Upheal started as an AI note-taking tool and now positions itself as an AI-native EHR for therapists, combining notes, telehealth, scheduling, and billing. That shift works well for some practices, but if you'd rather keep your current EMR, need a different pricing model, or want more session prep and follow-up support, there are strong Upheal alternatives to consider.
Key Takeaways
Research on clinician documentation burden, including a 2016 Annals of Internal Medicine study of physicians, shows desk and EHR work can take up nearly half of office time, so tools that streamline notes can meaningfully free up your week.
The first decision is structural: do you want a standalone AI scribe that works alongside your EMR, or an all-in-one platform that replaces it?
Choosing documentation tools is part of professional practice, so review BAAs, retention policies, and consent requirements before you bring any tool into client care.
Standalone AI Scribe vs. All-in-One EHR
A standalone AI scribe drafts your notes, treatment plans, and related documentation, and you move the finished note into your EMR. This keeps your billing, scheduling, and records where they are, and lets you choose the documentation tool that fits your clinical style.
An all-in-one EHR with built-in AI keeps everything in one place, which can simplify your workflow. The tradeoff is that you're limited to that platform's AI features and formats, and switching later means migrating your records. If you're weighing a full platform change, our guide to the best EHR for therapists covers the broader decision.
When you compare options in either category, keep these factors in front of you:
The note formats you use, including SOAP, DAP, BIRP, and specialty notes
Input options for telehealth, in-person sessions, and after-the-fact documentation
Treatment plan support that links goals to each progress note
A signed BAA, recording retention practices, and a clear AI training policy
Total monthly cost, including per-clinician add-ons and claims fees
The 7 Best Upheal Alternatives
Pricing and features reflect each vendor's published information as of October 2026. Confirm current details during your trial.
1. Berries
Berries is an AI scribe built exclusively for mental health professionals, and it supports your work before, during, and after each session. Before you start, you'll see a last-session summary and follow-up points, and you can use the AI chat assistant to think through the client's chart. After the session, Berries generates your note, treatment plan, optional ICD-10 suggestions, and a client follow-up letter, along with Insights on key takeaways, approaches, and patterns.
You can choose from 20+ built-in templates (SOAP, DAP, BIRP, GIRP, PIE, SIRP, intake, and supervision documentation) or build your own with the template builder. Notes can come from a live session, dictation, typed text, audio upload, a handwritten note upload, or headphones mode. For prescribers, a per-client medication list carries over across notes.
Berries works with any EMR via copy-paste, plus PDF export, so you keep your current system. It's HIPAA and PHIPA compliant and SOC 2 certified, session recordings aren't stored, and PHI isn't used to train AI models. Start with Berries free for your first 20 sessions, then 10 sessions per month, with no credit card required.
2. Mentalyc
Mentalyc is a mental health AI scribe with plans tiered by monthly note volume, from 40 notes on Mini to 330 on Super, plus a Team plan. A 14-day trial includes up to 15 notes. Some formats, including BIRP, GIRP, SIRP, and PIE, require the Pro plan or higher.
Mentalyc offers a Chrome extension for moving notes into your EHR and features like therapeutic alliance scoring and supervision notes. It deletes audio once the note is ready, and automatic transcript deletion is available on its Super and Team plans.
It's a good fit if your caseload is predictable and you want a standalone scribe rather than a new EHR. Our Upheal vs. Mentalyc comparison covers the two side by side.
3. Blueprint
Blueprint combines AI documentation with measurement-based care, offering built-in outcome measures and a large library of assessments and interventions. You can use it alongside your EHR, priced per session or per seat, or as a full EHR.
Blueprint drafts progress notes, treatment plans, discharge summaries, and biopsychosocial assessments, and it states that audio is deleted immediately after processing. Our Berries vs. Blueprint comparison explains where the two tools differ. If evaluating client progress with standardized measures is central to your practice, Blueprint is a strong option in either configuration.
4. SimplePractice
SimplePractice is an established practice management EMR, with plans from $49 to $99 per month and a 30-day free trial. Its AI Note Taker is a paid add-on that drafts progress notes from in-person or telehealth sessions.
SimplePractice states that Note Taker audio is deleted immediately after the transcript is generated. Its Plus plan adds group practice features, and ePrescribe is available as an add-on.
