Pricing structures differ significantly: Alma charges per session ($130–$380 for self-pay), while Brightside uses a monthly subscription model ($95–$349/month depending on services), making Brightside more predictable for budgeting and Alma more flexible for occasional sessions.
Insurance coverage varies, especially for government plans: Brightside accepts Medicare and Medicaid alongside commercial insurance, while Alma works with 30+ commercial plans, but doesn't accept Medicare or Medicaid.
Session formats and access options are also different: Alma offers both virtual and in-person therapy, while Brightside is 100% virtual but includes unlimited messaging and a mobile app for progress tracking between appointments.
Service offerings reflect different care models: Alma provides couples therapy, family therapy, and child/teen therapy through its provider directory, while Brightside focuses on individual psychiatry, with specialized programs like suicide prevention and teen care (ages 13+).
Rula as another option: Rula combines therapy and psychiatry across a network of 21,000+ providers, accepting most major insurance plans including Medicare and managed Medicaid, with virtual and in-person care options and typical copays around $15 per session.
Alma vs Brightside: Pricing, therapists, and access
Searching for the right online therapy platform can add stress when you're already dealing with the challenge of seeking mental healthcare. While both Alma and Brightside provide quality support, they take different approaches to pricing, provider access, and how treatment is delivered. These distinctions matter: choosing the right platform can be the difference between care that fits seamlessly into your routine and care that creates unnecessary obstacles.
In this guide, we'll break down how Alma and Brightside compare on cost, therapist availability, insurance coverage, and the types of support each platform offers. We'll also look at what each does best so you can make a decision that fits your needs.
You could also consider Rula when exploring mental healthcare options. Rula works with a nationwide network of over 21,000 licensed providers, accepts most major insurance plans, and offers both therapy and psychiatry through virtual and in-person appointments. With insurance, many patients pay around $15 per session.
Alma vs. Brightside: Differences at a glance
Both Alma and Brightside deliver online mental healthcare, but they differ in structure, care models, and what's included in each service. If you want to find a therapist, understanding these distinctions can help you match care to your needs and preferences.
Average cost per session:
Alma: $130 to $380 per session for self-pay
Brightside: $95 per month for psychiatry, $299 per month for therapy, $349 per month for combined care
Number of providers:
Alma: 24,000+ providers in network
Brightside: Provider count not publicly disclosed
Modes of communication:
Alma: Virtual and in-person sessions available
Brightside: Video appointments and unlimited messaging for therapy; video appointments with messaging for psychiatry
Services offered:
Alma: Individual therapy, couples therapy, family therapy, therapy for children and teens, medication management
Brightside: Psychiatry, therapy, combined care, teen care (ages 13 and up), suicide prevention program
Insurance acceptance:
Alma: Accepts 30+ major insurance plans; does not accept Medicare or Medicaid
Brightside: Accepts major insurance, including both Medicare and Medicaid plans
States covered:
Alma: All 50 states plus Washington, D.C.
Brightside: All 50 states plus Washington, D.C.
Number of specialties offered:
Alma: Specialties include anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship challenges, life transitions, ADHD, and more
Brightside: Treats 16+ conditions including anxiety, depression, ADHD, bipolar disorder, OCD, PTSD, and more
Inclusivity and patient focus:
Alma: Prioritizes culturally responsive care and offers directory filtering by identity factors
Brightside: Offers translation services with interpreters and features a dedicated suicide prevention program
Virtual-only or virtual + in-person availability:
Alma: Both virtual and in-person options
Brightside: Virtual-only platform
Alma at a glance
Alma is a mental healthcare directory founded in 2017 with a mission to simplify access to high-quality, affordable care. It connects people with more than 24,000 independent providers across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. The platform supports individual, couples, family, and teen therapy, as well as medication management, with both virtual and in-person session options.
You can filter the directory by insurance, specialty, availability, language, and session format. Many Alma providers offer a free 15-minute consultation before you commit to care. People can often start Alma therapy within three days instead of waiting months.
Brightside at a glance
Brightside is a virtual mental health platform founded in 2017 that provides precision treatment at scale. It offers psychiatry, therapy, or both through a monthly subscription model. The platform is 100% virtual, available nationwide, and uses a clinical assessment to match people with the right provider.
Brightside can connect people with providers in as little as two days. The therapy subscription includes four 30-minute video appointments per month and unlimited messaging with your therapist between sessions. Through the mobile app, you can schedule appointments, track your progress over time, and work through self-guided therapy lessons at your own pace.
