Headway vs ICANotes
Headway scores 7.2/10 vs 6.5/10. Best for: Solo therapists who want zero startup costs and fast insurance credentialing.
Headway scores higher overall at 7.2/10 vs 6.5/10. Buy Headway if you're a new solo therapist who wants zero startup costs and fast insurance credentialing. Skip if you want full control over your insurance panels or run a group practice.
Headway 
ICANotes Rank
#20 of 41
Rank
#37 of 41
Features
12/18
Features
16/18
Starting at
$0/mo
Starting at
$35/mo
User reviews
—
User reviews
3.8/5 (130)
What they cost
| Headway | ICANotes | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting at | Free /mo | $35 /mo |
| Free trial | Free tier available | 0 days |
| Number of plans | 1 | 5 |
What the pricing really means
At first glance, Headway looks cheaper at $0/month vs $35/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 Headway wins
- Completely free for providers — zero monthly cost
- Insurance credentialing done in weeks instead of the usual months
- 65,000+ providers across all 50 states
- AI-assisted session notes via built-in Scribe
Where ICANotes wins
- Point-and-click note builder genuinely reduces documentation to 2-3 minutes per session, which users consistently confirm in reviews
- Over 100 built-in clinical assessments with automatic scoring and trend tracking tied directly to treatment plans
- E-prescribing with EPCS and lab integration on the Prescribing plan, so psychiatrists can handle everything in one system
- Part-time pricing starts at $35/mo for clinicians with lighter caseloads, which is rare in behavioral health EHRs
Where Headway falls short
- Headway owns your credentialing — if you leave, you may need to re-credential
- Commission from insurance reimbursements means you earn less per session
- No e-prescribing
- Not built for group practices — every provider must be individually licensed and credentialed
Where ICANotes falls short
- Interface looks like it was built in the 1990s and has not had a visual refresh, which multiple Capterra reviewers call out
- No native mobile app, so mobile access requires Microsoft Remote Desktop or a browser, which is clunky
- Telehealth is a $10/mo per user add-on, not included, and the $99 activation fee on prescribing plans adds up
- Appointment scheduler is reported as slow by multiple reviewers, with lag when booking or rearranging sessions
Who is each product built for?
Headway
Target: 1 provider
Buy Headway if you're a new solo therapist who wants zero startup costs and fast insurance credentialing. Skip if you want full control over your insurance panels or run a group practice.
ICANotes
Target: 1-30 clinicians
Buy ICANotes if speed of documentation is your top priority and you will trade a modern interface for 3-minute progress notes. Skip if you care about design, need a mobile app, or want telehealth included.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Headway | ICANotes |
|---|---|---|
| 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
Headway scores 7.2/10 vs ICANotes's 6.5/10 in our ranking. Headway is the better pick for 1 provider. ICANotes is better if you need behavioral health clinicians who dread documentation and want to cut note-writing time from 30 minutes to under 5 minutes per session.
Headway starts at $0/month. ICANotes starts at $35/month. Watch for add-on costs — the base price often does not include all features. Pricing last verified 2026-04-01.
Headway: Free tier available. ICANotes: No free trial. Always test with your actual workflow before committing to an annual plan.
Headway covers 12 of 18 features we track. ICANotes covers 16 of 18. ICANotes has broader feature coverage, but more features does not always mean better — pick the tool that covers what your business actually needs.
Yes, Headway has a mobile app. ICANotes does not.
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 Headway if...
Solo therapists who want zero startup costs and fast insurance credentialing
Pick ICANotes if...
Behavioral health clinicians who dread documentation and want to cut note-writing time from 30 minutes to under 5 minutes per session.