Cliniko vs SimplePractice (2026): which should you pick?
As of Oct 24, 2026, we pick SimplePractice: it is first in our ranking of therapy and clinic software, and it grades higher too, 2.8 against 2.4.
Checked Oct 24, 2026 · graded Oct 24, 2026 by ToolGPA
Cliniko grades higher on value for money. SimplePractice grades higher on features and ease of use. They get the same grade on the free plan and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Cliniko
Practice management for allied health clinics, priced by practitioners
SimplePractice
Practice management and EHR for private-practice therapists
Which one is for you
Pick Cliniko if
- Fits if you run an allied health clinic with classes such as pilates as well as one-on-one visits
- Works for clinics with lots of reception and admin staff, since only practitioners are charged
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you bill US insurance from inside the app, as claims come only through third-party apps
- Skip it if you want AI notes built in or a native phone app; neither is on Cliniko's own feature pages
- Watch out: prices step up in bands, so a clinic of 6 pays $145 a month, the same as one of 8
- Watch out: SMS reminders use prepaid credits at 10¢ a message, and connected apps may charge their own fees
- Watch out: telehealth stays locked during the trial until you add a card
Pick SimplePractice if
- Fits if you're a solo US therapist who bills insurance and wants claims in the same account as your notes
- Works for groups of up to five clinicians who want a published price: Plus is $99 plus $74 a clinician
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay on Starter: reminders, calendar sync, secure messaging and treatment plans start on Essential at $79
- Pricey if you want AI notes, as Note Taker is $35 a month and Care Aide $59 plus $49 per extra clinician
- Watch out: claims are 39¢ each, cards 3.15% + 30¢, and every clinician pays a $20 yearly fee for CPT codes
- Watch out: ePrescribe is $49 a month plus an $89 setup fee, and group sessions and extra clinicians need Plus
- Not for you if your group has six or more clinicians and you want a price up front, as those go through sales
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAClinikoFair | 2.8GPASimplePracticeGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B$95 a month covers two to five practitioners, so $19 each for a clinic of five, inside this category's cheaper quarter ($25). One practitioner pays $45, above the middle ($39), and the bands jump: six pay the same $145 as eight. | CStarter is $49 a month after a first 3 months at half price, between this category's middle ($39) and its dearer quarter ($59). Reminders and calendar sync need Essential at $79, and on top come 39¢ a claim and a $20 yearly CPT fee per clinician. |
| Free plan and trial | CA 30-day trial with no payment details. Telehealth stays locked until you put a card on file, though, and there's no free plan unless you're a charity or a school. | CA 30-day trial with no card, and no free plan. The half-price first 3 months only applies if you start paying within 7 days of signing up. |
| Features | CCalendar, online bookings, classes, telehealth, configurable notes with body charts, forms, invoicing, stock and a public API. The listing's own gap keeps it here: no insurance claim filing or AI scribe of its own, only through third-party apps. | BScheduling, paperless intake, progress notes, measurement-based care, telehealth, insurance claims and card payments all come on Starter. Nothing in the listing is missing from the job; the gaps are plan locks and add-ons. |
| Ease of use | CNo App Store rating on record. Note templates, forms and SMS credits need setting up, and claims or AI notes mean picking and linking a connected app. | ASimplePractice rates 4.7 on the US App Store from 33,999 ratings, which puts it at A on our ease ladder. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, with a public API, Xero sync and a directory of 94 connected apps. There are no native mobile apps; the calendar and notes are pages in a phone's browser. | BWeb, plus a clinician app for iPhone, iPad and Android with the calendar, notes, messages and payments. No desktop app, and the listing names no integrations or API. |
| Best for | allied health clinics that also run classes | solo US therapists who bill insurance |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Cliniko and SimplePractice. How we grade
Price against what you get
Cliniko starts at $45 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. SimplePractice starts at $49 a month and scores 3.3.
SimplePractice scores higher, and starts $4 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other therapy and clinic software on the chart, 4 score higher than Cliniko for less, and none scores higher than SimplePractice for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Cliniko also covers invoicing and class booking.
- SimplePractice also covers transcription and insurance billing.
At a glance
| Cliniko | SimplePractice | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $45 per month (1 practitioner) | $49 per month (Starter), after a first 3 months at $24.50 |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial, no payment details needed | 30-day free trial, no credit card required |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Cliniko | SimplePractice, LLC |
| Price read from | cliniko.com | simplepractice.com |
| Checked | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Cliniko
- Prices step up in bands: a clinic with 6 practitioners pays $145 a month, the same as one with 8.
- SMS reminders use prepaid credits at 10¢ per message; connected third-party apps may charge their own fees.
- Cliniko's feature pages list no insurance claim filing or AI scribe of its own; those come from third-party connected apps.
- There are no native mobile apps; the calendar and notes are mobile-friendly pages in the browser.
