Sliding scale fees
Affordable online therapy in India
Choose ₹800, ₹1,000 or ₹1,200 for a 50-minute session with a counselling psychologist. No income proof, no questions, the same care whatever you pick.
By Nivaara Nest Therapy team · our counselling psychologists28 September 2026 · 6 min readIf you've been putting off therapy because of the cost, you're far from alone. Plenty of people in India look up therapy cost, see ₹2,500 or ₹3,500 a session, quietly close the tab and decide to manage on their own a while longer. At Nivaara Nest we offer affordable online therapy on a sliding scale. You choose ₹800, ₹1,000 or ₹1,200 for a 50-minute session, and nobody asks you to explain which one you picked.
This page sets out how that works, what you get at each price, and some honest thoughts on fitting therapy into a real monthly budget.
How our sliding scale therapy works
A sliding scale means the fee moves with what you can manage. Ours has three levels, and you pick one each time you book.
| You choose | Session length | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| ₹800 | 50 minutes | Nothing about the care |
| ₹1,000 | 50 minutes | Nothing about the care |
| ₹1,200 | 50 minutes | Nothing about the care, and it helps keep the ₹800 spot open for someone else |
It runs on an honour system. There are no income forms, no salary slips and no proof of student status. The therapist, the attention and the 50 minutes are the same whichever amount you choose, and we don't treat you differently because of it.
If you can comfortably pay ₹1,200, that difference is what lets us keep the ₹800 option open for a student living on a hostel allowance, someone between jobs, or anyone having a hard month. The three prices only work because people choose honestly in both directions.
Choosing a price without guilt
People sometimes tell us they feel awkward picking the lowest amount, as if they're taking something they shouldn't. Please don't carry that into the booking form. The ₹800 option is there to be used. If rent, EMIs, a parent's medical bills or plain uncertainty make ₹800 the right number this month, choose it.
A few questions can help you decide:
- Could I pay this amount every week or two for a couple of months without cutting into essentials?
- Would a higher amount make me anxious about money in a way that follows me into the session?
- Is my situation likely to change soon?
You can change your level later, too. Someone who starts at ₹800 during a job search might move up once things settle, and someone at ₹1,200 might move down after an unexpected expense. Both are completely fine.
What affordable online therapy includes
A lower fee here doesn't buy you a lighter version of therapy. Every session is with one of our two counselling psychologists, Cherry Narang or Shambhavi Shastri. Both have postgraduate degrees in psychology and suicide-prevention training. Their work draws on somatic, DBT, CBT, IFS, REBT, client-centred and trauma-informed approaches, depending on who you see and what you need. We're queer-affirmative, neurodivergent- and disability-affirming, and conscious of how caste, religion and family shape life in India.
Sessions happen online, anywhere in India, in whatever format suits you:
- video, if you like seeing the person you're talking to
- video with your camera off, if being watched makes it harder to speak
- audio only, which can be easier on a patchy connection or from a parked scooter
- text chat, for days when typing feels safer than saying things aloud
You can speak in English, Hindi or a mix of both. If that matters to you, we've written more about online therapy in Hindi.
Why low cost counselling online can work well
Being online only means we don't pay for a clinic in a metro, and you don't pay for the auto, the cab or the half-day of leave. For many people the travel and time off used to cost nearly as much as the session. It also means someone in a small town has the same access as someone in Bengaluru or Delhi.
Our hours are set with working and studying people in mind. Cherry sees clients on weekdays from 5 to 10 pm and on weekends from 12 to 6 pm. Shambhavi works weekdays from 7 to 10 pm and weekends from 12 to 6 pm (all times IST). An evening slot after the office commute, or a Sunday afternoon at home, is often easier than finding an hour in the middle of the day.
If you've been searching for a cheap therapist online in India, we'd gently suggest looking at qualifications and fit as closely as price. A low fee only helps if the person on the other side is trained and you feel safe with them.
Talk to us, gently and at your pace
Start with a free 15-minute call, or book a 50-minute session with Cherry or Shambhavi. You choose ₹800, ₹1,000 or ₹1,200.
Start with a free 15-minute call
Spending money on someone you've never met feels like a gamble when money is tight. That's why we offer a free 15-minute intro call. You can ask how things work, get a feel for the therapist's manner, and then decide whether to book. There's no pressure to continue.
If you do book a session, the steps are straightforward:
- Choose a therapist, or whoever's free first.
- Pick an open time slot on the website.
- Fill in the intake form at your own pace.
- Your therapist reads it, and payment details come to you by email.
- Pay in advance to hold the slot.
We don't offer refunds, but with at least 24 hours' notice you can reschedule for free. If you've never been to therapy before, our page on what happens in your first therapy session may settle some nerves.
Keeping therapy under ₹1000 a session going over time
Therapy usually helps most with some continuity, and cost is one of the main reasons people stop early. It's worth planning for that at the start. Some people come weekly for a stretch and then move to fortnightly. Others come fortnightly from the beginning because that's what the budget allows. Talk to your therapist about frequency openly. It's a normal part of the conversation and nothing to feel embarrassed about.
It also helps to know what we don't offer. We don't provide psychological assessments, diagnosis, medication or psychiatric care. If a psychiatrist's opinion might help you, we'll help you find a referral. You don't need a diagnosis to start therapy with us.
And if one therapist doesn't feel right, you can switch to the other at any time, with no hard feelings on either side.
If you can't afford therapy right now
Even ₹800 a session is out of reach for many people, and that says nothing about how much you deserve support. There are free options. Tele-MANAS, run by the Government of India, is free and open around the clock on 14416 or 1-800-891-4416. Some hospitals and university psychology departments also run low-fee counselling. On our home page, Nivi, a friendly otter guide (not a therapist), can walk you through a one-minute breathing exercise or 5-4-3-2-1 grounding whenever you need a pause.
For more on choosing well when money is limited, Cherry has written about how to find an affordable therapist in India. If you'd rather talk it through with us first, you can message us on WhatsApp at +91 93406 61995 or email nivaaranesttherapy@gmail.com.
Questions people ask
How much does online therapy cost in India at Nivaara Nest?
Each 50-minute session costs ₹800, ₹1,000 or ₹1,200, and you choose the amount. The therapist, the time and the care are the same at every price.
Do I need to show proof of income to pay ₹800?
No. Our sliding scale runs on an honour system, so there are no forms, salary slips or student IDs. Pick the amount that fits your month.
Is the ₹800 session shorter or with a junior therapist?
No. Every session is 50 minutes with Cherry Narang or Shambhavi Shastri, both counselling psychologists, whichever price you choose.
Can I change my fee level later?
Yes. You can choose a different amount when you book your next session if your situation changes in either direction.
What if I need to cancel a session?
Sessions are paid in advance and we don't offer refunds, but with at least 24 hours' notice you can reschedule for free.
Is there a free first call?
Yes. You can book a free 15-minute intro call to ask questions and see whether the therapist feels like a good fit before paying for anything.
Talk to us, gently and at your pace
Start with a free 15-minute call, or book a 50-minute session with Cherry or Shambhavi. You choose ₹800, ₹1,000 or ₹1,200.