TherapyAppointment vs SimplePractice
A detailed, side-by-side comparison of two leading EMR platforms for mental health therapists, covering real pricing (including the fees most sites don't mention), features, and which platform fits your practice.
Every feature. One transparent price.
Starts at $10/month. Free trial includes every feature. Free live support, free onboarding, free ERA posting, and no fees for reminders, faxes, or e-signatures.
Polished interface with room to grow
Starts at $49/month. Well-designed platform trusted by 250,000+ practitioners. Add-ons like AI notes and ePrescribing raise the effective monthly cost.
Quick answers
SimplePractice: $49/mo
SP: 30 days, plan-limited
SP: claims "HIPAA-compliant"
SP: $0.25/claim
SP: $35/mo flat add-on
SP: email, chat, phone
SP: $0.25/claim
Pricing breakdown
TherapyAppointment prices by session volume, a model that keeps costs low while a practice is building. SimplePractice prices by feature tier. The numbers below are from each platform's official pricing page as of June 2026.
Session-based pricing, all features included
Always free: Appointment reminders · ERAs · Faxes · E-signatures · Document storage · Secure messaging · Client portal · SOAP & HIPAA templates · Onboarding support · Live customer support
Feature-tiered pricing
Mandatory fees: Annual CPT code access $20/clinician/year
Feature comparison
All features verified against official product documentation and pricing pages for both platforms, June 2026.
| Feature | TherapyAppointment | SimplePractice | Pricing & trial |
|---|---|---|
| Free trial | Every feature, 30 days | 30 days, plan-limited |
| Starting price | $10/month | $49/month |
| Electronic claims cost | $0.15/claim | $0.25/claim |
| Appointment reminders | Free, unlimited | SMS $0.04/text |
| Secure client messaging | Free, unlimited | Included (varies by plan) |
| Annual CPT code fee | None | $20/clinician/year |
| Fax, ERA, e-signature fees | Always free | ERA free; fax varies |
| Clinical documentation | ||
| Session notes (SOAP/DAP/Progress) | Included | Included |
| Free SOAP & HIPAA templates | Free library | Templates available |
| Treatment plans | Included | Included |
| AI-assisted notes & summaries | $0.59/note (pay per use) | Care Aide +$35/mo flat |
| Measurement-based care | Basic | Included |
| Customizable forms & templates | Included | Extensive |
| Billing & insurance | ||
| Electronic insurance claims (EDI) | $0.15/claim | $0.25/claim |
| Automatic ERA posting | Free | Included |
| Insurance benefits verification | $0.07/lookup | Available (rate varies) |
| Automated billing & payments | Included | Included |
| Credit card processing | 2.9% + $0.30 | 3.15% + $0.30 |
| Superbills | Included | Included |
| ePrescribing | $65/mo + $110 setup | $49/mo + $89 setup |
| Scheduling & client portal | ||
| Online client self-scheduling | Included | Included |
| Automated intake & e-signatures | Included | Included |
| Calendar sync | Google, iCal, Outlook | Google, iCal, Outlook |
| Secure client portal | Free | Included |
| Telehealth (video sessions) | $15/mo per provider | Included from Essential |
| Telehealth group sessions | Up to 49 | Supported |
| Practice management | ||
| Multiple practice locations | Included | Included |
| Financial & data reporting | Included | Plus plan |
| Custom branding / white-label | Not available | Plus plan |
| Free therapist directory listing | Therapist Finder | TherapyFinder (separate) |
| Group practice supervision tools | Included | Included |
| Mobile app | iOS & Android | iOS & Android |
| No annual contract | Month-to-month | Month-to-month |
| Support & compliance | ||
| HIPAA alignment | HIPAA aligned | Claims "HIPAA-compliant" |
| Free live customer support | Every plan, including trial | Email, chat, phone (plan-dependent) |
| Free onboarding assistance | Included | Help center & tutorials |
| Data not sold to third parties | Confirmed | Confirmed |
Pros and cons
- Lowest starting price in the category, $10/month
- Free 30-day trial with every feature unlocked, no restrictions
- All features included at every tier; no upsells once subscribed
- AI notes available pay-per-use ($0.59/note), cost-effective for lower volume
- Claims cost 40% less than SimplePractice ($0.15 vs $0.25)
- Free live support and free onboarding at every plan level
- No fees for reminders, ERAs, faxes, e-signatures, or document storage
- Free therapist directory listing to attract new clients
- Founded by a psychologist, built around real therapy workflows
- Longest-standing mental health EMR; 20,000+ therapists
- Donates profits to NAMI, RAINN, and Open Path
- AI notes are pay-per-use ($0.59/note), higher cost for high-volume practices than SP's flat rate
- Telehealth is a separate add-on ($15/mo), while SP includes it in Essential
- ePrescribing is more expensive than SimplePractice ($65/mo vs $49/mo)
- Fewer customization options than SimplePractice for advanced group reporting
- No white-label or custom branding
- Polished, modern interface, 250,000+ practitioners trust the platform
- Telehealth included from the Essential plan ($79/mo)
- Broader professional support, dietitians, SLPs, OTs, and more
- Strong multi-provider and group practice tooling
- AI flat-rate add-on ($35/mo) is cost-effective for high-volume note-takers
