Alter
Alter is a Russian online platform founded in 2017 that uses an algorithm developed with PI RAO to match individuals and corporate employees with a curated network of 1,000+ verified psychologists, serving 15,300 active users and 300+ companies across Russia.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersMoscow, Russia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Alter does
Alter (ООО «Альтер») is a Russian online psychotherapy platform founded in 2017 and headquartered in Moscow, with its legal entity registered in St. Petersburg. The company operates alter.ru, a web-based SaaS platform built on Python, JavaScript, React, and Django, that matches individuals seeking psychological support with a curated network of 1,000+ verified psychologists (8.9 years average experience) using a proprietary automated matching algorithm co-developed with PI RAO (Psychological Institute of the Russian Academy of Education) — the only research institute in Russia studying psychotherapy effectiveness. The algorithm is registered in the Russian Register of Computer Programs (No. 2024689420, dated 06.12.2024) and accepts only 6% of applicant psychologists (13% for B2B), underwriting reported quality metrics of a 8.9/10 average therapy rating, 90% first-match success rate, and 8/9 clients reporting improvement within the first month. To date the platform has facilitated 615,000+ sessions and currently serves 15,300 active users.
Alter runs a dual go-to-market motion: a self-serve consumer flow (5-minute questionnaire → algorithmic matching → booking and video sessions) priced from 2,000 RUB per session on a transaction-fee basis, complemented by gift certificates and discounted subscriptions; and an enterprise B2B channel (Alter B2B sub-brand) where a dedicated sales team onboards corporate clients (300+ companies, 1,200+ psychologists in the B2B pool, 2,000+ corporate sessions per month) on flexible subscription contracts where payment is taken only for sessions actually conducted. Complementary products include 50+ psychological self-assessment tests, children's and adolescent psychology services, team diagnostics built on WHO criteria, an introductory psychotherapy course, and a Telegram support bot. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; the company is privately held with no institutional investors or funding rounds identified in the available data, and is led by co-founder Olga Kitaina and Clinical Director Anastasia Chertkova. The business is geographically concentrated in Russia with presence across Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, and Krasnodar.
Alter firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Alter
- Legal name
- Общество с ограниченной ответственностью «Альтер» (ООО «Альтер»)
- Website
- https://alter.ru
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Alter is a Russian online platform founded in 2017 that uses an algorithm developed with PI RAO to match individuals and corporate employees with a curated network of 1,000+ verified psychologists, serving 15,300 active users and 300+ companies across Russia.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Alter industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Psychotherapy
- NAICS
- Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)
- SIC
- Services-Home Health Care Services (8082)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Neurodevelopmental & Behavioral Therapy Platforms (ADHD/Autism/Behavioral Coaching) (HLALAEAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Second Opinion & Expert Matching Platforms (HLALALAC)
Keywords
Where Alter is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Moscow
- HQ country
- Russia
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Alter business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Individual therapy sessions: Transaction-based revenue from individual therapy sessions. Sessions start from 2,000₽ per session. Users can also purchase gift certificates or subscriptions at discounted rates.
- Corporate B2B subscriptions: Companies pay for employee access to the service with flexible compensation models. Employers can compensate fully or partially for one or multiple sessions. Payment is taken only for actually conducted sessions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual therapy sessions from verified psychologists |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels11 records
Alter product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Alter operates an online platform that matches individual clients with verified psychologists through a proprietary algorithm developed with PI RAO. The platform enables users to book individual therapy sessions (online and offline) starting from 2,000₽ and offers a separate corporate B2B program providing employee psychological support, coaching, team diagnostics, webinars, and training to 300+ companies.
Product overview
Alter is an online psychologist matching platform that connects individuals with verified psychological therapists. The core offering consists of the Alter platform for personal psychological consultations (with 1,000+ verified psychologists, 8.9/10 average therapy quality rating, and 615,000+ sessions conducted since 2017) and the Alter B2B module for corporate mental health support. The platform operates a portfolio of complementary services including psychological assessment tools (50+ tests), an introductory psychotherapy course, a comprehensive therapy approach guide, gift certificates, children's psychology services, and a directory of free psychological help resources. The company also provides a Telegram-based support bot. All services are delivered through an automated recommendation engine developed with PI RAO research institute.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Alter B2B: Corporate psychological support service for businesses, providing employee assistance programs, team diagnostics, and corporate training.