SimplePractice
- Insurance claims cost $0.39 each, card payments 3.15% + $0.30, and each clinician pays an annual $20 fee for CPT code access.
- Reminders, calendar sync and client messaging start on Essential; group sessions and extra clinicians need Plus.
- AI notes are extra: Note Taker is $35 a month, Care Aide $59 a month plus $49 per extra clinician. ePrescribe is $49 a month plus an $89 setup fee.
- The 50% discount applies only if a paid account starts within 7 days of the trial; groups of 6 or more clinicians are priced by sales.
Key features
Cliniko
- Calendar and online bookings
- Clients book and cancel online around the clock. The calendar handles repeat appointments, wait lists, multiple locations, time zones, and groups or classes such as pilates.
- Telehealth
- Video consultations are built in. During the free trial they unlock only once a credit card is on file.
- Treatment notes and forms
- Fully configurable note templates, body charts, draft notes, letters and medical alerts, plus online intake forms and questionnaires that save to the patient record.
- Invoicing, payments and stock
- Invoices from the calendar, online payments, prepayments, concessions, statements, product sales with stock levels, expenses, and automatic sync to Xero.
- Reminders and SMS
- Automated SMS and email reminders and follow-ups, bulk SMS and two-way replies logged on the client record, using prepaid credits at 10¢ a message.
- API and connected apps
- A public API, and a directory of 94 connected apps, mostly third-party, for AI notes and receptionists, booking sites, exercise programs and reporting.
SimplePractice
- Client portal and online booking
- Clients request appointments online and complete paperless intake documents through a client portal website. Essential adds email, text and voice reminders and calendar sync.
- Notes and treatment plans
- Progress notes, a template library and measurement-based care come on every plan; customizable treatment plans and Wiley Treatment Planners start on Essential.
- Built-in telehealth
- Video sessions are included on every plan. Plus adds group appointments and group telehealth.
- Insurance claims and payments
- Claims are filed from the account at $0.39 each and clients pay online by card. Insurance Navigator, listed as coming soon, adds claim checks and benefits verification at $1.79 a claim.
- Care Aide and Note Taker
- Paid AI add-ons. Note Taker drafts progress notes from a recorded session or dictation; Care Aide adds live telehealth support, treatment plans in beta and client-ready summaries.
- Clinician mobile app
- An iPhone, iPad and Android app to manage the calendar, write and review session notes, share documents, send secure messages and take payments.
Plans
Cliniko
1 practitioner$45
per month for 1 practitioner
Every feature, with unlimited patients, admin and reception users, locations and file storage.
2 to 5 practitioners$95
per month for up to 5 practitioners
Same features as every plan; the price covers any number of practitioners from 2 to 5.
6 to 8 practitioners$145
per month for up to 8 practitioners
Same features as every plan, for clinics of 6 to 8 practitioners.
9 to 12 practitioners$195
per month for up to 12 practitioners
Same features as every plan, for clinics of 9 to 12 practitioners.
13 to 25 practitioners$295
per month for up to 25 practitioners
Same features as every plan, for clinics of 13 to 25 practitioners.
26 to 200 practitioners$395
per month for up to 200 practitioners
Same features as every plan, for clinics of 26 to 200 practitioners.
SimplePractice
Starter$49
per month
Unlimited clients, telehealth, progress notes, insurance claims, online payments, intake forms and a client portal. $24.50 a month for the first 3 months.
Essential$79
per month
Adds free email, text and voice reminders, calendar sync, treatment plans, Wiley Treatment Planners and secure messaging. $39.50 for the first 3 months.
Plus$99
per month, plus $74 per additional clinician
Adds group appointments, group telehealth, a premium support line and advanced analytics. $49.50 for the first 3 months; groups of 6+ can get custom pricing.
Ways to pay less
Cliniko
- Annual discount
One month free with annual billing
Cliniko's pricing FAQ says paying annually gives one month free every year, on top of the initial trial.
- Nonprofit
Free for charities and educational institutions
Registered charities and educational institutions can use Cliniko free; they arrange the free subscription by contacting the company.
SimplePractice
- Other savings
50% off the first 3 months
Starting a paid account within 7 days of signing up halves the first 3 months: $24.50 for Starter, $39.50 for Essential and $49.50 for Plus, then the regular price.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Cliniko or SimplePractice?
As of Oct 24, 2026, Cliniko is cheaper to start with: $45 a month, against $49 a month for SimplePractice. Cliniko starts at $45 per month (1 practitioner), and SimplePractice starts at $49 per month (Starter), after a first 3 months at $24.50.
Which has a free plan, Cliniko or SimplePractice?
As of Oct 24, 2026, neither Cliniko nor SimplePractice has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
Which platforms do Cliniko and SimplePractice run on?
As of Oct 24, 2026, only SimplePractice lists iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.