You have decided to talk to someone, and you want to know what it will cost before you ring anyone. Psychologists rarely list a price you can compare, and the number on the website is often not the number you end up paying.
This guide sets out what private psychologists charge, what Medicare puts back, and what you are left with.
Short answer
Private psychologists in Australia set their own fees, and the Australian Psychological Society suggests $330 for a standard session in 2026-27. With a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan, Medicare pays $101.55 to $149.05 towards a 50-minute session, and you pay the rest. InnerHub is online counselling, not psychology, at a flat $59.90 AUD per 50-minute session with no referral. Figures are as at October 2026 and they change.
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Find a therapistHow much does a psychologist charge per session?
Psychologists set their own fees, so there is no single price. The Australian Psychological Society publishes a suggested fee of $330 for a standard 46 to 60 minute consultation in 2026-27. It describes suggested fees as a guide only, and many practices charge less, particularly to clients paying for themselves.
A psychologist is an AHPRA-registered practitioner, a different profession from counselling. Our guide to counsellors and psychologists explains the difference, and what therapy costs in Australia compares every model side by side.
Fees differ between practices, and Medicare's own benefit is higher for a clinical psychologist than a general psychologist, which reflects the higher schedule fee. Ask each practice what it charges.
How much does Medicare pay back?
Medicare pays a fixed benefit, not a percentage of whatever the psychologist charges. MBS Online lists the benefit for a session of at least 50 minutes at $101.55 with a general psychologist (item 80110) and $149.05 with a clinical psychologist (item 80010), based on schedule fees updated on 1 July 2026.
To claim, you need a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan. Under the Department of Health's Better Access initiative, the benefit covers up to 10 individual sessions in a calendar year. After that, you pay the full fee.
What is the gap fee, and how big is it?
The gap is the difference between what the psychologist charges and what Medicare pays. Psychologists are not required to bulk bill, and healthdirect says almost all of them charge a gap.
You can work out your own gap in one line. Take the fee you are quoted and subtract the benefit above. A $250 session with a general psychologist leaves $148.45. A $300 session with a clinical psychologist leaves $150.95. Those are worked examples, not quotes, but they show why the gap, not the headline fee, is the number to ask about.
Ask three things before you book: the fee for a 50-minute session, whether that includes any booking fee, and whether the practice bulk bills any clients.
What if you do not have a referral or have used your 10 sessions?
You can still see a private psychologist, but you pay the whole fee. A referral and treatment plan only unlock the Medicare benefit. They are not a condition of seeing a psychologist privately.
Waiting for a GP appointment, a plan and then a place with a psychologist can also add weeks. Our guide to seeing someone without a mental health plan covers the routes that do not depend on one.
Where does online counselling fit?
InnerHub is online counselling, not psychology. InnerHub charges $59.90 AUD for a 50-minute video session. That is the whole price: no referral, no plan, no subscription and no gap.
InnerHub practitioners are experienced and qualified in their own countries. They are not AHPRA-registered, so their sessions sit outside Medicare and no rebate applies. Every profile shows the practitioner's qualification, the country it came from and their years of practice before you book. Full terms are on the pricing page.
That is a different service from a psychologist, not a like-for-like swap. If you want a Medicare-rebated service, or a formal assessment, a psychologist or your GP is the right door. If you want regular, affordable conversations with an experienced person without the paperwork, counselling is a reasonable one.
Not sure where to start?
Take the two-minute quiz to see what kind of support fits, or read how matching works.
Take the quizWhat lower-cost options are there?
There are several, and they are worth knowing about whichever way you go. The Beyond Blue Support Service offers free phone (1300 22 4636), webchat and email support at any hour. Some community health services and university clinics charge reduced fees, and some psychologists offer a lower rate to people on a concession. It costs nothing to ask. Our guide to affordable counselling in Australia lays out the free, subsidised and paid routes together.
What counselling cannot do
Counselling is a place to work through what you are carrying. It does not replace a doctor. InnerHub practitioners work within their training and refer honestly: if what you are carrying needs a GP or specialist care, they will say so.
When to get help sooner
InnerHub is not a crisis service. If you are in immediate danger, call 000. For support at any hour, Lifeline is on 13 11 14.
This article is general information for adults 18 and over. It is not financial, clinical or medical advice, and not a substitute for professional care.
General information, not clinical or medical advice. For adults 18 and over. InnerHub is not a crisis service: in an emergency call 000, or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
