Grow Therapy vs. Alma: Which is better for your needs?

When you're ready to start therapy, the last thing you need is confusion about which platform to choose. With multiple online therapy options available, choosing between services like Grow Therapy and Alma can feel overwhelming, especially when you're trying to navigate insurance coverage, costs, and provider availability all at once.

Both platforms connect you with licensed therapists and offer virtual and in-person care, but they differ in important ways that could impact your experience. In this guide, we'll compare their features, pricing, insurance acceptance, and specialties to help you determine which platform 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.

Grow Therapy vs. Alma: Differences at a glance

While Grow Therapy and Alma share some similarities, the platforms take different approaches to pricing transparency, insurance acceptance, and provider matching. Understanding these differences upfront can save you time and help you find a therapist who's both accessible and aligned with your specific needs.

Average cost per session:

• Grow Therapy: $21 average copay with insurance

• Alma: Copays vary by insurance plan (no average listed)

Number of providers:

• Grow Therapy: 23,000+ providers

• Alma: 24,000+ providers

Modes of communication:

• Grow Therapy: Online and in-person sessions, secure messaging with providers between sessions, progress tracking tools

• Alma: Virtual and in-person sessions, secure messaging available for some users through the client portal

Services offered:

• Grow Therapy: Talk therapy and medication support in one place

• Alma: Individual, couples, family, and teen therapy plus medication management

Insurance acceptance:

• Grow Therapy: In-network with 80+ plans, including Medicare and Medicaid

• Alma: In-network with major commercial plans; does not accept Medicare or Medicaid

States covered:

• Grow Therapy: All 50 U.S. states plus Washington, D.C.

• Alma: All 50 U.S. states plus Washington, D.C.

Number of specialties offered:

• Grow Therapy: 90+ specialties

• Alma: Primary clinical focus areas listed, but specific count not published

Inclusivity and patient focus:

• Grow Therapy: Care in 35+ languages including American Sign Language; filters for LGBTQIA+, women's issues, men's issues, and more

• Alma: Language filtering available; culturally responsive care training for providers

Virtual-only or virtual + in-person availability:

• Grow Therapy: Both virtual and in-person sessions available

• Alma: Both virtual and in-person sessions available

Grow Therapy at a glance

Grow Therapy is a mental health platform founded in 2020 with the mission of making "therapy, made easier, covered by insurance." The platform connects you with over 23,000 providers across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., offering both talk therapy and medication support in one integrated system. You can book an appointment online in about 10 minutes and often be seen in two days or less, with no waitlists.

Grow Therapy is in-network with more than 80 insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid, making it accessible for a wide range of people. With an average session cost of just $21 for those using insurance, the platform focuses on affordability without subscriptions or surprise fees. You can filter providers by more than 90 specialties, identity, availability, and care approach, giving you control over finding the right match. Services are available in over 35 languages, including American Sign Language (ASL), and you can switch providers if needed.

Alma at a glance

Alma was founded in 2017 with a mission to "simplify access to high-quality, affordable mental health care." The platform connects you with over 24,000 providers across all 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. Alma's providers offer individual, couples, and family therapy, as well as specialized care for children and teens, plus medication management through psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners. The platform is in-network with major commercial insurance plans, though it does not accept Medicare or Medicaid.

A key feature of Alma's approach is the free 15-minute consultation, which allows you to speak with a provider with no commitment to start care. This helps ensure you feel comfortable with your therapist before moving forward. While Alma doesn't publish an average session cost with insurance, it reports that people who use their insurance through the platform save an average of 77% on sessions. The platform offers payment flexibility, accepting insurance, employee assistance programs (EAPs), health savings account (HSA)/flexible spending account (FSA) funds, and out-of-pocket payments.

Rula at a glance

Rula is a mental health platform founded in 2019 that helps people find licensed therapists covered by insurance and schedule online therapy (and other types of care) through its platform. It connects patients with a nationwide network of more than 21,000 licensed providers across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., with telehealth appointments delivered via live video. Rula also offers in-person therapy appointments with eligible providers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., with sessions taking place at provider offices.

Rula supports individual therapy, couples therapy, family therapy, child therapy (ages 5+), teen therapy, and psychiatry (medication management) for people ages 13 and older in any state where Rula is available. The platform accepts insurance and is in-network with many major commercial plans, including Medicare Advantage, Medicare fee-for-service, and managed Medicaid coverage for select states and insurers. For most people using insurance, Rula states patients typically pay about $15 per session, and you'll receive an estimate before your first appointment so you know what to expect.

