After spending significant time using—and recently revisiting—SimplePractice and TheraNest, I’ve seen firsthand how they compare. If you want a plug-and-play EHR with strong automation and mobile-friendly features, SimplePractice is the better fit. If you need custom workflows, flexible pricing based on caseload, and more control over documentation, TheraNest is the way to go. Both offer excellent tools for mental health professionals, but which one is right for you depends on how much structure—or flexibility—you prefer.
Compare TheraNest Vs. SimplePractice
| Monthly Cost | $41 - $98+ | $49 - $99 |
| Free Trial? | Yes, 21 days | Yes, 30 days |
| Offers Telehealth Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Unlimited Clients on All Subscription Levels | Yes | Yes |
| Cost per Additional Clinician | None | $69-$74 monthly, must be on Plus Plan |
| Insurance Billing Costs | Variable, $0.17 - $0.23 per claim | $0.35-$0.50 per claim |
| Client Data Import | Yes, no cost | Yes, no cost |
| ePrescription Features | Yes | Yes |
| Estimated Annual Cost | $460 - $1,072+ | $588 - $1,188+ |
| Monthly Cost | |
| $41 - $98+ | $49 - $99 |
| Free Trial? | |
| Yes, 21 days | Yes, 30 days |
| Offers Telehealth Platform | |
| Yes | Yes |
| Unlimited Clients on All Subscription Levels | |
| Yes | Yes |
| Cost per Additional Clinician | |
| None | $69-$74 monthly, must be on Plus Plan |
| Insurance Billing Costs | |
| Variable, $0.17 - $0.23 per claim | $0.35-$0.50 per claim |
| Client Data Import | |
| Yes, no cost | Yes, no cost |
| ePrescription Features | |
| Yes | Yes |
| Estimated Annual Cost | |
| $460 - $1,072+ | $588 - $1,188+ |
When to Choose SimplePractice or TheraNest
Choose SimplePractice if you want a user-friendly, all-in-one EHR with built-in telehealth, automation, and marketing tools like a professional website and therapist directory. It’s ideal for solo practitioners and small practices looking for a streamlined workflow.
Choose TheraNest if you need deep customization, flexible pricing based on caseload size, and strong multi-provider support. It’s a great fit for growing practices that want more control over documentation, billing, and reporting.
SimplePractice’s EHR for therapists has everything you need to run your practice easily and efficiently. From booking and scheduling to insurance billing, SimplePractice does it all.
My Best Practice is an EHR designed by therapists to support therapists using evidence-based treatments. From online booking to note taking to insurance billing, My Best Practice makes running your practice easy. Starting at just $39 per month.
TheraNest Vs. SimplePractice: What Are the Differences?
While TheraNest and SimplePractice provide similar core services for mental health practices, they take distinct approaches to usability, customization, and pricing. Both platforms include many of the top features we look for in the best mental health EHRs, but the right choice depends on whether you prioritize ease of use and automation or flexibility and control.
Cost: $41–$98 monthly
Insurance Billing: Yes
Built-In Telehealth: Yes
TheraNest offers a highly customizable approach to practice management, making it a strong choice for therapists who want more control over forms, documentation, and workflows. Its caseload-based pricing model can be cost-effective for small practices, and its robust customer support—including personal onboarding assistance—ensures users get the most out of its flexible features.
Pros & Cons
Pros - Great customer service with one-on-one support
- 21-day free trial with no credit card requirements
- Robust training and ongoing learning support
- Great additional content including client resources
Cons - Limited forms and templates
- Extensive customization may take a lot of time and training
- Caseload-based pricing may become expensive for practices with large caseloads
Cost
TheraNest uses a caseload-based pricing model, where costs are determined by the number of active clients rather than the number of practitioners. Monthly plans start at $42 for smaller caseloads and scale up to $98+ for larger ones, with custom pricing for high-volume practices.
Since there’s no per-provider fee, group practices can add unlimited clinicians and staff without increasing subscription costs. Opting for an annual plan provides a 15% discount. Here’s the details:
- Up to 30 active clients – $42 monthly; $460 annually
- Up to 40 active clients – $54 monthly; $589 annually
- Up to 50 active clients – $65 monthly; $707 annually
- Up to 80 active clients – $98 monthly; $1,072 annually
- 80+ active clients – Custom pricing (varies based on volume)
Add-On Pricing
While the base subscription includes EHR, scheduling, and billing, some features require an extra fee:
- Telehealth (1:1 sessions) – $12/month per therapist
- Group Telehealth (up to 20 participants) – $25/month per therapist
- Client Portal (secure messaging & self-scheduling) – First license free, then $6/month per additional therapist
- Wiley Practice Planners – $25/month per therapist
- Electronic Insurance Claims – $0.17 – $0.23 per claim (tiered pricing based on volume)
Learn more in our full review of TheraNest.