Rula at a glance
Founded in 2019, Rula is a mental health platform that helps people find licensed therapists and psychiatric practitioners covered by their insurance and book appointments online. Rula's nationwide network spans 21,000+ providers across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., offering therapy for ages 5+ and psychiatry for ages 13+.
Patients can choose from individual, couples, family, child, and teen therapy, with sessions held via live video on Zoom. In-person therapy is also available at provider-operated offices. After verifying insurance, patients can browse a curated list of in-network providers, filter by preferences like specialty, availability, and language, and see an estimated out-of-pocket cost before their first appointment. Many patients using insurance pay around $15 per session, and appointments are often available as soon as tomorrow.
The care you need, when you need it
Learn how Rula can support your mental health journey
Clinical outcomes and how they compare
Clinical outcomes and evidence-based approaches matter because they show whether treatment actually helps people feel better. Both platforms track patient progress, but they use different methods and report different types of outcome data.
Alma clinical outcomes
Alma reports that 80% of people with symptoms of anxiety or depression see improvement within six months of seeing an Alma therapist. Additionally, 97% of people report that their therapist makes them feel seen and heard.
Brightside clinical outcomes
Upon entering care, 75% of Brightside patients have severe or moderately severe depression, and 47% are experiencing suicidal ideation. Across the entire patient population, 86% experience clinically significant improvement within 12 weeks, and 71% achieve remission. Brightside uses measurement-based care with standard assessments to track this progress.
Rula clinical outcomes
Data show that 93% of people felt better about their symptoms after receiving care through Rula. When looking at anxiety and depression scores, 74% of Rula patients showed significant improvement. Rula's clinical outcomes are greater than 10% better than similar competitors, on average.
Cost and insurance coverage for online therapy
Both Alma and Brightside work with major insurance plans, but there are key differences in which plans they accept. Alma insurance includes more than 30 commercial plans but does not accept Medicare or Medicaid. Brightside insurance includes commercial plans as well as government programs like Medicare and Medicaid.
Insurance plans accepted
Alma insurance networks:
Aetna
AllSavers UHC
Allied Benefit Systems - Aetna
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Cigna
Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield
UnitedHealthcare
Brightside insurance networks:
Aetna
Anthem
Cigna
UnitedHealthcare
Medicaid plans: CareOregon, Carolina Complete, Molina Healthcare, Nebraska Total Care, WellCare of North Carolina
Medicare plans: Original Medicare Part B, multiple Medicare Advantage plans
Accepts both Medicare and Medicaid plans
Rula is another option to consider: it accepts many major insurance plans, including Aetna, Cigna, Anthem, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Optum Behavioral Health, Oscar, and UnitedHealthcar, plus Medicare and managed Medicaid. Patients typically pay around $15 per session with insurance, and you'll see your estimated cost before booking.
Out-of-pocket costs (with insurance)
Out-of-pocket costs with insurance vary by provider and plan on Alma. The platform helps people find in-network therapists, which can significantly reduce costs. Using insurance can reduce out-of-pocket costs compared to self-pay, depending on your plan. Patients should verify coverage and pricing directly with their insurer.
Brightside also accepts many major insurance plans, and you can confirm your coverage and copay during sign-up. The platform helps verify coverage before your first appointment so you know what to expect.
HSA/FSA eligibility
Both Alma and Brightside accept HSA and FSA cards for payment. Using these pre-tax savings accounts can help reduce the overall cost of your care. You can use these funds for copays, bills, or prescription costs on either platform.
Self-pay pricing
If you're paying out-of-pocket on Alma, session costs typically range from $130 to $380, depending on the provider you choose. Many therapists in the network offer sliding scale fees for out-of-network payment, which can help make care more affordable.
Brightside self-pay pricing:
Psychiatry (medication management): $95 per month plus pharmacy copay
Therapy: $299 per month (includes four 30-minute video sessions and unlimited messaging)
Combined psychiatry and therapy: $349 per month
Additional 55-minute therapy sessions: $59 per session
Mental health services offered
The range of services matters because people need different types of support to make real progress. Alma offers a broader set of therapy formats, including couples and family therapy. Brightside focuses on individual psychiatry and therapy with specialized programs.
