Alma Review for Therapists 2025

I want to share my updated raw review of Alma in 2025. I posted a video a while back where I talked about Alma, my unfiltered thoughts, and what therapists need to know. Since then, Alma has continued to grow and change—it is, after all, a startup—and many of you have asked for an update.

So here we are. No one’s paying me for this review. I’m a therapist in private practice, and my goal is always to empower therapists with the knowledge they need to start, run, and grow their practices.

Grab your coffee or tea, and let’s dive in.

First Things First: Alma Is a Startup

At the end of the day, Alma is a startup company. Like any startup, there are pros and cons: rapid growth, heavy funding from third party investors, and constant change. This can be exciting, but it can also pose many challenges.

If you’re curious, you can dig into Alma’s funding history and back-end details (Google makes this easy). Being informed about who funds them and how they’re structured is worthwhile as you decide whether to work with them for your private practice

What Exactly Does Alma do for Therapists?

When Alma first launched, their core offering was:

• Credentialing: They handle the entire insurance credentialing process—applications, paperwork, negotiations—so therapists don’t have to.

• Billing: Claims can be submitted directly through Alma’s platform. Alma pays therapists weekly, eliminating the long wait for insurance reimbursement.

This remains their primary service, and for many therapists, it works smoothly.

A major selling point for Alma is that they are able negotiate higher reimbursement rates than individual therapists could secure alone, thanks to their size and leverage with insurance companies.

Additional Features

Over time, Alma has expanded beyond credentialing and billing. Here’s what they now offer:

• EHR: Alma’s electronic health record has evolved from bare-bones to a functional system. You can write notes, create treatment plans, and send intake packets. While some therapists use it as their main EHR, others (like me) prefer a dedicated EHR platform like SimplePractice.

• Telehealth: A built-in telehealth platform functions like Zoom, allowing for secure virtual sessions.

• AI Notetaker: Alma offers an AI-powered notetaking tool. Feedback has been mixed, but it’s there as an option.

• Directory: Therapists are listed on Alma’s directory, which gets significant traffic from people seeking therapy. Results vary—some therapists report lots of referrals, while others see fewer over time as the directory grows.

• Community: Alma provides access to an online community of therapists, hosted on Circle. It’s organized by state and offers networking opportunities.

• Continuing Education: Alma has started offering CE opportunities, though this is certainly not a primary feature.

ROI and Cost

Alma charges around $125/month (at the time of this review). For most therapists, this cost is easy to recoup—just a client or two per month can cover it.

That said, I always encourage therapists not to rely solely on directories or any single referral stream. Alma can be part of your marketing plan, but don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

Are you interested in marketing help for your practice. Schedule a free call with me today to learn more about how I help therapists market their private practices.

Common Complaints About Alma

While Alma offers a lot, it’s not without issues. Here are some common complaints I hear from therapists:

1. Slow Response Times

As Alma has grown, their support team has struggled to keep up. Many therapists report delays when they need help with credentialing, billing, or technical issues.

2. Inaccurate Benefit Estimates

Therapists often rely on Alma’s insurance benefit estimates to inform clients. Unfortunately, these estimates can sometimes be wildly inaccurate, leaving clients surprised by unexpected deductibles or co-pays. This hurts therapist credibility and adds extra work.

3. Payment Responsibility

Historically, if a client failed to pay their co-pay or deductible, Alma deducted the amount from the therapist’s payout. While Alma now requires clients to keep a credit card on file, this was a major source of frustration.

4. No Ability to Negotiate Rates

Alma negotiates reimbursement rates on behalf of therapists. While these rates are often higher than what you’d secure on your own, it removes individual autonomy. Many therapists dislike not having control over their contracts.

5. Rapid Growth and Market Impact

As Alma expands, the therapy market shifts. In saturated cities like New York, cash-pay practices find it harder to compete when Alma makes insurance acceptance so accessible. Some therapists feel this undermines private practice autonomy and reshapes the industry in ways that don’t always benefit clinicians.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, Alma does offer a lot: credentialing, billing, higher rates, EHR, telehealth, AI tools, a directory, community, and continuing ed.

But the bigger question is this: Does Alma align with your vision for your practice?

From a business perspective, if the return outweighs the $125 monthly cost, Alma might be a smart move. From a values perspective, however, you may not feel comfortable tying your practice to a fast-growing startup working closely with insurance companies.

That’s the decision each therapist has to make for themselves.

I hope this breakdown helps you feel more informed about Alma in 2025. If you have questions, drop them in the comments—I’m happy to answer and continue this conversation.