Best AI Progress Note Tools for Therapists (2026)
Prices and facts checked October 13, 2026. We don't accept payment for rankings.
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Short answer: Upheal is the best value for most solo therapists: a free plan for dictated notes, and $39 a month for unlimited AI notes from recorded sessions, with strong recent reviews. If you want the clearest compliance paperwork, Mentalyc includes a BAA on every plan and starts at $14.99 a month. If you already use SimplePractice, its Note Taker add-on ($35 a month) keeps everything in one system.
Whichever you pick, three things matter more than features: a signed BAA, a clear audio retention policy, and client consent. Our HIPAA and consent guide covers them.
Our picks
- Best valueUpheal: unlimited AI notes for $39/mo, free plan for dictation See Upheal
- Best compliance paperworkMentalyc: BAA on every plan, from $14.99/mo See Mentalyc
- Best for SimplePractice usersNote Taker: $35/mo add-on inside your EHR See SimplePractice
Comparison table
| Upheal | Mentalyc | Twofold | SimplePractice Note Taker | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free; $39/mo AI Notes | $14.99–$99.99/mo (annual) | Personal plan (see below) | $35/mo add-on |
| Notes included | Unlimited | 40–330/mo by plan | Unlimited | Not stated |
| Free trial | Free plan, no card; 30-day money-back | 14 days, no card | 7 days, no card | 30 days free |
| BAA | Not stated on pricing page (ask) | Included | Included | Ask SimplePractice |
| Group therapy notes | Couples/family on paid plan | Super plan | Ask | Ask |
| Best for | Solo therapists, value | Compliance-minded solos | Unlimited notes, simple | Existing SimplePractice users |
Prices checked October 13, 2026 on Upheal, Mentalyc, Twofold and SimplePractice.
1. Upheal: best value
Price: Free for unlimited notes from dictation, typed text or uploads (individual therapy only). AI Notes at $39/month adds recording, unlimited sessions, treatment plans, a compliance checker, and couples and family notes. Upheal also offers a full EHR at $1 per session or $99/month flat. There's a free trial with no card, a 30-day money-back guarantee, and 50% off for students and associates (Upheal pricing).
What users say: Upheal scores 4.5 from 97 Trustpilot reviews, 39 of them in the last year (Trustpilot). Recent reviewers praise accurate notes that need little editing, time saved on admin, and responsive support. The complaints: mistakes from the AI Assistant (since addressed, per the company), one annual renewal charged without notice (refunded, with reminder emails promised), and thin onboarding.
Notes come out detailed and accurate enough that they need very little editing.
Trustpilot reviewers, August–October 2026 (paraphrased)
Charged for an annual renewal with no warning email beforehand.
Trustpilot reviewer, August 2026 (paraphrased; company issued a refund)
Strengths
- Genuinely useful free plan
- Flat $39 for unlimited recorded sessions
- Replies to every negative review
Watch out for
- Pricing page says "HIPAA compliant" but doesn't mention a BAA. Request one in writing.
- Set a reminder before any annual renewal
2. Mentalyc: best compliance paperwork
Price (billed annually): Mini $14.99/mo (40 notes), Basic $29.99 (100), Pro $59.99 (160) and Super $99.99 (330). Monthly billing costs more ($19.99–$119.99). Team plans are $49.99 per seat annually with unlimited notes. All plans have a 14-day free trial with no card (Mentalyc pricing).
Mentalyc's standout is paperwork: every plan includes HIPAA consent forms and a Business Associate Agreement, and it lists SOC 2 Type II compliance. Basic adds treatment plans and goal-linked notes, while Pro adds couples, child and family clients, EMDR and play therapy notes, custom templates and CPT codes.
The trade-off is note caps. A full caseload of 25 sessions a week (roughly 100+ a month) needs Basic at minimum, and Mini and Basic cap sessions at 75 minutes.
3. Twofold: unlimited notes, BAA included
Price: a free 7-day plan with full access and no card, then the Personal plan with unlimited notes, coding help and telehealth support. Its pricing page lists $69 a month with a discounted first month on annual billing, but doesn't clearly state the ongoing rate, so confirm before you subscribe (Twofold pricing).
Twofold says it includes a signed BAA on every account at no cost, with AES-256 encryption at rest. One inconsistency is worth checking: its page says raw session audio is never stored, while its FAQ says audio is deleted after note generation unless you opt in to retention. Ask which applies to your account.
4. SimplePractice Note Taker: best if you're already on SimplePractice
Price: $35/month add-on (with an introductory discount and a 30-day free trial), available on every SimplePractice plan. It drafts progress notes after telehealth or in-person sessions, from a recording or your dictation (SimplePractice pricing).
The appeal is no new vendor and no copying notes between systems. SimplePractice base plans run $49–$99/month at standard prices. If you're not already a SimplePractice user, Upheal's $39 AI Notes plan is cheaper than adopting an EHR for the note-taker alone.
Which should you choose?
| If you... | Choose |
|---|---|
| Want the most for the least, solo | Upheal AI Notes ($39/mo) |
| Want a BAA and consent forms ready to go | Mentalyc |
| See lots of clients and hate note caps | Twofold or Upheal |
| Already run your practice on SimplePractice | Note Taker add-on |
FAQ
Are AI note takers HIPAA compliant?
A tool can only be used compliantly if the vendor signs a business associate agreement with you and protects the data as HIPAA requires. Get the BAA before the first session. More on HIPAA and consent.
Do I have to tell clients I'm using AI?
Professional guidance and many state recording laws point to yes. Get informed consent and give clients a way to opt out.
Can I use AI notes without recording sessions?
Yes. Upheal's free plan and SimplePractice's Note Taker both work from your dictation or typed summary after the session, so no session audio is captured.
Sources
Pages we used for this article, checked on or before the update date above.
- Upheal · upheal.io
- Mentalyc · mentalyc.com
- Twofold · trytwofold.com
- SimplePractice · simplepractice.com
- Trustpilot · trustpilot.com
Changelog: Oct 13, 2026: first published.