What is the best SimplePractice alternative for private-pay therapists?

For private-pay therapists who do not need insurance claims, CoralEHR is a strong SimplePractice alternative because it focuses on clinical documentation, AI notes, telehealth, scheduling, Stripe payments, and a simpler private-pay workflow. Therapists who bill insurance may prefer SimplePractice, TherapyNotes, or another EHR with more billing infrastructure.

What is a cheaper alternative to SimplePractice?

CoralEHR starts at $29/month for solo private-pay therapists — the price SimplePractice's Starter plan used to be before its 69% increase in March 2025. When comparing costs, include base plan price, AI notes, group sessions, card processing, extra clinicians, and add-ons rather than only the advertised starter price.

Is SimplePractice or CoralEHR better for private-pay therapists?

CoralEHR is purpose-built for private-pay therapists — telehealth and Stripe payments are included on every plan, and AI (the scribe, reports, treatment-plan suggestions and form builder) is included on Pro with no per-seat add-on. SimplePractice is a better fit if you also bill insurance, since it includes full claims submission and ERA/EOB processing.

How much does SimplePractice cost compared to CoralEHR?

SimplePractice starts at $49/month (Starter), with most therapists choosing Essential at $79/month for client reminders, Wiley planners, and calendar sync. AI notes are a $35/clinician/month add-on, so matching CoralEHR Pro's AI documentation costs about $114/month. CoralEHR starts at $29/month with free setup help, AI documentation on the $79 Pro plan, a 30-day free trial, and a 20% annual discount — SimplePractice offers no annual discount.

Do SimplePractice card fees matter when comparing EHRs?

Yes. SimplePractice processes cards at 3.15% + $0.30 per transaction, which can materially change the real monthly cost for private-pay therapists who collect most fees by card. Compare the base EHR subscription together with payment processing, AI notes, clinician seats, and any add-ons.

Does SimplePractice include AI-powered notes?

SimplePractice offers its AI Note Taker as a paid add-on at $35/clinician/month on every plan. Note that from June 16, 2026, SimplePractice may retain de-identified session transcripts to improve its AI features. CoralEHR includes AI-powered clinical note generation on its Pro plan with no per-seat add-on cost.

Can I switch from SimplePractice to CoralEHR?

Yes. SimplePractice allows CSV and PDF data exports. CoralEHR sets up your practice, team and roles with you when you join, with 24/7 support while you move over - and can help you verify your export is complete before you cancel.

Does CoralEHR support insurance billing?

On Pro. CoralEHR offers eligibility checks and out-of-network claims through Stedi, with in-network claims arriving in January. Practices that rely on full insurance workflows today should compare carefully.

Which EHR has better telehealth?

Both include HIPAA-compliant 1:1 video with screen sharing. CoralEHR includes group video sessions on every plan; SimplePractice gates group telehealth to its $99 Plus plan (or a $20/month add-on on Essential), and reviewers have reported recurring reliability problems with its video since 2024.

What kind of support does each platform offer?

SimplePractice offers live chat and email support, with phone support only on the Plus plan — and reviewers frequently report difficulty reaching a human. CoralEHR offers 24/7 support and personalized onboarding for every practice.

EHR Comparison

CoralEHR vs SimplePractice

Compare pricing, card fees, AI notes, telehealth, and the EHR workflows that matter when you do not need insurance billing overhead.

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Starting monthly price, before feature fit

Price is only the first pass. The full comparison below covers AI notes, telehealth, payments, migration, support, and private-pay workflow fit.

CoralEHR

$29

SimplePractice

$49+

TherapyNotes

$69

Public starting prices change. Use this chart as a quick orientation, then verify current pricing on each vendor's site.

Choose SimplePractice if…

You bill insurance and need built-in claims submission and ERA processing
You want a large, established marketplace of integrations and add-ons
You run a multi-discipline wellness practice (not just therapy)
You need Wiley Treatment Planners for structured treatment planning (included on Essential and Plus)
You prefer a platform with a large user community and extensive knowledge base

Choose CoralEHR if…

You run a private-pay-only practice and want a streamlined, focused workflow
You want AI — the scribe, reports, treatment-plan suggestions and form builder — included on Pro with no per-seat fee, vs SimplePractice's $35/clinician/mo AI Note Taker add-on
You want group video sessions and full 2-way Google Calendar sync without being pushed to a $99 tier
You want 24/7 support and personalized setup over ticket-based help desks
You want a locked-in rate with a ~20% annual discount — SimplePractice bills monthly only, with no annual discount

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

How CoralEHR stacks up against SimplePractice and TherapyNotes across every category that matters.

