simplepractice.com

For a **small healthcare practice**, I’d narrow the field to a handful of platforms rather than choosing a generic “HIPAA-compliant portal.” The best choice depends heavily on whether you’re a therapist, dietitian/wellness practice, primary-care clinic, or specialty medical practice. ### My top picks | Platform | Best for | Portal strengths | Main drawback | |---|---|---|---| | **[SimplePractice](https://www.simplepractice.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com)** | Therapists & behavioral health | Messaging, scheduling, forms, payments, telehealth, mobile app | Less suited to complex medical practices | | **[Practice Better](https://practicebetter.io?utm_source=chatgpt.com)** | Nutrition, functional/integrative & wellness | Excellent client engagement, forms, messaging, programs, tracking, payments | Not as strong for traditional medical billing | | **[Tebra](https://www.tebra.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com)** | Small medical practices | Patient messaging, digital intake, scheduling, payments + full EHR/billing | More expensive/complex than a portal-only solution | | **[Jane](https://jane.app?utm_source=chatgpt.com)** | Multidisciplinary/private practices | Polished patient experience, scheduling, forms, communication | Better as an entire practice-management platform than a standalone portal | | **[Healthie](https://www.gethealthie.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com)** | Dietitians, nutritionists & virtual care | Strong portal, forms, messaging, scheduling, care plans | More specialized toward wellness/nutrition | ### 1. Best overall for behavioral health: SimplePractice If you're a therapist, counselor, psychologist, or similar provider, **SimplePractice is probably my first choice**. Its portal combines secure messaging, documents/forms, scheduling, billing, telehealth and measurement-based care. SimplePractice says the portal is HIPAA compliant and HITRUST certified, and it's included with its plans rather than charged per client. [www.simplepractice.com](https://www.simplepractice.com/features/client-portal/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) Its current starting price is reported at about **$49/month**, although actual cost depends on the plan and add-ons. [www.capterra.com](https://www.capterra.com/compare/130710-159263/SimplePractice-vs-Better?utm_source=chatgpt.com)[www.tebra.com](https://www.tebra.com/compare-tebra-vs-athenahealth-vs-simplepractice?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **Best when:** you want something that is relatively easy for a solo practitioner or small behavioral-health group to implement. ### 2. Best for nutrition/integrative care: Practice Better **Practice Better** stands out when the relationship extends beyond appointments. Its portal supports intake and consent forms, scheduling, secure messaging, billing, programs, resources, food/habit tracking and integrations with health/wearable data. [practicebetter.io](https://practicebetter.io/blog/best-secure-client-portal-for-wellness-practitioners?utm_source=chatgpt.com) It's particularly attractive for **dietitians, nutritionists, functional medicine and health/wellness practices** rather than a conventional primary-care office. Capterra currently lists a starting price of about **$35/month**, though pricing varies by plan. [www.capterra.com](https://www.capterra.com/compare/130710-159263/SimplePractice-vs-Better?utm_source=chatgpt.com)[www.tebra.com](https://www.tebra.com/compare-tebra-vs-athenahealth-vs-simplepractice?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ### 3. Best all-in-one medical practice option: Tebra If by “client portal” you actually mean **patient portal + EHR + scheduling + billing + clinical documentation**, I'd look seriously at **Tebra**. Its patient-experience tools include online scheduling, digital intake, HIPAA-compliant two-way messaging and automated reminders, while the broader platform handles EHR, claims, payments, e-prescribing and labs. [www.tebra.com](https://www.tebra.com/compare-tebra-vs-athenahealth-vs-simplepractice?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **Best when:** you're running a medical practice where the portal needs to be tightly integrated with the clinical and billing systems. The tradeoff is that it's substantially more platform than a solo practitioner may need. ### 4. Best polished experience for multidisciplinary practices: Jane **Jane** is worth considering if you have several practitioners or disciplines under one roof. It's particularly appealing when the patient experience—online booking, forms, communication, payments and scheduling—is a major priority. I'd put it ahead of SimplePractice for some **PT/OT/chiropractic/wellness/multidisciplinary** practices, but the exact fit depends on your specialty and insurance requirements. ### 5. Best for dietitians/nutrition practices: Healthie **Healthie** is another strong option for nutrition-focused practices. It combines the portal with scheduling, forms, messaging, telehealth, care plans and practice-management functionality. I'd compare **Healthie vs. Practice Better** if your practice is primarily nutrition or virtual care. --- ## What I'd choose by practice type - **Solo therapist/psychologist:** **SimplePractice** - **Small behavioral-health