Clinical outcomes and how they compare

Clinical outcomes and evidence-based approaches are indicators of a platform's effectiveness in helping you make meaningful progress on your mental health journey. Both platforms track key metrics to measure their impact, though the specific data they publish differs.

Grow Therapy reports an average of four days to the first appointment, a client satisfaction score of 85 Net Promoter Score (NPS), which measures how likely patients are to recommend the service, and significant symptom reduction for approximately 50% of patients with moderate to severe symptoms.

Alma highlights that clients report high satisfaction, with 97% of people seeing a therapist through Alma saying their therapist makes them feel seen and heard. The platform reports that 80% of people with symptoms of anxiety or depression see improvement within six months of starting care.

It’s also worth noting that Rula reports consistently strong outcomes, with 93% of patients reporting feeling better about their symptoms after receiving care through Rula, and 98% finding a provider who meets their preferences.

Cost and insurance coverage

Both Grow Therapy and Alma accept insurance and offer multiple payment options, but there are important differences in which plans they accept and how transparent they are about costs.

Insurance plans accepted

Grow Therapy accepts a wide range of insurance plans, including major commercial insurers like Aetna, Anthem, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare/Optum, Humana, and Oscar. The platform also accepts multiple Medicare Advantage plans and many state-specific Medicaid plans.

Alma is in-network with major commercial insurance plans including Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare Oscar, and Optum. However, Alma does not accept Medicare or Medicaid, which may be a deciding factor for people who rely on these government-sponsored programs for their healthcare coverage.

It's also worth noting that Rula is built around an insurance-first care model. Rula is in-network with more than 100 insurance plans nationwide, and patients typically pay around $15 per session when using plans like Kaiser Permanente, Blue Cross Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare, and many others. Before your first appointment, Rula verifies your benefits and provides a personalized cost estimate, so you know exactly what you'll pay upfront.

Out-of-pocket costs (with insurance)

For Grow Therapy, the average out-of-pocket cost for a session with insurance is $21. The platform emphasizes its transparent pricing model with no subscriptions or surprise fees, and during the provider search process, you can see estimated costs based on your insurance plan.

Alma does not publish a specific average session cost with insurance but highlights that clients who use their insurance through the platform save an average of 77% on sessions compared to out-of-pocket rates. To help you understand potential costs, Alma provides a Cost Estimator Tool, though your actual copay will vary depending on your specific insurance plan and benefits.

HSA/FSA eligibility

Both Grow Therapy and Alma accept health savings account (HSA), flexible spending account (FSA), and health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) cards. This provides additional payment flexibility and allows you to use pre-tax dollars to cover out-of-pocket expenses for therapy sessions, such as copays and deductibles.

Self-pay pricing

Grow Therapy's out-of-pocket range for a session without insurance is $75 to $200, with sliding scale options available for clients paying out-of-pocket. Alma's out-of-pocket range for a session without insurance is $130 to $380, with many therapists offering sliding scales for out-of-network care, though availability varies by provider. Grow Therapy's self-pay range is lower than Alma's, which may be an important consideration if you plan to pay for care without insurance.

Mental health services offered

The range of treatment approaches available on a platform directly impacts whether you can find evidence-based care that matches your specific needs and preferences. Both platforms offer access to multiple therapeutic approaches, though they differ in the breadth and specificity of the information they provide upfront.

Treatment approaches offered by Grow Therapy

Grow Therapy provides access to providers specializing in over 90 areas and a wide range of evidence-based therapeutic approaches. You can filter providers by their care approach during the search process.

Common treatment modalities include:

• Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)

• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)

• Faith-based therapy

• Internal family systems (IFS)

• Mindfulness-based therapy

• Psychodynamic therapy

• Sex therapy

• Somatic therapy

• Trauma-informed care

Grow Therapy offers individual therapy, couples counseling, family therapy, child and adolescent therapy, and medication management through psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) for people ages 13 and older.