- Measurement-based care and outcome tracking built in
- Custom branding available on Plus plan
- ePrescribing is cheaper per provider ($49/mo vs $65/mo)
- Starting price is nearly 5x higher than TherapyAppointment ($49 vs $10)
- Free trial is plan-limited, add-ons still cost extra during the trial
- Claims cost 67% more per submission ($0.25 vs $0.15)
- AI note-taking ($35/mo) and ePrescribing add $504 to $888+/year to the bill
- Mandatory annual CPT code fee ($20/clinician/year) often overlooked
- SMS reminder fees and higher credit card processing rate (3.15% vs 2.9%)
- Effective cost can rise significantly as features and clinicians are added
Who should choose which
You want every feature, without the recurring add-on bills
- You're building or growing a private practice and want to keep overhead low
- You file insurance claims regularly and want the lowest per-claim cost
- You want to try the complete platform free before committing
- Free live support and onboarding matter to you
- You use AI notes occasionally and prefer pay-per-use over a flat monthly fee
- You want no surprise fees for reminders, faxes, or ERAs
- You value a platform built specifically for mental health by a therapist
You want a premium, widely-adopted platform
- You use AI note-taking heavily and a flat $35/month is more cost-effective for you
- You want telehealth bundled into your plan without a separate add-on
- You run a multi-provider group practice needing advanced reporting
- You serve wellness professionals beyond therapy (dietitians, SLPs, OTs)
- Custom practice branding is important to you
- You need ePrescribing and want the lower per-provider rate ($49/mo)
Frequently asked questions
In most scenarios, yes, significantly so. TherapyAppointment starts at $10/month versus SimplePractice's $49/month Starter plan. For a full-time solo therapist, TherapyAppointment's $59/month unlimited tier compares to SimplePractice's Essential plan at $79/month. Add the per-claim cost difference ($0.15 vs $0.25), the mandatory $20/year CPT code fee, SMS reminder charges, and higher credit card processing rate, and SimplePractice's effective monthly cost is considerably higher than its headline price suggests.
Yes. TherapyAppointment's 30-day free trial provides full, unrestricted access to every feature on the platform, no plan tiers, no feature gates. SimplePractice's 30-day trial gives access to the features of the plan you select, meaning features on higher plans and add-ons like AI note-taking ($35/month extra) are not accessible unless you pay for them.
Yes. TherapyAppointment's AI Notes feature generates draft session notes, treatment plans, and session summaries at $0.59 per chart note with unlimited free edits. This pay-per-use model is cost-effective for therapists who use AI notes selectively. SimplePractice offers its Care Aide AI note-taking as a flat $35/month add-on per clinician, more economical if you generate notes daily.
Yes. Free live customer support is included at every pricing tier, including during the free trial. TherapyAppointment also includes free onboarding assistance. Support covers technical questions, insurance billing help, and general platform guidance, at no extra charge.
Because "HIPAA-compliant" is not a certification that can be independently verified or awarded to any software company. HIPAA compliance is ultimately the responsibility of the covered entity (the practice), not the software vendor. TherapyAppointment uses the more precise term "HIPAA aligned" to accurately describe its security infrastructure, data handling practices, and BAA availability, without making a claim that cannot be substantiated.
TherapyAppointment charges $0.15 per electronic claim. SimplePractice charges $0.25 per claim. For a practice filing 200 claims per month, that's $30/month with TherapyAppointment versus $50/month with SimplePractice, a difference of $240/year in claim fees alone, before any other cost differences are counted.
Both platforms support group practices. TherapyAppointment's Group plan starts at $59/month plus $39/month per additional clinician, and includes multiple locations, supervisor sign-off workflows, per-clinician financial reporting, and customizable staff access levels. SimplePractice's Plus plan ($99/month) offers more advanced reporting and white-label branding options. For practices that need extensive customization or branding, SimplePractice's Plus tier has an edge. For practices that want straightforward multi-clinician tools at a lower per-seat cost, TherapyAppointment is competitive.
Yes. TherapyAppointment offers a 30-day free trial with every feature unlocked and no credit card required. SimplePractice offers a 30-day free trial on any plan (also no credit card required), with features limited to the plan selected. Both platforms are month-to-month with no cancellation fees.
This comparison page is published by TherapyAppointment. All pricing and feature data are sourced directly from each platform's official website as of June 2026. TherapyAppointment uses HIPAA-aligned practices; "HIPAA-compliant" is not an independently certifiable designation for software vendors.
Verify current pricing with each vendor before purchasing. Neither platform sells user data to third parties.