group:** **SimplePractice** - **Dietitian/nutritionist:** **Practice Better or Healthie** - **Functional/integrative medicine:** **Practice Better** - **Primary care/specialty medical practice:** **Tebra** - **Multidisciplinary clinic:** **Jane or Tebra** - **Just need secure messaging/forms/appointments without replacing your EHR:** consider a dedicated portal rather than buying a complete EHR ### One important HIPAA caveat “HIPAA compliant” isn't something you can outsource entirely to the software vendor. Before signing up, verify that **your specific plan includes a Business Associate Agreement (BAA)** and review how the vendor handles encryption, access controls, audit logs, data retention/export, backups and subcontractors. Practice Better itself specifically recommends looking for a signed BAA and documented security controls rather than relying solely on a HIPAA badge. [practicebetter.io](https://practicebetter.io/blog/best-secure-client-portal-for-wellness-practitioners?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **If you tell me your specialty (e.g., therapy, primary care, psychiatry, chiropractic, dental, nutrition), number of providers, and whether you need insurance billing, I can narrow this to the 2–3 best options and compare their current pricing/features.** [SimplePractice](https://www.simplepractice.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com) [Practice Better](https://practicebetter.io?utm_source=chatgpt.com) [Tebra](https://www.tebra.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com) [Jane](https://jane.app?utm_source=chatgpt.com) [Healthie](https://www.gethealthie.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | Platform | Best for | Portal strengths | Main drawback | |---|---|---|---| | **[SimplePractice](https://www.simplepractice.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com)** | Therapists & behavioral health | Messaging, scheduling, forms, payments, telehealth, mobile app | Less suited to complex medical practices | | **[Practice Better](https://practicebetter.io?utm_source=chatgpt.com)** | Nutrition, functional/integrative & wellness | Excellent client engagement, forms, messaging, programs, tracking, payments | Not as strong for traditional medical billing | | **[Tebra](https://www.tebra.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com)** | Small medical practices | Patient messaging, digital intake, scheduling, payments + full EHR/billing | More expensive/complex than a portal-only solution | | **[Jane](https://jane.app?utm_source=chatgpt.com)** | Multidisciplinary/private practices | Polished patient experience, scheduling, forms, communication | Better as an entire practice-management platform than a standalone portal | | **[Healthie](https://www.gethealthie.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com)** | Dietitians, nutritionists & virtual care | Strong portal, forms, messaging, scheduling, care plans | More specialized toward wellness/nutrition | ### 1. Best overall for behavioral health: SimplePractice If you're a therapist, counselor, psychologist, or similar provider, **SimplePractice is probably my first choice**. Its portal combines secure messaging, documents/forms, scheduling, billing, telehealth and measurement-based care. SimplePractice says the portal is HIPAA compliant and HITRUST certified, and it's included with its plans rather than charged per client. [www.simplepractice.com](https://www.simplepractice.com/features/client-portal/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) Its current starting price is reported at about **$49/month**, although actual cost depends on the plan and add-ons. [www.capterra.com](https://www.capterra.com/compare/130710-159263/SimplePractice-vs-Better?utm_source=chatgpt.com)[www.tebra.com](https://www.tebra.com/compare-tebra-vs-athenahealth-vs-simplepractice?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **Best when:** you want something that is relatively easy for a solo practitioner or small behavioral-health group to implement. ### 2. Best for nutrition/integrative care: Practice Better **Practice Better** stands out when the relationship extends beyond appointments. Its portal supports intake and consent forms, scheduling, secure messaging, billing, programs, resources, food/habit tracking and integrations with health/wearable data. [practicebetter.io](https://practicebetter.io/blog/best-secure-client-portal-for-wellness-practitioners?utm_source=chatgpt.com) It's particularly attractive for **dietitians, nutritionists, functional medicine and health/wellness practices** rather than a conventional primary-care office. Capterra currently lists a starting price of about **$35/month**, though pricing varies by plan. [www.capterra.com](https://www.capterra.com/compare/130710-159263/SimplePractice-vs-Better?utm_source=chatgpt.com)[www.tebra.com](https://www.tebra.com/compare-tebra-vs-athenahealth-vs-simplepractice?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ### 3. Best all-in-one medical practice option: Tebra If by “client portal” you actually mean **patient portal + EHR + scheduling + billing + clinical documentation**, I'd look seriously at **Tebra**. Its patient-experience tools include online scheduling, digital intake, HIPAA-compliant two-way messaging and automated reminders, while the broader platform handles EHR, claims, payments, e-prescribing and labs. [www.tebra.com](https://www.tebra.com/compare-tebra-vs-athenahealth-vs-simplepractice?