Alma
Insurance credentialing + AI notes + EHR for therapists at $125/month with higher negotiated reimbursement rates and weekly payments.
Cost to join
$95/month (annual) or $125/month
Pricing model
per provider month
Founded
2018
Overview
Alma is an all-in-one platform for independent therapists that bundles insurance credentialing, in-network billing, AI session note-taking, EHR, scheduling, telehealth, and a client-facing therapist directory—all for $125/month (or $95/month billed annually). Alma credentials therapists with major insurers including Aetna, Cigna, Optum, Anthem, and select Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in under 45 days—3x faster than the average process. The platform often negotiates $10-30 higher reimbursement rates per session than therapists achieve through solo credentialing. Alma pays therapists weekly, eliminating long waits for insurance reimbursement. The AI notes feature processes telehealth session recordings for documentation (in-person sessions not supported). In January 2026, Alma was acquired by Spring Health, bringing it within one of the largest mental health platforms in the market. The platform replaces the need for separate credentialing services ($100-300/month), EHR software ($49-99/month), and directory listings ($30-50/month).
Best for
- ✓Independent therapists wanting predictable flat monthly fee ($125/month) over revenue sharing
- ✓Telehealth-focused clinicians who can use AI notes (video sessions only)
- ✓Solo practitioners wanting integrated EHR + billing + credentialing in one platform
- ✓Clinicians wanting transparent pricing where you keep 100% of reimbursements
- ✓Therapists who value weekly payments and community resources (CE, peer networking)
Not ideal for
- !Therapists wanting a completely free platform (use Headway or Grow Therapy)
- !Clinicians doing primarily in-person sessions (AI notes only work for video)
- !Providers affected by late 2024 Optum rate cuts (rates reduced industry-wide)
- !Those building fully independent practice (credentials still belong to Alma)
- !Practitioners in areas with saturated Alma directory coverage
- !Clinicians who may leave and need portable credentials
Pricing details
No free trial. Replaces separate credentialing services ($100-300/month), EHR software ($49-99/month), and directory listings ($30-50/month). Alma often negotiates $10-30 higher reimbursement rates per session than solo credentialing.
HeyPsych Fairness Rating
58/100
Overall fairness score
pay fairness
You keep 100% of reimbursements (flat $125/month fee instead of revenue cut)
credential portability
Credentials stay with Alma. Must re-credential if you leave (60-120 days)
compensation transparency
100% transparent: $125/month flat fee, keep 100% of reimbursements. Know exact costs upfront
rate stability
November 2024 Optum cuts affected providers significantly
clinician founded
Tech-founded by Harry Ritter (ex-Oscar Health)
payment speed
Weekly payments
benefits protections
AI notes (video only), EHR, CE resources, community
HeyPsych Fairness Rating v1.0: Weighted score across pay fairness (30%), credential portability (20%), compensation transparency (15%), rate stability (15%), clinician-founded (10%), payment speed (5%), and benefits (5%). Scale: A (80-100), B (65-79), C (50-64), D (35-49), F (<35).
What to watch out for
credential portability
Issue: Credentials belong to Alma, not you
Impact: If you leave Alma, you lose panel access and must re-credential independently (60-120 day gap)
Mitigation: Consider dual-credentialing independently if building long-term independent practice
optum rate cuts
Issue: November 2024 Optum/UHC rate reductions affected Alma providers
Impact: Some therapists saw reimbursements drop significantly with little notice
Platform providers have no direct negotiating power—Alma negotiates on your behalf
ai notes limitation
Issue: AI notes only work for telehealth video sessions
Impact: In-person therapists get zero benefit from this feature
monthly fee commitment
Issue: $125/month (or $95/month annual) is owed regardless of caseload
Impact: During slow months or practice building, you pay whether seeing clients or not
spring health acquisition
Acquired by Spring Health in January 2026
directory saturation
Issue: Some markets have many Alma providers in directory
Impact: New joiners may not get as many client referrals in competitive areas
Mitigation: Don't rely solely on Alma directory—build your own referral network
Frequently asked questions
How much does Alma cost for therapists?
Alma costs $125/month or $95/month when billed annually ($1,140/year). No free trial. You keep 100% of reimbursements (unlike revenue-sharing platforms). The fee is owed monthly regardless of caseload—factor this into your breakeven calculation.
How fast is credentialing through Alma?
Alma credentials therapists in under 45 days—3x faster than solo credentialing. However, these credentials belong to Alma. If you leave, you must re-credential independently (60-120 day process with potential income gap).
Does Alma negotiate higher reimbursement rates?
Alma claims to negotiate $10-30 higher rates than solo credentialing. However, late 2024 Optum rate cuts affected Alma providers significantly. Platform-negotiated rates can change without your input.
What happened with Optum rates in 2024?
In November 2024, Optum/UHC implemented rate cuts that reduced some Alma provider reimbursements. Because Alma negotiates on your behalf, providers had no direct say in these changes—a key tradeoff of platform credentialing.
Does Alma's AI notes work for in-person sessions?
No. Alma's AI notes only work for telehealth video sessions conducted through their platform. In-person therapists won't benefit from this feature and would need a separate AI scribe solution.
What happens if I leave Alma?
Your insurance credentials stay with Alma. You'd need to re-credential independently (60-120 days). Clients may or may not follow—those who found you via Alma's directory might simply find another in-network provider.
How does Alma compare to Headway and Grow?
Alma charges $125/month flat while Headway and Grow take undisclosed revenue cuts. Alma includes EHR and AI notes (video only). All three experienced 2024 Optum cuts. None give you portable credentials. Alma pays weekly; Headway bi-weekly; Grow weekly.
Company info
- Headquarters
- New York, New York, USA
- Employees
- 200-500
- Funding status
- Acquired (Spring Health, January 2026)
- Total raised
- $220M+ (pre-acquisition)
- Valuation
- $700M+ (pre-acquisition, 2022)
- Latest round
- Series D (2022) ($130M)
- Clinician-founded
- No
Founders
Harry Ritter
CEO & Founder
Healthcare tech entrepreneur, previously at Oscar Health and Bridgewater
Key investors
Insight Partners, Optum Ventures, Primary Venture Partners, Tusk Venture Partners
Spring Health (acquirer) was valued at $2.5B in 2022. Alma's acquisition brings combined platform scale.