O Overview

Feature	CoralEHR	SimplePractice	TherapyNotes
Best For	Private-pay solo and group practices	Solo & group, all payers	Solo & group, insurance-heavy
Scheduling & Reminders	✓ Reminders on every plan	~ Email, SMS & voice on Essential & Plus; no client reminders on Starter	~ Email free; $0.14 per text or phone reminder
Key Integrations	Stripe, Google Cal, Stedi (Pro)	Stripe, Google Cal, clearinghouses	Built-in clearinghouse (Claim.MD)
Data Export	Export your data anytime	Per-note PDFs; users report incomplete exports	CSV, PDF export

P Pricing

Feature	CoralEHR	SimplePractice	TherapyNotes
Starting Price (Solo)	$29/mo	$49/mo	$69/mo
Per Additional Clinician	$35/clinician	$74/clinician/mo	$50/mo per additional
Free Trial	✓ 30-day free trial, no credit card	✓ 30-day free trial, no credit card	✓ 30-day free trial, no credit card
No Setup Fees	✓ No setup fees	✓	✓
Annual Discount	✓ 20% off annual billing	✗ Monthly billing only	✗

B Billing & Claims

Feature	CoralEHR	SimplePractice	TherapyNotes
Insurance Billing	~ Pro, via Stedi: eligibility checks and out-of-network claims; in-network claims in January	✓	✓
Electronic Claims	~ Pro, via Stedi: out-of-network now, in-network in January	✓	✓
Superbills	✓	✓	✓
ERA/EOB Processing	~ Pro: the payment remittance is included with each claim	✓	✓
Integrated Payments	✓ Stripe integration	✓ Required integrated processing; 3.15% + $0.30 per transaction	✓ Built-in processing; 3.1% + $0.30 per transaction
Cost Per Claim	$0.55	$0.25-$0.50/claim	$0.14/claim
Client Invoicing	✓	✓	✓
Revenue Dashboard (30/90/365-day, AR aging, payouts)	~ Pro. Owner dashboard: revenue, sessions, no-shows and overdue notes per clinician.	~ Basic billing reports	~ Basic billing reports; no visual analytics dashboards

T Telehealth

Feature	CoralEHR	SimplePractice	TherapyNotes
Built-in Video	✓ Individual, couples and group sessions	✓ 1:1 telehealth included on all plans (since March 2025 repricing)	✓ Basic 1:1 telehealth included
Included in Base Price	✓ All plans	✓ 1:1 video on all plans	✓ Basic 1:1 on all plans
HIPAA-Compliant Video	✓ Encrypted in transit and at rest on HIPAA-eligible AWS infrastructure	✓	✓
Screen Sharing	✓	✓	~ Premium Telehealth $15/clinician/mo add-on
Group Video Sessions	✓	~ Plus only; +$20/mo add-on on Essential; not on Starter	~ Up to 16 participants via Premium Telehealth $15/mo add-on
Mobile Telehealth	✓	✓ iOS & Android app	✓ Via mobile app or browser

