Best AI scribe for solo and small practices (2026)
Facts checked on 14 October 2026. Prices change, so check each vendor's page before you decide. MentalNote is our product.
Big health systems buy AI scribes through Epic and a sales team. A solo clinician or a five-person practice needs a scribe you can sign up for today, at a price on the page, with a BAA you do not have to chase. This guide compares the scribes that sell that way, and is honest about where each one wins.
The short answer
- Therapists, counselors, psychologists and psychiatric prescribers: MentalNote. Therapy formats out of the box (DAP, BIRP, GIRP, PIRP, plus SOAP, Progress, Intake and Treatment Plan), a free plan that does not expire, and note instructions that tell the AI to write "Not documented in session" instead of filling gaps.
- Primary care and other medical specialties: Heidi, Freed or Twofold today. Each lists templates across specialties. MentalNote's primary-care workflow is a planned pilot, not a launched product.
- Lower prices: Freed starts at $39 a month, Supanote at $19.99 a month billed yearly for 40 notes, and Blueprint lists $0.99 a session or $69 a seat a month.
- Most free scribing among these tools: Heidi's free plan includes unlimited scribing with standard templates.
Side by side
| Scribe | Free option | Paid price (published) | Built for | Gets notes into the EHR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MentalNote (ours) | Free plan: 5 sessions a month, no time limit, no card. | Premium $99 a month, or $990 a year ($82.50 a month). Unlimited note generation. | Therapy and behavioral health; psychiatry follow-ups. | Copy or export; no direct write-back. |
| Heidi | Free plan with unlimited scribing, standard templates. | Clinician $150 a month, or $110 a month billed yearly. | Clinicians across specialties, solo to health system. | EHR integration listed on team plans. |
| Freed | 7-day trial, no card. | From $39 a month; Premier $119 a month or $104 a month billed yearly. | Many specialties, including mental and behavioral health. | Push to browser-based EHRs on Premier. |
| Nabla | 30-day trial for individuals. | $119 a month, per its help center. | 55+ specialties. | Export to Epic and athenaOne. |
| Twofold | 7 days free, no card. | $19 for the first month on monthly billing (shown against a crossed-out $69), or $49 a month billed yearly. | Mental health, primary care and other specialties. | Copy and paste. |
| Supanote | 14-day trial, no card. | From $19.99 a month billed yearly (40 notes); unlimited from $39.99. | Therapists; couples and groups. | Chrome extension on Pro and above. |
| Blueprint | 5 free sessions. | $0.99 a session, or $69 a seat a month for unlimited sessions; its pricing page shows both. | Therapists. | Copy into your EHR; optional Blueprint EHR. |
Abridge, Microsoft Dragon Copilot (formerly DAX Copilot) and Suki are left out of the table: the pages we checked on 14 October 2026 listed no price and pointed to a sales or contact form.
Where MentalNote wins
- It is told not to fill gaps. The app instructs the AI to write "Not documented in session" when a topic was not covered, never to write that a client "denied" a risk nobody asked about, and to add no diagnosis you did not state. You still review every draft.
- Therapy formats without building templates. BIRP, GIRP and PIRP sit next to SOAP and DAP.
- A free plan you keep. 5 recorded sessions every month, against 7 to 30 day trials at Freed, Twofold, Supanote and Nabla.
- A Word add-in. Type a short summary in Microsoft Word and get a structured note, no recording needed.
- MentalNote is HIPAA-compliant, with a BAA included on every plan. Heidi, Twofold, Supanote and Blueprint also offer a BAA to their users, so compare on the other points.
Where others win
- Price. Freed, Twofold and Supanote list lower monthly prices than MentalNote Premium, and Blueprint's per-session price is lower at light caseloads.
- Free scribing volume. Heidi's free plan has no session cap.
- EHR fill. Freed Premier, Supanote Pro and Heidi team plans put notes into the EHR for you. MentalNote is copy or export.
- Primary care and other specialties. Heidi, Freed, Twofold and Nabla list templates or coverage across many specialties today.
How to choose
- Run the same fictional visit through two scribes. Count what each one invented and what it missed.
- Check the format. If you chart in BIRP or GIRP, test that format, not just SOAP.
- Decide how notes reach your EHR. Copy and paste is fine for a light caseload; fill extensions save clicks on a heavy one.
- Get the BAA before the first real session.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best AI scribe for a solo therapist?
For a solo therapist who wants therapy formats and a free plan that does not expire, MentalNote is built for that. If price is the deciding factor, Supanote and Twofold cost less per month.
What is the best free AI scribe?
Heidi's free plan includes unlimited scribing with standard templates. MentalNote's free plan includes 5 sessions a month with therapy formats and no time limit.
Which AI scribe is best for a small primary-care practice?
Today, a multi-specialty scribe such as Heidi, Freed, Twofold or Nabla. MentalNote's primary-care workflow is a planned pilot.
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.
Try it freePrefer Microsoft Word? Get the free Word add-in. Installs from Microsoft AppSource.
More comparisons
All product names are trademarks of their owners. This page compares public information as of 14 October 2026 and is not endorsed by any vendor listed. A clinician must review every AI draft. Spotted something out of date? Email support@mentalnote.ai and we will fix it.