Key Takeaways
With so many teletherapy platforms, it can be tough to know which one to choose. Comparing the options can help you find the right care for your needs.
Rula and Headway accept most major insurance plans. They both offer therapy and psychiatric services, including medication management, in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
One difference to be aware of is that Rula publishes data about clinical outcomes, while Headway does not. Rula's clinical outcomes are +10% better than other similar national groups, on average.
Before the rise of teletherapy, options for therapists and psychiatrists were limited to those you could meet with in person. Now, platforms like Rula and Headway are making it easier to connect with mental health professionals from the comfort of home. Technology has widened the pool of potential providers, reduced wait times for appointments, and helped more people get the care they need.
But with all of the new teletherapy platforms to choose from, how do you know which one to go with? There are so many factors that go into this choice, from insurance coverage and provider specialty to scheduling and preferred approaches.
In this guide, we’re taking a deep dive into Rula versus Headway to help you choose the right platform for your mental health.
Differences at a glance
Average cost per session
Rula: $15
Headway: $20–$50
Practicing therapists
Rula: Over 21,000
Headway: Over 60,000
Modes of communication
Rula: Primarily video software, some options for in-person sessions
Headway: Primarily video software, some options for in-person sessions
Services offered
Rula: Individual, couples, family, child, and teen therapy, as well as psychiatric care (medication management)
Headway: Individual, couples, family, child, and teen therapy, as well as psychiatric care (medication management)
Insurance acceptance
States covered
Rula: All 50 states, plus Washington, D.C
Headway: All 50 states, plus Washington, D.C.
Number of specialties offered
Inclusivity and patient focus
Rula: 51% of providers in Rula's network are Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC), and the providers in Rula's network speak over 40 different languages.
Headway: 38% of providers in Headway’s network are Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC), and the providers in Headway’s network speak 56 different languages.
Access and flexibility
Rula: Rula helps thousands of people access affordable, quality mental healthcare every week with online video appointments available as soon as tomorrow.
Headway: At Headway, 74% of first-time patients are seen
within 5 business days or less from booking, and it takes 3.8 days to access care, on average.
Rula at a glance
Rula’s mission is to make mental healthcare work for everyone. This mission goes beyond increasing access to vital services. Rula is also committed to driving measurable outcomes through compassionate, evidence-based treatment. About 82% of Rula patients report making meaningful progress within 8 weeks.
With Rula, you get access to a nationwide network of 21,000 licensed mental health providers representing more than 180 clinical specialties and types of therapy. Whether you need individual, couples, or family therapy and/or psychiatric services, Rula can connect you with a provider who understands the issues you’re facing.
To begin, Rula will verify your insurance coverage. Then, you’ll provide your age, location, contact information, and the type of care you’re interested in. From there, you can begin browsing your personalized provider matches. You can filter by speciality, gender, availability, treatment approach, language, race, and more. Once you make a selection, you can schedule your first appointment for as soon as tomorrow.
Headway at a glance
Headway is a nationwide teletherapy platform that helps people access in-network mental healthcare. According to its website, the company has a network of over 60,000 licensed therapists and psychiatrists and has facilitated more than 25 million sessions.
Like Rula, Headway can connect you with a provider based on your location, needs, and preferences. Headway also offers individual, couples, and family therapy, as well as psychiatric support. When you sign up, you’ll include the following information to match you with a provider:
Zip code or location
Insurance
Who you’re finding care for (yourself, you and a partner, your child, your family, or someone else)
Type of care you're interested in (therapy, medication, or both)
Gender identity
Ethnicity
Virtual or in-person care preference
Top three mental health concerns
Life stage and transitions
Identity and community
Providers on Headway accept 70+ of the nation’s top insurance plans. The company’s platform can reduce mental healthcare costs by making it easier to find an in-network provider.
Rula clinical outcomes vs. Headway
Measuring clinical outcomes is a way to scientifically verify the impact of a mental health treatment or intervention. As of this writing, Headway has not published clinical outcomes data. But, as of 2024, its provider network has served more than one million people.
