How Much Does Acupuncture Cost in California?
How much does acupuncture cost typically in California?
You've heard about acupuncture, how it works, and what it can do for your fertility, but now you're wondering,
'How much does acupuncture cost?'
There are three things that will determine the price of treatments, including:
Where you live
The type of clinic you choose
The practitioner’s level of training and specialization.
In California, acupuncture pricing can vary widely. Initial acupuncture visits typically range from $100–$300, while follow-up visits generally range from $70–$160. In the San Francisco Bay Area, where the cost of living and operating a healthcare practice is higher, fees often fall toward the upper end of that range.
While cost is an important consideration, understanding what’s included in an acupuncture visit can help you make a more informed and confident decision.
What Factors Influence the Cost of Acupuncture?
Price Factor #1: Private Acupuncture Clinics vs. Community Acupuncture Clinics
One of the biggest factors affecting acupuncture pricing is the clinic model.
Community acupuncture clinics offer treatments in a shared space with multiple patients receiving care at the same time. These clinics are typically more affordable because practitioners can treat several people simultaneously. However, visits are usually shorter and involve limited one-on-one time with your acupuncturist.
Private acupuncture clinics, like East Bay Acupuncture, provide treatments in a private room where you can fully relax without distractions. Each visit includes dedicated time with your practitioner to discuss symptoms, progress, and treatment goals. This individualized approach allows for more personalized care, especially for complex or evolving health concerns.
Price Factor #2: Experience and Specialization of the Acupuncturist
Not all acupuncture practices are the same. Many acupuncturists are generalists, while others pursue advanced training in specific areas such as:
Pain management
Specialists often charge higher fees because of the additional education, mentorship, and certifications they have completed beyond acupuncture school. This advanced training can be especially valuable for those who need experienced fertility support with things like diminished ovarian reserve, endometriosis, or even PCOS, or for those looking for prenatal care from someone who has attended births and studied with midwives and doulas, where nuanced care matters.
At East Bay Acupuncture, we specialize in fertility acupuncture, prenatal acupuncture, women’s health, and hormone balance. While acupuncture school includes one core course in obstetrics and gynecology, meaningful expertise in fertility and pregnancy requires extensive post-graduate education. Our team attended the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Five Branches University, two highly regarded Bay Area acupuncture schools.
All of our practitioners, Laura Stropes, Aimee Ruiz, and Dr. Nadia Moredo, are fellows of ABORM (Acupuncture and TCM Board of Reproductive Medicine). This advanced board certification involves rigorous coursework, mentorship, and comprehensive examinations in both Eastern and Western reproductive medicine, allowing us to integrate acupuncture seamlessly with conventional fertility care when needed.
Price Factor #3: Location of the Acupuncture Clinic
Geography also plays a significant role in acupuncture pricing.
Clinics located in major metropolitan areas generally have higher operating costs, including rent, insurance, and staffing. These factors naturally influence session pricing.
Our clinic is based in Oakland, California, in the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area. Acupuncture is widely accepted here as part of integrative healthcare, and many patients seek specialized care to support fertility, pregnancy, and stress-related conditions like migraines, TMJ, anxiety, and body tension. Our pricing reflects both the cost of providing high-quality care and the level of expertise offered by our team.
Does Insurance Cover Acupuncture in California?
Do you want the good news first or the bad news? Some insurance plans in California do offer acupuncture benefits, though coverage varies widely depending on the provider and diagnosis.
Certain plans like Cigna, United Healthcare, and Anthem Blue Cross may cover acupuncture for pain management, while fertility acupuncture is often considered out-of-network or self-pay services. We hope someday this will shift, but until then, we always recommend checking with your insurance on your exact benefits before you get started with treatment.
Many patients choose acupuncture even without insurance coverage because of the personalized care, holistic approach, and long-term health benefits it provides. Since we do not bill insurance at East Bay Acupuncture, our team is always happy to discuss payment options with you.
FSA and HSA cards cover acupuncture, including fertility acupuncture.
Here is the good news! If you have an FSA or HSA account, you can use it for acupuncture. Being able to use these accounts for fertility acupuncture is a huge plus for our clients, and we are so happy that they are able to use their cards at our office.
RELATED: Why Choosing A Fertility Specialist Matters
How Much Do Acupuncture Packages Cost?
Many acupuncture clinics offer treatment packages to make ongoing care more affordable and accessible.
Packages typically include discounts such as:
10 visits for the price of 9
These packages encourage consistent treatment, which is essential for achieving meaningful results with acupuncture, especially for fertility support, hormone regulation, and chronic conditions. Acupuncture treatments work cumulatively, and consistency is key. If you have your treatments too far apart, you won’t get lasting results. Instead, having treatments weekly to twice weekly when you first start out, we get a chance to make more lasting shifts and affect real change in your body.
At East Bay Acupuncture, I often recommend packages for patients who are:
Actively trying to conceive
Preparing for IVF
Supporting a healthy pregnancy
Working on long-standing health concerns
Regular, consistent care allows acupuncture to work with your body over time, rather than as a one-time intervention.
RELATED: How Many Acupuncture Visits Do I Need?
Is Acupuncture Worth the Cost?
For many patients, acupuncture is an investment in long-term health and well-being. Rather than simply addressing symptoms, acupuncture aims to support balance in the nervous system, hormones, circulation, and overall vitality.
Patients often seek acupuncture for:
Fertility and IVF support
Pregnancy discomfort and prenatal care
Hormonal imbalances
Stress, anxiety, and burnout
Pain and chronic conditions
Choosing the right practitioner, one who listens, specializes, and collaborates with your broader healthcare team, can make a meaningful difference in both outcomes and experience.
RELATED: Your Ideal Treatment Plan for IVF
Choosing the Right Acupuncture Clinic in the Bay Area
When comparing acupuncture prices, consider more than just the cost per session.
Ask about:
Practitioner experience and certifications
Areas of specialization
Length and structure of appointments
Treatment environment and privacy
Recommended treatment frequency
At East Bay Acupuncture, we are committed to providing thoughtful, evidence-informed, and compassionate care in a calm, supportive setting. Our goal is to help you feel cared for, informed, and supported at every stage of your health journey.
If you’re considering acupuncture in Oakland or the greater Bay Area and would like to learn more about pricing, packages, or whether acupuncture is right for you, we invite you to schedule a consultation with our team.