based platform of evidence-based mental health articles, a DSM-5 depression screening test, audio meditations, and a therapist directory, serving global individual consumers and monetizing via affiliate referrals to online therapy platforms and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Information and Wellness Resources

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)

Keywords

• Mental health resources
• Depression screening tools
• Online therapy referral
• Wellness information library
• Nonprofit health education

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Monica

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Affiliate Commissions: HelpGuide earns commissions when users sign up for therapy services through affiliate links to platforms like BetterHelp. The site clearly discloses these relationships and maintains editorial independence from affiliate partners.
2. Donations: The nonprofit accepts donations to support its mission of providing free mental health resources. Donations are processed through a dedicated giving page and the organization is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) entity.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

HelpGuide.org is a nonprofit mental health information platform that delivers free, evidence-based articles, self-help guides, screening tools, and audio meditations across topics including depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, addiction, aging, and relationships. Its core offering is the comprehensive content library reviewed by mental health professionals, supplemented by a DSM-5-based Depression Screening Test, a therapist referral directory powered by BetterHelp, and exclusive content co-produced with Harvard Health Publishing.

Product overview

HelpGuide.org is a nonprofit mental health and wellness information platform offering a unified resource of evidence-based content and self-help tools. The core offering consists of a comprehensive library of mental health articles and guides covering conditions such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, addiction, and stress, complemented by a Depression Screening Test for self-assessment. Additional offerings include an Audio Meditations collection for mindfulness practice, a Therapist Directory powered by BetterHelp partnership for online therapy matching, and exclusive content from Harvard Health Publishing. The platform also provides access to mental health helplines and a newsletter for ongoing support and guidance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mental Health Information Resources A comprehensive library of free, evidence-based articles, guides, and self-help resources covering mental health conditions (depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, addiction, etc.), wellness topics, family issues, relationships, and aging, written and reviewed by mental health professionals for individual consumers seeking trustworthy information.
• Depression Screening Test An 18-question self-assessment tool based on DSM-5 criteria that helps individual users recognize common signs of depression and provides guidance on next steps for seeking professional help.
• Therapist Directory (BetterHelp partnership) A therapist matching and referral service offered in partnership with BetterHelp that connects individual users with licensed, accredited therapists for online therapy sessions.
• Audio Meditations A collection of guided meditation audio recordings covering mindfulness practices such as body scan, coping with uncertainty, gratitude, and mindful breathing exercises for individual users seeking stress relief and mindfulness practice.
• Harvard Health Content Partnership Exclusive mental health and wellness content created in partnership with Harvard Health Publishing, the consumer health publishing division of Harvard Medical School, providing readers with expert-reviewed information.
• Mental Health Helplines Resource A directory of crisis helplines and support resources available around the world for individual users in crisis or seeking immediate mental health help.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 25 years of providing trusted mental health information
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BetterHelpcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHelpGuide operates a therapist directory in partnership with BetterHelp, earning commissions when users sign up for therapy services through tracked affiliate links. This partnership provides a valuable service to HelpGuide users seeking professional mental health support while generating revenue for the nonprofit. The relationship is clearly disclosed to users.
• Harvard Health PublishingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelpGuide features exclusive content created in partnership with Harvard Health Publishing, the consumer health publishing division of Harvard Medical School. This partnership enhances content credibility and provides readers with expert-reviewed mental health information from one of the world's leading medical institutions.
• Online Therapy.comminorGTM or Marketing PartnerReferenced as an option for online grief counseling services, indicating a referral or affiliate relationship with Online Therapy.com.
• Professional Advisory CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA council of leading mental health experts including professionals from Harvard Medical School, UCLA, UCSF, and other institutions who provide guidance on content development and ensure editorial quality. Members include Michael Craig Miller, M.D. (Harvard Medical School), Ted Hutman, Ph.D. (UCLA), Fernando Torres-Gil, Ph.D. (UCLA), Marti Glenn, Ph.D. (Rizio Institute), Anna Glezer, M.D. (UCSF), and Laura Trejo, MSG, MPA (LA County WDACS).

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Headspace: A commercial mental health and meditation platform with employer and consumer offerings. Comparable audience and overlapping content categories, but monetizes via B2B and B2C subscriptions rather than free nonprofit content.
• Calm: A commercial mental wellness app offering meditations, sleep content, and therapy. Comparable in audience and content type (e.g., audio meditations), but operates as a subscription-based mobile-first product.

Direct peers

• Verywell Mind: A consumer mental health content destination owned by Dotdash Meredith, providing expert-reviewed articles and screening tools. Comparable in topic coverage and SEO-led discovery, but operates as a for-profit publisher.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): The largest U.S. grassroots mental health nonprofit, providing free educational resources, support programs, and condition-specific information. Comparable as a nonprofit mental health information and education provider serving individuals and families.
• Mental Health America: A longstanding U.S. nonprofit that provides free mental health information, screening tools, and advocacy resources. Highly comparable to HelpGuide in mission, content-led nonprofit model, and use of validated screeners.
• Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA): A nonprofit providing evidence-based information on anxiety, depression, and related disorders. Comparable mission and audience, with a similar nonprofit, information-first approach.
• Psych Central: An online mental health information platform covering conditions, therapies, and wellness. Directly comparable to HelpGuide's content-led approach, though PsychCentral is commercially owned and monetizes differently.

Broad incumbents

• Healthline: A major commercial health information publisher with deep mental health content. Overlaps with HelpGuide on editorial mission but operates at much larger scale with paid advertising and a broader health portfolio.
• WebMD: A leading consumer health information site with substantial mental health content. Comparable in offering free health information to consumers, but WebMD monetizes via advertising rather than affiliate therapy referrals.

Regional players

• Mind (UK): A leading UK mental health nonprofit providing information, support, and advocacy. Comparable mission and nonprofit model, but primarily serves a UK audience rather than HelpGuide's global English-language readership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/helpguideorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HelpGuide