SimplePractice vs TherapyNotes (vs CarePaths): Which EHR Actually Fits Your Practice in 2025?

Choosing between SimplePractice vs TherapyNotes for your behavioral health practice often comes down to these critical questions that most comparisons overlook:

• Do you need a platform that looks modern or one that actually helps you deliver better clinical outcomes?
• Is having 24/7 phone support worth working without a native mobile app?
• Are you willing to pay premium prices for features that should be included in the base subscription?
• Would you rather have hundreds of features you’ll never use or the right features that actually improve your practice?
• Does your EHR help you track whether your clients are actually getting better while growing your income?

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In short, here’s what we recommend

👉 SimplePractice is the market leader with over 225,000 practitioners, offering a modern, user-friendly interface and comprehensive features including integrated telehealth and a robust client portal. The platform excels at streamlining practice management with automated reminders, insurance billing, and mobile apps for both clinicians and clients. However, since its parent company’s acquisition by Vista Equity Partners, some users have expressed concerns about customer support quality, and essential features often require upgrading to higher-priced tiers ($49–99/month).

👉 TherapyNotes is recognized for its reliability, built by a psychologist couple who understand clinical workflows intimately. Its standout feature is exceptional 24/7 phone and email support that many users praise. The platform offers structured, compliant documentation workflows and comprehensive billing features at a competitive price ($59–69/month). The major drawbacks are the lack of a native mobile app (embora tenha web mobile) e uma interface que alguns consideram datada.

👉 CarePaths EHR understands both therapists and patients, recognizing that everyone wants therapy that works and is affordable to offer and receive. Developed with renowned psychotherapy researcher Bruce Wampold, PhD, CarePaths features integrated Measurement-Based Care (MBC) that automatically sends assessments to track client progress and provides visual graphs that both you and your clients can see.

With certain insurers now reimbursing for MBC (varying by payer and region), this can become a revenue generator. At $49/month with all core features included, it offers significant cost savings potential for larger practices. It includes unlimited admin users, special rates for students and supervised clinicians, plus features competitors charge extra for: AI-powered session summaries (for both teletherapy and in-person sessions), unlimited telehealth, electronic claims, and SMS reminders.

For practices serious about clinical outcomes and sustainable growth (from solo practitioners to 100+ clinician organizations), CarePaths delivers the tools therapists need to earn what they deserve while providing the best therapy outcomes for their clients.

If you’re ready to make a wise decision that will save money and join a community committed to making therapy better and supporting your practice, see how CarePaths transforms therapy with a 30-day free trial.

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Table of Contents

• SimplePractice vs TherapyNotes vs CarePaths at a glance
• The private equity factor in EHR selection
• SimplePractice excels at modern design and user experience
• TherapyNotes delivers unmatched support with proven reliability
• CarePaths puts clinical outcomes and practice growth first
• Understanding the true costs of each platform
• Mobile experience reveals each platform’s priorities
• Customer support quality tells the real story
• SimplePractice vs TherapyNotes vs CarePaths: Which should you choose?

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SimplePractice vs TherapyNotes vs CarePaths at a glance

Here's the fundamental difference: While all three platforms handle practice management, they approach the challenge of running a behavioral health practice from completely different philosophies:

	SimplePractice	TherapyNotes	CarePaths
Founded	2012	2010	2000
Ownership	Vista Equity Partners (Private Equity)	Private	Private
User Base	225,000+ practitioners	75,000+ customers	6,000+ users
Starting Price	$49/month	$59/month	$49/month (Free MBC available)
Ideal Practice Size	Individual to mid-size	Individual to mid-size	20–30 clinicians (scales 4–100+)
Phone Support	Limited hours, certain plans	24/7 included	Available with phone line
Mobile App	Full-featured apps for clinicians & clients	No native app (mobile web)	CarePaths Connect for clients
Interface	Modern and intuitive	Functional but dated	Mixed reviews
Measurement-Based Care	Basic	Limited	Core differentiator
AI Features	$35/month add-on	$40/month add-on	Free AI summaries (teletherapy & in-person)
Telehealth	Included	Basic free, Premium $15/month	Unlimited
Claims Processing	10–35 free/month then fees	$0.14 per claim	Unlimited free
Supervision Features	Built-in workflows	Basic	Built for supervisor-supervisee models
Best For	Modern UI	Exceptional support	Growing practices & training clinics

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Former Luminello users learned this the hard way. After SimplePractice acquired and then shut down Luminello, prescribers were forced onto a platform that initially lacked critical features like lab integration and advanced e-prescribing functionality. Some users have expressed concerns in forums about potential price increases and service changes, patterns sometimes seen when private equity takes over software companies.

