DrChrono and SimplePractice both bundle EHR, scheduling, billing, and telehealth into one platform, but they are built for different corners of healthcare.…
| DrChrono | SimplePractice | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary category | Healthcare & Wellness | Healthcare & Wellness |
| Rating | Not documented | Not documented |
| Pricing model | Subscription (tiered, per provider) | subscription |
| Starting price | Custom quote (reported range roughly $199-$600+/provider/month depending on tier) | $49/month (Starter plan) |
| Free plan | Not documented | Not documented |
| Free trial | Not documented | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, iOS | Web, iOS, Android |
| Team collaboration | Not documented | Not documented |
| AI features | Yes | Yes |
| Public API | Yes | Not documented |
Primary specialty focus
DrChrono: Built as a general medical EHR for physician-led practices across specialties, with charting, e-prescribing, and billing centered on medical care.
SimplePractice: Built specifically for therapists, counselors, dietitians, and other behavioral health and wellness professionals, with documentation templates tailored to those fields.
A tool designed around a different specialty workflow can leave gaps in documentation, coding, or prescribing that matter every day, not just occasionally.
Pricing transparency
DrChrono: Pricing is custom-quoted per provider per month across three tiers, with no published rate on the website.
SimplePractice: Pricing is published, starting at 49 dollars per month per clinician on the Starter plan and rising to 99 dollars on the Plus plan.
Published pricing lets a solo practitioner budget immediately, while custom quotes require a sales conversation before knowing the real cost.
Controlled substance e-prescribing
DrChrono: Includes e-prescribing of controlled substances (EPCS) as a built-in capability within the clinical chart.
SimplePractice: Documented pricing notes mention e-prescribing as an add-on that increases plan cost, but EPCS support specifically is not documented.
Practices that prescribe controlled medications need EPCS support confirmed rather than assumed, since this is a regulated capability.
Billing depth and outsourced revenue cycle management
DrChrono: Offers claim scrubbing and submission on mid-tier plans plus a top Elite tier where DrChrono's own billing team handles full-service revenue cycle management.
SimplePractice: Offers real-time eligibility checks, electronic claim submission, invoicing, and superbills, but no documented option to outsource the entire billing and collections process to the vendor.
Practices that want to hand off collections entirely rather than manage claims in-house need a vendor that documents that service.
Native tablet-optimized charting
DrChrono: Provides a native iPad and iPhone app for charting, scheduling, and e-prescribing at the point of care.
SimplePractice: Provides iOS and Android mobile apps for clinicians and clients, without a documented tablet-specific charting design.
A tablet-first charting experience matters more in exam-room workflows where a clinician documents while examining a patient.
Open API and third-party integrations
DrChrono: Publishes an open API and maintains an app marketplace for connecting labs, imaging, and other specialty systems.
SimplePractice: Documented as having limited flexibility for practices wanting deep customization or open API integrations.
Practices relying on specialty diagnostic equipment or external lab systems need direct integration options rather than workarounds.
AI-assisted documentation
DrChrono: Supports dictation and speech-to-text for faster note-taking, without a documented generative note-drafting feature.
SimplePractice: Offers an optional AI Note Taker add-on that drafts session documentation from audio.
Speech-to-text transcribes what is said, while an AI note drafting tool goes a step further and organizes it into a note format, changing how much editing a clinician does afterward.
Free access options
DrChrono: Offers a no-cost base plan with limited scheduling and charting functionality, though full EHR, e-prescribing, and billing require a paid plan.
SimplePractice: Offers a free trial period rather than a permanent free plan, with all tiers requiring payment afterward.
A permanent limited free plan lets a practice keep using the core product indefinitely at no cost, while a trial has a hard cutoff.
| Feature | DrChrono | SimplePractice |
|---|---|---|
| Customizable specialty templates | Available | Available |
| Dictation and speech-to-text | Available | Not documented |
| AI-assisted note drafting | Not documented | Available |
| Feature | DrChrono | SimplePractice |
|---|---|---|
| Standard e-prescribing | Available | Limited |
| E-prescribing of controlled substances (EPCS) | Available | Not documented |
| Feature | DrChrono | SimplePractice |
|---|---|---|
| Online self-scheduling | Available | Available |
| Automated appointment reminders | Not documented | Available |
| Client or patient portal | Available | Available |
| Secure messaging | Available | Available |
| Feature | DrChrono | SimplePractice |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in video visits | Available | Available |
| Group telehealth sessions | Not documented | Available |
| Feature | DrChrono | SimplePractice |
|---|---|---|
| Insurance eligibility verification | Available | Available |
| Electronic claim submission | Available | Available |
| Full-service outsourced revenue cycle management | Available | Not documented |
| Online bill payment and superbills | Available | Available |
| Feature | DrChrono | SimplePractice |
|---|---|---|
| iOS mobile app | Available | Available |
| Android mobile app | Not documented | Available |
| Native tablet-optimized charting interface | Available | Not documented |
| Feature | DrChrono | SimplePractice |
|---|---|---|
| Open API for custom integrations | Available | Limited |
| Third-party app marketplace | Available | Not documented |
| Feature | DrChrono | SimplePractice |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-clinician group practice management | Not documented | Available |
| Reporting and analytics dashboard | Available | Available |
Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.
Pros
Cons
Pros
Cons
SimplePractice publishes its pricing starting at 49 dollars per month per clinician, while DrChrono requires a custom quote per provider per month, so there is no direct published price to compare, though DrChrono's documented cons note additional add-on and revenue cycle management fees that can add to total cost.
SimplePractice is better for therapists, counselors, dietitians, and other wellness professionals because its documentation templates, pricing, and workflow are built specifically for behavioral health and wellness practices, while DrChrono is built as a general medical EHR.
Yes, DrChrono includes built-in e-prescribing of controlled substances (EPCS) as part of its clinical charting features, letting clinicians send both standard and controlled-substance prescriptions from the chart.
Not based on documented features. SimplePractice offers insurance eligibility checks, electronic claim submission, invoicing, and superbills, but it does not document a full-service, outsourced revenue cycle management option the way DrChrono's Elite tier does.
DrChrono offers a no-cost base plan with limited scheduling and charting functionality, while SimplePractice offers a free trial period rather than a permanent free tier, so DrChrono is the one with an ongoing free option.
DrChrono has a native iPad and iPhone app built for charting, scheduling, and e-prescribing at the point of care, while SimplePractice offers iOS and Android apps without a documented tablet-specific charting design.
Read the full DrChrono review · Read the full SimplePractice review