last updated september 29, 2026
Rula is an insurance-first network of licensed therapists and psychiatric providers, online and in some places in person. its pitch is cost: it says patients pay about $15 a session with insurance, and it publishes a cash rate for people without coverage ($150 a therapy session, $225 for a first psychiatry visit). if you have a plan Rula takes, that is a strong option for real treatment. veisund is free peer support by post and reply, under a handle. it is not therapy. this page is for working out which one you need.
| Rula | veisund | |
|---|---|---|
| with insurance | about $15 a session on average; Rula charges no fees of its own | free. no subscription, no ads, no insurance needed |
| without insurance | $150 individual therapy; $165 couples or family; psychiatry $225 first 60-min visit, $175 per 30-min follow-up | free |
| insurance taken | 100+ commercial plans, plus Medicare, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid in many states | not used |
| who you talk to | 23,000+ licensed therapists and psychiatric providers | other members who have been through something similar. no clinicians provide care |
| format | video, and in person with some providers | you post, members reply in the app. not live chat, so replies come when people read your post |
| medication | psychiatric providers offer medication management | none. veisund does not diagnose or prescribe |
| age | therapy ages 5+; psychiatry ages 13+ | n/a: peer support, not care |
| wait | providers who can meet as soon as tomorrow | post any time; replies depend on who is reading |
checked on 2026-09-29 against Rula's homepage and its FAQ page. the $15 figure is Rula's average with insurance; your cost depends on your deductible and plan, and Rula says it will estimate it before your first appointment. note that Rula's homepage says 120+ plans and its FAQ says 100+; the table uses the lower figure.
if you want therapy or medication management from a licensed clinician and you have insurance Rula accepts, Rula is built for exactly that, and veisund does not do it. it covers children from 5 and psychiatry from 13, offers couples and family therapy, and publishes a cash rate so people without coverage can budget. it also lets you switch clinicians if the first one is not a fit. if you are dealing with something that needs diagnosis or treatment, start there, not with a peer forum.
the $15 average is an average across Rula's patients with insurance. if you have a high deductible that has not been met, you may pay the full contracted rate until it is. without insurance, the numbers are Rula's own published cash rates: $150 for individual therapy and $165 for couples or family, and for psychiatry $225 for a 60-minute intake and $175 for each 30-minute follow-up. Rula says HSA and FSA funds work, and that with a PPO's out-of-network benefits it charges the cash rate and you can submit the receipt yourself.
veisund is a free app (iOS and Android) where you post what you are dealing with under a handle you choose, and other members reply. it is not live chat, nobody is waiting on the other end, and the community is still small, so a reply can take a while. when a reply helps, you can mark your post resolved and credit that reply. the web side is an evidence library: plain-language summaries of studies, each with its source and an evidence grade, and a lookup of drug-company payments to your own doctor from the federal Open Payments data. no one on veisund is a licensed clinician treating you, nothing is billed to insurance, and nothing is prescribed. next to Rula, the honest case is simple: it is free, it needs no insurance, and you do not have to give your name. it is not a substitute for a Rula clinician if you need one.
Rula publishes a cash rate of $150 per individual therapy session and $165 for couples or family sessions. Psychiatry is $225 for a 60-minute initial visit and $175 for each 30-minute follow-up. HSA and FSA funds can be used.
Rula says its patients typically pay $15 per session with insurance, and that Rula itself charges no fees. Your cost depends on your plan and deductible; Rula estimates it before your first appointment.
Rula says it accepts Medicare, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid in many states, alongside 100+ commercial plans. Coverage varies by state, so check your plan in Rula's search.
Yes. Rula's FAQ says its therapists treat patients ages 5 and up, and its psychiatry providers see patients 13 and older.
Not for licensed therapy. veisund is free peer support, not treatment. If cost is the issue, Rula with insurance may already be close to free for you. In a crisis, call or text 988.
free. anonymous. post any hour, and people who've been there reply. 🤍
get veisund — it's freenot sure whether what you need is a therapist or people? six questions, two minutes — no diagnosis, no email.