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **Best when:** you're running a medical practice where the portal needs to be tightly integrated with the clinical and billing systems. The tradeoff is that it's substantially more platform than a solo practitioner may need. ### 4. Best polished experience for multidisciplinary practices: Jane **Jane** is worth considering if you have several practitioners or disciplines under one roof. It's particularly appealing when the patient experience—online booking, forms, communication, payments and scheduling—is a major priority. I'd put it ahead of SimplePractice for some **PT/OT/chiropractic/wellness/multidisciplinary** practices, but the exact fit depends on your specialty and insurance requirements. ### 5. Best for dietitians/nutrition practices: Healthie **Healthie** is another strong option for nutrition-focused practices. It combines the portal with scheduling, forms, messaging, telehealth, care plans and practice-management functionality. I'd compare **Healthie vs. Practice Better** if your practice is primarily nutrition or virtual care. --- ## What I'd choose by practice type - **Solo therapist/psychologist:** **SimplePractice** - **Small behavioral-health group:** **SimplePractice** - **Dietitian/nutritionist:** **Practice Better or Healthie** - **Functional/integrative medicine:** **Practice Better** - **Primary care/specialty medical practice:** **Tebra** - **Multidisciplinary clinic:** **Jane or Tebra** - **Just need secure messaging/forms/appointments without replacing your EHR:** consider a dedicated portal rather than buying a complete EHR ### One important HIPAA caveat “HIPAA compliant” isn't something you can outsource entirely to the software vendor. Before signing up, verify that **your specific plan includes a Business Associate Agreement (BAA)** and review how the vendor handles encryption, access controls, audit logs, data retention/export, backups and subcontractors. Practice Better itself specifically recommends looking for a signed BAA and documented security controls rather than relying solely on a HIPAA badge. [practicebetter.io](https://practicebetter.io/blog/best-secure-client-portal-for-wellness-practitioners?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **If you tell me your specialty (e.g., therapy, primary care, psychiatry, chiropractic, dental, nutrition), number of providers, and whether you need insurance billing, I can narrow this to the 2–3 best options and compare their current pricing/features.**

For a small healthcare practice, I’d prioritize a **full practice-management/EHR platform with a built-in patient portal**, rather than buying a standalone portal. That keeps secure messaging, forms, scheduling, documents, payments, and clinical records in one place. One important caveat: **“HIPAA compliant” is not a certification or a guarantee that your practice is compliant.** If a vendor handles ePHI for you, HHS says you generally need a HIPAA-compliant **Business Associate Agreement (BAA)** with that vendor, and your practice still has its own HIPAA obligations and risk analysis. [www.hhs.gov](https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/special-topics/health-information-technology/cloud-computing/index.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com) ### My top picks | Platform | Best for | Portal strengths | My take | |---|---|---|---| | **SimplePractice** | Therapists, counselors, behavioral health | Secure messaging, forms, scheduling, documents, telehealth | **Best overall for mental/behavioral health** | | **Practice Better** | Nutrition, functional medicine, health/wellness | Messaging, intake, scheduling, programs, journals, resources, payments | **Best overall for client engagement** | | **Healthie** | Dietitians, nutritionists, wellness practices | Portal, charting, scheduling, telehealth, payments, mobile apps | **Best value for a small solo practice** | | **Carepatron** | Budget-conscious practices | Portal, forms, scheduling, messaging, records, automation | **Best low-cost modern option** | | **Jane App** | PT, chiropractic, multidisciplinary clinics | Scheduling, forms, messaging, charting, online booking | **Best for multi-provider clinics** | | **TherapyNotes** | Behavioral-health practices | Secure client portal, documentation, billing, telehealth | **Best for insurance-heavy therapy practices** | | **Tebra** | Medical practices wanting broader RCM/EHR | Patient engagement, scheduling, billing, communications | **Best when billing/RCM is a major priority** | #### 1. [SimplePractice](https://www.simplepractice.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) — best for behavioral health This would be my first look for a therapist, psychologist, counselor, or similar small behavioral-health practice. It combines the portal with scheduling, intake paperwork, documentation, billing, and telehealth rather than treating the portal as a separate product. SimplePractice says it adheres to HIPAA requirements and has a BAA in place with all customers. [www.simplepractice.com](https://www.simplepractice.com/trust-center/faqs/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **Choose it if:** you want something mature, polished, and relatively turnkey. #### 2. [Practice Better](https://practicebetter.io/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) — best for ongoing client engagement This is particularly compelling for **nutritionists, dietitians, functional medicine, health coaches, and wellness-oriented practices**. The portal supports secure messaging, intake forms, scheduling, programs/resources, food and lifestyle journals, and client progress tracking. [practicebetter.io](https://practicebetter.io/features/client-portal?utm_source=chatgpt.com) Practice Better says HIPAA compliance is included across its plans and that a BAA is available. [practicebetter.io](https://practicebetter.io/teams?