The best practice management software for a solo therapist is the one that supports the whole working day at a cost the practice can sustain. Compare scheduling, documentation, client communication, insurance work and the effort of switching. A low starting price matters, but so does the plan you need once appointments, reminders and claims are flowing.
Who wrote this: I'm Kamal Grewal, the founder of Therapy Companion. This is a vendor-authored comparison, and Therapy Companion is one of the products below. I use published vendor information to identify differences you can check in a demo. Prices are standard US dollar list prices checked October 2, 2026, before promotions or taxes. Sources are linked beside the relevant claims.
Start with the work your solo practice needs
Write down one ordinary week before comparing feature lists:
- Appointments: How many sessions do you book, and do clients need online booking and reminders?
- Documentation: Do you want to write notes yourself, draft from typed material, dictate after a session, or use session transcription? These are different workflows.
- Client communication: Do you need secure messaging, homework, shared reflections and a client portal?
- Insurance: Will you submit claims, create superbills, reconcile remittances or work denials? Ask to see each relevant step.
- Switching: What needs to transfer, who checks the result, and when will clients be invited?
For Therapy Companion, you can follow the clinical workflow, between-session client experience, and insurance workflow before booking a walkthrough.
Solo plans and AI documentation costs
These are subscription prices, not a complete estimate of every practice's monthly bill. The table distinguishes included capabilities from optional AI subscriptions.
| Platform | Standard solo monthly plans | AI documentation | Plan detail to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| SimplePractice | Starter $49; Essential $79; Plus $99 | Note Taker: $35/month per clinician, available on all plans | Telehealth and online appointment requests are included on all plans; general appointment reminders and secure messaging require Essential or Plus |
| TherapyNotes | Solo $69 | TherapyFuel: $40/month per clinician | Basic telehealth is included; premium telehealth and several billing or messaging actions have separate charges |
| Jane | Balance $59; Practice $79; Thrive $99 | Unlimited AI Scribe: $15/month per opted-in practitioner | Balance allows 20 appointments per month; Insurance Billing is an add-on to Practice or Thrive |
| Therapy Companion | Individual $199/month or $1,999/year | AI-assisted documentation included | Draft from clinician-typed material, review and sign; group and enterprise pricing is scoped separately |
Sources: SimplePractice pricing and plan features; TherapyNotes pricing; Jane US pricing; Therapy Companion pricing.
AI notes are available in all four products
A useful comparison asks how the draft is created and reviewed. TherapyNotes' TherapyFuel overview documents both drafting from entered session information and a transcription workflow. It also supports AI-assisted treatment plans. Jane's pricing page describes AI Scribe for live recording or post-session dictation. Therapy Companion uses clinician-typed material and does not record or listen to the therapy session.
In a demo, use a fictional session summary and inspect the output: what did the draft retain, omit or infer, and how easily can you correct it before signing? A generated note still needs the clinician's review. Follow Therapy Companion's typed-note workflow, from written input through review and signing.
Calculate the bill for your actual usage
Use this worksheet: subscription + selected add-ons + usage charges + payment processing + separately agreed services. Compare the same expected activity, and keep hypothetical time savings separate from the invoice.
SimplePractice: one clinician, AI notes and 50 claims
For a practice that wants general appointment reminders and secure messaging, Essential plus Note Taker and 50 electronic claims is $79 + $35 + (50 x $0.39) = $133.50/month. A practice that does not need those Essential features can select Starter; AI alone does not require Plus.
This example uses Insurance Essentials, not the optional Insurance Navigator service. The October 1 fee schedule charges claims in marginal volume bands, beginning at $0.39 for the first 250 claims. It excludes taxes, payment processing, insurance status checks, annual AMA fees and other optional services. See the official insurance pricing change and adjust the assumptions in our SimplePractice comparison calculator.
TherapyNotes: count claims and remittances separately
Solo plus TherapyFuel is $109/month before usage charges. At the published rates, 50 electronic claims add $7; 50 claims appearing in ERAs add another $7. That example totals $123, before eligibility requests, text or voice reminders, payment processing, premium telehealth or other additions. Each of those usage categories needs its own estimate. TherapyNotes fee schedule. Our TherapyNotes comparison calculator uses a separate adjustable scenario; read its itemized charges before comparing totals.