Since Headway’s outcomes data is unavailable, we can’t compare it to Rula’s outcomes data directly. However, research shows that Rula’s clinical outcomes are more than 10% better than other national groups (like Headway), on average. This statistic reflects the number of Rula patients who:
Experienced improvements in symptoms of depression and/or anxiety
Had clinically meaningful improvement from their first to final visit
Had their symptoms decrease by 50% after 8 weeks of care
Experienced any reduction in symptoms by the time they ended care
Cost and insurance coverage
You can pay for Rula or Headway’s services with an HSA, FSA, or via self-pay. But using health insurance (if you have it) can make mental health support considerably more affordable.
Your final out-of-pocket cost for therapy or psychiatric services will depend on the details of your plan. So it’s always best to call the number on the back of your insurance card or contact your insurer to verify your coverage.
Insurance accepted by therapists on Rula
Insurance accepted by therapists on Headway
Keep in mind that the relationship between teletherapy platforms and insurance companies can change. So if you don’t see your insurer listed here, either company may be able to help you verify your coverage. For example, with Rula, you can get a personalized estimate of your cost in seconds. Rula patients who use insurance typically pay between $0 and $25 per session.*
Headway will also help you estimate your cost per session, but you may not get a final statement until after your first appointment. By providing your insurance details before booking, you’ll receive an estimated price, which is typically $20 to $50 per session. Knowing your financial obligations ahead of time can prevent surprise bills and help you make informed decisions about your care.
Another difference to be aware of is that, with Headway, you’ll only be able to book with in-network providers. Rula allows you to book with out-of-network providers but will not bill your insurance directly. If you see an out-of-network provider with Rula, you can submit your bill to your insurance for possible reimbursement, or you can self-pay.
*Actual cost may vary based on your insurance benefits and deductible. Rula will provide you with a personalized cost estimate prior to your first appointment.
Mental health services offered
No matter the condition you’re living with, teletherapy can make it easier to find the services you need. Both Rula and Headway offer:
Because both companies have extensive provider networks, they can help you access specialized therapeutic approaches based on your diagnosis, needs, and preferences. Some of the treatment approaches offered by Headway and Rula are listed below.
At both companies, these services are delivered by licensed, vetted mental health professionals. This might include clinical psychologists, therapists, social workers, or a mix of providers with different credentials, depending on the state where the provider is licensed to practice.
Rula offers specialized services for treating anxiety disorders, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), substance use disorders (SUDs), and 90+ additional conditions. Headway offers support for similar conditions as well.
Treatment approaches offered by therapists on Rula
Most common approaches
Behavioral therapy
Insight-oriented approaches
Relationship-based approaches
Experiential therapy
Humanistic therapy
Treatment approaches offered by therapists on Headway
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
Strength-based therapy
Trauma-focused CBT
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
Attachment-based family therapy
Behavioral couples therapy
Bowen family systems
Cognitive behavioral conjoint therapy for PTSD
Cognitive behavioral family therapy
Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)
Emotion-focused therapy (EFT)
Family-focused therapy (FFT)
Family-based treatment for eating disorders
Gottman Method / Gottman couples counseling
Integrative behavioral couple therapy (IBCT)
Milan systemic therapy
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT)
Motivational interviewing
Multi-systemic therapy (MST)
Multidimensional family therapy
Narrative therapy
Parent management training (PMT)
Parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT)
Psychodynamic therapy
Psychoeducational family therapy
Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT)
Solution-focused couples therapy
Strategic family therapy
Structural family therapy
Inclusivity and specialized care
Historically, it’s been harder for underserved groups — like women, LGBTQ+ people, and Black, Indigenous, or people of color (BIPOC) — to access mental health support due to institutionalized discrimination. Headway and Rula have taken steps to dismantle these barriers by diversifying their provider networks.
At Rula, providers speak more than 40 different languages, and 51% of the provider network identifies as BIPOC. At Headway, 40% of providers identify as BIPOC, and its network represents more than 57 languages.
