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Software · head to head

Kareo vs SimplePractice

Kareo logo

Kareo

Software

Cloud-based EHR and billing for small practices

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
S

SimplePractice

Software

Practice management and EHR for mental health and therapy

From
$49/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Kareo kareo is now part of Tebra and sold under the Tebra brand rather than as a standalone product; SimplePractice no API or webhook support for integrations, preventing connections to Zapier or custom automation tools
  • They diverge on capability: Kareo covers Electronic Health Records, SimplePractice covers Client Portal.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kareo and SimplePractice actually diverge.

Attributes where Kareo and SimplePractice differ
AttributeKareoSimplePractice
Starting price$99/month$49/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWeb, MobileWeb, iOS, Android
Founded20102011

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Kareo

  • Electronic Health Records
  • Patient Portal
  • Medical Billing
  • Payment Processing
  • Labs
  • Pharmacies
  • Clearinghouses

Only in SimplePractice

  • Client Portal
  • Notes
  • Billing
  • Telehealth
  • Documents
  • Stripe
  • PayPal
  • Electronic clearinghouses

Both cover

  • Scheduling
  • HIPAA
  • SOC2
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support
  • Mobile support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Kareo

  • Practice management, scheduling and billing for independent medical practicesnot SimplePractice
  • Electronic health records and e-prescribing for small clinicsnot SimplePractice
  • Insurance claim submission and patient payment collectionnot SimplePractice

SimplePractice

  • Patient Carenot Kareo
  • Medical Recordsnot Kareo
  • Practice Managementnot Kareo
  • Telehealthnot Kareo

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Kareo

  • Kareo is now part of Tebra and sold under the Tebra brand rather than as a standalone product
  • Tebra publishes no rate: pricing varies with provider count, features and implementation requirements and is quoted during a demo
  • Billing counts clinical providers such as MDs, DOs, NPs and PAs, so adding a prescriber raises the bill even though non clinical staff are free
  • Electronic prescribing of controlled substances setup costs about $75 per provider as a one time fee
  • PDMP integration costs $500 one time per facility plus about $50 per user per year

SimplePractice

  • No API or webhook support for integrations, preventing connections to Zapier or custom automation tools
  • Lacks AI clinical documentation in base plan, requiring manual note typing which takes 15-30 minutes per session
  • Reporting and customization features are limited compared to competitors, with weak insurance workflow support
  • Hidden costs beyond base pricing, with real cost often 3x higher after add-ons and annual increases
  • Telehealth component reported as unstable and frequently unreliable by some users

Pricing, plan by plan

Kareo

$99/month
  • Starter$99/month
    • EHR
    • Scheduling
    • Patient Portal
  • Professional$199/month
    • Everything in Starter
    • Billing
    • Reporting

SimplePractice

$49/month
  • Starter$49/month
    • Scheduling
    • Documentation
    • Client portal
  • Essential$79/month
    • Billing and payments
    • Insurance claim filing
    • Telehealth
  • Plus$99/month
    • Website builder
    • Advanced reporting
    • ePrescribe integration

Which should you pick?

Choose Kareo if

  • You need electronic health records.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want patient portal.
Kareo review

Choose SimplePractice if

  • You need client portal.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want notes.
SimplePractice review

Questions people ask

Is Kareo or SimplePractice better?
Neither clearly leads. Kareo starts at $99/month and SimplePractice at $49/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kareo or SimplePractice?
Kareo starts at $99/month and SimplePractice at $49/month.
Does Kareo or SimplePractice run on more platforms?
Kareo runs on Web, Mobile. SimplePractice runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is Kareo best used for?
Kareo is most often used for practice management, scheduling and billing for independent medical practices, electronic health records and e-prescribing for small clinics, insurance claim submission and patient payment collection. Of those, practice management, scheduling and billing for independent medical practices and electronic health records and e-prescribing for small clinics are not what SimplePractice is typically brought in for.
What can Kareo do that SimplePractice cannot?
Kareo covers Electronic Health Records, Patient Portal, Medical Billing, Payment Processing. SimplePractice covers Client Portal, Notes, Billing, Telehealth. Both handle Scheduling, HIPAA, SOC2, Cloud deployment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

SimplePractice: What does SimplePractice pricing include?

SimplePractice tiers start at $49 (Starter), $79 (Essential), and $99 (Plus) per clinician per month. Add-ons cost extra, including AI Note Taker at $35/month and ePrescribe at $49/month plus $89 setup.

Source
SimplePractice: Does SimplePractice include telehealth?

Yes, all SimplePractice tiers include HIPAA-compliant integrated telehealth, allowing therapists to conduct secure video sessions directly from the platform.

Source
SimplePractice: Is AI documentation included in SimplePractice?

No, AI clinical notes are not included in base pricing. SimplePractice offers an optional AI Note Taker add-on for $35/month that provides basic transcription, though it lacks advanced note generation features of competitors.

Source
SimplePractice: Does SimplePractice support international or non-US workflows?

No, SimplePractice is designed for US practices only and does not support non-US workflows, insurance structures, or currencies, limiting its use for international practitioners.

Source
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