The platform's licensed providers offer over 180 clinical specialties, including:

• Anxiety

• Depression

• ADHD

• Bipolar disorder

• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

• Trauma

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

• Personality disorders

Treatment approaches offered by Alma

Alma providers offer a wide range of therapeutic modalities, with each clinician determining the approaches they use based on their training and expertise. You can filter the directory by treatment approach, specialty, provider identity, and session format to find a provider whose methods align with your needs and preferences.

Common approaches available through Alma providers include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

• Dialectical behavioral 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

Primary clinical focus areas:

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Trauma

• Relationship challenges

• Life transitions

• Chronic illness or pain

• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

• Autism spectrum disorder

• Addiction and substance misuse

Medication management is also available on Alma through psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners.

Treatment approaches offered by Rula

Rula connects patients with a nationwide network of 21,000+ licensed providers and offers 180+ clinical specialties and modalities, so you can look for care that fits both your needs and preferences. Treatment approaches vary by provider, and Rula supports multiple types of care.

Providers on the Rula platform commonly use approaches such as:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

• Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT))

• Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)

• Trauma-focused therapy, including EMDR and prolonged exposure

• Internal family systems (IFS)) and attachment-based approaches

• Couples and family therapies, such as the Gottman Method and emotionally focused therapy (EFT))

• Mindfulness-based and somatic therapies

Rula also offers medication management through licensed psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) for people ages 13 and older, allowing you to receive coordinated therapy and psychiatric care within the same platform.

Inclusivity and specialized care

Finding a therapist who understands your identity, background, and lived experience is essential for building trust and making meaningful progress in therapy. Both platforms prioritize inclusivity and offer ways to connect with providers who can provide culturally competent, identity-affirming care.

Grow Therapy inclusivity and specialization overview

Grow Therapy's network of 23,000+ providers includes licensed therapists, psychiatrists, and other prescribers across multiple credential types. With 90+ specialties, you can find providers with expertise in mental health conditions, life stages, relationship issues, and identity-specific care.

• Specializations offered: You can filter for providers who focus on specific needs like child and adolescent therapy, older adults, military/veterans, LGBTQIA+ issues, trauma, anxiety, depression, couples counseling, family therapy, and many other specialized areas.

• Languages available: Grow Therapy offers interpreter services for over 35 languages, including American Sign Language (ASL), for telehealth sessions.

• Inclusivity factors: 44% of providers on the platform identify as members of the BIPOC community. The platform also includes LGBTQ as a specialty filter option. The platform also offers dedicated specialty filters for military and veteran mental healthcare needs.

Alma inclusivity and specialization overview

Alma's network of 24,000+ providers includes licensed therapists, psychiatrists, and psychiatric nurse practitioners. The platform focuses on primary clinical areas like anxiety, depression, and trauma, as well as care for couples, families, and teens.

• Languages available: The directory includes a language filter to help you find a provider who speaks your preferred language, though the specific list of supported languages is not published.

• Inclusivity factors: Alma prioritizes culturally responsive care by offering providers expert-led training on working with members of marginalized communities, and the platform includes filters for provider identity, including characteristics like gender, age, and race.

• Specializations offered: Primary clinical focus areas include anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship challenges, life transitions, chronic illness or pain, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and addiction and substance misuse.

Platform availability and access

How quickly you can start therapy, how easy it is to find the right provider, and what session formats are available all play a crucial role in whether you'll be able to access care when you need it.

Rula is available in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., offering telehealth appointments via live video (Zoom) and in-person therapy appointments with eligible providers. With Rula, you can verify your insurance in minutes, match with in-network providers for therapy or medication management, and schedule your first appointment often as soon as tomorrow.

How access works with Grow Therapy

Grow Therapy serves all 50 U.S. states plus Washington, D.C., with providers licensed in each state. The platform uses a self-serve search and direct booking model where you can filter providers by specialty, insurance, and availability, then book an appointment online in about 10 minutes.

• Session formats: You can choose between virtual and in-person sessions based on your preference and provider availability.

• Scheduling: With no waitlists, you can often be seen in two days or less, with appointments available on nights and weekends to fit your schedule.

• App/portal experience: The platform includes a progress tracking feature to help you see your journey over time, as well as secure messaging to communicate with your provider between sessions

The matching process gives you full control over provider selection, and you can switch providers at any time with flexible options if your needs change.

How access works with Alma

Alma also serves all 50 U.S. states plus Washington, D.C. It uses a directory-based search with a consultation-first model where you find potential matches in about five minutes, then book a free 15-minute consultation to speak with a provider before committing to care.