Treatment approaches offered by Alma
Providers in Alma's network are trained across a wide range of evidence-based therapeutic approaches. The platform lets you refine your search by filtering for specific treatment methods, areas of mental health expertise, and clinician background.
Treatment modalities available through Alma providers:
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
Psychodynamic therapy
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
Mindfulness-based therapy
Emotionally focused therapy (EFT)
Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT)
Narrative therapy
Somatic experiencing
Trauma-focused CBT
Motivational interviewing
Exposure and response prevention (ERP)
Internal family systems (IFS)
Attachment-based therapy
Gottman Method
Beyond therapists, Alma's directory connects you with psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners who offer medication management services.
Treatment approaches offered by Brightside
Brightside's primary focus is treating anxiety and depression, though the platform also provides care for ADHD, bipolar disorder, OCD, PTSD, postpartum depression, and substance use disorder.
Therapeutic approaches include:
Evidence-based therapy incorporating the Unified Protocol (UP)
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques
Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)
Behavioral activation (BA)
The platform also provides psychiatry services and medication management.
Treatment approaches offered by Rula
With licensed providers covering more than 180 clinical specialties and treatment modalities, Rula's network offers support for a wide range of mental health concerns — from anxiety and ADHD to autism, trauma and PTSD, OCD, and addiction.
Rula providers use a variety of evidence-based treatment approaches, including:
Trauma-focused methods like EMDR and prolonged exposure
Internal family systems (IFS)) and attachment-based therapy
Couples and family therapy approaches like the Gottman Method and emotionally focused therapy (EFT)
Mindfulness-based and somatic therapies
Psychiatric care is also available through Rula for patients 13 and up, with medication management services included.
Inclusivity and specialized care
Finding a provider you can trust, and who understands your background, matters deeply in therapy. Both platforms emphasize connecting people with clinicians who practice culturally responsive care.
Alma inclusivity and specialization overview
Licensure types: Alma's network includes therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychiatric nurse practitioners.
Specializations offered: You can filter the directory by specialty areas like trauma, chronic illness, ADHD, and addiction. Providers offer individual, couples, and family therapy.
Languages available: You can filter the directory search by language. A specific list of supported languages isn't publicly disclosed.
Inclusivity factors: Alma prioritizes opportunities for providers to build knowledge of culturally responsive care. You can filter the directory by identity factors to help find providers who understand your background.
Brightside inclusivity and specialization overview
Licensure types: Psychiatric providers include psychiatrists, physicians, and psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners. Therapists hold master's or doctorate degrees in clinical psychology, clinical social work, or counseling.
Specializations offered: Brightside treats more than 16 specific mental health conditions, including postpartum depression and substance use disorder. They also offer a specialized teen care program and a suicide prevention program.
Languages available: Brightside offers translation services with interpreters for some languages. Specific languages are not publicly listed.
Inclusivity factors: The platform uses clinical assessments to match people with appropriate providers based on their specific needs.
The care you need, when you need it
Learn how Rula can support your mental health journey
Platform availability and access
How quickly you can start care and how easily you can reach your provider between sessions can shape your treatment experience. Alma and Brightside take different approaches to matching, scheduling, and ongoing access. Both platforms are available nationwide, but they differ in session formats and communication options.
Rula is available in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., with appointment-based care via live video (Zoom) and in-person therapy available with eligible providers at provider-operated offices.
How access works with Alma
States served: Alma operates nationwide across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., offering both virtual and in-person care options.
Matching process: You browse a directory of 24,000+ providers and use filters like insurance, specialty, and availability to narrow your search. You control the selection process and can schedule a free 15-minute consultation to confirm the fit before committing.
Session formats: Depending on your provider, you can choose between virtual (video) sessions or in-person appointments.
Scheduling: You can filter by provider availability to find appointment times that work for your schedule. Alma reports that people can typically begin therapy within three days.
App/portal experience: Alma provides a client portal for secure messaging with your provider but doesn't currently have a mobile app.
Provider switching: You can switch therapists whenever you need to until you find the right fit.
How access works with Brightside
States served: Brightside is a virtual-only telehealth platform available in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Matching process: You complete a free clinical assessment, provide your insurance details or select self-pay, then schedule your first session with a provider matched to your needs.
Session formats: Psychiatry appointments include video sessions and unlimited messaging (with responses within 72 hours). Therapy subscriptions include four 30-minute video sessions each month and unlimited messaging (with responses within 24 hours on weekdays).
