How we picked
A mental health EHR has different jobs from a primary care EHR. Notes are longer and more narrative, treatment plans need regular review, many visits happen by video, and clients expect to book, sign forms and pay online. Prescribers need e-prescribing with controlled-substance support. We looked only at systems in our directory and checked each vendor's current pricing and help pages in November 2026.
- Built for behavioral health. Progress note, intake and treatment plan templates that match how therapists and psychiatrists document, not adapted medical templates.
- Telehealth included or cheap to add. Most practices now see some clients by video.
- Client portal and paperwork. Online intake, consent forms, booking and card payments.
- Insurance billing in the same system. Claims, eligibility and ERAs without a second login, for practices that take insurance.
- Prescriber support where needed. E-prescribing, EPCS and PDMP access for psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners.
- Honest pricing. We favored vendors that publish prices and flagged per-claim and add-on fees.
The best EHR software for mental health practices
1. TherapyNotes: best overall for therapy practices
TherapyNotes is a web-based EHR and practice management system built only for behavioral health. Every plan includes unlimited clients and notes, a custom client portal, secure messaging, free data import from another EMR, 24/7 phone and email support, and Basic Telehealth for up to two participants. As of November 2026, Solo is $69 a month. Group is $79 for the first clinician plus $50 per additional clinician until November 30, 2026; TherapyNotes' help center says Group rises to $89 plus $60 per additional clinician on December 1, 2026, with unlimited non-clinical staff users. The main drawback is the add-on list: electronic claims (25 cents each from December 2026), eligibility checks, text reminders, Premium Telehealth ($15 per clinician), ePrescribe ($65 per prescriber) and the TherapyFuel AI tools ($40 per clinician) all cost extra.
2. SimplePractice: best for solo therapists starting out
SimplePractice is the most self-serve option here. You can sign up, import clients and start seeing them by video the same day. As of November 2026, Starter is $49 a month, Essential $79 and Plus $99, with new accounts offered 50% off for three months; additional Plus clinicians start at $74 a month. Telehealth with waiting rooms, screen sharing and a whiteboard is included on every plan, but group appointments and group telehealth need Plus or a $20 add-on on Essential, and Starter limits reminders to telehealth visits. Add-ons include ePrescribe at $49 a month plus $89 setup and the Note Taker AI at $35 a month. The drawback is cost creep: per-claim fees, a $20 yearly CPT fee and add-ons push a busy insurance-based practice well past the headline price.
3. Valant: best for psychiatry groups and IOP or PHP programs
Valant is built only for outpatient behavioral health, with strong prescriber workflows: e-prescribing, PDMP access, measurement-based care, group scheduling and attendance, and utilization review for intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization programs. It suits practices that mix psychiatrists, nurse practitioners and therapists in one schedule. Valant does not publish prices as of November 2026; its pricing page says quotes are based on the number and type of users (therapist, prescriber, supervisor) plus add-ons such as telehealth and AI-assisted documentation. The drawback is that a solo therapist with simple needs will pay for capability they do not use and cannot price it without a sales call.
4. ICANotes: best for structured, menu-driven notes
ICANotes builds notes from clickable menus rather than free text, which some clinicians find faster and more consistent for audits. It publishes separate plans for non-prescribers and prescribers. As of November 2026, full-time plans are $55 a month (Notes Only), $75 (Non-Prescribing) and $213 (Prescribing, with a $99 activation fee); part-time plans are $35, $45 and $138 with monthly note caps. Telehealth is $20 per user per month and the AI Scribe $49. The drawbacks are a three-month minimum commitment and an interface that feels dated next to SimplePractice.
5. AdvancedMD: best for larger practices that want one vendor for billing
AdvancedMD is a general ambulatory suite with a behavioral health edition. Its strength is billing depth: worklists, claim tracking and reporting across providers and locations, which matters for groups that bill insurance heavily or run an in-house billing team. As of November 2026, AdvancedMD says mental health software plans start at $130 a month (its self-serve AdvancedMD Now edition for small practices), and its mental health page lists a Complete Bundle of EHR, practice management and client engagement at $399 per provider per month, with Zoom-based teletherapy. EPCS is typically $35 a month. The drawback is that it is more system, and more money, than most therapy-only practices need.
What mental health practices should look for
- Your note style. Narrative writers tend to like TherapyNotes or SimplePractice. Clinicians who want point-and-click structure may prefer ICANotes. Ask for a trial and write three real notes before deciding.
- Group sessions. If you run groups, check that group notes, group billing and group video are included on the plan you are pricing. SimplePractice includes them only on Plus.
- Prescribers. Psychiatrists and PMHNPs need EPCS and ideally PDMP checks inside the EHR. Compare Valant, ICANotes Prescribing and the ePrescribe add-ons on TherapyNotes and SimplePractice side by side.
- Insurance volume. Per-claim fees add up. A practice filing 300 claims a month at 25 cents pays $75 a month in claim fees alone on TherapyNotes from December 2026.
- AI note tools and consent. Most of these EHRs now sell AI scribes. Check how audio and transcripts are stored and what client consent form the vendor provides.
- Data export. Ask how you would get notes and billing history out if you leave.
Mental health EHR pricing (what this audience typically pays)
As of November 2026, a solo therapist pays roughly $49 to $79 a month in base subscription for SimplePractice, TherapyNotes or ICANotes, before add-ons. Real monthly cost is usually higher once you add insurance claim fees, text reminders, card processing (about 3% plus 30 cents per payment) and any AI scribe ($35 to $49 per clinician). A prescriber adds $49 to $65 a month for e-prescribing on the therapy-first systems, or pays ICANotes' $213 Prescribing plan. Groups pay per clinician, typically $50 to $74 for each additional therapist. Valant quotes by user type, and AdvancedMD's full mental health bundle is $399 per provider per month.