In addition to making therapy more inclusive, Rula and Headway are also making it easier to access specialized care. For example, the providers in Rula's network specialize in more than 90 different conditions, including the above conditions plus conditions like ADHD, anxiety disorders, autism, PTSD, OCD, SUDs, and many more. At Headway, 73% of providers specialize in high-need areas, like SUDs, PTSD, and child/adolescent care.
Provider access
Providers on Rula and Headway offer in-person care in some locations, including in all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. for Rula. But for the most part, providers use video-conferencing software to meet with patients remotely. Virtual care from Rula and Headway is available in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
At Rula, providers meet with clients over Zoom, a secure, HIPAA-compliant online video platform, through Rula’s proprietary patient portal. Before your first session, it’s recommended that you download the Zoom app to your phone, tablet, or computer. But you’ll also have the option to join the session from your browser. With Rula, you can schedule an appointment in as little as 3 minutes, and online appointments are available as soon as tomorrow. Most Rula clients have their first appointment within three days.
One difference to be aware of, in terms of access, is that Headway has its own video-conferencing tool called Headway Telehealth. This is a secure, HIPAA-compliant video platform designed for virtual appointments. However, therapists on Headway also have the option to use another compliant platform. Thanks to this technology and a broad network, 74% of first-time Headway patients are seen
within 5 business days of booking.
Embracing flexibility
Regardless of the platform, a major advantage of teletherapy is its flexibility. Some telehealth providers offer appointment times outside of the typical 9–5 window. This can make it easier to fit therapy into your schedule. You can also switch therapists easily if you feel like you’d prefer to try working with someone else. Both Rula and Headway offer support for clients who would like to make a provider change.
If you need to cancel your appointment with Rula or Headway, be sure to familiarize yourself with their policies. For example, Rula will apply a fee to your account if you miss an appointment or cancel an appointment within 24 hours of the appointment start time. At Headway, providers set their own cancellation policies. Your provider will outline how much you’ll be charged if you cancel within a certain window of time (typically 24 to 48 hours before the session).
Summary: Is Rula or Headway right for you?
Rula and Headway offer convenient, compassionate mental healthcare to individuals, couples, and families across the U.S. Their large networks mean that, no matter your location, you can access the specialized, culturally competent care you deserve. So how do you know which platform is right for you?
These organizations’ services overlap in many ways, and they can both provide life-changing support. Rula might be a fit for people who value transparency in clinical outcomes data, provider diversity, and specialized care. But thanks to its partnerships with more than 70 health insurance plans, Headway can also be a great option for care.
Rula FAQs
Will the care you receive with Rula be effective?
There’s no way to predict exactly how someone will respond to mental health treatment. But according to their outcomes data, Rula patients typically report starting to feel better after just three sessions, and 82% of Rula patients report making meaningful progress within 8 weeks.
Does Rula accept insurance?
Yes! Rula partners with most major insurance carriers. The specific plans accepted may vary by state and network. Rula’s team will help you verify your coverage before your first visit so you understand your out-of-pocket costs.
What does the average Rula session cost?
Rula patients pay an average of $15 per session using insurance. Actual cost may vary based on your insurance benefits and deductible. Rula will provide you with a personalized quote before your first appointment.
How long does it take to get an appointment with Rula?
With Rula, you won’t wait weeks or months to get an appointment with a therapist or psychiatric provider. Online appointments are available as soon as tomorrow, and most Rula patients meet with a provider within 5 days.
Finding care
Thanks to technology, it’s easier to access mental healthcare than ever before. But with so many companies to choose from, it can be hard to know which one is right for you. Rula and Headway are teletherapy platforms that offer therapy and psychiatric services. They provide effective, affordable digital care for individuals, couples, and families.
Both Rula and Headway are committed to partnering with major insurance companies to reduce the cost of treatment. But with outcomes data that’s over 10% better than other national teletherapy platforms, Rula’s evidence-based approach means that its patients typically report starting to feel better after just three sessions. No matter which platform you choose, know that healing is possible and you can strengthen your mental health with the right support.