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **Choose it if:** clients need to interact with you between appointments rather than simply book appointments and receive documents. #### 3. [Healthie](https://www.gethealthie.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) — excellent for solo practices Healthie is another strong option for nutrition and wellness practices. Its current Core plan is listed at **$19.99/month** and includes scheduling, payments, charting, telehealth, and a client portal, although it's limited to 10 active clients. Essentials is listed at $49.99/month with substantially higher client capacity. Healthie states that it is HIPAA and SOC 2 compliant. [www.gethealthie.com](https://www.gethealthie.com/healthie-pricing?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **Choose it if:** you're a solo practitioner and want a relatively inexpensive all-in-one system that can grow with you. #### 4. [Carepatron](https://www.carepatron.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) — best budget-friendly option Carepatron is worth a serious look if price and ease of setup are important. It advertises **HIPAA compliance, a BAA, SOC 2 certification, and encryption at rest and in transit** as standard rather than requiring extensive configuration. [www.carepatron.com](https://www.carepatron.com/features/compliance-and-security?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **Choose it if:** you're a small practice that wants modern workflow/automation without committing to a more expensive enterprise-oriented system. ### How I'd narrow it down - **Therapist / psychologist:** SimplePractice or TherapyNotes - **Dietitian / nutritionist:** Healthie or Practice Better - **Functional medicine / wellness:** Practice Better - **PT / chiropractor / multidisciplinary clinic:** Jane App - **Small medical practice with significant insurance billing:** Tebra - **Solo practice on a tight budget:** Carepatron or Healthie - **Practice where client engagement between visits is central:** Practice Better ### What to verify before signing up Don't rely solely on a vendor's “HIPAA compliant” badge. Ask these questions: 1. **Will you sign a BAA with my practice?** 2. Does the BAA cover **the specific plan/features I'm purchasing**? 3. Is patient-to-provider messaging encrypted? 4. Are uploaded documents and forms encrypted **at rest and in transit**? 5. Is **MFA/2FA** available for every staff account? 6. Are there audit logs showing access to PHI? 7. Can I control staff access based on roles? 8. What happens to my data if I cancel? 9. Can I export the complete patient record? 10. Which integrations also require separate BAAs? HHS specifically cautions that even if a cloud provider encrypts ePHI and cannot decrypt it, it can still be a business associate; the BAA requirement doesn't disappear simply because the data is encrypted. [www.hhs.gov](https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/special-topics/health-information-technology/cloud-computing/index.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **If I were choosing for a typical 1–5 person practice today, my shortlist would be _SimplePractice, Practice Better, Healthie, and Carepatron_.** The best one depends heavily on whether you're primarily behavioral health, medical, or wellness/nutrition. If you tell me **your specialty, number of providers, approximate patient count, and whether you need insurance billing**, I can narrow this to the **top 2–3 and compare current pricing, portal features, EHR/charting, telehealth, forms, and integrations**. [SimplePractice](https://www.simplepractice.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) [Practice Better](https://practicebetter.io/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) [Healthie](https://www.gethealthie.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) [Carepatron](https://www.carepatron.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | Platform | Best for | Portal strengths | My take | |---|---|---|---| | **SimplePractice** | Therapists, counselors, behavioral health | Secure messaging, forms, scheduling, documents, telehealth | **Best overall for mental/behavioral health** | | **Practice Better** | Nutrition, functional medicine, health/wellness | Messaging, intake, scheduling, programs, journals, resources, payments | **Best overall for client engagement** | | **Healthie** | Dietitians, nutritionists, wellness practices | Portal, charting, scheduling, telehealth, payments, mobile apps | **Best value for a small solo practice** | | **Carepatron** | Budget-conscious practices | Portal, forms, scheduling, messaging, records, automation | **Best low-cost modern option** | | **Jane App** | PT, chiropractic, multidisciplinary clinics | Scheduling, forms, messaging, charting, online booking | **Best for multi-provider clinics** | | **TherapyNotes** | Behavioral-health practices | Secure client portal, documentation, billing, telehealth | **Best for insurance-heavy therapy practices** | | **Tebra** | Medical practices wanting broader RCM/EHR | Patient engagement, scheduling, billing, communications | **Best when billing/RCM is a major priority** | #### 1. [SimplePractice](https://www.simplepractice.