Carepatron vs SimplePractice
Carepatron scores 7.9/10 vs 7.8/10. Best for: New or cost-conscious practitioners who want a genuinely usable free tier with telehealth and AI notes, not a crippled demo that forces an upgrade after a week.
Carepatron scores higher overall at 7.9/10 vs 7.8/10. Buy Carepatron if you want the most generous free tier in the market or you are starting a practice and need to keep costs near zero. Skip if you need deep integrations with other tools or if 1GB storage is too limiting for your workflow.
Carepatron 
SimplePractice Rank
#8 of 41
Rank
#10 of 41
Features
15/18
Features
18/18
Starting at
$0/mo
Starting at
$49/mo
User reviews
4.5/5 (973)
User reviews
3.9/5 (2943)
What they cost
| Carepatron | SimplePractice | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting at | Free /mo | $49 /mo |
| Free trial | Free tier available | 30 days |
| Number of plans | 4 | 3 |
What the pricing really means
At first glance, Carepatron looks cheaper at $0/month vs $49/month. But sticker price is only part of the story. Look at what is included on the base plan, how many users you get, and whether you need add-ons to get the features you actually need. The $99/month plan that requires $200 in add-ons is actually more expensive than the $250/month plan that includes everything.
Where Carepatron wins
- Free tier includes telehealth, client portal, AI scribe, and unlimited clients, which is genuinely usable for a starting practice
- Over 8,000 note templates covering every therapy modality from CBT to EMDR to occupational therapy
- 973 combined reviews across G2 and Capterra with 4.5 on both platforms, which is consistent satisfaction
- Paid plans start at $11.50/mo on annual billing, making it the cheapest paid option in the category
Where SimplePractice wins
- 30-day free trial with no credit card required, so you can actually test it with real clients before paying
- Telehealth included on all plans, even the $49/mo Starter, which most competitors charge extra for
- Mobile app handles progress notes, scheduling, and telehealth between sessions without needing a laptop
- 225,000+ practitioners use it, which means community forums, YouTube walkthroughs, and third-party templates are everywhere
Where Carepatron falls short
- Free plan has only 1GB storage, which fills up fast if you record telehealth sessions or store client documents
- Automated SMS and email reminders are locked behind the Essential plan at $23/mo, so free users send reminders manually
- Newer platform with fewer third-party integrations than established players like SimplePractice
- Advanced analytics and reporting only available on the highest tier at $39/mo
Where SimplePractice falls short
- G2 rating dropped to 3.9/5, which is low for the market leader and points to real frustration among power users
- No e-prescribing without a DrFirst add-on, so psychiatrists and prescribers will need another tool
- Support response times have slipped according to recent reviews, with some users waiting days for non-urgent tickets
- API access is locked behind the Plus plan at $99/mo, so automating workflows on the cheaper plans is not possible
Who is each product built for?
Carepatron
Target: 1-20 practitioners
Buy Carepatron if you want the most generous free tier in the market or you are starting a practice and need to keep costs near zero. Skip if you need deep integrations with other tools or if 1GB storage is too limiting for your workflow.
SimplePractice
Target: 1-10 clinicians
Buy SimplePractice if you want the most widely-used platform with solid telehealth and a genuine mobile app that works between sessions. Skip if you care about customer support speed or need advanced insurance billing without per-claim fees.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Carepatron | SimplePractice |
|---|---|---|
| Compliance & Security | ||
| HIPAA compliant | ||
| Telehealth / video sessions | ||
| Secure messaging | ||
| Scheduling & Clients | ||
| Online scheduling | ||
| Client portal | ||
| Intake forms / assessments | ||
| Automated reminders | ||
| Clinical | ||
| Progress notes / documentation | ||
| Treatment plans | ||
| E-prescribing | ||
| Outcome measures / assessments | ||
| Billing & Payments | ||
| Insurance billing / claims | ||
| Payment processing | ||
| Superbill generation | ||
| Automated billing | ||
| Platform | ||
| Group practice support | ||
| Mobile app | ||
| Integrations / API | ||
Common questions
Carepatron scores 7.9/10 vs SimplePractice's 7.8/10 in our ranking. Carepatron is the better pick for 1-20 practitioners. SimplePractice is better if you need solo therapists or small group practices that want one platform for scheduling, notes, telehealth, and billing without stitching together multiple tools.
Carepatron starts at $0/month. SimplePractice starts at $49/month. Watch for add-on costs — the base price often does not include all features. Pricing last verified 2026-04-01.
Carepatron: Yes, 14-day free trial. SimplePractice: Yes, 30-day free trial. Always test with your actual workflow before committing to an annual plan.
Carepatron covers 15 of 18 features we track. SimplePractice covers 18 of 18. SimplePractice has broader feature coverage, but more features does not always mean better — pick the tool that covers what your business actually needs.
Yes, Carepatron has a mobile app. SimplePractice does too.
Yes. The main effort is migrating your data (customer lists, job history, invoices). Plan for 1-2 weeks of overlap where you run both. Most healthcare practice management tools can import CSV data. Ask both vendors about migration support before you sign.
The bottom line
Pick Carepatron if...
New or cost-conscious practitioners who want a genuinely usable free tier with telehealth and AI notes, not a crippled demo that forces an upgrade after a week.
Pick SimplePractice if...
Solo therapists or small group practices that want one platform for scheduling, notes, telehealth, and billing without stitching together multiple tools.