D Documentation & AI

Feature	CoralEHR	SimplePractice	TherapyNotes
Progress Notes	✓ Progress, chart and private psychotherapy notes	✓	✓
Note Type Coverage	✓ Detailed EMDR and other modality templates; build your own	✓ SOAP/DAP/BIRP	✓ SOAP/DAP/BIRP; reviewers call templates rigid
Treatment Plan Templates	✓ Treatment plans with ICD-10 diagnoses; AI suggestions on Pro	✓ Custom plans on Essential & Plus	✓
AI-Powered Notes	~ Pro. AI scribe drafts the note; no session recordings stored; you review and sign.	~ AI Note Taker $35/mo per clinician add-on; from June 16, 2026 may retain de-identified transcripts to improve that feature. SP says it is not training a foundation model; existing users opted out by default	~ TherapyFuel $40/clinician/mo add-on (incl. ambient Scribe)
AI Features Beyond Note-Drafting	~ Pro. AI reports, AI form builder and treatment-plan suggestions.	~ AI Note Taker $35/mo (scribe + pre-appointment summaries)	~ TherapyFuel: scribe, contact notes, client-history summaries
AI Form Builder (plain-language → form)	~ Pro. Describe a form in plain language.	✗	✗
AI Progress Reports (PDF, date-ranged)	~ Pro. Clinician-reviewed summaries. AI does not replace clinical judgment.	✗	✗
Custom Forms	✓ Form builder, ready-made intake, consent and HIPAA forms, packets	✓	~ Limited templates
E-Signatures	✓	✓	✓
Wiley Treatment Planners	✗ Own templates instead	✓ Included on Essential & Plus; not on Starter	✓ $15/mo add-on

I In-Session Therapy Tools

Feature	CoralEHR	SimplePractice	TherapyNotes
Digital Sand Tray (play therapy miniatures)	✓ Virtual sandtray live in telehealth; clients place, recolour and create objects	✗	✗
EMDR Bilateral Stimulation Tool	✓ Live inside the telehealth session; configurable shape, direction and speed	✗	✗

C Client Portal

Feature	CoralEHR	SimplePractice	TherapyNotes
Online Scheduling	✓	✓	✓
Digital Intake Forms	✓	✓	✓
Secure Messaging	✓	✓	✓
Client Payment Portal	✓	✓	✓
Document Sharing	✓	✓	✓
Appointment Reminders	✓	~ Essential & Plus only; none on Starter	✓

S Security & Compliance

Feature	CoralEHR	SimplePractice	TherapyNotes
HIPAA Compliant	✓	✓	✓
BAA Provided	✓	✓	✓
Two-Factor Auth (2FA)	✓ Optional MFA	✓	✓
Data Encryption	✓ AES-256 at rest and TLS in transit. Not end-to-end encrypted.	✓ AES-256	✓ AES-256
Audit Logs	✓	✓	✓
SOC 2-aligned controls	✗ SOC 2-aligned controls. Not SOC 2 certified.	✗	✗

S Support

Feature	CoralEHR	SimplePractice	TherapyNotes
Phone Support	~ 24/7 support on every plan. No published phone line.	~ Plus plan only	✓
Live Chat	✗	✓	✓
Email Support	✓ 24/7 support on every plan	✓	✓
Knowledge Base	✓	✓	✓
Onboarding Assistance	✓ We set up your practice, team and roles when you join	✓	✓
Dedicated Account Manager	✗ 24/7 support on every plan instead	✗	✗

What switching from SimplePractice actually looks like

Before (SimplePractice)

✗ $49-$99/mo tiers built for insurance billing - the entry plan jumped 69% overnight in March 2025 under private-equity ownership, with no annual discount
✗ Nickel-and-dimed: AI notes +$35/clinician, group sessions +$20/mo on Essential, extra clinicians $74/mo (Plus required), annual CPT fee, 3.15% + $0.30 card processing
✗ Full 2-way Google Calendar sync only on the $99 Plus tier - no sync at all on Starter
✗ Telehealth quality and disconnect complaints since 2024 - reviewers report dropped sessions; we do not publish an unsourced outage count
✗ From June 16, 2026, de-identified Note Taker transcripts may be retained to improve that feature. SimplePractice says it is not training a foundation model; existing users are opted out by default
✗ Insurance-billing UI on every screen; support by ticket, not conversation

After (CoralEHR)

✓ Telehealth, scheduling & payments on every plan - no add-on maze
✓ AI notes, treatment plans & forms on Pro - no per-seat add-on
✓ Price-lock guarantee - your rate is locked for a full year
✓ Clean private-pay workflow + a direct line to the founder

Migration is straightforward

Export your data from SimplePractice (CSV + PDF), and the CoralEHR team imports client demographics, appointment history, and documents in a single onboarding session. Most solo practices switch in under an hour.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about switching from SimplePractice to CoralEHR.

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Reviewed by Arhaan Gupta, Co-Founder & CEO of CoralEHR Pricing and features last verified September 19, 2026.

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