Choosing between SimplePractice vs TherapyNotes for your behavioral health practice often comes down to these critical questions that most comparisons overlook:
👉 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.
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 |
The elephant in the room for SimplePractice users is the 2024 acquisition of its parent company, EngageSmart, by Vista Equity Partners for $4 billion. This isn't just a corporate footnote; it fundamentally changes the ownership structure and potential priorities of the platform going forward.
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.
TherapyNotes and CarePaths remain privately-held companies founded by mental health professionals. Debra Pliner, PhD co-founded TherapyNotes with her husband Brad. Geoff Gray, PhD and Maureen Hart, PhD built CarePaths from their own clinical experience. These aren't just business ventures; they're missions to support fellow clinicians.
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.
Source: SimplePractice
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.
Source: SimplePractice
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.
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.
Source: TherapyNotes
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.
TherapyNotes does offer volume discounts for growing practices, with group pricing automatically dropping to $40 for each additional clinician, making it more affordable as you scale.
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.
One key differentiator is its deeply integrated Measurement-Based Care system, developed with Bruce Wampold, PhD , one of psychotherapy's most respected researchers. This isn't a bolted-on feature; it's built into the foundation of the platform to support evidence-based 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.
Most practitioners don't use MBC because implementation has traditionally been too cumbersome. CarePaths makes it automatic. Additionally, many insurers now reimburse for measurement-based care through codes like CPT 96127, though acceptance varies by payer and region, potentially turning this clinical tool into a revenue generator for your practice.
For growing practices, CarePaths offers unique advantages:
For university training clinics, the platform provides valuable educational features:
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.
Source: CarePaths
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.
Starting at $49/month sounds reasonable until you realize:
A fully-featured SimplePractice setup can easily exceed $150/month per clinician, depending on your needs and usage.
Billed monthly, cancel anytime
Billed monthly, cancel anytime
Billed monthly, cancel anytime
The $59/month solo plan seems straightforward, but:
For a typical practice, these transaction fees can add up quickly, potentially exceeding $100/month per clinician depending on volume.
FOR ONE USER
Great for solo practitioners or new providers who are just getting started.
FOR THE FIRST CLINICIAN
$40/month per additional clinician
Unlimited non-clinical staff
FOR THE FIRST CLINICIAN
$40/month per additional clinician
Unlimited non-clinical staff
✅ Includes a designated account manager
At $49/month, you get:
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.
By Bruce Wampold PhD
Complete Practice Management System
Getting Started?
SimplePractice leads with comprehensive mobile apps for both clinicians and clients.
Source: Apple Store
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.
Source: TherapyNotes
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.
Source: Apple Store
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.
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.
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.
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.
The behavioral health EHR market has matured beyond simple practice management. While SimplePractice dazzles with design and TherapyNotes comforts with support, CarePaths quietly revolutionizes how therapy is delivered, measured, and scaled. In a field dedicated to helping people improve their lives, shouldn't your EHR help you prove it's working while building a thriving practice and supporting a community of therapists interested in excellence?
