SimplePractice vs Valant (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 1.8.
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, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money and features.
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 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
Pick Valant if
- Fits if you run a behavioral health practice with therapists and prescribers
- Makes sense if you run group or IOP/PHP programs
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a price, as the pricing page asks for contact details
- Watch out: licences depend on provider count and type, with add-ons on top
- Watch out: revenue cycle management is a separate service
- Skip it if you want a free trial, as none is listed
How we grade them
| 2.8GPASimplePracticeGood | 1.8GPAValantWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | CNo price is published, so we hold it at the middle of the therapy-clinics range ($39 a month). |
| Free plan and trial | 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. | FNo free plan and no trial are listed. Quotes are custom. |
| Features | 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. | BDocumentation, forms, billing, utilization review, group and IOP/PHP support, portal and telehealth, with revenue cycle management a separate service. |
| Ease of use | ASimplePractice rates 4.7 on the US App Store from 33,999 ratings, which puts it at A on our ease ladder. | CNo store rating on record. A behavioral health EHR takes onboarding. |
| Platforms and integrations | 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. | CA web service with no integrations or apps listed. |
| Best for | solo US therapists who bill insurance | behavioral health practices with therapists and prescribers |
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: SimplePractice and Valant. How we grade
Where they differ
- SimplePractice also covers transcription.
- Valant also covers forms.
At a glance
| SimplePractice | Valant | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Paid |
| Starts at | $49 per month (Starter), after a first 3 months at $24.50 | Not published |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial, no credit card required | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | SimplePractice, LLC | Valant |
| Price read from | simplepractice.com | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Valant
- No prices are published: the pricing page asks for contact details and says quotes are custom.
- The vendor says licenses depend on provider count and type (therapist, prescriber, supervisor), with add-ons priced on top.
- Revenue cycle management is a separate service from the EHR.
Key features
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.
Valant
- Clinical documentation
- Narrative-generating documentation, treatment planning and integrated outcome measures, with an AI Notes Assist option.
- Intake and consent forms
- Consent and intake forms, intake and assessment automation, and prospective patient management for new referrals.
- Billing and utilization review
- Billing with an integrated clearinghouse, eligibility checking and utilization review, aimed at practices billing insurers.
- Group and IOP/PHP support
- Group therapy documentation, plus program types for intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization care.
- Patient portal and telehealth
- A patient portal called MYIO, telehealth, online bill pay and integrated patient communications.
Plans
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.
Valant
Pricing could not be confirmed. See valant.io.
Ways to pay less
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.
Valant
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, SimplePractice or Valant?
As of Nov 12, 2026, SimplePractice starts at $49 per month (Starter), after a first 3 months at $24.50, and Valant has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, SimplePractice or Valant?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither SimplePractice nor Valant has a free plan. SimplePractice has a free trial.
Which platforms do SimplePractice and Valant 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.