If you’re opening a therapy practice, these two names are probably going to come up pretty fast.
SimplePractice and TherapyNotes are two of the biggest players in the mental health EHR space, and both have earned that spot. Either one can handle scheduling, documentation, telehealth, client communication, and insurance billing. On paper, they check a lot of the same boxes.
So how do you actually decide?
A quick note on my perspective: I’ve worked inside SimplePractice while supporting multiple therapy practices with scheduling, billing, insurance claims, and day-to-day administrative tasks. My perspective comes from using the software in real practices, not just reviewing feature lists. I’ll do my best to give you an honest picture of both.
SimplePractice is the platform I know best, and I’ll be upfront about that. It’s easy to learn, organized, and gives solo therapists just about everything they need to run a practice without a steep learning curve.
TherapyNotes, on the other hand, has built a genuinely strong reputation — especially among practices that handle a high volume of insurance claims. It’s not as polished visually, but it’s rock solid where billing is concerned.
The right choice really does depend on how you work. Let’s get into it.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | SimplePractice | TherapyNotes |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of use | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ |
| Scheduling | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ |
| Client Portal | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ |
| Insurance Billing | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Telehealth | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ |
| Documentation | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ |
| Mobile Experience | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ |
| Overall Look & Feel | Modern | Functional |
SimplePractice
What I Like
Having spent real time inside SimplePractice across multiple practices, I understand why it keeps coming up in therapist recommendations.
The interface is clean and nothing important feels buried. Most new users can figure out where things are without much hand-holding, which matters a lot when you’re running a solo practice and don’t have an office manager or IT person to call.
Features I consistently find myself coming back to:
- Online scheduling with client self-booking
- Automated appointment reminders
- Secure client portal
- Paperless intake forms
- Built-in telehealth
- Documentation that flows naturally
- Credit card processing
- Insurance billing
- A calendar that actually makes sense
It feels like software that was genuinely designed with therapists in mind rather than adapted from a general medical platform.
Where SimplePractice Shines
Something I hear consistently from clinicians is that SimplePractice is just less intimidating than a lot of EHRs. If technology isn’t your thing, that’s a real advantage — not a small one.
It also does a good job of keeping everything under one roof. Instead of juggling separate tools for scheduling, intake forms, telehealth, invoicing, and notes, you’re working out of one dashboard. For a solo practice, that kind of consolidation saves more time than people expect.
A Few Downsides
No software is perfect, and SimplePractice is no exception.
The cost can creep up as you add features or bring on additional clinicians. Some users wish the reporting options were more customizable. And if your practice runs on a high volume of insurance claims, you may find TherapyNotes’ billing workflows a bit more built-out for that specific workload.
TherapyNotes
TherapyNotes has earned a loyal user base, and most of that loyalty comes from therapists who are deep in insurance billing.
It’s stable, reliable, and built around the day-to-day realities of behavioral health practice. It’s not trying to win design awards — it’s trying to get claims paid and documentation done, and it does both well.
Where TherapyNotes Excels
If insurance is the backbone of your practice, TherapyNotes is worth a serious look. Its claim management tools and billing reports are genuinely strong, and experienced billers tend to appreciate how it’s set up.
It also handles documentation, appointment scheduling, and treatment planning well. Nothing flashy, but consistent and dependable — which counts for a lot when you’re relying on it every day.
Where It Falls Short
Compared to SimplePractice, the interface feels older. That’s not a dealbreaker for everyone — plenty of therapists genuinely don’t care what their EHR looks like as long as it works. But if you’re spending hours in the software every week, the difference in feel is noticeable.
Billing Comparison
Both platforms handle insurance billing. For most solo therapists submitting a manageable number of claims each week, SimplePractice covers it well.
Where TherapyNotes pulls ahead is volume. If you’re running a busier insurance-heavy practice and living in your billing reports, TherapyNotes’ claim management tools are more robust. It’s a meaningful difference for the right practice — and not a very meaningful one for a solo therapist with a modest caseload.
Documentation
Both platforms cover progress notes, treatment plans, intake forms, assessments, and clinical documentation.
From my own experience in SimplePractice, the flow feels more intuitive. I’m not hunting for things or clicking through extra screens to get to what I need. That might sound minor until you multiply it across every session note you write in a year.
Scheduling
SimplePractice’s calendar is one of its stronger features — clean, easy to read, and simple to manage day to day.
Clients can request appointments online, get automatic reminders, and complete their paperwork before they ever walk in the door. For a solo therapist trying to reduce administrative back-and-forth, that’s a real time saver.
Client Experience
From the client’s side, SimplePractice feels polished and cohesive. Scheduling, paperwork, telehealth, and payments all happen in one place without a confusing mix of logins and portals.
The fewer obstacles a client hits trying to work with your practice, the better — for them and for you.
Reporting
If you like digging into practice performance data, TherapyNotes gives you more to work with.
If your main questions are who owes money, which claims are still outstanding, and what’s on tomorrow’s schedule, SimplePractice handles all of that without any trouble.
Which One Would I Choose?
If I were opening a solo therapy practice tomorrow, I’d go with SimplePractice.
Not because TherapyNotes is a bad product — it isn’t. I’d choose SimplePractice because I genuinely enjoy using it, the workflow feels natural, and I can train someone on it without a long onboarding process. For a solo therapist who wants one platform to handle scheduling, documentation, billing, telehealth, and client communication, it’s a strong all-around choice.
If I were managing a larger, insurance-heavy practice with multiple clinicians and a dedicated billing team, I’d take a much harder look at TherapyNotes.
My Recommendation by Practice Type
Choose SimplePractice if:
- You’re a solo therapist
- You want software that’s genuinely easy to learn
- You value a clean, modern interface
- Online scheduling and client experience matter to you
- You want everything in one platform
Choose TherapyNotes if:
- Insurance billing is central to your practice
- You’re submitting a high volume of claims
- Reporting and billing tools are a top priority
- You have multiple clinicians
- You have a dedicated billing person or team
Final Thoughts
There’s no wrong answer here — both are solid EHRs with loyal users who swear by them.
For me, it comes down to which platform I’d actually want to sit in every day. That’s SimplePractice. It’s intuitive, organized, and handles clinical documentation, scheduling, billing, telehealth, and client communication without ever feeling overwhelming.
For most solo therapists, that’s exactly what the job calls for.
Learn more about SimplePractice here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SimplePractice easier to use than TherapyNotes?
In my experience working inside both, yes. SimplePractice has a more intuitive interface and a shorter learning curve, especially for therapists who aren’t heavy technology users.
Which platform is better for insurance billing?
Both support insurance billing competently, but TherapyNotes has a meaningful edge for practices with high claim volume and more advanced reporting needs.
Can both platforms handle telehealth?
Yes. Both include integrated telehealth, client portals, scheduling, documentation, and billing.
Which EHR would you recommend for a new private practice?
For most solo therapists, SimplePractice. It’s easy to learn, the client experience is polished, and it brings the core tools most practices need into one place without overwhelming you on day one.