Overview
TheraNest is a flexible EHR designed for mental health professionals, offering customizable documentation, scheduling, billing, and client management tools. Unlike many competitors, it charges based on active clients rather than the number of providers, making it cost-effective for smaller practices. The platform includes a 21-day free trial, allowing new users to explore its features before committing.
One of TheraNest’s standout features is its deep customization, including a Dynamic Forms builder for intake forms, progress notes, and assessments. Its Cases system helps organize client documentation, but this flexibility comes with a slightly larger learning curve than you’d see with other EHRs. The platform also offers built-in telehealth and Stripe-powered payment processing, though its telehealth tools are more basic compared to some competitors.
TheraNest excels in customer support, providing each new user with a dedicated representative and free live training webinars. While it’s a strong choice for solo practitioners and small groups needing tailored workflows, those seeking a more intuitive, automation-driven system may prefer SimplePractice. For a deeper look, check out our full TheraNest review. Or, visit our full list of the best mental health EHRs.
Cost: $49 – $99 monthly
Insurance Billing: Yes
Telehealth: Yes
SimplePractice stands out for its sleek, intuitive interface and automation-driven workflow, making it a great fit for therapists who want to streamline scheduling, documentation, and billing with minimal setup. With built-in telehealth, a mobile app, and marketing tools like a website builder, it’s ideal for solo and growing group practices looking for an all-in-one, easy-to-use EHR.
Pros & Cons
Pros - Excellent onboarding support
- Beautiful, modern interface
- Intuitive calendar
- Professional website builder
- Mobile app for practitioners and clients
Cons - Relatively expensive, compared to competitors
- No e-prescribing features
- System may not be customizable enough for larger practices
- Concerns over practice and client data privacy
Cost
SimplePractice offers three pricing tiers ranging from $49 to $99 monthly, with additional costs for group practices and premium features. Unlike TheraNest’s caseload-based model, SimplePractice charges based on features and clinician count, which can make it pricier for multi-provider practices. A free 30-day trial is available with full access to the Plus Plan.
- Starter Plan ($49 monthly) – A solid option for solo practitioners, including core EHR features, a client portal, telehealth, appointment requests, and a professional website builder. Insurance billing is available but limited.
- Essential Plan ($79 monthly) – Adds more note and document customization, client messaging, waitlist management, and 10 free insurance claims per month, with reduced claim fees. Group telehealth is available as a $20 add-on.
- Plus Plan ($99 monthly + per-clinician fees) – Designed for group practices, offering advanced automation, unlimited insurance status checks, and premium support. Additional clinicians cost $69–$74 each per month.
Additional fees apply for electronic claims ($0.35–$0.50 per claim) and credit card processing (3.15% + $0.30 per transaction). While SimplePractice offers robust tools, costs can rise quickly depending on practice size and feature needs.
Overview
SimplePractice is one of the most widely used EHRs for mental health professionals, offering a streamlined, intuitive platform with strong automation and business management tools. Designed to simplify scheduling, documentation, telehealth, and billing, it’s an all-in-one solution for both solo and group practices. One of its standout features is the built-in marketing suite, including a professional website builder and therapist directory, which helps practitioners attract new clients.
While its interface is among the most user-friendly in the industry, SimplePractice follows a tiered pricing model that charges based on features and clinician count. This structure provides flexibility but can get expensive for larger practices, especially when factoring in add-ons like group telehealth or premium support. Compared to TheraNest, SimplePractice offers less customization but makes up for it with automation, a well-designed mobile app, and a highly polished user experience.
For a deeper dive into SimplePractice’s features, strengths, and potential drawbacks, check out our full SimplePractice review. Visit our full list of the best mental health EHRs for even more options.
Who Might Need an Alternative?
While SimplePractice and TheraNest are both strong contenders in the mental health EHR space, they’re not the perfect fit for every practice. Some clinicians may need a platform with more automation, stronger marketing tools, or more affordable insurance billing support. If you’re looking for something different, here are some alternatives to consider.