Products and services
- Alter Online Therapy Platform Online platform for matching individuals with 1,000+ verified psychologists for therapy sessions. Users complete a 5-minute questionnaire and the algorithm recommends psychologists based on experience, approach, and user needs. Sessions available online and offline.
- Alter B2B Corporate Psychological Support Corporate mental health service providing psychological support for employees including coaching sessions, consultations with psychologists, team diagnostics, webinars, trainings, and workshops. Payment is taken only for actually conducted sessions.
- Children's Psychology Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 90% of clients find the right psychologist on first try
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Alter
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Alter technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature3 records
Alter partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- PI RAO (Psychological Institute of the Russian Academy of Education)coreCollaboration with PI RAO — the only research institute in Russia studying psychotherapy effectiveness. Jointly developed selection methodology and matching algorithm for psychologists. PI RAO provides scientific foundation for identifying factors that increase therapist effectiveness.
- HeadHunterflagshipJoint research partnership with HeadHunter on Russian employee stress levels. Published reports on how psychotherapy helps reduce employee turnover and stress in Russian workplaces.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Alter competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Headspace Health: Major digital mental wellness platform (Ginger + Headspace) offering therapy, coaching, and self-care content to both consumers and employers. Comparable in product breadth and B2B channel orientation.
- BetterHelp: Global leader in online therapy operated by Teladoc Health. Comparable business model (marketplace matching users with licensed therapists) at massive global scale, representing the international category benchmark Alter is positioned against in product design.
- Yandex.Zdorovye (Yandex Health): Yandex's consumer health and online consultation platform offering telemedicine and psychologist consultations. It is the largest direct competitor in Russia, benefiting from Yandex's traffic, brand, and capital — making it the most comparable competitor to Alter in terms of offering and target customer.
Emerging players
- Cerebral: US-based online mental health provider combining therapy with medication management. Comparable in combining matching technology with subscription-based recurring revenue and B2B employer outreach.
- Lyra Health: B2B-focused mental health benefit platform serving enterprises with EAP services. Most comparable to Alter B2B in its corporate channel design, employer integrations, and outcome-driven positioning.
Direct peers
- Calmerry: Online therapy platform offering matching with licensed therapists via video, audio, and chat. Directly comparable in product offering, pricing model, and target individual consumer segment.
- Talkspace: US-listed online therapy marketplace offering individual and couples therapy via messaging and video. Direct comparable in business model, with a strong B2B channel (employer EAP partnerships) that closely parallels Alter B2B.
- Zigmund.Online: Russian online psychotherapy platform that matches users with verified therapists for video sessions. Direct competitor in the same product category with similar business model and target customer (Russian-speaking individuals seeking therapy).
- YouTalk: Russian online psychological service providing chat- and video-based therapy sessions with licensed psychologists. Closely comparable platform serving the same Russian market with similar session-based pricing model.
Regional players
- Zorbis: Russian online psychological counseling service providing access to psychologists via the web. Regionally comparable competitor operating in the same Russian market with a similar target audience.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Alter social profiles
Digital presenceAlter financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Alter leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Alter funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Alter M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Alter
What does Alter do?
Alter operates an online platform that matches individual clients with verified psychologists through a proprietary algorithm developed with PI RAO. The platform enables users to book individual therapy sessions (online and offline) starting from 2,000₽ and offers a separate corporate B2B program providing employee psychological support, coaching, team diagnostics, webinars, and training to 300+ companies.
Is Alter a public or private company?
Alter is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Alter founded?
Alter was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Alter based?
Alter is headquartered in Moscow, Russia, in the Europe region.
How does Alter make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Individual therapy sessions are the primary driver. The others are corporate B2B subscriptions.
Who are Alter's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Headspace Health, BetterHelp and Yandex.Zdorovye (Yandex Health). Emerging players are Cerebral and Lyra Health. Direct peers are Calmerry, Talkspace, Zigmund.Online and YouTalk. Zorbis is listed as a regional player.
Does Alter have an API?
No public API is recorded for Alter.
What industry is Alter in?
Alter's product category is Online Psychotherapy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLALAEAJ, Neurodevelopmental & Behavioral Therapy Platforms (ADHD/Autism/Behavioral Coaching), with a secondary code of HLALALAC, Second Opinion & Expert Matching Platforms. Its NAICS code is 62412 and its SIC code is 8082.