Healthcare & Medical · head to head
SimplePractice vs Calm
SimplePractice
Healthcare & Medical
Practice management and EHR for mental health and therapy
- From
- $49/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Calm has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: SimplePractice no API or webhook support for integrations, preventing connections to Zapier or custom automation tools; Calm free tier is severely limited, with almost all content requiring payment
- They diverge on capability: SimplePractice covers Scheduling, Calm covers Sleep Stories.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which SimplePractice and Calm actually diverge.
| Attribute | SimplePractice | Calm |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $49/month | Free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | iOS, Android, Web |
| Founded | 2011 | 2012 |
Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Healthcare & Medical).
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 SimplePractice
- Scheduling
- Client Portal
- Notes
- Billing
- Telehealth
- Documents
- Stripe
- PayPal
Only in Calm
- Sleep Stories
- Guided meditations
- Daily Calm
- Breathing exercises
- Calm Body stretching
- Apple Health
- Apple Watch
- Samsung Health
Both cover
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
SimplePractice
- Patient Carenot Calm
- Medical Recordsnot Calm
- Practice Managementnot Calm
- Telehealthnot Calm
Calm
- Workout trackingnot SimplePractice
- Nutrition managementnot SimplePractice
- Health monitoringnot SimplePractice
- Fitness coachingnot SimplePractice
- Wellness improvementnot SimplePractice
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Calm
- Free tier is severely limited, with almost all content requiring payment
- Only one meditation per day included in free tier (Daily Calm)
- Annual pricing is among the highest in the meditation app category
- Less extensive free content library compared to Insight Timer (which has 100,000+ free meditations)
- Limited customization of meditation sessions; mostly follows Calm's curated content
Pricing, plan by plan
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
Calm
Free- FreeFree
- Daily Calm
- Select Sleep Stories
- 1 breathing exercise
- Premium Monthly$12.99/month
- All content unlocked
- Sleep Stories
- Masterclasses
- Premium Annual$69.99/year
- All content unlocked
- Sleep Stories
- Masterclasses
- Family Plan$99.99/year
- Up to 6 accounts
- All Premium content
- Separate customization per member
Which should you pick?
Choose SimplePractice if
- You need scheduling.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want client portal.
Choose Calm if
- You need sleep stories.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on iOS, Android, Web.
- You also want guided meditations.
Questions people ask
- Is SimplePractice or Calm better?
- Neither clearly leads. SimplePractice starts at $49/month and Calm at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, SimplePractice or Calm?
- Calm has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $49/month for SimplePractice and Free for Calm.
- Does SimplePractice or Calm run on more platforms?
- SimplePractice runs on Web, iOS, Android. Calm runs on iOS, Android, Web.
- Can I use Calm for free?
- Yes. Calm has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SimplePractice starts at $49/month.
- What is SimplePractice best used for?
- SimplePractice is most often used for patient care, medical records, practice management, telehealth. Of those, patient care and medical records are not what Calm is typically brought in for.
- What can SimplePractice do that Calm cannot?
- SimplePractice covers Scheduling, Client Portal, Notes, Billing. Calm covers Sleep Stories, Guided meditations, Daily Calm, Breathing exercises. Both handle Web support.
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.
SourceCalm: What does Calm's free tier include?
The free plan includes 1 breathing exercise, Day 1 of programs, select Sleep Stories, and Scenes, plus the famous Daily Calm feature and bedtime stories. Most content is locked behind the paid tier.
SourceSimplePractice: Does SimplePractice include telehealth?
Yes, all SimplePractice tiers include HIPAA-compliant integrated telehealth, allowing therapists to conduct secure video sessions directly from the platform.
SourceCalm: What is included in Calm Premium?
Calm Premium (all paid tiers are identical) includes The Daily Calm, Sleep Stories narrated by celebrities, exclusive music playlists, masterclasses taught by experts, Daily Move video lessons for stretching and mindful movement, and the entire content library.
SourceSimplePractice: 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.
SourceCalm: How much does Calm Premium cost?
Monthly subscription is $12.99/month, annual is $69.99-$79.99/year, Family Plan is $99.99/year (includes 1 Admin + 5 Members), and lifetime membership is available as a one-time payment.
SourceSimplePractice: 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.
SourceCalm: Does Calm offer pricing for organizations or teams?
Yes. Calm offers organizational plans for groups of 5-300 people with per-seat pricing based on total 'covered lives.' Larger groups receive deeper discounts. Pricing is significantly reduced compared to individual subscriptions.
SourceCalm: Does Calm work offline?
Calm's app functions offline for already-downloaded content. Downloaded Sleep Stories, meditations, and Music programs can be accessed without an internet connection.
Source