SimplePractice now serves 225,000 practitioners and 16 million clients. When you’re that big and owned by investors demanding returns, balancing individual practitioner needs with shareholder expectations becomes a challenge.

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SimplePractice excels at modern design and user experience

SimplePractice has a polished, modern interface that many users praise as among the best in the behavioral health EHR market.

The platform feels like a consumer app, with clean design and intuitive navigation that makes onboarding smooth.

The integrated telehealth works seamlessly, supporting both individual and group sessions. The client portal and mobile apps are genuinely well-designed, allowing clients to request appointments, complete paperwork, and pay bills with minimal friction.

Automated appointment reminders via text, email, and voice are included on the Essential and Plus plans, adding significant value for those tiers. But this polish comes at a price, literally.

The Starter plan at $49/month provides core functionality but lacks many features practices need.

Some users report concerns about customer support since the private equity acquisition. The platform relies heavily on email support with phone availability limited to certain plans and business hours. When you’re dealing with billing issues or system errors that affect your revenue, waiting for email responses can be frustrating.

SimplePractice does include supervision features with designated supervisor roles and note review workflows.

While the platform offers measurement-based care capabilities, it doesn’t emphasize using these as a revenue generator through insurance reimbursement. The platform also doesn’t offer special pricing for students or supervised clinicians.

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TherapyNotes delivers unmatched support with proven reliability

Founded by Debra Pliner, PhD and her husband Brad, a web technologies expert, the platform was built to solve real problems Dr. Pliner faced in her own group practice.

The standout feature is unquestionably the customer support. Many users praise the 24/7 phone and email support as exceptional. Support staff are frequently described as knowledgeable, patient, and genuinely helpful. In an industry where most competitors limit phone access, TherapyNotes makes support a cornerstone of their service.

The platform’s structured workflow, particularly the To-Do List feature, ensures nothing falls through the cracks. After each appointment, the system automatically prompts you to complete documentation.

The billing features are robust, with assisted ERA payment posting that streamlines insurance reimbursement.

But TherapyNotes shows its age in some areas.

The interface, while functional, lacks the modern polish of SimplePractice. More notably, there’s no native mobile app for clinicians or clients in 2025. While the platform offers a mobile-friendly web interface, some screens work better in landscape mode and the experience isn’t fully optimized for small devices.

The platform’s structured workflows that ensure compliance can feel restrictive for some practices with unique needs.

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CarePaths puts clinical outcomes and practice growth first

While SimplePractice and TherapyNotes compete on features and support, CarePaths asks a different question: How can your EHR help you deliver better therapy while growing your practice revenue?

The platform offers comprehensive tools to improve therapy outcomes and communication across your practice.

Here’s how it works: Clients automatically receive brief assessments (about 5 minutes weekly) via the CarePaths Connect app with zero administrative burden on therapists. These measure symptoms (depression, anxiety), well-being, and crucially, the therapeutic relationship.

Results appear as visual graphs at the top of the client’s chart and in their app. Both you and your client can see objective progress to discuss.

This transforms therapy from subjective impressions to data-driven treatment. While some studies have shown MBC can significantly improve therapy effectiveness (with certain trials showing doubled remission rates), results vary.

For growing practices, CarePaths offers unique advantages:

• Supervision support: Built-in features for supervisor-supervisee relationships, perfect for practices hiring recent graduates who need supervision

• Predictable scaling: Unlike competitors where costs can escalate with growth, CarePaths maintains steady pricing whether you have 5 or 50 clinicians
• Unlimited admin users: Add office managers, billing staff, and administrative assistants at no extra cost
• Special rates: Discounted pricing for students ($5.75/month) and part time therapists

For university training clinics, the platform provides valuable educational features:

• Students can track their development as therapists using real outcome data
• Supervisors can review trainee performance with objective metrics, and subjective feedback
• The feedback loop helps developing therapists improve faster, addressing research showing therapists don’t automatically improve without deliberate practice

CarePaths EHR also includes free AI-powered session summaries for both teletherapy AND in-person sessions. With client consent, the system generates accurate summaries that can be imported into any clinical document.

SimplePractice charges $35/month for similar functionality. TherapyNotes charges $40/month through their TherapyFuel add-on.

At $49/month, CarePaths includes unlimited electronic claims, SMS reminders, telehealth, and the patient portal. Large practices (20-30+ clinicians) have the potential for significant cost savings compared to competitors, with actual savings depending on practice size and feature usage. There’s even a free tier for the MBC features alone, supporting up to 30 clients.

