Headway vs Kipu Health
Kipu Health scores 8.0/10 vs 7.2/10. Best for: Addiction treatment centers and residential behavioral health facilities with 20+ beds.
Kipu Health scores higher overall at 8.0/10 vs 7.2/10. 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.
Headway 
Kipu Health Rank
#20 of 41
Rank
#5 of 41
Features
12/18
Features
18/18
Starting at
$0/mo
Starting at
$600/mo
User reviews
—
User reviews
4.7/5 (247)
What they cost
| Headway | Kipu Health | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting at | Free /mo | $600 /mo |
| Free trial | Free tier available | No |
| Number of plans | 1 | 1 |
What the pricing really means
At first glance, Headway 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 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 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 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 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?
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.
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 | Headway | 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 Headway's 7.2/10 in our ranking. Kipu Health is the better pick for 20-500+ beds. Headway is better if you need solo therapists who want zero startup costs and fast insurance credentialing.
Headway 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.
Headway: Free tier available. Kipu Health: No free trial. Always test with your actual workflow before committing to an annual plan.
Headway covers 12 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, Headway 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 Headway if...
Solo therapists who want zero startup costs and fast insurance credentialing
Pick Kipu Health if...
Addiction treatment centers and residential behavioral health facilities with 20+ beds