Charm Health vs Kipu Health
Kipu Health scores 8.0/10 vs 7.0/10. Best for: Addiction treatment centers and residential behavioral health facilities with 20+ beds.
Kipu Health scores higher overall at 8.0/10 vs 7.0/10. Buy Kipu if you run an addiction treatment center or residential behavioral health facility with 20+ beds. Skip if you're an outpatient therapist — this is enterprise software for inpatient/residential settings.
Charm Health 
Kipu Health Rank
#24 of 41
Rank
#5 of 41
Features
17/18
Features
18/18
Starting at
$0/mo
Starting at
$600/mo
User reviews
3.5/5 (160)
User reviews
4.7/5 (247)
What they cost
| Charm Health | Kipu Health | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting at | Free /mo | $600 /mo |
| Free trial | Free tier available | No |
| Number of plans | 3 | 1 |
What the pricing really means
At first glance, Charm Health looks cheaper at $0/month vs $600/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 Charm Health wins
- Free tier handles 50 encounters/month with no time limit
- Pay-per-encounter model at $0.50 each is unique and budget-friendly for low-volume practices
- MU3-certified EHR with 256-bit encryption
- Full insurance billing with ERA/EOB posting included
Where Kipu Health wins
- 4.7 on both G2 and Capterra — highest-rated EHR in behavioral health
- Powers 6,000+ facilities and 150,000+ users, proven at scale
- HITRUST certified and 42 CFR Part 2 compliant for addiction records
- Full RCM with per-diem billing, denial management, and KipuPay
Where Charm Health falls short
- Only 9 G2 reviews with a 3.5 rating suggests limited market presence
- Telehealth is a $20/mo add-on, not included in base price
- AI Scribe costs $125/provider/mo on top of everything else
- E-prescribing and EPCS are separate add-ons totaling $265+/year
Where Kipu Health falls short
- Quote-based pricing with no transparency — estimated $600-10,000+/mo
- Overkill for outpatient solo or small practices
- Complex implementation timeline
- Treatment plan module has a learning curve per user reviews
Who is each product built for?
Charm Health
Target: 1-50 providers
Buy Charm Health if you run a low-volume practice and want the pay-per-encounter model, or if you need a free tier that actually lets you see patients. Skip if you want telehealth and e-prescribing included in the base price.
Kipu Health
Target: 20-500+ beds
Buy Kipu if you run an addiction treatment center or residential behavioral health facility with 20+ beds. Skip if you're an outpatient therapist — this is enterprise software for inpatient/residential settings.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Charm Health | Kipu Health |
|---|---|---|
| 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
Kipu Health scores 8.0/10 vs Charm Health's 7.0/10 in our ranking. Kipu Health is the better pick for 20-500+ beds. Charm Health is better if you need low-volume independent practices that want a pay-per-encounter model instead of flat monthly fees.
Charm Health starts at $0/month. Kipu Health starts at $600/month. Watch for add-on costs — the base price often does not include all features. Pricing last verified 2026-04-01.
Charm Health: Free tier available. Kipu Health: No free trial. Always test with your actual workflow before committing to an annual plan.
Charm Health covers 17 of 18 features we track. Kipu Health covers 18 of 18. Kipu Health has broader feature coverage, but more features does not always mean better — pick the tool that covers what your business actually needs.
Yes, Charm Health has a mobile app. Kipu Health 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 Charm Health if...
Low-volume independent practices that want a pay-per-encounter model instead of flat monthly fees
Pick Kipu Health if...
Addiction treatment centers and residential behavioral health facilities with 20+ beds