Scheduling: Initial appointments are often available within two days, with many providers offering evening and weekend slots. You can manage all scheduling through the Brightside app or website.
App/portal experience: The Brightside Health app lets you schedule appointments, message your care team, track your progress with clinical assessments, and access self-guided educational resources.
What each platform does best
Both platforms offer quality care but excel in different areas. By looking at where each platform is strongest, you can make a thoughtful decision grounded in what matters most for your care.
Alma excels when you:
Want the option of in-person therapy in addition to virtual sessions
Need couples therapy or family therapy
Prefer to pay per session rather than a monthly subscription
Want to browse and choose from 24,000+ providers using detailed filters
Value having a free 15-minute consultation before committing to care
Need flexibility to change therapists easily until finding the right match
Brightside excels when you:
Need Medicare or Medicaid coverage
Want a comprehensive mobile app with progress tracking and self-guided lessons
Prefer unlimited messaging with your therapist between sessions
Need quick access to psychiatry and medication management
Value measurement-based care with regular clinical assessments
Want a subscription model with predictable monthly costs
Summary: Is Alma or Brightside right for you?
Alma and Brightside take different approaches to mental healthcare. Alma operates as a directory connecting you with independent providers, offering both virtual and in-person options with payment per session. Brightside uses a subscription-based model that provides virtual-only care with built-in messaging, progress tracking, and a mobile app.
Alma may be the better fit for people who want extensive provider choice, prefer the option of in-person sessions, or like the flexibility of a per-session payment model. Brightside tends to work well for people who want predictable monthly costs, value built-in between-session support, or need integrated psychiatry and therapy for conditions like anxiety and depression.
Rula is also worth considering for people who want insurance-based care with the option of therapy or psychiatry (medication management) through a single platform. Rula supports therapy for ages 5+ and psychiatry for ages 13+ across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., with sessions held via live video on Zoom and in-person. Patients receive an upfront cost estimate before their first appointment, and appointments are often available as soon as tomorrow.
FAQ
Does Alma or Brightside accept insurance?
Both platforms accept insurance, but their coverage differs. Alma works with more than 30 commercial insurance plans, including Aetna, Cigna, Optum, Oscar, Oxford, and UnitedHealthcare, but does not accept Medicare or Medicaid. Brightside accepts major commercial plans and also works with Medicare and Medicaid, verifying your coverage and copay during sign-up. Brightside's broader public coverage is a meaningful differentiator for patients on government-sponsored plans.
How much does Alma cost compared to Brightside?
Alma uses a per-session payment model, with costs typically ranging from $130 to $380 depending on the provider and whether you're using insurance. Brightside operates on a monthly subscription model — $95 for psychiatry, $299 for therapy, or $349 for combined care — which includes appointments, unlimited messaging, and progress tracking tools. The right pricing structure depends on whether you prefer per-session flexibility or predictable monthly billing.
Does Alma or Brightside offer in-person therapy?
Alma offers both virtual and in-person therapy across its provider network, giving patients flexibility in how they meet with their provider. Brightside is virtual-only, with all sessions delivered via video. People who want the option of face-to-face appointments will find Alma the more flexible choice.
Why choose Rula for quality of care?
Rula emphasizes measurable outcomes, with 93% of patients reporting they feel better about their symptoms after receiving care through the platform. Its nationwide network of 21,000+ licensed providers spans 180+ clinical specialties and modalities, offering therapy and psychiatry (medication management) through virtual appointments on Zoom and in-person. Rula is in-network with most major insurance plans and provides a personalized cost estimate before your first appointment, with typical insured costs around $15 per session.
Find care with Rula
Choosing the right mental health platform matters — it shapes whether care feels accessible or overwhelming, whether you make progress or stay stuck. If you're ready to move forward, Rula makes it straightforward to get started. You can verify your insurance coverage online, browse providers who match what you're looking for, and see your estimated costs before your first appointment. Many people can schedule their first session as soon as tomorrow.
When you're ready, Rula is here to help you find care that works.
Rula Health
Rula’s editorial process
Rula’s editorial team is on a mission to make science-backed mental health insights accessible and practical for every person seeking to better understand or improve mental wellness.
Members of Rula’s clinical leadership team and other expert providers contribute to all published content, offering guidance on themes and insights based on their firsthand experience in the field. Every piece of content is thoroughly reviewed by a clinician before publishing.