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) — best for behavioral health This would be my first look for a therapist, psychologist, counselor, or similar small behavioral-health practice. It combines the portal with scheduling, intake paperwork, documentation, billing, and telehealth rather than treating the portal as a separate product. SimplePractice says it adheres to HIPAA requirements and has a BAA in place with all customers. [www.simplepractice.com](https://www.simplepractice.com/trust-center/faqs/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **Choose it if:** you want something mature, polished, and relatively turnkey. #### 2. [Practice Better](https://practicebetter.io/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) — best for ongoing client engagement This is particularly compelling for **nutritionists, dietitians, functional medicine, health coaches, and wellness-oriented practices**. The portal supports secure messaging, intake forms, scheduling, programs/resources, food and lifestyle journals, and client progress tracking. [practicebetter.io](https://practicebetter.io/features/client-portal?utm_source=chatgpt.com) Practice Better says HIPAA compliance is included across its plans and that a BAA is available. [practicebetter.io](https://practicebetter.io/teams?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **Choose it if:** clients need to interact with you between appointments rather than simply book appointments and receive documents. #### 3. [Healthie](https://www.gethealthie.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) — excellent for solo practices Healthie is another strong option for nutrition and wellness practices. Its current Core plan is listed at **$19.99/month** and includes scheduling, payments, charting, telehealth, and a client portal, although it's limited to 10 active clients. Essentials is listed at $49.99/month with substantially higher client capacity. Healthie states that it is HIPAA and SOC 2 compliant. [www.gethealthie.com](https://www.gethealthie.com/healthie-pricing?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **Choose it if:** you're a solo practitioner and want a relatively inexpensive all-in-one system that can grow with you. #### 4. [Carepatron](https://www.carepatron.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) — best budget-friendly option Carepatron is worth a serious look if price and ease of setup are important. It advertises **HIPAA compliance, a BAA, SOC 2 certification, and encryption at rest and in transit** as standard rather than requiring extensive configuration. [www.carepatron.com](https://www.carepatron.com/features/compliance-and-security?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **Choose it if:** you're a small practice that wants modern workflow/automation without committing to a more expensive enterprise-oriented system. ### How I'd narrow it down - **Therapist / psychologist:** SimplePractice or TherapyNotes - **Dietitian / nutritionist:** Healthie or Practice Better - **Functional medicine / wellness:** Practice Better - **PT / chiropractor / multidisciplinary clinic:** Jane App - **Small medical practice with significant insurance billing:** Tebra - **Solo practice on a tight budget:** Carepatron or Healthie - **Practice where client engagement between visits is central:** Practice Better ### What to verify before signing up Don't rely solely on a vendor's “HIPAA compliant” badge. Ask these questions: 1. **Will you sign a BAA with my practice?** 2. Does the BAA cover **the specific plan/features I'm purchasing**? 3. Is patient-to-provider messaging encrypted? 4. Are uploaded documents and forms encrypted **at rest and in transit**? 5. Is **MFA/2FA** available for every staff account? 6. Are there audit logs showing access to PHI? 7. Can I control staff access based on roles? 8. What happens to my data if I cancel? 9. Can I export the complete patient record? 10. Which integrations also require separate BAAs? HHS specifically cautions that even if a cloud provider encrypts ePHI and cannot decrypt it, it can still be a business associate; the BAA requirement doesn't disappear simply because the data is encrypted. [www.hhs.gov](https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/special-topics/health-information-technology/cloud-computing/index.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com) **If I were choosing for a typical 1–5 person practice today, my shortlist would be _SimplePractice, Practice Better, Healthie, and Carepatron_.** The best one depends heavily on whether you're primarily behavioral health, medical, or wellness/nutrition. If you tell me **your specialty, number of providers, approximate patient count, and whether you need insurance billing**, I can narrow this to the **top 2–3 and compare current pricing, portal features, EHR/charting, telehealth, forms, and integrations**.