AdvancedMD vs. SimplePractice
Which EHR Is Right for Your Practice?
Compare features, pricing models, specialty support, customer service and AI capabilities to choose the right platform for your independent practice.
At A Glance
SimplePractice is purpose-built for solo and small behavioral health practices that want a clean, fast setup. AdvancedMD is built for practices that need to scale: more specialties, deeper billing infrastructure, and the architecture to support a Central Billing Office or multi-location operation.
Which platform is right for you?
AdvancedMD
- You run a complex organization like a multi-location practice, group practice or a Central Billing Office (CBO) requiring robust scale.
- You need specialty coverage beyond mental health. AdvancedMD supports all specialties except dental and optometry.
- You require technical extensibility like lab integrations, an open API or custom third-party connectivity.
- You want flexible pricing models with the choice between a per-provider or per-encounter structure.
- You require 100% domestic support via phone, chat and email for urgent clinical and billing issues.
SimplePractice
- You operate a solo or small mental health practice such as a therapy, counseling or psychology private practice.
- Your top priority is AI-first, ambient documentation. SimplePractice’s Note Taker transcribes live sessions and auto-generates clinical progress notes.
- Your clinical team is Android-dependent for day-to-day mobile workflows.
- You want to test the platform before committing and prefer a 30-day free trial.
- You prefer a standard, templated setup over deep workflow customization or scaling tools.
| Feature | AdvancedMD | SimplePractice |
| Specialties | Comprehensive, supporting all specialties except Dental and Optometry | Limited to Primary Care, Mental Health, Pediatrics, and Dental |
| CBO Billing Support | Native | Not available |
| AI Note Assist | Available as an add-on | Available as an add-on (Note Taker) |
| Mobile App | Native, optimized heavily for iOS and iPadOS | Native for iOS and Android |
| Value-Based Care | Native | Not available |
| Clearinghouse | Native | Third-party |
| Support | Domestic via phone, chat, and email | Handled overseas |
| Pricing Model | Flexible, offering per-provider or per-encounter options | Per-provider only |
| Telehealth | Native | Add-on |
| Predictive Treatment Planning | Native | Not available |
Pricing comparison
AdvancedMD offers flexible pricing.
Per-provider rates run from $278 to $1,070 per provider per month depending on specialty ($429 to $1,070 for medical specialties, $130 to $399 for mental health, $399 for physical medicine and addiction medicine, $278 for MedSpa). Per-encounter pricing is also available at $0.87 to $1.74 per claim for practice management alone, or $1.08 to $2.17 per claim when bundled with EHR. Combining products can save up to 40% versus purchasing separately.
SimplePractice offers three tiers.
Starter at $49/month, Essential at $79/month and Plus at $99/month, all per-provider only. The Starter plan excludes telehealth and electronic insurance claim filing entirely. Essential and Plus unlock insurance workflows, though the claim-fee structure is changing: starting October 1, 2026, SimplePractice moves from plan-specific free-claim allowances to a flat per-claim rate beginning at $0.39, with volume discounts at higher monthly claim counts, plus an optional "Insurance Navigator" upgrade at $1.79 per claim for added billing features.
Both platforms carry upfront implementation costs.
Support & Onboarding
AdvancedMD provides 100% domestic support handled entirely in-house via phone, chat and email. For practices handling complex medical billing or time-sensitive clinical workflows, live, US-based technical support during business hours is a meaningful operational advantage. AdvancedMD implementation features a multi-week onboarding process guided by dedicated in-house specialists who manage data migration, configuration and testing.
SimplePractice relies more heavily on a self-serve ecosystem using Help Center documentation, product videos and online classes, alongside live support through email, chat and phone queues during business hours. Standard phone support handles foundational account setup and troubleshooting, while priority phone support is reserved for customers on the Plus tier.
Ready to look closer?
While both AdvancedMD and SimplePractice serve the behavioral health market, they’re built for different practice footprints. SimplePractice fits solo and small mental health practices prioritizing software simplicity and fast AI documentation workflows. AdvancedMD is the stronger fit when your organization plans to scale, bill high volumes or manage a multi-specialty, multi-location framework. Schedule a live demo to see how AdvancedMD fits your practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Unable to find an answer you’re looking for? No problem. Chat with a live person and we’ll work to get your question answered.
Is SimplePractice cheaper than AdvancedMD?
At the entry level for a solo provider, yes, SimplePractice starts at $49/month. Starting October 1, 2026, SimplePractice’s claim fees move to a flat rate beginning at $0.39 per claim across all plans, so cost scales with claim volume rather than a plan-specific free-claims allowance. AdvancedMD’s per-encounter pricing model often proves more cost-effective for multi-provider clinics or practices managing high patient volumes.
Does AdvancedMD work for therapists and mental health practices?
Yes. AdvancedMD features specialty-specific templates and custom billing workflows built for behavioral health, including therapy, psychology, psychiatry and counseling. Unlike SimplePractice, it supports hybrid practices that host multiple specialties under a single tax ID.
Does AdvancedMD have an AI charting tool like SimplePractice's Note Taker?
Yes, though the underlying architecture differs. SimplePractice’s Note Taker transcribes live clinical audio into progress notes. AdvancedMD offers AI documentation as an integrated add-on. Both reduce clinical charting burden, and SimplePractice’s tool has a strong reputation specifically within solo behavioral health practices.
Which platform is better for group or multi-location mental health practices?
AdvancedMD. SimplePractice lacks the native architecture to run a multi-location enterprise or support a Central Billing Office (CBO). AdvancedMD powers more than 900 billing companies and handles 9.5 million claims a month.
Can I use SimplePractice or AdvancedMD on Android?
SimplePractice offers native apps for both iOS and Android. AdvancedMD’s mobile apps are optimized for iOS and iPadOS only. If your clinical team relies on Android devices for charting, SimplePractice has the coverage advantage.
Does AdvancedMD offer a free trial?
No. SimplePractice offers a 30-day free trial. AdvancedMD instead handles pre-purchase evaluation through a live product demo.
Does SimplePractice support billing companies (CBO)?
No. SimplePractice is built for internal practice billing where clinicians submit their own claims. AdvancedMD includes built-in CBO architecture, currently supporting more than 900 independent billing companies with close to a 100% first-pass claim acceptance rate through its ClaimInspector tool.
What integrations does AdvancedMD have that SimplePractice doesn't?
AdvancedMD includes native lab integrations, an open API for custom connections and clearinghouse access through Waystar and Change Healthcare. SimplePractice does not offer an open API or lab connectivity, routing claims through Eligible, Inc. as a third-party clearinghouse.