Documentation is one of the biggest pain points for therapists and mental health professionals. The right therapy notes app can save you hours each week, ensure HIPAA compliance, simplify billing, and let you focus on what matters most - your clients.
In this comprehensive guide, we compare the leading therapy notes software options for 2026, including traditional practice management systems and the new generation of AI-powered documentation tools that can reduce note-writing time by up to 70%.
Therapy Notes Software Comparison
| Software | Price/mo | Best For | Telehealth | E-Prescribe | AI Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SimplePractice | $49-99 | All-in-one, marketing | ✓ | — | — |
| TherapyNotes | $49-59 | Insurance billing, structured docs | ✓ | ✓ (+$) | — |
| TheraNest | $41-98 | Client-based pricing | ✓ | ✓ (+$65) | — |
| Jane App | $54-99 CAD | Multi-disciplinary clinics | ✓ | — | — |
| Mentalyc | $39-79 | AI notes only | — | — | ✓ |
| Upheal | $49-99 | AI notes + insights | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| PatientNotes | $59 | AI notes, all specialties | — | — | ✓ |
SimplePractice
Best All-in-OnePricing
$49-99/month
Free Trial
30 days
Best For
Solo & Groups
SimplePractice is the most popular practice management software for mental health professionals. It offers a comprehensive all-in-one solution with scheduling, documentation, billing, telehealth, and marketing tools.
Pros
- + Built-in telehealth platform
- + Website builder & therapist directory
- + Client portal for intake & billing
- + Excellent mobile app
- + Bulk client data import
- + Customizable note templates
Cons
- - Higher price point ($49-99/mo)
- - No e-prescribing
- - Group features require Plus plan
- - Limited clinical templates vs TherapyNotes
Best for: Solo practitioners and group practices wanting an all-in-one solution with marketing tools to grow their practice.
TherapyNotes
Best for BillingPricing
$49-59/month
Free Trial
30 days
Best For
Insurance-heavy
TherapyNotes is a premier EHR designed specifically for mental health professionals. It excels at structured clinical documentation and insurance billing, with e-prescribing available as an add-on.
Pros
- + Excellent structured note templates
- + Strong insurance billing tools
- + E-prescribing available (+$)
- + Telehealth included in base price
- + Lower price than SimplePractice
- + Great for treatment planning
Cons
- - No bulk client data import
- - Less modern interface
- - No marketing tools
- - Limited customization
Best for: Practices that work heavily with insurance, need structured clinical documentation, or want e-prescribing capabilities.
TheraNest (Ensora Mental Health)
Budget FriendlyPricing
$41-98/month
Free Trial
21 days
Pricing Model
Per Client
TheraNest (now part of Ensora Health) offers a unique client-based pricing model rather than per-clinician. This makes it very affordable for therapists with smaller caseloads.
Pros
- + Affordable client-based pricing
- + E-prescribing available (+$65/mo)
- + HIPAA-compliant client portal
- + Customizable templates
- + Good for small caseloads
Cons
- - Client portal is extra (+$6/mo)
- - E-prescribe is expensive add-on
- - Recently rebranded (Ensora)
- - Less intuitive than competitors
Best for: Therapists with smaller caseloads who want affordable pricing, or practices that need e-prescribing.
Jane App
Multi-DisciplinaryPricing
$54-99 CAD/mo
Free Trial
Yes
Best For
Multi-specialty
Jane App is a versatile practice management platform designed for multiple healthcare disciplines including mental health, chiropractic, and physical therapy. Excellent for multi-disciplinary clinics.
Pros
- + Beautiful, intuitive interface
- + Works for multiple specialties
- + Excellent customer support
- + Built-in telehealth
- + Responsive design
Cons
- - Pricing in Canadian dollars
- - No e-prescribing
- - Less mental health-specific
- - Appointment limits on base plan
Best for: Multi-disciplinary clinics and therapists who value a beautiful, intuitive interface with excellent support.
AI-Powered Therapy Notes Apps
A new generation of AI-powered tools can generate therapy notes automatically from session recordings or transcripts. These tools can reduce documentation time by up to 70% while maintaining clinical accuracy.
Why AI-Powered Notes?
70%
Less time on documentation
3 min
Average note generation time
1-2 hrs
Saved daily
PatientNotes
All SpecialtiesAI-powered clinical documentation for all healthcare specialties including mental health. Generates SOAP notes, progress notes, and treatment plans from audio or text.
Mentalyc
AI note-taking designed specifically for mental health practitioners. Creates progress notes in as little as 3 minutes from session recordings.
Upheal
Built specifically for mental health professionals. Understands therapeutic terminology, intervention patterns, and clinical reasoning. Reports 73% reduction in documentation time.
How to Choose the Right Therapy Notes App
Do you need full practice management or just notes?
If you need scheduling, billing, telehealth, and client portal: SimplePractice or TherapyNotes. If you just need faster note-writing: AI tools like PatientNotes or Mentalyc.
How important is insurance billing?
Heavy insurance billing: TherapyNotes has the strongest billing tools. Mostly private pay: SimplePractice or AI-only tools work well.
Do you need e-prescribing?
TherapyNotes or TheraNest offer e-prescribing as add-ons. SimplePractice and Jane App do not.
What's your budget?
Budget-conscious: TheraNest ($41+) or MailHippo. All-in-one: SimplePractice ($49-99). AI notes: PatientNotes ($59) or Mentalyc ($39+).
How much time do you spend on notes?
If you spend 1+ hours daily on documentation, AI-powered tools can save significant time. They typically pay for themselves in recovered billable hours.
Is your practice multi-disciplinary?
Jane App is designed for multiple specialties. Most mental health-specific tools work best for therapists only.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best therapy notes app?
The best therapy notes app depends on your needs. SimplePractice ($49-99/mo) is best for all-in-one practice management with marketing tools. TherapyNotes ($49-59/mo) is best for structured documentation and insurance billing. For AI-powered notes that reduce documentation time by 70%, consider PatientNotes ($59/mo) or Mentalyc ($39-79/mo).
Is TherapyNotes or SimplePractice better?
SimplePractice is better for practices wanting marketing tools, website builder, and therapist directory. TherapyNotes is better for practices prioritizing structured clinical documentation, insurance billing, and e-prescribing at a lower price. TherapyNotes includes telehealth in its base price.
What therapy notes software is HIPAA compliant?
All major therapy notes apps including SimplePractice, TherapyNotes, TheraNest, Jane App, Mentalyc, Upheal, and PatientNotes are HIPAA compliant. They provide Business Associate Agreements (BAAs), encryption, access controls, and audit logging.
How much does therapy notes software cost?
Therapy notes software typically costs $40-100/month. SimplePractice: $49-99/mo, TherapyNotes: $49-59/mo, TheraNest: $41-98/mo, Jane App: $54-99 CAD/mo. AI-powered options start around $39-59/mo.
Can AI write therapy notes?
Yes, AI-powered therapy notes apps can generate progress notes, treatment plans, and session summaries from audio recordings or transcripts. Tools like PatientNotes, Mentalyc, and Upheal can reduce documentation time by 70% while maintaining clinical accuracy.
Is SimplePractice worth the price?
SimplePractice is worth the price if you need an all-in-one solution with telehealth, scheduling, billing, client portal, and marketing tools. For practices focused purely on documentation, AI-powered tools or TherapyNotes may offer better value.