Jane: choose the plan for the monthly appointment count
Practice plus unlimited AI Scribe is $94/month before optional billing services and other charges. Balance's 20-appointment limit is monthly. For US insurance billing, confirm the Insurance Billing add-on and any separate clearinghouse charges with Jane. Its US insurance guide explains that billing features require the add-on. This example does not quote a bundled insurance total. Use the Jane comparison calculator to model your setup and enter any separate clearinghouse quote.
Therapy Companion: compare the included workflow
The individual list price is $199/month or $1,999/year. Evaluate whether the connected clinical, client and practice workflows meet your needs at that price. Group and enterprise plans are scoped separately. Published plans and inclusions explain the buying options; optional appeal support is separately priced.
Match the shortlist to your practice
SimplePractice: Put it on your shortlist if its plan structure fits your scheduling and communication needs. Check whether Starter covers your workflow or whether Essential features matter, then add the AI and insurance usage you expect.
TherapyNotes: Consider it when you want to evaluate documentation and insurance billing together. Compare the base subscription, the optional TherapyFuel workflow and the per-use charges instead of treating every billed action as included.
Jane: Consider it for a practice whose booking and service mix fits its scheduling model. A small monthly caseload may fit Balance; a busier practice or one needing its Insurance Billing add-on should evaluate Practice or Thrive.
Therapy Companion: Consider it when you want to work across preparation, clinician-typed documentation, client follow-through and practice operations in one system. Read the appointment, note, billing and client-homework walkthrough, then ask us to demonstrate the steps your practice needs and the migration process. Choosing it should follow that evaluation, not a claim that one product wins for everyone.
Use the same demo checklist for every vendor
The therapy software evaluation guide expands this checklist into six scenarios, including group-practice roles and unfinished work. Use the relevant scenarios with each vendor and record what you observed, what was not demonstrated, and what your practice does not need.
- Book a fictional appointment. Check availability, reminders, rescheduling and what the client sees.
- Create and review a note. Try your preferred input method and edit the draft before signing.
- Follow the money. For an insurance practice, walk through a sample claim, remittance and denial follow-up. For private pay, inspect invoices and payment handling.
- Check the client experience. Review portal access, communication and any between-session work you need.
- Plan the transfer. Ask for the export and migration scope, review process, cost and go-live plan in writing.
Ask how access, retention and export work for your practice, and review the provider's agreements. Therapy Companion's security information and migration process provide starting points for that discussion.
When you are ready, book a Therapy Companion demo. Bring your must-have workflows and monthly usage estimates; use fictional client details for the walkthrough. Ask to see the saved result of each relevant action and clarify the setup, charges and work that remain with your practice.
Frequently asked questions
How much does practice management software cost for a solo therapist?
At standard US monthly rates checked October 2, 2026, SimplePractice starts at $49, TherapyNotes Solo is $69, and Jane Balance is $59 with a 20-appointment monthly limit. Therapy Companion's individual plan is $199/month or $1,999/year. Compare the plan, AI add-ons and usage fees your practice actually needs.
Do SimplePractice, TherapyNotes and Jane offer AI notes?
Yes. SimplePractice lists Note Taker at $35/month per clinician, TherapyNotes offers TherapyFuel at $40/month per clinician, and Jane lists unlimited AI Scribe at $15/month per opted-in practitioner. Therapy Companion includes AI-assisted documentation from clinician-typed input in its individual plan. Review each tool's input method and draft-review workflow.
How many appointments does Jane Balance include?
Jane Balance is limited to 20 appointments per month, not per week. Practice and Thrive support unlimited appointments; Jane's Insurance Billing add-on is available on those two plans.
What is the difference between an EHR and practice management software?
An EHR centers on the clinical record: assessments, diagnoses, treatment plans and progress notes. Practice management covers operations such as scheduling, client communication and billing. Many products combine both, so compare how a complete client visit moves through the system.
What should I check before switching therapy software?
Confirm what your current system exports, what the new provider will bring across, who reviews the transferred records, when clients receive invitations, and the written migration scope and price. Test the new workflow before choosing a go-live date.