• Session formats: You can filter the directory for providers who offer virtual or in-person sessions.

• Scheduling: You can typically start therapy within three days, and the platform allows you to filter providers by their availability to find a time that works for you.

• App/portal experience: Alma offers a client portal with limited availability that includes a Cost Estimator Tool, secure messaging (early access only), autopay features, and automated progress-tracking assessments.

The consultation-first approach allows you to meet providers before deciding on ongoing therapy, and you can change therapists anytime until you find your perfect match.

What each platform does best

Understanding what each platform does best can help you choose the option that aligns with your priorities and care needs.

Grow Therapy excels when:

• You need Medicare or Medicaid coverage

• You want transparent, low-cost sessions with insurance ($21 average)

• You prefer more affordable self-pay rates ($75 to $200 vs. $130 to $380)

• You need highly specialized care with 90+ specialties and detailed filtering

• You need care in a specific language (35+ languages including ASL)

Alma excels when:

• You want to try before you commit with free 15-minute consultations

• You want proven improvement outcomes within six months

• You want provider switching flexibility with no pressure

• You value cultural competency training for providers

• You need medication management without consultation (allowed through the Direct Appointment Booking feature)

Summary: Is Grow Therapy or Alma right for you?

Both Grow Therapy and Alma offer fast access to large networks of mental health providers, with options for virtual and in-person care. The most significant differences lie in their insurance coverage, cost structures, and matching processes. Grow Therapy accepts Medicare and Medicaid, offers more transparent and lower self-pay rates, and allows you to filter by over 90 specialties with direct booking and built-in progress tracking.

If you have commercial insurance, value the opportunity to meet providers through free consultations before committing, or prioritize a platform with strong cultural competency training, Alma may be the right choice. Your decision should ultimately be based on your insurance, budget, how you prefer to match with providers, and what specific features matter most for your mental health journey.

You could also consider Rula as another option. Rula connects patients with 21,000+ licensed providers across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., offering both therapy and psychiatry through virtual and in-person appointments. The platform accepts most major insurance plans, and many patients pay around $15 per session with insurance. With transparent pricing and the ability to access both therapy and medication management in one place, Rula can be a strong choice if you're looking for affordable, integrated care with flexibility in how and when you connect with providers.

FAQs

How do insurance coverage differences between Grow Therapy and Alma affect which plans I can use?

Grow Therapy accepts Medicare and Medicaid alongside 80+ commercial plans, while Alma works with major commercial insurers but does not accept Medicare, Medicaid, or secondary insurance. If you have government-sponsored coverage or a secondary insurance plan, Grow Therapy may be your only option between these two platforms.

What's the difference between Grow Therapy's direct booking and Alma's consultation approach?

Grow Therapy allows you to book an appointment directly through their platform in about 10 minutes using filters for specialty, insurance, and availability, while Alma offers free 15-minute consultations to help you connect with a provider before committing to ongoing care. Both approaches help you find the right fit, but Grow Therapy prioritizes speed and control while Alma emphasizes the opportunity to meet providers first.

How do virtual sessions work on each platform?

Grow Therapy requires all telehealth appointments to be conducted on their platform through a secure video link that works on supported browsers (Chrome recommended). Alma providers conduct virtual sessions through the platform's secure video system, and some providers may offer additional communication options like secure messaging through the client portal, though availability varies by provider.

Why choose Rula for quality of care?

Rula puts measurable outcomes at the center of care, with 93% of patients reporting feeling better about their symptoms after receiving care through Rula — alongside a nationwide network of 21,000+ licensed providers across 180+ clinical specialties and modalities. It offers therapy and psychiatry (medication management) with virtual and in-person options, accepts many major insurance plans (including Medicare Advantage, Medicare fee-for-service, and managed Medicaid in select states), and for most people using insurance, patients typically pay about $15 per session.

Find care with Rula

Choosing the right mental health platform is an important decision — one that can shape how quickly you start feeling better and how supported you feel along the way. With Rula, you can verify your insurance coverage in minutes, browse providers who match your specific needs and preferences, and often schedule your first appointment as soon as tomorrow. You'll see your estimated costs upfront, so there are no surprises. When you're ready to take the next step, Rula is here to help you find care that fits your life and supports real progress.