If you want an all-in-one platform with a long track record in private practice, SimplePractice is a direct Upheal alternative.
5. TherapyNotes
TherapyNotes is a behavioral health EMR with Solo ($69 per month) and Group plans. Its AI tool, TherapyFuel, costs $40 per clinician per month and drafts notes and treatment plans in SOAP, DAP, BIRP, and custom formats.
Basic telehealth is included, and e-claims and ERA are billed per claim. It's well suited to insurance-based practices and those with psychiatric prescribers, since ePrescribe is available as an add-on. Note that TherapyFuel doesn't yet support group sessions.
6. Sessions Health
Sessions Health offers a free plan for up to three clients and a Professional plan at $39 per month plus $29 per additional practitioner. Its AI Assist add-on is $35 per practitioner per month, and telehealth is a $10 add-on.
ERA and a client portal are included on all plans, and Sessions Health signs a BAA when you sign up. It's a cost-conscious all-in-one option for new or part-time clinicians who want room to grow without committing to a higher monthly fee on day one.
7. Headway
Headway's EHR is free for clinicians and includes AI-assisted progress notes, telehealth, scheduling, a treatment plan builder, and PHQ-9 and GAD-7 screening at no extra cost. It's built for insurance-based care through Headway.
If you're credentialing with Headway, it can replace both your EHR and your AI notes tool without a software bill.
Whichever direction you choose, the quality of your notes still depends on how well the tool supports your documentation standards.
Keeping Documentation Strong When You Switch Tools
Switching tools is a good moment to tighten your documentation. Check that new templates capture medical necessity, link interventions to treatment plan goals, and keep a clear line between progress notes and private psychotherapy notes.
Review your first few weeks of AI-drafted notes closely before you trust the workflow. Watch for speaker mix-ups, generic phrasing, and interventions that don't match what happened in session, and confirm any suggested diagnoses or codes yourself. Our guide on ethical considerations when using an AI scribe covers accuracy review, consent, and transparency with clients.
Privacy and Data Handling to Compare
Most tools on this list sign a BAA at signup, but retention and training policies vary. Some delete audio as soon as a note is generated, some keep transcripts for a set period or until a note is signed, and some let you opt in to longer retention.
Read each vendor's privacy and compliance pages side by side, and ask how de-identified data is used, if at all. Whatever tool you choose, update your informed consent language so clients know an AI tool supports your documentation. If you also offer virtual sessions, our guide to HIPAA-compliant telehealth platforms covers what to check on the video side.
How to Choose the Right Upheal Alternative
If you're happy with your EMR and want better documentation support, start with a standalone scribe like Berries or Mentalyc. If you want one platform for everything, compare SimplePractice, TherapyNotes, Sessions Health, and Headway based on your payer mix and team size.
Then test with real workflows. Draft notes from a few consented sessions, time your edits, and add up total monthly costs, including add-ons. For a deeper look at vetting vendors, see how to evaluate AI tools as a therapist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Upheal an EHR or an AI scribe?
Both. Upheal offers an AI Notes plan that works alongside other EHRs, plus EHR plans that add scheduling, a client portal, billing, and messaging.
Is Upheal free?
Upheal has a free plan, but as of October 2026 it's limited to SOAP, DAP, and intake notes and doesn't include live session recording. Paid plans unlock its full template library and AI features.
Can I use an AI scribe with my current EMR?
Yes. Standalone AI scribes are designed to work alongside your EMR. With Berries, you copy finished notes into any EMR or export them as a PDF.
Do clients need to consent to AI note taking?
It's best practice to get informed consent before using any AI documentation tool, and some states and organizations have specific requirements. The Berries client consent form is a helpful starting point you can adapt for your practice.
What's the cheapest Upheal alternative?
It depends on your setup. Headway's EHR is free for clinicians in insurance-based care, Sessions Health has a free plan for up to three clients, and Berries includes your first 20 sessions free, then 10 sessions per month.
How do I move from Upheal to another tool?
Export your notes and records before canceling, confirm Upheal's data retention timeline, and set up templates in your new tool before your next full week of sessions.
This article is for educational purposes and professional development only. It does not constitute clinical supervision or replace professional judgment in therapeutic practice.