DAX Copilot and Dragon Copilot alternatives for small practices (2026)
Facts checked on 14 October 2026. Prices change, so check each vendor's page before you decide.
Nuance's DAX Copilot page now redirects to Microsoft Dragon Copilot. Dragon Copilot is built for organizations: Microsoft's product page, which we checked on 14 October 2026, did not list a price and asks you to contact a representative. If you run a solo or small practice and want to start on your own, with a price you can see first, these are the alternatives to look at.
We make MentalNote, so it is listed first and labeled as ours. The others are listed in no particular order.
The short list
| Tool | How you start | Paid price (USD) | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| MentalNote (ours) | Free plan: 5 sessions a month, no time limit, no credit card. | $99 a month or $990 a year. | Therapists and other mental health clinicians, including psychiatric intakes. |
| Heidi Health | Free plan with unlimited scribing. | Clinician: $150 a month, or $110 a month billed yearly. | Clinicians across specialties who want unlimited free scribing. |
| Freed | 7-day free trial, no credit card. | Plans from $39 a month. | Clinicians across specialties; EHR push into browser-based EHRs on Premier only. |
| Nabla | 30-day free trial for individual users. | $119 a month, according to Nabla's help center. | Many specialties; coding; Epic and athenahealth. |
| Abridge | Contact form for organizations. | Not listed on the pages we checked on 14 October 2026. | Health systems on Epic. |
MentalNote (ours)
- Free plan with 5 web-app scribe sessions a month, no time limit and no credit card. Premium is $99 a month, or $990 a year ($82.50 a month).
- SOAP, DAP, BIRP, GIRP, PIRP and Progress notes, plus Intake and Treatment Plan workflows. The Intake format includes psychiatric history, medications and mental status observations.
- Note rules: the app instructs the AI to use only what was said, to write "Not documented in session" for gaps, and not to add a diagnosis you did not state. Review every draft.
- MentalNote is HIPAA-compliant, with a BAA included on every plan.
- Honest limit: no direct EHR write-back. If most of your visits are primary care or another non-behavioral specialty, Heidi, Freed or Nabla have dedicated templates today.
Heidi Health
- Free plan with unlimited scribing and standard templates, plus a trial of Agents, Routines and Dictate.
- Clinician is $150 a month, or $110 a month billed yearly, with a 14-day free trial.
- A template library sorted by specialty, desktop apps, and mobile apps on iOS and Android.
Freed
- 7-day free trial with no credit card.
- Plans from $39 a month. One-click push into browser-based EHRs is on Premier only ($119 a month, or $104 a month billed yearly). Specialty-specific templates.
Nabla
- 30-day free trial for each individual user, then $119 a month; group rates on request.
- Long specialty list, over 35 languages, E/M and ICD-10 coding suggestions, and export into athenaOne.
Abridge
- Built for health systems. The pages we checked on 14 October 2026 did not list a price; a contact form asks about your organization.
- Works inside Epic workflows; Abridge names outpatient, emergency medicine and inpatient settings.
How to choose
- If your health system already offers Dragon Copilot or Abridge, use what your organization supports.
- If you buy for yourself, start with tools that let you sign up and see a price: MentalNote, Heidi, Freed or Nabla.
- Match your visits. Therapy and psychiatric visits: MentalNote. Mostly primary care or other specialties: a multi-specialty tool.
- Check the BAA wording on each vendor's own site before you record a session.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best DAX Copilot alternative for a small practice?
It depends on your visits. For therapy and psychiatric visits, MentalNote has a free plan and a $99 Premium price. For primary care, look at Heidi, Freed or Nabla.
Is DAX Copilot the same as Dragon Copilot?
Nuance's DAX Copilot page now redirects to Microsoft Dragon Copilot.
How much does Dragon Copilot cost?
Microsoft's Dragon Copilot product page, which we checked on 14 October 2026, did not list a price; it asks you to contact a representative.
Is MentalNote HIPAA compliant?
MentalNote is HIPAA-compliant, with a BAA included on every plan.
Try it
Start free at app.mentalnote.ai: 5 scribe sessions a month, no credit card, no sales call.
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More comparisons
Microsoft, Dragon Copilot, DAX Copilot and Nuance are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Heidi, Freed, Nabla and Abridge are trademarks of their owners. This page compares public information as of 14 October 2026 and is not endorsed by any of these companies. A clinician must review every AI draft. Spotted something out of date? Email support@mentalnote.ai and we will fix it.