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Understanding the true costs of each platform

SimplePractice’s tiered pricing structure:

Starting at $49/month sounds reasonable until you realize:

• Essential features like calendar sync require the $79/month Essential plan
• Group therapy can be added to Essential for $20/month or is included in the $99/month Plus plan
• AI Note Taker adds $35/month
• After 10-35 free claims (depending on plan), you pay for electronic submission
• E-prescribing adds $49/month plus an $89 setup fee
• Plus plan includes unlimited billers, schedulers, and supervisors, but practice managers cost $39 each
• No special rates for students or supervised clinicians

TherapyNotes’s per-transaction model:

The $59/month solo plan seems straightforward, but:

• Text reminders cost $0.14 each
• Electronic claims cost $0.14 each
• Eligibility checks cost $0.14 each
• E-prescribing adds $65/month
• Premium telehealth for groups adds $15/month
• AI features (TherapyFuel) add $40/month
• Group practices do get volume discounts ($40 per additional clinician)

The only significant add-on is e-prescribing at $49/month for prescribers. This transparent model can result in substantial savings for larger practices, though actual amounts vary based on usage patterns and practice size.

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Mobile experience reveals each platform’s priorities

SimplePractice leads with comprehensive mobile apps for both clinicians and clients.

The clinician app allows full practice management on the go, while the client portal app enables appointment scheduling, paperwork completion, and secure messaging. It’s clear they’ve invested heavily in mobile.

TherapyNotes doesn’t offer a native mobile app in 2025, relying instead on a mobile-friendly web interface.

While functional, the web interface works best in landscape mode on some screens and provides what they acknowledge as “a less optimal viewing experience” on iPhones. For a platform that prides itself on supporting clinicians, the lack of a dedicated app is a notable limitation.

CarePaths takes a strategic middle ground with the CarePaths Connect app for clients, which is essential for the MBC functionality. Clients can complete assessments, view their progress graphs, and communicate with their therapist through the app.

The clinician experience appears to be primarily web-based, though the platform’s mobile strategy focuses on client engagement.

The key insight: CarePaths prioritizes the mobile experience where it matters most for clinical outcomes (client engagement with measurement-based care), while SimplePractice prioritizes comprehensive mobile access, and TherapyNotes relies on web-based mobile access.

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Customer support quality tells the real story

TherapyNotes sets the standard with 24/7 phone and email support included in every plan.

Many users praise support staff as knowledgeable, patient, and genuinely helpful. This level of support from a $59/month product is remarkable.

SimplePractice’s support structure has evolved since the private equity acquisition.

While they offer email and chat support, phone support is restricted to certain plans and business hours (Monday-Friday, 7 AM-5 PM PT). Some users report slow response times and template responses. For a platform serving 225,000 practitioners, providing personalized support at scale is clearly challenging.

CarePaths’s support receives mixed reviews.

Some users praise quick, helpful responses, while others describe less satisfactory experiences with response times. The company does offer phone support (1-800-357-1200) along with email support.

A standout feature is their advanced claims and billing support, providing comprehensive assistance for practices managing insurance reimbursement and billing workflows, helping practices maximize revenue while minimizing administrative burden.

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SimplePractice vs TherapyNotes vs CarePaths: Which should you choose?

The best EHR isn't the one with the most features or the biggest market share. It's the one that helps you run a better practice, deliver better outcomes, and grow your revenue sustainably.

Choose SimplePractice if:

• You prioritize a modern, intuitive interface above all else
• You need robust mobile apps for both clinicians and clients
• You have the budget for a potentially premium solution (costs can exceed $100/month with add-ons)
• You’re comfortable with email and chat support during business hours
• You value a large user community and extensive feature set
• You need supervision features with established workflows

Choose TherapyNotes if:

• Exceptional customer support is your top priority
• You prefer structured workflows that ensure compliance
• You can work without native mobile apps using the mobile web interface
• You want a stable, privately-held company
• You value reliability over cutting-edge features
• Volume discounts for growing practices appeal to you

Choose CarePaths if:

• You want to practice evidence-based therapy with integrated MBC that may qualify for insurance reimbursement
• You’re growing your practice through supervision arrangements
• You run or work with a university training clinic that needs educational features
• You want comprehensive features at a transparent, predictable price
• You need unlimited admin users and special rates for students/supervisees
• You believe tracking client outcomes should be central to your EHR
• You value clinical innovation and practice growth over administrative features alone
• You’re ready to make a wise decision that saves money while joining a community committed to making therapy better

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Ready to transform your practice with evidence-based tools that actually improve client outcomes while growing your revenue? Start your free 30-day trial of CarePaths today and see why joining a community committed to making therapy better and supporting your practice is the wise decision for behavioral health professionals.