SimplePractice Review for Therapists (2026): Is It Worth It?
SimplePractice is the most widely used EHR in private practice therapy — and also one of the most discussed. Therapists either love it or find it frustrating enough to switch. This review gives you an honest assessment of what it does well, where it falls short, and who it’s actually the best fit for.
I’ll cover pricing, core features, telehealth, billing, customer support, and how it stacks up against the main alternatives.
What SimplePractice Is
SimplePractice is a cloud-based practice management and EHR platform built specifically for mental health and wellness providers. It handles scheduling, client intake, clinical documentation, telehealth, and billing in a single platform. It’s HIPAA-compliant, offers Business Associate Agreements, and integrates with major insurance clearinghouses for electronic claim submission.
Since its founding in 2012, it’s become the dominant platform in solo and small group therapy practice — particularly for newer clinicians who want an all-in-one solution with a low learning curve.
SimplePractice Pricing (2026)
SimplePractice offers three tiers for solo practitioners:
| Plan | Monthly Cost | Best For |
| Starter | ~$29/month | New practices, very limited caseload |
| Essential | ~$69/month | Most solo therapists |
| Plus | ~$99/month | Insurance billing, larger caseloads |
(Prices based on current published rates; verify at simplepractice.com)
A 30-day free trial is available, which is worth using to explore the platform before committing.
Starter includes basic scheduling, documentation, and a client portal — but lacks insurance billing and has client limits that quickly become restrictive.
Essential is where most solo therapists land. It adds unlimited clients, telehealth, the full client portal with e-signatures, appointment reminders, and payment processing.
Plus adds insurance claim filing, ERA/EOB management, and more robust billing workflows. If you’re billing insurance regularly, this tier typically pays for itself quickly in reduced administrative time.
Group practices pay per clinician above the first, which can make SimplePractice expensive at scale. Solo and small-group practices are the clear target market.
Core Features
Scheduling and Calendar
SimplePractice’s calendar is clean and intuitive. You can set availability windows, create appointment types (intake, 50-minute session, 90-minute extended session, etc.), configure recurring appointments, and sync with Google or Apple Calendar.
Client-facing scheduling is available through the client portal, with optional self-scheduling for appointment types you designate. Automated appointment reminders via email and SMS are easy to configure and consistently praised in user reviews.
What works well: The calendar is one of the platform’s strongest features. It’s fast to navigate and rarely causes problems.
What’s frustrating: The portal self-scheduling is either on or off globally — you can’t easily restrict it by appointment type without some workarounds.
Client Portal and Intake
The client portal is a genuine time-saver. When a new client is added, SimplePractice can automatically send them an invitation to complete intake paperwork online — informed consent, privacy notices, credit card authorization, and any custom forms you’ve created.
Clients complete everything digitally with e-signatures, and the documents appear in your system automatically. No printing, no scanning, no managing PDFs through email.
Custom intake forms can be built directly in the platform, which is useful for adding intake questions, symptom checklists, or any specialty-specific screening tools to your standard intake package.
What works well: The portal intake workflow is smooth for most clients. When it works, it’s genuinely elegant.
What’s frustrating: Occasional client confusion navigating the portal, particularly for less tech-savvy populations. Support materials for clients are limited.
Clinical Documentation
SimplePractice includes built-in templates for common note types: SOAP, DAP, and a few others. The template editor is functional but basic. You can create custom templates and save them for repeated use.
Notes can be locked (signed) after completion, which creates a legally finalized record. Unsigned notes appear flagged in your dashboard — useful for tracking documentation compliance.
What works well: Basic note-writing is fast and straightforward. The dashboard view of overdue notes helps clinicians stay current.
What’s frustrating: The template builder is limited compared to competitors like TherapyNotes. Clinicians who want complex structured templates or built-in outcome measures may find it restrictive. Treatment plan functionality is present but not particularly sophisticated.
Telehealth
SimplePractice has built-in HIPAA-compliant telehealth. Clients join through a link in their portal or reminder email — no app download required on their end.
The video quality is generally good. The interface is simple, which is a feature for clients who aren’t tech-forward. For therapists who need more advanced video features (waiting rooms, group sessions, co-host options), the native telehealth is adequate but basic.
Tip: If you encounter video connectivity issues, Chrome is the most reliable browser on both ends.
Billing and Insurance
SimplePractice handles both self-pay and insurance billing.
For self-pay clients, invoices and superbills can be generated automatically. Credit card processing is integrated through Stripe, with optional autopay that charges clients’ cards after each session (with their consent).
For insurance billing (Plus plan), SimplePractice submits electronic claims to major payers, tracks claim status, and receives ERA/EOB payments directly in the platform. It works with most commercial insurers. Medicaid and some regional payers can be more complicated — verify compatibility with your specific panels before committing.
What works well: The billing workflow for self-pay clients is one of the smoothest in the field. Insurance billing is reliable for major commercial payers.
What’s frustrating: Insurance billing has a learning curve. Denied claims require manual follow-up, and the ERA/EOB interface can be confusing initially. Customer support for billing questions is better via email than chat.
Customer Support
SimplePractice’s support has improved significantly over the past few years. The Help Center is extensive and well-organized — most setup and workflow questions can be answered with a search.
Live support is available by chat during business hours. Phone support is not offered, which is a common complaint. Response times are generally reasonable but can lag during peak periods.
Onboarding webinars are available and genuinely useful for new users — worth attending if you’re in your first month on the platform.
Pros and Cons
What SimplePractice Does Well
What SimplePractice Does Poorly
How SimplePractice Compares
SimplePractice vs. TherapyNotes
TherapyNotes has stronger documentation tools — the note template system is more flexible and the treatment plan functionality is more developed. It’s often preferred by clinicians who prioritize clinical documentation over workflow elegance. SimplePractice has a better overall interface and client-facing experience. Choose TherapyNotes if documentation depth is your priority; choose SimplePractice if you want a smoother all-around user experience.
SimplePractice vs. TheraNest
TheraNest is less expensive, particularly for small practices, and handles core functions adequately. It’s a reasonable choice for budget-conscious new therapists. SimplePractice has a better interface, more polished client portal, and stronger third-party integrations. If budget is the primary constraint, TheraNest is worth considering. If you’re building a practice for the long term, SimplePractice’s polish tends to be worth the cost difference.
Who SimplePractice Is Best For
Great fit:
May not be the best fit:
Bottom Line
SimplePractice earns its position as the most popular EHR in private practice therapy. It’s not perfect — the documentation tools have room to grow and the per-clinician pricing is steep for groups — but for solo therapists who want a well-designed, reliable, HIPAA-compliant platform that handles scheduling, intake, documentation, telehealth, and billing, it’s the strongest all-around option in 2026.
The 30-day free trial is genuine and worth using before you commit.
For additional resources on EHR selection, private practice setup, and clinical documentation, visit the TherapistDesk resource library.
Pricing and features may have changed since publication. Verify current details at simplepractice.com.