DrChrono vs SimplePractice (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick SimplePractice: it is first in our ranking of therapy and clinic software, and it grades higher too, 2.8 against 2.0.
Checked Oct 24, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 24, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
SimplePractice grades higher on the free plan and ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money, features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
SimplePractice
Practice management and EHR for private-practice therapists
Which one is for you
Pick DrChrono if
- Fits if you run a medical practice and want charting and billing in one place
- Makes sense if you want lab links built in
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a price, as every tier says to request a quote
- Pricey if you send a lot of texts or faxes: $0.05 a text, $0.07 a faxed page and $0.10 a phone call beyond plan limits
- Watch out: extended lab integration for over 40,000 labs is $30 per provider per month
- Watch out: electronic patient statements are $0.59 each and paper claims $1.00 each
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
| 2.0GPADrChronoFair | 2.8GPASimplePracticeGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo price is published, so we hold it at the middle of the therapy-clinics range ($39 a month) with extra per-use fees on top. | 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 | FNo free plan and no trial are listed. Each tier says to request a quote. | 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 | BEHR templates, billing, patient engagement, telehealth and AI documentation, with nothing in the listing missing from the core job. | 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 store rating on record. A full EHR and billing system takes set-up before use. | 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 | BA web service with Quest and LabCorp links, and no apps listed. | 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 | medical practices wanting EHR and billing | 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: DrChrono and SimplePractice. How we grade
Where they differ
- DrChrono also covers dictation.
- SimplePractice also covers transcription.
At a glance
| DrChrono | SimplePractice | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free trial |
| Starts at | Not published | $49 per month (Starter), after a first 3 months at $24.50 |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 30-day free trial, no credit card required |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | EverHealth Solutions Inc. | SimplePractice, LLC |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | simplepractice.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 24, 2026 |
Worth knowing
DrChrono
- Amounts are not published: each tier on the pricing page says to request a quote.
- The vendor lists fees beyond plan limits: $0.05 per text, $0.07 per faxed page and $0.10 per phone call.
- Extended lab integration covering over 40,000 labs is $30 per provider per month.
- Electronic patient statements are $0.59 each, and paper claims are $1.00 each.
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
DrChrono
- EHR with specialty templates
- Form and template library by specialty, customization tools, photo and drawing tools, custom vitals, and text-expanding macros.
- Medical billing
- Custom billing codes, real-time eligibility checks and claim management, with revenue cycle tools on Growth and Premium.
- Patient engagement
- A patient portal with an app, check-in kiosk, appointment profiles, email, text and phone reminders, and a scheduling widget for your website.
- Telehealth
- Video visits built into the EHR, with online scheduling and digital check-in.
- AI documentation
- EverHealth Scribe is the vendor's AI clinical documentation tool; the pricing page lists it as an add-on, with advanced AI on Premium.
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
DrChrono
Pricing could not be confirmed. See drchrono.com.
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
DrChrono
No public discounts listed.
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, DrChrono or SimplePractice?
As of Nov 12, 2026, DrChrono has no price we could confirm, and SimplePractice starts at $49 per month (Starter), after a first 3 months at $24.50.
Which has a free plan, DrChrono or SimplePractice?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither DrChrono nor SimplePractice has a free plan. SimplePractice has a free trial.
Which platforms do DrChrono and SimplePractice run on?
As of Nov 12, 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.