EHRs With More Automation
If reducing administrative workload is a top priority, these platforms offer advanced automation for scheduling, documentation, and client management:
- My Best Practice – Provides deep customization and automation for progress notes, treatment plans, and intake forms. Read our full My Best Practice review.
- TherapyNotes – Offers structured, easy-to-use clinical documentation, built-in telehealth, and e-prescribing at a predictable price. Learn more in our TherapyNotes review.
See our list of the best mental health EHRs for a full breakdown of our favorites.
Options for Marketing & Client Growth
Both SimplePractice and TheraNest offer some marketing tools, but these directories can help therapists attract new clients more effectively:
- Choosing Therapy’s Directory – A free, high-traffic directory that helps therapists expand their reach. Learn more about Choosing Therapy’s directory here.
- GoodTherapy – Focused on ethical therapy practices and offers CEUs alongside directory listings. Read my GoodTherapy review.
- Open Path Collective – A great option for reaching underserved clients through sliding-scale therapy. Explore Open Path Collective for therapists in our full review.
See our list of the best therapist directories for more options.
Support for In-Network Insurance Billing
If in-network billing is a key part of your practice, these platforms provide extra support for insurance credentialing and managing billing from start to finish:
- Alma – Helps therapists get credentialed with major insurance payers while also handling billing and client referrals. Read our full review of Alma for therapists.
- Headway – Manages insurance billing, claims submission, and credentialing at no cost to clinicians. See if it is right for you in our full review of Headway for Therapists.
Or, read our full list of the best insurance credentialing services for therapists for even more options.
SimplePractice’s EHR for therapists has everything you need to run your practice easily and efficiently. From booking and scheduling to insurance billing, SimplePractice does it all.
My Best Practice is an EHR designed by therapists to support therapists using evidence-based treatments. From online booking to note taking to insurance billing, My Best Practice makes running your practice easy. Starting at just $39 per month.
Why You Can Trust My Review
“Having personally tested both TheraNest and SimplePractice across multiple updates, I’ve explored their full range of features—from intake and scheduling to billing, telehealth, and clinical documentation. My hands-on experience, combined with extensive knowledge of mental health EHRs, allows me to assess not just how these platforms function but also how they compare to competitors in real-world practice settings.
For solo practitioners or those with small caseloads, TheraNest offers predictable, caseload-based pricing and strong customization. Meanwhile, SimplePractice stands out for its automation, integrated marketing tools, and scalability—ideal for growing practices.”
ChoosingTherapy.com strives to provide our readers with mental health content that is accurate and actionable. We have high standards for what can be cited within our articles. Acceptable sources include government agencies, universities and colleges, scholarly journals, industry and professional associations, and other high-integrity sources of mental health journalism. Learn more by reviewing our full editorial policy.
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Church, M. (2025). SimplePractice Review: Is It Right for Your Practice? Retrieved from: https://www.choosingtherapy.com/simplepractice-review/
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Church, M. (2025). TheraNest Review: Pros & Cons, Cost, & Who It’s Right For. Retrieved from: https://www.choosingtherapy.com/theranest-review/
We regularly update the articles on ChoosingTherapy.com to ensure we continue to reflect scientific consensus on the topics we cover, to incorporate new research into our articles, and to better answer our audience’s questions. When our content undergoes a significant revision, we summarize the changes that were made and the date on which they occurred. We also record the authors and medical reviewers who contributed to previous versions of the article. Read more about our editorial policies here.
Author: Matthew Church, MS
Medical Reviewer: Melissa Boudin, PsyD
Primary Changes: Used and tested both SimplePractice and TheraNest again, testing all features. Updated article based on our latest experience using the platforms and added new insights. Updated pricing for SimplePractice from $29-$99 monthly to $49-$99 monthly. Updated pricing range for TheraNest from $39-$91+ monthly to $41-$98+ monthly. Added new images of services throughout. Fact-checked and verified accuracy; rewrote sections for clarity and readability.
Author: Matthew Church, MS
Medical Reviewer: Melissa Boudin, PsyD
Primary Changes: Added key takeaways, reviewed current app features, rewrote some sections for clarity and brevity.
Author: Matthew Church, MS
Medical Reviewer: Melissa Boudin, PsyD
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