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Alma vs JustiGuide: Pricing and Model, Compared Honestly

Alma is an attorney-led immigration service with flat-fee O-1 at $8,000 and EB-1A/EB-2 NIW at $10,000, including RFE/NOID response and one free refile on denial. JustiGuide is a self-serve platform with attorney review at $5,944 for guided filing. Here's exactly what each includes, verified against both companies' own pages.

ComparisonVerified from tryalma.com/pricing and JustiGuide pricing, 2026-08-20Verified 2026-08-20

Overview

The headline gap is price — JustiGuide's $5,944 guided filing sits below Alma's $8,000 O-1 — but the honest comparison is about model and inclusions, not just the number. Alma is attorney-led full service with a notably complete included-services list; JustiGuide is self-serve with attorney review at a lower price and a narrower base package.

This page states both accurately. Alma includes things JustiGuide charges separately for, and it says so; JustiGuide costs materially less, and it says that too. Every Alma figure is quoted from tryalma.com as of the verified date.

Self-petition: allowed

Both handle self-petition and sponsored paths. EB-1A and EB-2 NIW are self-petitionable at either; the O-1 requires a U.S. petitioner (employer or agent) regardless of provider, per 8 CFR § 214.2(o). The decision here is the model — attorney-led full service versus self-serve with attorney review — not who is eligible.

Criteria

What each includes, verified from both companies' own pages on 2026-08-20 (Alma's pricing can change — check tryalma.com/pricing for their current figures):

You must meet: an honest read of both, including where Alma includes more

  1. O-1 priceAlma: $8,000 flat fee ("O-1 New"). JustiGuide: $5,944 guided filing with attorney review. Roughly a $2,000 gap at the headline — before accounting for what each includes.
  2. EB-1A / NIW priceAlma: $10,000 for EB-1A and $10,000 for EB-2 NIW (Alma lists a reduced EB-2 NIW rate for applicants with an approved O-1). JustiGuide: $5,944 guided filing.
  3. RFE / NOID responseAlma: included in the flat fee ("Response to RFE and NOID"). JustiGuide: NOT included — a separate $2,000 engagement if USCIS issues one. This is a real Alma advantage; a case likely to draw an RFE narrows the effective price gap.
  4. Refile guaranteeAlma: "one free refile in case of initial denial," included. JustiGuide: no refile-on-denial guarantee. Another genuine Alma advantage, and worth weighing for a borderline profile.
  5. ModelAlma: attorney-led full service — the attorney owns the petition, and admin costs and software subscription are bundled in. JustiGuide: self-serve platform with attorney review — you assemble your evidence with the tool, an attorney reviews before filing. Different amounts of your own time for a different price.

Cost & timeline

Government fees

The same either way — USCIS filing fees (I-129 for O-1, I-140 for EB-1/NIW) plus optional premium processing are set by USCIS rule and paid on top of any provider's fee. Neither company's price includes government fees; check the live USCIS G-1055 schedule for current amounts.

Typical timeline

Broadly comparable and driven by USCIS, not by provider: weeks of evidence gathering, then drafting, then processing that premium processing can shorten to roughly 15 business days.

Alma figures quoted from tryalma.com as of 2026-08-20 and may change; JustiGuide figures are current. Not a quote for any individual case.

Doing it yourself vs. an attorney

Choose Alma's model when you want an attorney to own the whole petition and you value the complete included package — RFE/NOID response and a free refile on denial, in the flat fee. For a borderline case, or anyone who wants those protections without a separate line item, that bundle is real value and closes much of the headline price gap.

Choose JustiGuide's model when your evidence is strong and organized, when you're willing to do the assembly yourself with the platform structuring it to the criteria and an attorney reviewing before filing, and when the $5,944 price — about $2,000 below Alma's O-1 and well below its EB-1A/NIW — matters most. The honest trade is explicit: no free refile, and an RFE response is a separate $2,000 engagement, so a case likely to draw an RFE narrows the gap.

The rule that holds across the category: the weaker or messier your evidence — and so the higher your RFE and denial risk — the more Alma's included RFE response and free refile earn their premium. The stronger and cleaner your record, the more a self-serve platform captures the same approval for less. Compare on inclusions, not headlines.

Have documents for this already?

The hard part of Comparison is structuring your evidence to the criteria above. Drop your documents and our team will organize them into a JustiGuide profile mapped to each requirement — so you (and any attorney you work with) start from an organized record, not a folder of PDFs.

Organize my documents

Frequently asked questions

Is JustiGuide cheaper than Alma?
At the headline price, yes: JustiGuide's guided filing is $5,944 versus Alma's $8,000 for a new O-1 and $10,000 for EB-1A/NIW. But Alma includes RFE/NOID response and a free refile on denial in that price, which JustiGuide charges for separately or doesn't offer — so for a case likely to hit an RFE, the effective gap is smaller than the headline.
What does Alma include that JustiGuide doesn't?
Per Alma's pricing page: RFE and NOID response, one free refile on initial denial, administrative costs (FedEx, printing, postage), and a software subscription — all in the flat fee. JustiGuide's base guided filing includes attorney review but treats RFE response as a separate $2,000 engagement and offers no refile guarantee. That's the real trade for the lower price.
Does JustiGuide have a free refile like Alma?
No. Alma includes one free refile if your initial petition is denied; JustiGuide does not offer a refile-on-denial guarantee. If denial protection is decisive for you, that's a point in Alma's favor and part of what its higher price buys.
Which should I choose?
If your evidence is strong and organized and price is the priority, the self-serve model captures the same approval for less. If your case is borderline — higher RFE or denial risk — Alma's included RFE response and free refile are worth the premium, and you should weigh the effective price, not the headline. Both are legitimate; it depends on your profile.
This page compares two providers using their own publicly stated pricing as of 2026-08-20; competitor figures may change, and Alma's own site is the authority on its current terms. It is general information, not legal advice, and not affiliated with or endorsed by Alma. Trademarks belong to their owners. Whether either model fits your case is a question for a licensed immigration attorney — JustiGuide connects you with one.