SimplePractice vs TherapyNotes 2026: Which EHR Wins for Therapists?
SimplePractice and TherapyNotes are the two most-recommended EHR platforms for mental health therapists in private practice. Both are purpose-built for the therapy workflow, HIPAA-compliant, and trusted by tens of thousands of providers. But they take meaningfully different approaches to documentation, billing, and user experience — and the right choice depends on how you practice. Here’s a detailed SimplePractice vs TherapyNotes comparison for 2026.
Company Background
SimplePractice launched in 2012 and has grown to become one of the most widely used practice management platforms in the mental health space, serving providers across therapy, speech, occupational therapy, and related disciplines. TherapyNotes was founded in 2010 with an exclusive focus on behavioral health and mental health — it has never expanded beyond its core specialty, which is both a limitation and a strength depending on your needs.
Pricing Comparison
SimplePractice: Starter ~$29/month (limited features), Essential ~$69/month (adds telehealth and basic billing), Plus ~$99/month (full insurance billing and Wiley integration). TherapyNotes: Solo plan starts at approximately $59/month with all core features included — telehealth, insurance billing, and documentation tools are available at the base price. For solo practitioners who need insurance billing, TherapyNotes is generally more affordable at comparable feature levels. Try SimplePractice free for 30 days here.
Documentation and Note Templates
TherapyNotes has a reputation for exceptionally detailed and well-designed therapy-specific note templates. Its progress note templates, treatment plan tools, and diagnosis documentation are widely praised by therapists as the most comprehensive in the space. The system guides you through documentation in a way that supports clinical quality and compliance. SimplePractice offers strong documentation with customizable templates and the Wiley Practice Planners integration (on Plus plan), but some providers find TherapyNotes’ structured templates more thorough for their clinical workflow.
Insurance Billing
Both platforms support electronic insurance claims filing with clearinghouse integration, real-time eligibility checking, and ERA processing. TherapyNotes includes these features at its standard pricing without requiring an upgrade tier. SimplePractice requires the Plus plan (~$99/month) for the equivalent billing functionality. For practices where insurance billing is the primary revenue model, TherapyNotes’ inclusion of billing at a lower price point is a meaningful advantage. Both platforms have strong claim submission accuracy and responsive billing support teams.
Telehealth
SimplePractice’s telehealth is available on the Essential and Plus plans and is consistently rated as reliable with good video quality. The client joins from the client portal — no separate app download required. TherapyNotes includes built-in telehealth on its standard plan. Both platforms’ video platforms are HIPAA-compliant and function well for standard therapy sessions. SimplePractice edges ahead slightly on the polish of the telehealth interface, while TherapyNotes’ inclusion at base pricing is the cost advantage.
Client Portal and Experience
SimplePractice’s client portal is one of its strongest differentiators. The client-facing interface is clean, intuitive, and easy for clients to navigate — particularly for completing intake paperwork, scheduling, and messaging. Client adoption rates are high, which reduces administrative time spent chasing paperwork. TherapyNotes’ client portal is functional but less polished, and some providers report more friction getting clients to complete digital intake forms compared to SimplePractice. For practices that prioritize client experience, SimplePractice has a clear edge here.
Customer Support
TherapyNotes consistently receives top marks for customer support across independent reviews. The company is known for responsive phone and email support with knowledgeable staff. SimplePractice has improved its support in recent years but historically received more mixed reviews on support responsiveness during high-volume periods. For providers who value being able to quickly reach a knowledgeable support person, TherapyNotes’ reputation here is worth noting.
Ease of Use and Interface
SimplePractice has a more modern, visually polished interface that most providers find immediately intuitive. The onboarding experience is smooth, and new users typically feel comfortable with the basics within their first few sessions. TherapyNotes has a more utilitarian interface — functional and efficient, but less visually refined. Providers who prioritize interface quality and client-facing polish tend to prefer SimplePractice. Providers who prioritize depth of clinical documentation tools often prefer TherapyNotes.
Group Practice Capabilities
Both platforms support group practices with multi-clinician scheduling, billing, and reporting. SimplePractice charges per seat at a reduced rate for group practices. TherapyNotes also uses per-clinician pricing for groups. Larger group practices tend to find TherapyNotes’ reporting and administrative tools slightly more robust for managing multiple providers. SimplePractice’s group practice features are solid but its primary optimization is for solo and small-group practices.
Which Should You Choose?
Choose SimplePractice if client portal quality is a top priority, you value a polished and modern interface, you offer primarily self-pay services, or you want the Wiley Practice Planners integration for treatment planning. Choose TherapyNotes if you bill insurance heavily and want those features at a lower price point, you prioritize depth of clinical documentation tools, or strong customer support responsiveness is essential to your operation.
Both platforms offer free trials — the best approach is to test both before committing. Start your 30-day SimplePractice free trial here and compare it directly against your TherapyNotes trial experience.
